Cherries picked off
REVENGE IS SWEET FOR O’NEIL AS CHERRIES SELF-DESTRUCT
Iraola: Focus on the pitch
UNDER-PRESSURE Andoni Iraola delivered a defiant message after Bournemouth sealed the worst start to a season in their 124-year history.
The Cherries boss (below) said: “Nobody should be concerned about the manager.
“They should be concerned abocutaapftciobonurwneimllouth wincniangpguampeas.fter
“Csuoplpoornte:rwssohrodusldin’t care abohuet rmeet,hthaenykjsust want to win games.”
When asked if he’d spoken to the club’s hierarchy about his future, he said: “We haven’t talked. It’s not a matter of me or my situation.”
Gary O’neil refused to revel in Bournemouth’s misery after piling more pressure on replacement Iraola.
The Wolves boss did not celebrate Sasa Kalajdzic’s 88th-minute winner out of respect for his old side, saying: “Honestly, I feel no different to when we beat Manchester City and Everton.
“I have huge respect for everyone here, they gave me a chance to manage a Premier League football team.”
GARY O’NEIL came back to haunt his old employers as sub Sasa Kalajdzic got off the bench to net a late winner for Wolves.
Bournemouth, still chasing their first Premier League victory of the season under O’neil’s successor Andoni Iraola, only had themselves to blame following a remarkable second-half collapse.
Matheus Cunha cancelled out Dominic Solanke’s opener right after the break before Lewis Cook saw red for stupidly pushing his head into the face of Hwang Hee-chan.
Bournemouth had looked good for a point even with 10 men until another moment of madness when goalkeeper Neto rolled a short pass to Philip Billing on the edge of his own box that was punished by match-winner Kalajdzic.
Yes, the struggling Cherries have endured a cruel start to the campaign.
But this soul-destroying defeat felt particularly damaging as O’neil rubbed salt into open wounds. On the basis of what we have seen so far, Iraola is no upgrade on the Englishman – whose brutal sacking is yet to have been justified with results.
Pedro Neto went close early on when he jinked inside before firing off the crossbar from distance.
But Bournemouth were then ahead against the run of play in the 17th minute when Solanke flicked home the opener after fine work down the right flank from Billing and David Brooks.
It was the sole moment of quality during a scrappy first half that threatened to boil over when Brooks chopped down Cunha on the touchline.
The Brazilian attacker, who was the subject of fierce scrutiny from the agitated home crowd, soon had his say on proceedings when he collected a pass from Neto and curled into the top corner in the 47th minute.
It got worse for the hosts when midfielder Cook was rightfully shown a straight red card following a petty confrontation with Wolves striker Hee-chan Hwang.
Bournemouth looked set for a point until the usually reliable Neto stitched up team-mate Billing on the edge of his own box, Kalajdzic won possession and tucked home following Hwang’s through-ball.
O’neil’s staff celebrated wildly and he couldn’t resist a wry smile as he left the Vitality Stadium turf with three points in the bag. BOURNEMOUTH: Neto 5; Aarons 6, Kelly 5, Zabarnyi 7, Kerkez 5 (Senesi (85) 6); Scott 5 (Rothwell (57) 7), Cook 3; Tavernier 5 (Outtara (75) 4), Billing 5, Brooks 6 (Christie (57) 6); Solanke 6 (Moore (85) 5) WOLVES: Sa 6; Dawson 7, T Gomes 7 (Sarabia (75) 4), Kilman 6; Doherty 7, Traore 6, J Gomes 5 (Doyle (46) 6), Ait-nouri 6; Neto 7, Hwang 7, Cunha 8 (Kalajdzic (82) 8) STAR MAN: Matheus Cunha – Ran his socks off and scored an excellent goal. REF: Paul Tierney 8