No fairytale Cup run for Goodison's last dance
Everton 0 – 2 Bournemouth
On another day, the matter of a few inches here or there might have turned this into an epic FA Cup battle played in front of a packed house desperate to see Everton progress. Sadly, thanks to two costly defensive mistakes, they’d given themselves too much to do
With the Cup, you just never know. Those omens echoing 1995 where a returning club figure uplifted a difficult league campaign by inspiring a brow-beaten squad that had spent the entire season languishing in the nether regions of England’s top flight to Wembley glory were there as straws to clutch. Then there was the potential romanticism of Goodison Park’s last FA Cup run and the deep-seated hope that she could play a significant part in ending Everton’s 30 years of hurt; that a victory today might throw up another home tie — or at least a favourable enough away game that could lead to a final quarter-final on the Grand Old Lady’s famous old turf.
Depressingly, it was not be. A combination of Bournemouth’s irresistible form, catastrophic defending from the team skipper and the Gwladys Street’s goalposts conspired to bring the Blues’ dreams of a trip to the Capital in May to a shuddering halt. Goodison has played host to her last cup ties, both of them miserable defeats to teams from the south coast — although it’s fair to say Everton made a better fist of it today against Bournemouth under David Moyes than they did in that insipid Carabao Cup loss on penalties to Southampton last September under Sean Dyche. This time it was quality and a rub of the green rather than attacking impetus that was missing, in the second half at least.
The Toffees came into this tie on a high of three wins on the bounce but cognisant also of the fact that two of them came against teams in poor form and with shambolic defences. The Cherries under Andoni Iraola are a tough proposition all over the park and though they certainly rode their luck as the hosts threw the kitchen sink at them in the second half, the two-goal cushion they had been afforded in the first 45 minutes proved to be more than enough. The irony of what happened here back in August when Everton led by the same scoreline with 87 minutes gone probably wasn’t lost on anyone.
With Vitalii Mykolenko rested with a tight calf and Nathan Patterson not risked due to a minor niggle he picked up in training, Moyes made one change to the side that thrashed Leicester a week ago by moving Ashley Young to left-back. James Garner continued in central midfield and new signing Carlos Alcaraz was on the bench, his oh-so-nearly heroic introduction to come in the second half.
Where Everton had flown out of the traps against the Foxes and scored the fastest goal in the Club’s history, they found the early going tough this afternoon, with Bournemouth’s press hemming them in and daring them to try and play through them. Indeed, the visitors almost scored a lightning fast opener of their own with less than a minute gone when Daniel Jebbison almost found himself in on goal and Marcus Tavernier had a shot blocked from the loose ball.
Whilst Beto had a stand-out performance last week, today many of his limitations were, unfortunately, laid bare, not least when he air-kicked an attempted chest and volley in the 18th minute on a rare Everton foray forward. But the best chance of the first half fell to Iliman Ndiaye who dispossessed Illya Zabarnyi, jinked his way along the byline and tried to squeeze a shot under Kepa but the goalkeeper denied him with an out-stretched leg.
Two minutes after that, though, Milos Kerkez turned tormenter again when he played Antoine Semenyo in behind and James Tarkowski’s clumsy tackle brought the Ghanian down in the penalty area. Semenyo took charge of the resulting penalty and caught Jordan Pickford out with a quick turn and shot while pretending to prepare his run-up. The England keeper guessed the right way but couldn’t keep it out.
Semenyo would go close again as half-time approached, Jarrad Branthwaite getting a deflection on his shot that looped across goal and past the far post but the young defender’s central-defensive partner was at fault again shortly afterwards.
Trying to play out from the back with two red-and-black jerseys bearing down on him, he chipped the ball into no-man’s land where Tavernier collected and fired a shot off Branthwaite’s mid-riff. The rebound fell to Jebbison who was initially foiled by Pickford but he could only glove it into the body of the striker who was able to bundle it in.
