Who will avoid the drop from the Premier League?

Written by billythekid

Must Win…….and Hope!

After our disappointing defeat at home against Southampton, our club move on to the last game of the season and depending on others results it could be our last game (for now) in the Premier League. The Cherries have been in the Premier League for five seasons, longer than I believe some football critics expected. They didn’t think we could survive playing the type of football that took us up through the leagues and finally into the Premier League.

It was a time of expectation, excitement and a brand new experience for our club and its fans. New grounds to be visited for those who adventured away from Dean Court and those living in other parts of our country, some from abroad. For the majority of our fans, it was a chance on a regular basis to see the teams from the top league visit Dean Court, with some household names amongst the managers and players. During the season/s a number of our games were also televised live, which allowed our fans who didn’t/couldn’t travel or get tickets for home/away games, to see our side compete with the teams in the Premier League, instead of as in the past in one of the Cups.

From comments from some of those that visited the big grounds of the top clubs, there was the enjoyment of visiting a new ground, but the disappointment of the lack of atmosphere in and around some of the stadiums with big crowds. In the end, it seems the novelty wore off and for some games, away tickets became available. For some, this league will not be missed for various reasons, one being the enjoyment, instance reaction of enjoying the moment your team scores a goal, taken away by the checking by VAR. Those of us who have been following our club for many years through all four leagues, getting into the Premier League was a dream come true and something to be remembered if we do go down. Also, it is an education from the lows to the highs, good and the bad, supporting our club.

This Sunday our team visit Goodison Park the home of Everton, this game is one of the most important in our club’s history and it is a Must-Win game, then hope both Villa and Watford lose.

Since we last played Everton they have replaced their Portuguese manager Marco Silva, with the very experienced 61-year-old Italian, Carlo Ancelotti, who took on the job in December 2019. Ancelotti started off his managerial career at Reggiana, since then he has managed/coached several clubs, some of them the biggest in Europe. From Reggiana he moved to Parma and then on to these clubs, Juventus, Milan, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Napoli and now Everton. He is one of three managers who have won the UEFA Champions League three times. He won it twice with Milan in the 2002-03 and 2006-07 seasons and once with Real Madrid in the 2013-14 season.

In January Everton signed 18-year-old defender, Jarrad Branthwaite from Carlisle United for an undisclosed fee. Since the restart of the league in June, at home, Everton have drawn 0-0 with Liverpool, beaten Leicester C 2-1, drew with Southampton 1-1 and Aston Villa 1-1.
Away beat Norwich C 0-1, lost at Spurs 1-0 and Wolves 3-0 and last game beat Sheffield U 0-1.

The earlier meeting at Dean Court this season, AFCB won 3-1, C Wilson 2, Fraser. For Everton, Calvert-Lewin.

In the away league games between the two clubs, AFCB have lost all 4 games.
In all competitions, AFCB have W 3, D 2, L 8.

Everton Team News
They have a few injuries, Jean Phillippe-Gbamin – Achilles, Cenk Tosun – ACL, Yerry Mina – thigh, Fabian Delph – muscle and Mason Holgate- shin.

Everton Player To Watch
Their goals have mainly come from two players this season, both Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison have scored 13 league goals this season. The player to watch at the moment is Richarlison who has scored 3 out of the 6 Everton goals since the June restart. He has scored 2 out of 4 Everton goals at Goodison Park.

AFCB Team News
Eddie has to pick the best team to beat Everton and that means goals. Does he pick Callum Wilson who hasn’t found the net since the restart or drop him to the bench? On the injury front, both Simon Francis and Chris Mepham have had recent operations so are out. Charlie Daniels has been out with a long term injury, so must be ruled out. Nathan Ake, there has been no updated news and we really could do with him for this game. Adam Smith should now be available for selection.

AFCB Player To Watch
On recent form, I would go for Junior Stanislas.

Martin Atkinson is the referee. VAR has Paul Tierney.

He was in charge away from home at Villa, Arsenal, Newcastle

Home games against Burnley and the FA Cup game with Arsenal.

Your say…

kirsikka wrote…

West Ham to decide they will turn up after all and beat Villa 3-1.

In the 95th minute elsewhere, Watford are drawing with Arsenal when Watford get a dubious penalty but VAR doesn’t give a heck anymore. The penalty smashes against the bar and Arsenal race up the other end and score.

Meanwhile, it’s 1-1 between AFCB and Everton. AFCB get a corner and Ramsdale goes up for it. The ball is headed out of the area and Rambo starts to run back to his goal but in the scramble, it comes towards him just outside the Everton area and he turns and smacks it first time on the volley into the corner of the goal.

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