Through wind and rain came the end of summer and a new era at the Vitality. Milan will visit Dorset this autumn, and travel to San Sebastián, Galicia, and Czechia awaits. The stadium itself is under renovation, exoskeletons to be filled in, new security cordons to negotiate. An unbeaten home record that stretches back to 3 January sustains, though so does Bournemouth’s ability to concede late goals, James Tarkowski’s equaliser coming in injury time.
For all that renewal, Bournemouth kicked off with a familiar look, only António Silva in central defence an addition to the starting lineup Marco Rose inherited from Andoni Iraola. If the club stance is Alex Scott remains whatever the offers, his first-half goal and overall performance can only add to the cachet. Amid a game played at regulation Premier League 1.5x speed, as others careered around on a sodden surface, the Channel Islander made time and space bend to his will, the mark of true talent.
Everton’s situation is volatile, racked with uncertainty. Ahead of kick-off, the away contingent sang for Harrison Armstrong, 19, linked with a move to Nottingham Forest. Should he be sold, “you’re going to have a riot on your hands”, they warned. As if joining the protest movement, David Moyes had selected a player Evertonians hope does not follow a decades-long brain drain of young players sold before they see the best of him. Wayne Rooney, John Stones, Francis Jeffers, the list is long, though selling Armstrong to a peer in Forest would cut yet deeper.
The signs are that every Everton player has a price, and is a bargaining chip. The scorer of last season’s winning goal at Bournemouth, Jack Grealish, may well return from Manchester City as part of a swap deal with Iliman Ndiaye. Such are the equations supporters must ruminate over. Despite those uncertainties, Everton began confidently enough. They had eight shots in the first 30 minutes, beginning with Jarrad Branthwaite, another jewel whose fitness record dampens interest, going close.
Djordje Petrovic’s fumble of a Tyrique George shot should have been converted by Thierno Barry before Bournemouth eventually began to find momentum. Rayan came to the fore, Vitalii Mykolenko struggling with the Brazilian’s incursions. Scott, too, increased in influence, socks down, gliding across the turf, and was calm personified in controlling Evanilson’s pass, dropping his shoulder and drilling his shot beyond Jordan Pickford.
Moyes’s fusty reputation belies an indulgence of talent if players marry the aesthetics with hard yards. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is delightful to watch, so is George, while Ndiaye and Armstrong both fit the School of Science ethos. And yet soccernomics, a legal case with Burnley and squad-cost ratios are likely to rob Everton of talent. The manner of Scott’s goal, the defence far too open to Evanilson’s counter, offered a reason why Moyes himself, whatever the window brings, might cork the fizz. Barry clanking a chance laid on by Dewsbury-Hall into the side-netting suggested a striker would be high on his want list, despite Barry’s four goals already this season.
The first half suggested Rose’s immediate influence on Bournemouth is an increased directness, with Evanilson chasing plenty of long balls from defence. From the beginning of the second half, with Scott directing traffic and the galloping of Adrien Truffert from full-back, their interchanges frayed Everton’s resolve.
Beto replaced Barry, another midfield creator in Hayden Hackney already introduced, but the fluidity of Everton’s first half had long faded. Moyes’s agitation was clear as his team ground the gears. Pickford became increasingly busy, he and Hackney combining to somehow deflect goal-bound efforts from Rayan and Evanilson.
Scott departed to an ovation but would not be celebrating victory. Set pieces retain huge importance in the Premier League, both in attacking and defensive terms. From an outswinging corner, Marcus Tavernier and Ryan Christie got in a terrible tangle and Tarkowski, unmarked, stabbed home the equaliser.