Faced with a mountain to climb in the second 45 minutes, Everton at least tried to force their way back into the contest. Bournemouth had done well to stifle Garner as the creative outlet in midfield in the first period but the Blues' desire eventually took over before Jack Harrison came on to make a real difference down the right.
Abdoulaye Doucouré’s low cross was missed by Tyler Adams and Ndiaye and Garner’s effort was blocked, Tarkowski narrowly missed getting his head on a delivery that flashed across goal and Harrison teased a cross into the six-yard box that bounced harmlessly wide with no takers.
Then, in the space of five agonising minutes, Everton struck the woodwork three times and had an Ndiaye effort cleared off the line. First, Alcaraz, on for Doucouré whipped a direct free-kick around the wall but saw his shot smack off the face of the upright with Kepa rooted to the spot; then Jake O’Brien planted a far-post header onto the other post; and, finally, Harrison curled another wicked ball into the box but this one also bounced off the frame of the goal.
Bournemouth had their moments to try and catch the Blues out on the break and bury the tie but Pickford foiled Semenyo with a smart save and substitute Justin Kluivert curled over, moments that bookended two last chances for Everton to stage a grandstand finish. Sub Tim Iroegbunam did really well to engineer space for a shot but blasted wide and Michael Keane, thrown up front in desperation in place of Idrissa Gueye, couldn’t direct a late header on target.
On another day, the matter of a few inches here or there might have turned this into an epic FA Cup battle played in front of a packed house desperate to see Everton progress. Thanks to two costly defensive mistakes though, they’d given themselves too much to do against a side brimming with energy and confidence.
There were positives to take, however. Alcaraz showed hugely encouraging drive and purpose from attacking midfield and he was mightily unlucky not to mark his debut with a fabulous free-kick and at no point did Moyes’s men give up and accept their fate. Sadly, they just lacked the quality when needed to salvage the tie.
Lessons will hopefully have been learned at the back ahead of an even more daunting fixture on Wednesday evening when Liverpool cross the Park and Everton resume their quest to ensure they go into Bramley-Moore Dock as a Premier League side. But the dream of a fairytale trip to Wembley for Goodison’s last dance in the Cup will remain just that.
Reader Responses
Selected thoughts from readers08/02/2025 23:21:04
A superb write up Lyndon, par for the course.
May our season be uplifting in the league, especially on Wednesday evening.
May our luck change for the better at BMD.
NSNO.
08/02/2025 23:55:56
Always loathe being beaten. We were awful in the first half. The reaction in the second half was excellent and made me not regret staying up to 1.30am to watch the game. The big question for me is - is there actually a player in Jack Harrison bursting to get out?
09/02/2025 00:17:56
Jake O'Brien then; he's no Joleon Lescott at Fullback is he?
Wasn't too impressed with his 1st game, then he improved, well improved a little bit. Seems to have followed the Godfrey track, gets by on adrenaline and being a bit of an unknown quantity, but having no long-term Fullbacking (and Premier League for that matter) experience to fall back on gets found out.
Though to be fair there was a somewhat collective bad day at the office.
Tarkowski will know who I mean.
Puts Tin Hat on*
Option 1:Back 4; Move Jake inside and play Tarkowski at Fullback.
Option 2: Back 3; Tarkowski on the right of the 3.
09/02/2025 01:18:00
No urgency about them first half, was surprised there were no changes at half time.
I thought the opposition were far quicker mentally and fiscally.
09/02/2025 01:34:53
Can't quite believe the contrast between the last game and this, given they were a tougher proposition, which we expected, but so many players playing poorly, was a recipe for disaster. Doucoure proved again and Beto they are stealing a living, by impersonating footballers. Tarks and Gana and Young weren't far behind. Selection headache for Wednesday ?
09/02/2025 02:36:11
A reality check.
Some of the changes that David Moyes has initiated have helped, but the execution wasn’t there today against a quality team that pressed high. Tarks had a disastrous performance and was really uncomfortable playing out of defence. O’Brien showed he will struggle at right back against top wingers. Doucoure treated the football like it had a bomb in it and Beto showed he struggles receiving the ball with his back to goal.
