Bournemouth 0 - 1 Everton

Barely 3 days after the slaughter at the Hill Dickinson, Everton with a dogged and persistent performance, took the game to Bournemouth and Grealish finally took a shot at goal 10 minutes from time, that spun off Diakite's knee and into the net for an epic win at a huge bogey ground.

Jarrad Branthwaite, and Merlin Rohl, make up the injury list, while Idrissa Gana Gueye serves an entirely unjust second match suspended for a daft slap on Michael Keane, the cost of which was made abundantly clear against Newcastle on Saturday.

Nathan Patterson returns to the squad but the big shock for tonight is no Michael Keane, with Alcaraz and Iroegbunam starting for the mustard and charcoal Blues. Reece Welch, Eli Campbell and two goalkeepers making up the numbers on the bench.

The Cherries are without the suspended David Brooks, Marcos Senesi and Lewis Cook against the Blues while Ryan Christie and Ben Gannon-Doak remain sidelined through injury but they sit a point ahead of Everton, in 11th place going into this one.

First Half

An early bout of head tennis led to a home goal-kick. The Cherries wanted to play out eventually went long, Jiminez crossing behind. A ball over the top for Kroupi looked good but was flagged offside.

A decent push upfield ensued, shot from Grealish blocked, and a long throw put behind by Barry. Tarkowski and Garner then headbutted each other going for the same ball -- just plain daft. Both stayed on after requiring treatment -- no forced 30-second sin-bin.

Truffert baffled Garner but his low cross was cleared. Grealiah and Jiminez had an argument by the touchline. O'Brien's shot from the long throw was blocked, and Grealish was fouled. He and Dewsbury-Hall tried to work something but it only led to another throw.

A superb cross from Dewsbury-Hall looked to be a peach of a chance. Then Ndiaye got forward and crossed in low, but Everton were controlling the play and calling the pace.

Another free-kick was blocked away but Ndiaye's persistence forced a corner. Dewsbury-Hall sent it in well enough, Garner laying the cleared ball off for Iroegbunam with a hopeless effort way off target.

The home side just could not get going. Grealish looked to advance but played a daft crossfield ball that put Ndiaye in trouble. Iroegbunam was sucked into a late chop on Semenyo: 5th yellow card of the season for him!

Then Alcaraz was called for a foul and O'Brien inadvertently set the ball for Semenyo off his arm, whose shot was stopped well by Pickford. Adli was next to try and tackle Grealish: foul. Badly taken by Dewsbury-Hall, but after Mykolenko won the ball back well, Gereaslih played in Dewsbury-Hall for a low cross that was too close to keeper Petrovic.

Ndiaye lost the ball up high, allowing The Cherries to mount an attack that was well defended. Tarkowski found Ndiaye with a decent ball down the wing but his cross was straight to a defender. Garner halted Semenyo superbly but then committed a foul. Everton eventually got it clear.

Everton tried to work it forward again down the right but Ndiaye was unlucky when it bounced out off him. Alcaraz was then hounded off the ball. Grealish picked it up but Ndiaye then Garner failed to shoot. Adams was next to foul Iroegbunam. Alcaraz was barged but no foul given and Everton had to backtrack.

Everton came forward again but there was no conviction in Garner's poor cross. But some good passing and movement won a corner on the left, delivered perfectly for Barry at the near post but Truffert got to it before him.

Another cooner, equally good, off Scott and onto the top of the bar! Third one almost in at the near post off Barry, onto the post from very close range, then back onto his head, but Petrovic gets his fist in front to punch it clear.

Kluivert fouled Dewsbury-Hall clumsily for a yellow card. Free-kick from Dewsbury-Hall, deeper, but cleared to Garner, who skied it over the stand!

Alcaraz was gifted the ball but then lost it, as The Cherries got forward and somehow scored through Kroupi from close range but he had strayed offside when Adli touched the ball through to him. 0-0 at half-time.

Second Half

Everton won an early long throw for O'Brien but it wasn't long enough. Ndiaye accelerated well and got in a cross but no one on the end of it. Alcaraz tried to drive in, forcing a corner off his shot. It bounces around before Adli and Ndiaye kick each other and the ball flies behind. Cherries free-kick.

Then Mykoleko was unlucky to be booked for a high arm after Adli made the most of it. Adams then fouled Alcaraz. Barry for once headed a ball to Alcaraz but his pass was jumped on and The Cherries got forward until Dewsbury-Hall cleverly drew the foul. Adams then fouled Alcaraz and he got his 5th yellow of the season.

