Finally, Everton has the player and pairing they’ve been searching for for a while.
In a 3-0 victory over Bournemouth on Saturday at Goodison Park, Everton had no trouble.
After only eight minutes, James Garner scored to give the Blues an early lead before Jack Harrison’s incredible goal gave them complete control going into halftime. Midway through the second half, Abdoulaye Doucoure added the last goal.
After four successive losses at Goodison Park, the win became Everton’s first at home this year. After the international break, the Blues will travel across Stanley Park to face Liverpool in the Merseyside derby.
But since Bournemouth is still fresh in their minds, our Blues jury has spoken on what transpired at Goodison Park over the weekend.
Writing this after a convincing victory at Goodison Park makes me happy. Doesn’t it feel amazing to be here?
In the end, the victory almost felt ordinary because Bournemouth provided very little. The majority of the team’s players were excellent; James Garner was his usual imaginative self; Jarrad Branthwaite was mature beyond his years; and Dominic Calvert-Lewin appeared fit despite not scoring.
But the question still stands: were Bournemouth truly terrible, or were Everton actually excellent? Jack Harrison was another player who stood out because he already had the appearance of an Everton player.
He exuded speed, strength, and confidence—exactly the kind of footballer we’ve been lacking for a while. Harrison and Dwight McNeil appear to have the ideal balance of offensive skill and defensive tenacity; some may even suggest that both players are ‘Dyche’ players.