A sad way to finish cup football at the Old Lady.
09/02/2025 05:55:43
I'm not to down about the result. I think Moyes has shown that there is a lot more to this squad of players than I thought. Like any new manager, he will need time and probably a couple of transfer windows to get what he really wants from the squad.
There were no injuries in the game and players coming back, i.e Tim and Garner, have added to the team's performance.
09/02/2025 08:04:40
Tarkowski was really poor. Not just the goals, his body language and passing were dreadful from a captain.
Obrien got chased down, and his passing became ineffective. Young similarly gave the ball away, and gave Garner nothing to play with. Add in Doucoure out the game and a man marked Beto, and it was a quiet half for the Bournemouth centre backs (who are excellent by the way).
Alcaraz and Iroegbunam injected some passing capability, but just couldn't get the goal for a grand stand finish.
Moyes will have a decision on when to trust youth over experience. Not easy, as youth will make mistakes and in a league where that gets punished.
09/02/2025 08:11:57
A reminder that progress doesn't mean suddenly unbeatable. In fact we're probably not even good yet. Just better than the tripe that went before.
I really believe our league status is practically assured so thoughts turn quickly to Wednesday. The last Goodison Derby, hot on the heels of the last Goodison cup match.
There aren't that many meaningful 'lasts' left to go. Please God give the Old Lady a good 'last'.
09/02/2025 08:45:44
It speaks volumes about the change in mindset since Moyes that we are all disappointed but yet accepting. A valuable reminder of our shortcomings and limitations and how safety is on the horizon but not yet assured. There will be more bad days to come but also some better ones.
09/02/2025 09:06:53
As always, a professional write up Lyndon.
Factual, concise and reflective of the performance and the match.
09/02/2025 09:22:17
Highlights made it look like a better performance from us than the commentary on the official site made it sound.
No complaints from me, we were very much in that game. On another day we progress.
Time to focus on the league and securing the 2-3 wins we need to stay up.
09/02/2025 09:22:44
Good report Lyndon.
I prefer the risk-taking Everton. We'll get better at it, especially when yesterday's subs become starters.
Disappointed to lose to a better team, looking forward to seeing the Everton of the last half hour more regularly.
We'll get the points from those around us. We'll need to be spot-on and/or lucky against the better teams.
09/02/2025 10:04:01
Bournemouth where a far better side than Spurs or Leicester. They got stuck into us from the off at pace and we just didn't cope. They ran through midfield with ease and past all our defenders too, it wasn't good to watch. The penalty was a direct result of Tarks getting beaten for pace. The second was a really bad mistake under little pressure. As you rightly said Lyndon, Beto's shortcomings were laid bare from the first minute, he can finish with the ball in front of him, but if it's not there his ability drops off a cliff. He isn't half the footballer DCL is but he is it at the moment.
Our delivery into the box was dire at times but I would agree that on another day a gust of wind would mean two goals rather than an upright.
Charly, early days, sweet free kick, at last someone who can hit one, hugely unlucky but encouraging.
Wednesday is around the corner and we have to be far, far better, tighter and sharper with an emphasis on winning every ball.
Great write up Lyndon, hit the nail on head.
09/02/2025 10:08:52
Sad that we're now looking up to the likes of Bournemouth and Fulham but that's reality right now. Bit more luck and we could have got back in the game. At least there were actually positives to take from the game which is more than can be said about a fair few other defeats this season but we all know priority is staying in the PL so we take this disappointment on the chin and move on to Wednesday...
09/02/2025 10:30:58
We'd all love a Cup run but PL status is a MUST and staying up this season is more important than ever before. We cannot leave Goodison as a relegated team. We cannot move into BMD as a Championship side. We could have easily lost players through injury during a lengthy cup run and that would adversely affect our PL performances. I'm not too disappointed to have gone out, I'm pragmatic. Next season I can start to dream about a Cup run and that elusive silverware
09/02/2025 10:33:42
It's a pity the Alcaraz free kick doesn't go in, I thought Bournemouth might have folded if we'd snapped up that chance or one of the other chances we created second half.