Jake O'Brien was again smart defending and drawing the foul, but the game had been quite scrappy from the restart. Everton did really well with a relatively pacey break driven by Dewsbury-Hall,

Another brilliant Garner corner, punched across by Petrovic to Ndiaye, who crossed it low for Grealish surely to shoot home.... but no somehow he was denied. Everton continued to press but Grealish just did not create the difference he should have.

Another attack, Grealsh stalls the impetus, then passes over Ndiaye's head! Come the hour, come the changes for Bournemouth. More good possession play from Everton, Barry backheels to Alcaraz but he has to spin and his shot is blocked. Bournemouth broke and Semenyo got a shot thorugh O'Brien's legs to Pickford.

The game was a lot more lively now but Ndiaye still having no luck, dispossessed, and Bournemouth break again, getting their first corner. But it was headed over.

Ndiaye was having trouble again but Garner rescued the ball and drove to the byeline, cutting it back perfectly for Barry, who scopped a shocker high over the bar.

Everton were doing a lot of attacking but it was such hard work to make any kind of decent chance. Another long throw by Mykolenko, could Barry hurl himself at it? No. Another long throw by Mykolenko, Tarkowski surely pushed over for a penalty? No, not if you are playing against Everton!

With Everton no doubt playing well in Moyes's book, he waited to 80 minutes to make changes after Alcaraz almost caught out Petrovic and they kept pressing forward with nothing really working.

The Cherries had a couple of breaks before Everton got the ball forward ot Barry but he just seemed to run out of steam and lost the battle.

Dewsbury-Hall tried to release Barry but his pass was not strong enough. But Everton were pushing hard now and it paid off -- with a huge slice of luck. Everton went up again and this time Jack Grealish did shoot. It careened off Diakite's knee and looped into the other corner away from Petrovic. Alcaraz was carded for something during the wild Everton celebrations.

Immediate changes from Moyes, and Everton had everything to play for here to keep the three points. A great setup from Grealish was smashed goalward by Ndiaye and saved well by Petrovic.

But Bournemouth had other ideas and they pushed up well, a desperate block by Tarkowski required. The pressure kept coming and they needed to stay tight with the noisy traveling fans having a blast working through the Everton songbook.

It was massed defence from Everton for the last 4 added minutes, Beto working hard to be an effective target man, then some Olé passing until Ndiaye gave it away.

McNeil had the chance to play Beto on, but a horrible pass, straight to the defender in front of him.

Bournemouth: Petrovic; Jimenez, Diakite, Milosavljevic, Truffert; Adams [Y:53'], Scott (80' Enes Unal [Y:89']); Semenyo, Kluivert [Y:45'] (70' Soler), Adli (60' Tavernier); Kroupi (61' Evanilson).

Subs not Used: Dennis, Hill, Araujo, Smith, Gonzalez.

Everton: Pickford, Mykolenko [Y:49'], O'Brien, Tarkowski, Garner, Iroegbunam [Y:22'], Dewsbury-Hall, Grealish, Alcaraz [Y:79'] (80' NcNeil), Ndiaye, Barry (80' Beto).

Subs not Used: Travers, King, Aznou, Campbell, Patterson, Welch, Dibling.

Reader Comments (50)

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer ()

Jason Brook 1 Posted 02/12/2025 at 18:28:48

Shame that Keane has picked up what looks like an injury. This highlights some of our squad size issues, with Tim stopping in the team and presumably Garner going to right-back.

Hoping for a good reaction to Saturday's result. coyb

Jason Hewly 2 Posted 02/12/2025 at 18:36:39

Thank God Keane isn't in the squad. I'm sick of watching him. Always out of position, always jogging back when he should be sprinting. He confuses the entire defence with his brainfarts. The odd clearance might look good on a highlights package, but the rest of the game he's absolute gash.

Ashley Krotosky 3 Posted 02/12/2025 at 18:38:51

That is one very threadbare bench

Dave Abrahams 4 Posted 02/12/2025 at 18:43:22

I think we’ve only got four subs to put on the field, McNeil., Dibling, Patterson and Beto who all have their critics big time on here, if he uses one of the other outfield subs I think they will be making their debuts. It looks like a very worrying time for the defence tonight, the midfield looks it will be weaker without Garner and we can’t score many goals, it looks like a miracle is needed just to keep the score down but miracles happen sometimes—— 3-1 for the Blues!

Conor McCourt 5 Posted 02/12/2025 at 18:44:14

Seems like bad news but I think it could be a blessing. Moyes isn't the sharpest tactician and usually stumbles upon things.

