Bournemouth 0-1 Everton: Match Report & Instant Reaction | Grealish goal seals first win at Vitality

A quick turnaround for the Blues after their disastrous loss to Newcastle. Perhaps there was no time for the players to think back to another debacle which effectively brought down the curtain on the Sean Dyche era after a late loss at the Vitality Stadium last January.

I won’t mention that Everton had never won an away league game at Bournemouth before today. In the eight away games against the Cherries, they had drawn two and lost six. It was the most the Toffees have faced a side away from home without winning in their league history. Good that I didn’t mention that…..

Although Bournemouth sat one point and three places above Everton before kickoff, they were struggling in their last four matches with only one point from their efforts. Both teams needed to improve on their last matches and David Moyes was hoping that the Blues could reverse the recent trend at the Vitality and get a win.

Team News

David Moyes was forced into one change with Michael Keane missing with a suspected calf injury. The hole was filled by a shuffle of the pack with O’Brien moving to CB, Garner moving to RB and Charly Alcaraz coming into the side. Nathan Patterson made the bench

Bournemouth made four changes to the starting lineup with eighteen-year-old Veljko Milosavljevic given a rare start in the back line with Marcos Senesi suspended. Justin Kluivert along with Alex Jimenez, and Junior Kroupi started with Evanilson, Marcus Tavernier and Adam Smith benched.

Match Report

Everton were in their vanilla and navy away strip as they kicked off. Michael Salisbury was the man in the middle as Everton showed an early high press with Alcaraz supporting Barry. The Evertonians were in full voice as “If You Know Your History” rang out around the Vitality Stadium.

Everton started to push forward although the buildup was laboured. A long throw by O’Brien was met by Barry but his shot was wide of the post. Tarkowski and Garner then decided to head the same ball and both ended up on the grass.

Jiminez and Grealish then decided to have a chat with each other which needed a word from the referee to settle it down. Jake O’Brien then had a shot blocked as Everton continued to push for an opener. A nice move down the left ended with Mykolenko delivering a ball into the box but no one could get a head on it.

A first corner of the half had Everton well on top but a goal was missing. KDH delivered and Iroegbunam had his shot go well over the bar. Iroegbunam was then given a yellow for a late tackle on Semenyo. It was his fifth yellow so he will miss the Forest match. Seconds later, a ridiculous foul was given to Bournemouth for a good challenge by Alcaraz. The resulting free kick fell to Semenyo which needed a great save by Pickford.

Vitalii Mykolenko then made a super defensive play to prevent Kluivert from breaking in alone. Bournemouth were growing into the game and Everton slowed the game down to get back control. The Cherries were doubling up on Garner which was creating difficulties.

Everton’s play in the middle had been good but the final third was the issue. Barry was very isolated and the stalemate continued. The last three matches had been scoreless at the half but there were then nine goals in the second half so the chance of a draw were slim.

Some lovely control to deny a Bournemouth chance by Iroegbunam was quickly turned into an attack which led to a corner. Garner delivered the corner which was met by Barry but his header was blocked by Truffert. A second corner on the trot was headed by Scott and it hit the bar and forced a third corner. Garner delivered it was goal bound but for a nice save from Petrovic.

A yellow card was given to Kluivert when he bundled over KDH and he was yapping away at Grealish in the aftermath. Garner received the resulting free kick and somehow his shot actually cleared the stand and went into the next street. Garner turned away and there was an embarassed smile on his face.

As the last moments of the frittered away, Bournemouth drove forward and when Kroupi Jr. put the ball into the Everton goal, the assistant referee saw a touch which put the forward offside. It was the last play of the half.

No changes to either side as Bournemouth kicked off. O’Brien had an early long throw which caused no difficulty. A nice flick on by Barry to Alcaraz needed a good block. The resulting corner saw Ndiaye end up on the floor. VAR looked at it and it was called as a foul on Ndiaye. Mykolenko was then given a yellow card for a flailing arm which caught Adli.

Tyler Adams was then in the referee’s book for a rash tackle on Ndiaye. Everton were doing a great job sucking Bournemouth into fouls as O’Brien was taken down by Kluivert. KDH then broke forward and a nice touch by Alcaraz fell to Barry who was denied by Petrovic. It was his first shot on net for the young lad in nearly 600 minutes. Barry lay on the ground ruing the missed chance.

