David Brooks stunner sinks Everton to set club record for Bournemouth
David Brooks stunner sinks Everton to set club record for Bournemouth
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Bournemouth are continuing to blaze a trail, even in the depths of midwinter. A club record eighth consecutive Premier League match unbeaten also added three more points to their unprecedented tally to this point. It was all delivered too by David Brooks, the cultured forward who retains the heartfelt affection of the Bournemouth support and scored a banger after coming on as substitute to beat Everton.
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Nearly three years after getting the all clear following treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Brooks remains a bit part player for the Cherries, but one is still trusted by Andoni Iraola to deliver. And the Welshman duly did so in the 77th minute, crashing home a cross to decide a match whose style may have been anathema to Ange Postecoglou, but with a tactical rigour that could offer inspiration to leakier rivals.
Everton are the most shot shy side in the division, but in an away fixture such as this, they wear such a statistic almost as a badge of honour. The focus, the intensity, the artfulness of the side is concentrated on minimising opportunities for the opponent, and if that means a paucity of goalmouth activity altogether, then so be it. It’s a valid way to play and compelling enough to watch when it’s Iliman Ndiaye who is the man in whatever-you-do-don’t-lose-the-ball possession.
The opening 45 minutes saw Everton put their shoulder to the wheel of applied caution and they limited the hosts to one testing moment for Jordan Pickford as a result. That was a quick-fire reaction save to a poked effort in the eighth minute, Dango Ouattara getting his right foot onto a flick-on by Dean Huijsen from a long throw. With chants of ‘Deano’ going up before any offensive set piece, Bournemouth fans are already well enamoured with the aerial prowess of their teenage Dutch defender.
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