Jake will bring pace to the defence and allow us to push up while Garner will give us a bit of attacking threat and delivery.

This makes this game more interesting

Paul Kossoff 7 Posted 02/12/2025 at 18:51:59

Fifa set to use VAR for corners at World Cup.

Fifa is set to press ahead with plans to have VAR checks on the awarding of corner kicks at the 2026 World Cup despite domestic leagues rejecting the idea for the wider game.

At an October meeting of the International Football Association Board (Ifab) - which determines the laws of the game - there was agreement that VAR could be expanded to cover incorrectly shown second yellow cards that lead to a red.

But Fifa's proposal to review corners was rejected, meaning world football's governing body will need to effectively create a trial to use it in the United States, Mexico and Canada next summer.

The measures will be discussed further at the next Ifab meeting in January, but Fifa

has regularly applied trials to its competitions.

Semi-automated offside technology and referees announcing VAR decisions to the crowd are two examples, and it could use the same mechanism to start reviewing corners.

Pierluigi Collina, Fifa's head of referees, has been a supporter of the change as part of a wider review of VAR protocol.

Collina is open to going further, too, believing that any error that can quickly be identified by the VAR could potentially be communicated.

Kate Elston 9 Posted 02/12/2025 at 19:01:17

So, we pay almost £40m for Dibling and he’s a complete sicknote. But, having said that, maybe we can replicate our away game at Old Trafford. COYB!!

George Cumiskey 10 Posted 02/12/2025 at 19:02:11

Tim starting again didn't Moyes watch the Newcastle match 😳

Kieran Kinsella 11 Posted 02/12/2025 at 19:06:49

Patterson must be the fifth choice right back? What a signing he has turned out to be by old BK

Andy Meighan 12 Posted 02/12/2025 at 19:07:57

These were 4th a few weeks back, they're 11th now.

Selling that defence of theirs is coming back to haunt them, yes we aren't nothing special but we are more than capable of beating them.

Sneaky little 1 goal win to the Toffs.

James Marshall 13 Posted 02/12/2025 at 19:14:48

On the plus side, Iroegbunam can't be any worse than he was at the weekend!

O'brien at centre half is a worry. I know he's barely played there for us, but the few times he has he's been shocking.

I can only see us getting a hiding tonight

Neil Cremin 14 Posted 02/12/2025 at 19:20:14

As I said on Live Forum, this team looks very weak to me. Not that Moyes had a choice of Keane was our injured. Jason at 2, don't know how much you watch Everton this season but the Keane you describe is not who I watched. I also worry about Jake, from the best of my recollection, the only time he played at CH was preseason and that was not impressive. Our midfield with Tim and Charley is significantly weakened defensively. Tim was so disappointing on Saturday and we will miss KDH”s high press.

Finally, I would have preferred Beto. I was all for giving Barry a run but he is not strong enough physically or mentally. He has more skill than Beto but way to fragile for PL

Tom Bowers 15 Posted 02/12/2025 at 19:37:37

Well guys that's a load of negative reading. Are we thinking the Barcodes game is when the wheels really came off and we are in for a slump.

I surely hope not.

We shall find out early in this game if we come out half asleep again.

Back to the Premiership authorities who I think are sadly lacking with their instructions to the referees and VAR guys.

Any over the ball challenges especially on the instep or lower ankle should be a red card right away. It seems to be quite common for players to do this and a yellow card is too lenient.

Betancourt of Spurs did a bad one against Chelski and only got a yellow

Sean Kearns 17 Posted 02/12/2025 at 21:27:33

Big performance from the lads and safe travels to all who done us proud down south tonight. 🫡

We're cooking, boys!

David West 18 Posted 02/12/2025 at 21:29:02

Good win. Not pretty, not fancy, a bit like myself!!

What's Barry got to do to catch a break?

Onwards and upwards!

Tony Heron 19 Posted 02/12/2025 at 21:31:40

Dewsbury-Hall was brilliant, and I thought Iroegbunum redeemed himself with a solid performance.

Great team effort.

Ian Bennett 20 Posted 02/12/2025 at 21:31:49

If you don't buy a ticket...

Midfield looked a lot better, and Garner offered a threat at right-back.

3 points off Champions League. A very good win.

Craig Walker 21 Posted 02/12/2025 at 21:32:52

Fair play to Moyes. He’s good at picking us up and getting a reaction. Not pretty but people played for the shirt tonight. Dewsbury-Hall was my MotM along with Garner. 3 wins from 4. 3 points off top 4.

Enjoy your night Blues.

Robert Williams 22 Posted 02/12/2025 at 21:43:34

Played 14 same as City and only 7 points behind the mighty Haaland, and look at the pair we have B&B.

