LETHAL LUKAKU
‘World-class’ Everton striker hits four but Bournemouth are their own worst enemies
SOMETIMES, making sense of what you witness is an impossibility. Was this all about Bournemouth incompetence or the brute brilliance of Romelu Lukaku?
Both, perhaps, as an unfathomable afternoon ended with nine goals — four of them scored by Lukaku — and Eddie Howe left picking apart more defensive wreckage.
Three down at half-time, defensive responsibility was absent in the Bournemouth ranks. They look like a team who refuse to do the dirty work, too focused on neat and tidy midfield play.
But then, 17-goal Lukaku is a phenomenon and this was his second hat-trick of a prolific campaign. ‘World class,’ was Ronald Koeman’s assessment. On this evidence, there can be no argument.
Asleep from the off, Bournemouth over-confidently overplayed, Dan Gosling the culprit, and from his slack pass Morgan Schneiderlin had Everton motoring.
Schneiderlin to Lukaku. Lukaku to James McCarthy. McCarthy to Lukaku. A shift inside and an exquisite curled effort past Artur Boruc — 30 seconds in.
Barely anybody in red and black had moved. Everton at their snapping best, Bournemouth at their dozing worst. The second fastest goal of the season and Everton’s quickest here in Premier League history.
Howe’s problem is that his side simply do not relish defending. His midfield do not appear to see the value in it. They want to play neat, eye-catching football but refuse to do the dirty work.
Yes, Gosling’s ball was loose but Schneiderlin intercepted possession in midfield and the visitors failed to react with any sort of defensive nous. That would become a theme of the game.
‘It wasn’t pretty, was it? It’s very difficult when you come here and defend like that,’ Howe said, having seen his side concede 15 goals in their last five League games. ‘The first goal killed our preparation.’
One became two on 24 minutes, Lukaku somehow allowed to barge past the flimsy pair of Tyrone Mings and Marc Pugh at the byline before teeing up McCarthy. Ten yards out, dead centre, all alone, the midfielder’s blocked shot rebounded back off him and trickled over the line.
If the travelling fans thought the sight of Boruc floundering on the floor as McCarthy’s effort rolled past him was embarrassing, it was about to get worse. In keeping with Bournemouth’s defensive naivety, captain Simon Francis blindly knocked a square ball across his box, failing to spot the prowling Lukaku.
‘Today was individual errors,’ Howe added. ‘I think any team in the country would find it difficult without their full-backs. Saying that, there’s still good players on the pitch.
‘We didn’t handle their goals very well but you also have to compliment Everton on the standard of their finishing.’
And the way Lukaku chipped Boruc showed just how confident he is right now. ‘He’s a world-class striker,’ Koeman said.
‘He’s improving but it’s big quality that he’s showing every day. I have the pleasure every day to stay and to be on the pitch when he’s finishing in training.’
So Howe tinkered at half-time, Bournemouth came back out invigorated.
Joshua King ghosted between Ashley Williams and Ramiro Funes Mori to prod one back on 59 minutes and the visitors were encouraged.
King netted again with 20 minutes remaining and suddenly Bournemouth started running the game. Harry Arter twice went close, Goodison Park became nervous.
But piling bodies forward allowed Everton’s devastating counterattacks to prosper, Lukaku effectively wrapping the points up on 83 minutes.
Another would come seconds later with Bournemouth simply shot, having been so close to equalising just moments before through Arter.
Arter did manage a goal in stoppage time and there was even enough time on the clock for Ross Barkley to add a sixth on a quite baffling afternoon.
‘If you drop your level, don’t win second balls and give them the freedom to play then it’s difficult,’ Koeman said of Bournemouth’s threatened comeback.
‘It was a great game for the fans. Not for me after half-time, but we scored six goals and are on a good run.’
A good run which has taken them to within two points of sixth-placed Manchester United. Conversely, porous Bournemouth are now flirting with relegation as teams below get their act together.
‘I wouldn’t be doing my job properly if I wasn’t concerned,’ Howe said.
‘There’s a very fine line in this division between success and failure and we’re at the wrong end of it at the moment.’