First half all at sea though.
09/02/2025 11:46:08
Our crowd can and hopefully will drag the team to Victory in the last ever Merseyside Derby, under the lights on Wednesday night.
May we down our bastard offspring in this history marked last such event at the Grand Old Lady.
NSNO.
09/02/2025 11:58:30
Peter, that will require a significant C-change in certain individuals. I personally hope that neither Doucoure or Young get picked. You know my thoughts on the useless Doucoure, while Young has been okay, I fear this upcoming game will be too much for him. We need energy and sharpness of thought and action, if we are to get anything from this game. Unthinkable almost that the last ever Goodison Derby would be anything other than a win !
09/02/2025 12:21:03
Terrific piece of writing as ever Lyndon. Many thanks.
What a brilliant young manager Bournemouth have. His tactics found out the weaknesses in our side. He will be on his way to one of the Sky six sooner rather than later.
Sad that we fail for another year in both cup competitions but securing mid table mediocrity has to be our aim this year. Win on Wednesday and we are up to 13th, although a draw is the best realistically we can achieve. I am just hoping that we are not embarrassed.
At least losing in the Cup gives us a break on the weekend of 1st March and the chance to refresh. In the meantime we need Goodison at its loudest and fiercest on Wednesday.
09/02/2025 12:27:32
Lyndon, any chance of a jump to the last button like on Toffeeweb when scrolling the comments?
09/02/2025 12:31:34
It's all about that first goal. If we don't give away that ridiculous penalty we could well have won yesterday. A statement of the bleeding obvious perhaps, but 'I know what I mean.
Very frustrating that we couldn't bring Ndiaye into the game more, Bournemouth were clearly unable to handle him, but he remained isolated for huge parts of the game. As Lyndon notes, we could not handle their press.
I think once Alcaraz gets into his stride we are going to have some player. It's such a relief to have Moyes's input for future transfers, I can relax now about the summer dealings.
09/02/2025 12:43:08
Billy@ 23, thing is with the skip to last entry facility, people don't read what other posters have submitted, and often make the same point, that had they read through, would otherwise have not done.
09/02/2025 12:59:16
I agree with Paul Tran. We will get better when two of yesterday's subs become starters.
We had a go, but it was disappointingly too little too late
09/02/2025 13:06:06
Derek @ 25,get your point,I've probably got used to the toffeeweb system, old school probably, don't like change.
09/02/2025 14:20:43
Kevin @24
I too "know what you mean". Although I'd argue it was the needless 2nd goal just before the break that really killed us.
09/02/2025 14:31:15
What Paul, Darren and Danny wrote. There is no lost look to the squad when the initial plan goes wrong. They seem to get on with it as we all prefer to see. The struggles will continue but enough functional football is there to build some relationships up to possibly some real chemistry. Alcaraz could add that second ball carrier that gives OFM something to sketch out in the final third. Less of getting there without numbers or purpose.
09/02/2025 15:48:15
I’ll endorse Steve’s comments (#7).
We probably 3 wins and maybe a couple of draws to be safe and I’m confident that Moyes will find a way to deliver them.
It was pleasing to see that even at 0-2 the players still had a good go in the 2nd half. Hit the woodwork 3 times - could have been a different story.
09/02/2025 15:52:23
A disappointing last cup game at Goodison- unfortunately a good commentary as to where we are as a football club-beaten again- by a tiny football club, with a small percentage of our previous spending power, that is just far better run than we have been for 10 years……..
09/02/2025 17:40:02
Good to see Darren making his virgin appearance on the new site.
As long as he doesn’t go on about Ancelotti I’ll be happy.
Oh and great report as always Lyndon. I should have copied and pasted that from another famous and historic site.
I thought we didn’t wake up till the second half. We can’t afford that on Wednesday.
09/02/2025 19:15:51
Drop Doucoure for Alcarez on Wed night.