Merle Urquart 23 Posted 02/12/2025 at 21:43:59

Made up for those brilliant fans... enjoy your trip home!

Better performance, the side is better with Alcaraz, just a bit more dynamic.

John Reynolds 24 Posted 02/12/2025 at 21:44:32

I do hope some of last Saturday Night Fever posters have a long hard look at themselves tonight.

Ian Bennett 25 Posted 02/12/2025 at 21:51:56

Thought he played well, Craig. Decent on the ball, and put in a good shift.

Looked better playing a bit deeper. Much improved performance from Iroegbunam.

Lee Courtliff 26 Posted 02/12/2025 at 21:53:32

Great stuff all around, from Tim redeeming himself and Dewsbury-Hall looking far better as an 8 than a 10 imo.

Just brilliant to see after the disaster against Newcastle, roll on Saturday.

Safe journey home everyone.

Martin Berry 27 Posted 02/12/2025 at 21:53:35

John 24#

So right mate, so many whiners on this thread before the bloody game had even started, and where are they now?

Three wins out of four and at Man Utd and Bournemouth, where in the past we have been lucky to win a throw-in!!

There are many strange results in the Premier League every season, just because a team has a bad one, it doesnt mean the team is poor.

We're in the top half and have a nucleus of a good side. Yes, we need full-back cover and a striker but we're in a different place from 12 months ago and we should be grateful.

Christy Ring 28 Posted 02/12/2025 at 21:55:30

The best away fans in the Premier League, superb tonight.

A massive win after Saturday, solid performance with Garner, Dewsbury-Hall and O'Brien immense.

Big improvement from Tim, but another yellow has him banned for our next game.

Jack Gwyer 29 Posted 02/12/2025 at 21:57:54

Alcaraz Number 10 moving forward.

Safe travels back from the depths, Blues!

Oliver Molloy 30 Posted 02/12/2025 at 21:59:37

We got a win against a side that's going through a rough patch but let's not get kid ourselves -- we were far from convincing. I thought Ndiaye was well below par again tonight whatever is going on; however, a win is win and 3 points deserved.

Barry was very unlucky tonight, I thought. He's not as bullish or as strong as Beto but he is a much better football player.Looking from the outside in, he seems like a real loner.

Question to anyone at the match: Did he even celebrate the goal tonight? I wonder what he is like on the training ground with his team mates.

I very much hope the goal is coming for him - Saturday would be good! COYB.

Dave Abrahams 31 Posted 02/12/2025 at 22:02:10

Another team effort with Dewsbury-Hall and Garner having terrific games along with Tarkowski and O'Brien.

But the man who scored the winner will probably get MotM because of that goal yet he was one of Everton's poorest players tonight.

I said before the game that miracles happen sometimes and one happened tonight —- where did you think that shot was going before it hit the Bournemouth defender?

But they all count and I hope he plays as poor as he did tonight v Forest and scores another winner.

I think when we all saw that squad and subs bench before the game, we thought we'll be lucky to win tonight. I don't think we were lucky; we were probably the best of two poor teams and those 3 points are very, very welcome.

Wrap those players in cotton wool ‘til Saturday and for fuck's sake, keep them away from Finch Farm — that's where they are all getting injured!

Jimmy Carr 32 Posted 02/12/2025 at 22:03:16

Tim played better second half after a jittery start. Bournemouth were absolutely terrible, we had more guile about us and deserved the points.

Dewsbury-Hall was excellent as was O'Brien. Alcaraz can be hit and miss but he's always positive, always looking to shoot, which I like about him. He proved tonight he can play in the same midfield as Dewsbury-Hall.

Great win. We can all calm down again.

Ian Wilkins 33 Posted 02/12/2025 at 22:05:02

Not a great game, but very happy to take the 3 points, we were the better team overall. Restricted them to very few chances, creating more ourselves in the 2nd half.

Tim much improved tonight, booking puts him out for Saturday. Going to have to be quite inventive in midfield.

Didn't hear any update on Keane, could do with him back to push Garner forward, though he did well at right-back.

Barry Williams 35 Posted 02/12/2025 at 22:08:50

I would like to comment on the performance - but before I do that - is it just me (just because you aren't paranoid doesn't mean they ain't watching you) or are a lot of the comments on ToffeeWeb now from users not familiar with regulars?

Is it AI content to get us talking or not, or maybe to keep things going? It does just not read right and the comments appear very superficial.

Is it just me?

Barry Williams 36 Posted 02/12/2025 at 22:10:56

and the edit function is not a working - for me at least!

