Brooks catches goal fever and gives Howe’s side a real hot streak
Bournemth 2
Brooks 21, 77
Brighton 0
THIS time last year, David Brooks wasn’t anywhere close to being in the Christmas spirit. At a time when he should have been enjoying playing in the Championship for Sheffield United, he was tucked up in bed while suffering with glandular fever.
Now it is a completely different story for the 21-year-old midfielder, who is getting better all the time for Bournemouth in the Premier League.
His two beautifully-taken goals against Brighton took his tally to five for the season and gave Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe his first win in three league games.
For Howe, who signed Brooks for £10.6million in the summer, this was yet another indication of what the young Wales international is capable, even if he is developing faster than expected.
‘He’s ahead of schedule,’ Howe said. ‘We’ve been pleasantly surprised. We knew we were getting a very technical player, a very intelligent player, we knew those things. Perhaps what we didn’t know was how good he was going to be for the team.’
Brighton weren’t poor but Brooks made them suffer in two key areas: outside their own penalty area and then from balls into the box.
Just after 20 minutes. Brooks got Brighton’s Davy Propper into a tangle before advancing forward and lashing the ball in with his left foot from 25 yards for Bournemouth’s first goal.
Brooks also played a part in Brighton captain Lewis Dunk getting sent off. Dunk’s first yellow card came when Brooks darted forwards after being set free by Josh King. Dunk had no choice but to clip the heels of Brook and send him down, although it appeared Yves Bissouma got the first contact.
Shortly afterwards Dunk was shown a second yellow card by referee Mike Dean. This time it was for a clumsy challenge on Callum Wilson. Four minutes later, Bournemouth doubled their lead.
Substitute Ryan Fraser lofted the ball over from the left and Brooks somehow managed to pirouette to send a glancing header over goalkeeper Mat Ryan. Fraser is now just one assist behind Eden Hazard, who has the best return in the Premier League.
Brighton had positive spells but Bournemouth’s central defensive pairing of Steve Cook and Nathan Ake limited them to rare chances. Bissouma perhaps should have done better when one-on-one with Asmir Begovic.
It was a frustrating afternoon for Chris Hughton, whose side have now lost their last three. ‘It felt tough to come in 1-0 down,’ Hughton said. ‘But that is the game and you have to take your chances and we haven’t done that.’
The afternoon belonged to Brooks, and Howe allowed him to enjoy a deserved round of applause in stoppage time by bringing him off for Jordan Ibe. This year he will spend Christmas preparing for away trips to Tottenham and Manchester United and not laid up in bed.