09/02/2025 19:27:36
walking up to GP my thoughts “ this could be the last Cup tie here, but we wouldn’t know until the draw for the fifth round or the quarterfinal.
Well we knew after 45 mins in the end
Tarkowski been loose far to often for my liking this season and his game saving tackles are always on the edge.
Plus point Alcaraz got something to look forward to about him. , namely he’s forward focused.
Limp crowd, tepid first half.
Let’s see how much wind and how long it stays in or sales on Wednesday.
Last Derby, matters to us obvs not the players.
Sooner we are out of this last season the better “ the last “ is wearing extremely thin with this match goer.
Took a longer look round the place on saturday before leaving listening to a tin pot following meekly celebrate.
Wednesday can’t come soon enough, delirium or disillusion….
09/02/2025 20:25:37
Quality content, by a blue for other blues. Onward Evertonia! NSNO.
09/02/2025 20:39:09
Onwards to Wednesday, select our best team, an attacking team and get into them. UTFT.
09/02/2025 20:49:37
Many thanks Lyndon for such a balanced and objective review.
It is unfortunate to find ourselves out of the FA Cup at the second hurdle, particularly as it is the final season at Goodison.
However, an extended Cup run would have involved the risk of further injuries to an already depleted squad and may have negatively impacted our ability to draw clear of the relegation places.
Hoping that this apparent cloud has a silver lining.
10/02/2025 06:40:29
I felt that the first half result was skewed due to Tarkowski’s errors. We did not deserve to be 2-0 down going into the break. On occasion Everton played some half decent football, and Ndiaye was a box of tricks. I think the only thing that holds him back is a chronic lack of pace, he can beat people but then has no speed to get away from them.
The second half was a good watch. I felt that we had a real go, and there is no way that we would have played in the same way, or come as close to drawing a game if that game had been played under Dyche.
A few other matters to mention;
Beto can’t jump/time his jumps, he is dreadful in the air!
Alcaraz looked decent. He was always in space and looked to play the ball forward. There were a couple of times that he floated on the edge of the box ready for a cut back but Harrison never looked up to see him, I think he will be a good player for us.
Gueye is worth a 12 month deal. He doesn’t look any older and if anything he is now more comfortable on the ball.
10/02/2025 07:22:48
Paul Tran
Good to hear from you my friend. Hope you and yours are keeping well and you are still sticking it to the odds makers - As if you wouldnt be.
I heard about this website last week and thought I would check it out. Lyndon for me is the best there is when it comes to reporting matters blue. This article being a fantastic example. So I'm hoping to be around or most match day reviews.
Danny
I heard. Sincere and heart felt best wishes to you. Good to see you back up and at it.
10/02/2025 09:58:16
I am enjoying this site already. Good to see Lyndon’s great writing and some old faces coming on board to comment
10/02/2025 11:28:30
I'm no fan of VAR but having just watched the FA cup highlights on the iplayer I'm having a rethink. There were several "goals" that should've/would've been chalked off and numerous fouls and handballs that went unseen. The worst was that Man Utd goal that won them the game against Leicester - that linesman should never officiate again but VAR would've corrected that. In our game, yes, Tarkowski was bad, but that Bournemouth player was offside, and VAR would've saved us.
As for the match experience, I had probably the worst seat I've ever had at Goodison - back row of the Lower Glwadys. The roof got in the way of anything over head height and the people in front, straining to see themselves, in the way of anything below it. I'm looking forward to the new experience at BMD. (Even more worser, the Harlech had run out of Guinness!!!)
This was (obviously) my last ever FA cup game at Goodison. A run that started with a magical day out stood on a stool in the paddock as Alan Ball and co dismantled Colchester Utd. I've seen great derby wins in the cup and shocking defeats - Tranmere and Wigan eg, with perhaps the most painful being the Fulham one. But that's all gone now, with a first half whimper. Hopefully I'll get to another home game or two before the doors close and I'm working on getting a Southampton ticket from a good friend of mine who follows them home and away (imagine THAT when we curse our plight!)