Jimmy Carr 37 Posted 02/12/2025 at 22:20:53

Barry (34),

Judging by the negative comments early on in the thread, I think a few of the regulars are still knocking about. :)

Mark Murphy 38 Posted 02/12/2025 at 22:21:18

Grealish wasn't Man of the Match -- Dewsbury-Hall was.Special mentions for Garner (again) O'Brien, Mykolenko and, big and, Tim Iroegbunam.

All had good games but they got their spirit back tonight. Why are we always playing against 12 men?? Well done, Moyes and the boys!

Paul Hewitt 39 Posted 02/12/2025 at 22:21:36

O'Brien stays at centre-back. End of.

Christy Ring 40 Posted 02/12/2025 at 22:23:18

I felt for Barry tonight, he couldn't do any more with the chip that the keeper stopped with his shoulder.

Can he even get a toe poke or deflection against Forest, to get him off the mark?

Mike Hughes 41 Posted 02/12/2025 at 22:23:22

Great win - but funny old season.

Spurs and the Barcodes have both stuffed us at home -- but beneath us in the league.

What would we give for a Lukaku, Yakubu … even an Andy Johnson or Jelavic? Is Bob Latchford fit?

I've no idea what to expect at the weekend with Dyche's return. Hope he gets a good reception but leaves empty-handed.

COYB.

John Reynolds 42 Posted 02/12/2025 at 22:25:52

Barry, maybe, or perhaps some of the more reasonable posters over the years drifted away as the social media environment got more toxic and knee-jerk reactions became normal. I've been here for 20 odd years but haven't bothered in ages as the idiots took over.

Whither Darren Hind? A man who could be counter-intuitive and intelligent and argue a case.

There used to be room for debate on here rather than “Iroegbunam is Shite” “Moyes Out” nonsense.

Mal van Schaick 43 Posted 02/12/2025 at 22:25:58

Considering that we had eight players unavailable tonight, that was a massive performance.

Credit to all of the players and the away fans who were brilliant spurring the players on and getting a great result away from home. Great team spirit got us over the line.

Neil Tyrrell 44 Posted 02/12/2025 at 22:28:52

Would have taken a point before kickoff, no question. Absolutely massive away win at what has recently been a graveyard for us.

Watched in the pub with no sound so couldn't hear the away support, very happy for those who made the trip down south to see us win. Have a great trip home, you beautiful Blues. 💙

Conor McCourt 45 Posted 02/12/2025 at 22:38:24

Brilliant win. I can't believe posters didn't think it was a great game, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Jake OBrien was easily man of the match, one of the best centre half performances I've seen in a long while from us and allowed us play in their half. Brilliant on the ball, composed, read everything and just like Jarrad does he made Tarkowski look like a different player.

What a game from Tim in midfield. Absolutely delighted for him the best I've seen him play. Ran all over an English international tonight.

A big shout out for Dewsbury Hall, a player with so much talent but frustrates the life out of me at times. Tonight in the second half he constantly played forward, such a contrast from Saturday. Great energy levels, attitude and desire to go with his quality. He played with swagger tonight.

First game for a long time Pickford was redundant. Great to see. The balance of the team was so much better. First time we created proper chances in a while.

Finally I thought it funny that Moyes was desperate to take Charly off just before he played that lovely weighted pass for Jack. It certainly was our night.

Dave Abrahams 47 Posted 02/12/2025 at 22:43:33

Oliver (46) Yes fair enough it was on target I thought but the ‘keeper was moving in the right direction ‘til God intervened!

Derek Thomas 48 Posted 02/12/2025 at 22:44:52

We had a better 2nd half and deserved to get the goal it warranted

Barry Williams 49 Posted 02/12/2025 at 22:59:15

John Reynolds

With being on the site for a while and seeing regular conributers and now seemingly similarly expressed comments by unfamiliar names, something feels not quite right mate on that score. I know a little about AI generation.

Anyways - I will put the criticism in first. In a number of games this season - including tonight, the opposition just seem to break and move the ball faster and create more off their opportunities.

That said - 3 wins in 4, so it cannot just all be down to the defence. there is definte guile in the team - but man we are slow at times, the opposition gets behind the ball quicker than the breakways by Everton - meaning it takes attrition to break them down - but not the skill that could be possibly employed!

Not enough overlapping tonight on the wings!

What do I know - it was a win - and a good one.

Paul Hewitt 51 Posted 02/12/2025 at 23:09:48

Kevin, he's a decent manager. Just one that's not going to get us were TFG wants us to be.