MOURNEMOUTH
Flashes of quality.. flashes of hope.. but then the Cherries’ Prem dream is dashed
AS the sun finally burst through grey Merseyside skies, for the briefest of moments, there was hope.
With Bournemouth’s Premier League adventure seemingly over as Aston Villa led at the London Stadium, news echoed – quite literally – around Goodison Park of a West Ham
goal and a lifeline. Another from the Hammers would deliver the miracle. And you could see the interest, the longing, from the Cherries’ players, as they kept turning to their bench in the final seconds of this game, searching for a sign.
It never came, and in those few minutes at the end of what was an impressive victory over Everton, the tension on the pitch reflected Bournemouth’s season. Flashes of quality, flashes of belief, but not enough.
Their Premier League adventure was over.
Perhaps fittingly, it was Villa who delivered the knockout blow with their vital last-day point, because it was against the same opponent that it all started for the Cherries in their first ever top-flight game five years ago. They lost out then, too.
There have been plenty of hard-luck stories this season for Eddie Howe’s side, but they will recognise the blame lies not with ill-fortune, but with their failure in front of goal.
And that was put into stark context with this win, only their ninth of an endlessly frustrating season.
Bournemouth’s forwards finally clicked, a bold three-man frontline taking the Everton defence apart consistently throughout the game, and delivering the needed result. It was too late though, and too little at this stage.
Boss Howe will point to injuries, but the fact is, a total of just 19 goals from a trio as talented as Callum Wilson, Josh King and Dominic Solanke is simply not enough in the cut-throat business of Premier League survival.
Their potential was evident from the start here, Bournemouth going about their business with an intent that has been so often lacking this term.
Wilson and King interchanged with real threat, and Solanke looked a different player from the one who has struggled so badly in front of goal. They
were ahead after 13 minutes, King converting from the penalty spot after Richarlison unwisely thrust an elbow out at Dan Gosling’s free-kick.
An uninspired, rather lame Everton did manage a brief flicker of response, when Seamus Coleman darted down the right and Moise Kean was on hand to turn in the subsequent Theo Walcott cross.
But the home side were never really interested, and Solanke produced a stunning header from Diego Rico’s free-kick to put the Cherries ahead again on the stroke of half-time.
It was a nervy second half, especially with Wilson denied by Leighton Baines – making what looked his final game for Everton after 13 years – but the nerves came more from London, where Villa doggedly clung on.
Sub Junior Stanislas settled the game 10 minutes from time (left) after a clever one-two with King, but it was to be a fruitless flourish, the news eventually delivered from West Ham that Bournemouth were relegated.
The news in fact, came through as the visitors headed to their temporary changing room in the Goodison car park, their grim fate sealed in grim surroundings.