I'd hate for my last memory of Goodison Park to be the view of the bloody roof and the back of someone's head!
On to Palace - now there's a shithole! - and hopefully six points for the week.
UTFT
10/02/2025 14:20:46
Mark, you will see I commented on the Colchester game on the Paul Tran thread about Goodison cup games. It was the last hurrah in 1971 for what I still think is the best team in my lifetime. I think am right that the Holy Trinity did play in that game but Husband was star of the show. What a start to your Everton life!!
10/02/2025 20:13:09
You sound like you had the seat, that I had on the day Wayne Rooney, entered himself into Goodison folklore Mark.
Say it quick and thirty years doesn’t sound long, but that’s what people are going to continually hear if they sit close by those horrible away fans on Wednesday night, unless Everton, give us a performance that can shut the bastards up🤞
The last cup game Moyes lost at Goodison before Saturday, then his team went and burst the bubble of the Manchester City team that was chasing the title, the following week.
What are the chances of a repeat on Wednesday night, I wonder?
10/02/2025 21:01:58
It wasn’t my first game Dave, that honour goes to a 0-0 league cup game v Derby County when, I think, Jimmy Husband got maimed by Dave McKay?
Re that Colchester game - why did we play in Amber shirts that day?
UTFT
10/02/2025 21:42:52
Evening all, my first post on Evertonia. Feel like I'm having an affair behind Toffeeweb's back.
10/02/2025 22:01:23
Mark#51, the etiquette at the time was that the home team would change colours in the FA Cup.
I don’t like the sound of that Antony Abrahams character at #50 above, seems like a wrong ‘un. I used to know two fellas by the same surname, they were ok.
10/02/2025 23:56:42
I like the layout on this site. All very easy to read. Would like a skip to last button also. Not to avoid reading posts but to avoid reading them numerous times. Darren Hind, good to see you posting.
11/02/2025 15:13:37
David Kennedy all the way back @19 -
Alcaraz looked fantastic in my opinion. Good news from this game is we have a player there.
His free kick was great. Shame it didn't go in and hit the post.
If you couple that with the 2-3 other posts we hit, this game could have been won. Fine margins.
I was very encouraged by our second half performance.
Onwards. Moyes is doing a very good job. Tomorrow will be one heck of a test. Win or lose, I want to see an inspired and focused game by Everton with a ton of commitment and effort.
11/02/2025 15:14:49
Darren Hind -
Hello!
I hope you're well and very, very good to see you posting. Please keep doing so.
Cheers.
11/02/2025 18:23:23
Peter (53), It must have been posted on a Sunday that’s Antonys’ Sunday name!
11/02/2025 18:32:32
Can’t understand why all 3 of my posts have been deleted, I only asked for a jump to last and edit buttons, like a lot of others who have jumped over from Toffeeweb,any reasons why LL?
11/02/2025 19:57:09
Great to (finally) be able to log-in.
Might be useful to have a ‘Comments’ link on the homepage so we can go straight to the latest bitching, backbiting etc.
11/02/2025 20:02:36
Not sure what everyone’s thoughts are about the sale of TW but, in my opinion, I’d rather be following a site owned be fellow Toffees.
The new guys at TW probably love ‘soccer’ and are looking forward to using the word ‘is’ rather than ‘are’ in sentences like “Everton is on a hot-streak in the Premier League, am I right…?”
12/02/2025 06:50:42
Dave#58, good to see you’ve negotiated your way onto here.
12/02/2025 18:47:11
No preview of the RS game?
12/02/2025 22:03:02
For anyone also checking - we drew!
13/02/2025 00:46:40
But what a draw, Reds everywhere weeping tears of superiority. Oh why didn't we win like the Sky God's said we would.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
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08/02/2025 23:18:21
Nice piece Lyndon, I'm not that downbeat about it because I seen a huge improvement in the quality of play. Hitting the woodwork 3 times and one cleared off the line is a big change from no shots at goal, so I'll take that. Right now my glass, like my pride, is almost full.