Everton were on the prowl and were putting the Bournemouth backline under pressure. Adli and Kroupi Jr. were off with Tavernier and Evanilson replacing them. Some nice one touch football by Everton and when Barry backheeled the ball to Alcaraz, Petrovic needed to make another save. It was quickly down the other end and Semenyo’s effort was weak.

Bournemouth had their first corner as the 65th minute arrived. Tavernier delivered it but they mucked it up. Garner got to the byline but Barry skied the ball over the bar. Everton were pushing again. Kluivert was withdrawn with Soler coming on which caused a shuffle for the Cherries.

Carlos Alcaraz put some serious pressure on the goalie and it forced a throw in for the Blues. That was quickly qurned into attack by Bournemouth but their attacking was poor. Tavernier turned to the Cherries fans and gave them a few choice words which was met by a round of boos from the home crowd.

Barry then held up the play nicely and then drove goalward but he could not get a shot away. Alcaraz then delivered the ball to Grealish who drove the ball goalward which hit Biakite and sent the Bournemouth goalkeeper the wrong way as the ball hit the back of the Cherries net. Grealish slid into the Evertonians section who did their best limbs impersonation.

A first change for Everton saw Beto and McNeil coming on for Barry and Alcaraz. Enes Unal was brought on for Bournemouth to have two up top with ten minutes to go. Seconds later Jack Grealish layed off a lovely ball to Ndiaye which forced a brilliant save from Petrovic.

Bournemouth were piling forward as “Spirit of the Blues” was sung loudly and proudly by the travelling supporters. Beto held up the ball well which allowed Everton to slow down the play and take the sting out of the match. Bournemouth were struggling to to get the ball forward into any areas that gave Pickford anything to do.

Enes Unal was given a yellow for dissent. Pickford was in no hurry to get the free kick taken as the last minute of normal time arrived. Some more close passing by Everton drained away more time as four minutes of additional time was announced. Beto did a nice job keeping the ball to burn up more time and when the final whistle was blown the Evertonians rejoiced.

Everton’s Man of the Match

Jake O’Brien: As a young player who is still learning his trade, Jake O’Brien has been played out of position under David Moyes because of a lack of cover at right back. Today, because of Michael Keane’s injury, he was moved back into the CB position and was so cool and calm under pressure. Not unlike Jarrad Branthwaite, O’Brien has a good head for defending and a turn of pace that snuffs out any chances for the opposition. Bournemouth rarely get held scoreless at home but today the young Irishman did yeoman’s work to get the shutout.

Instant Reaction

Since Moyes returned to the club in January, Everton do boast a strong away record with only Arsenal (30) and Crystal Palace (28) bettering their 24 points won on the road in the Premier League during that time. Another three points today continued that positive play and moved Everton into 9th place above Bournemouth. As the players thanked the team after the match there was a hearty rendition of “Davey Moyes” and it was well deserved. He broke the Old Trafford hoodoo last week and the Vitality hoodoo is now obliterated. It was not a pretty game but it was a win.

Sometimes it is needs/must when it comes to managerial decision-making. Today, David Moyes was required to retool the side because of the unexpected absence of Michael Keane. Moving O’Brien, Garner and Dewsbury-Hall was required along with the return to the starting lineup for Charly Alcaraz. There was some speculation that Alcaraz would have replaced Iroegbunam who struggled against Newcastle, but that plan was thrown out when Keane went down. Thankfully, the shift in players produced an excellent defensive display with O’Brien and Tarkowski standing firm when needed.

To say that Bournemouth is a bogey team away from home for Everton is an understatement. Before today they had never won away in eight tries in the league. Today, they named their youngest ever Premier League starting XI, averaging 23 years, 254 days and up against one of the older teams in the league there had to be a worry that the pace was going to be a problem but it was not. Finally, we get a win at the Vitality and David Moyes was the architect.

In the buildup to the match, David Moyes spoke about Thierno Barry’s recent play and said that Moyes had “chosen to do is give him the opportunity to play and show what he can do.” Today, the lack of goals continued but a first shot on net was recorded. Another small step but his play as an isolated forward was excellent. Beto certainly did a shift when he entered the game but Barry has to continue as the starter moving forward. The goal will come!