26 December 2024
Bournemouth 0 Crystal Palace 0
This season is proving to be something to enjoy for Cherries’ fans. The owners had trusted in the project Iraola was building and it is starting to pay dividends. They welcomed Crystal Palace to the Vitality Stadium, starting the day in fifth place in the Premier League table. The fans were dreaming of seeing their little club go toe-to-toe with some of Europe’s finest.
As you would expect the hosts started positively. A ball into the back post found Ouattara, but his shot was always curling away from the goal. It was close enough that it had Henderson sufficiently concerned that he made a full-stretch dive to try and keep the effort out. This is what the home fans came to see, a free-flowing attack in red and black shirts.
The Cherries are really starting to click together this season. They seem to know what runs their teammates will make and their game has a slickness to it that has caused many sides problems already this campaign. Last time out, they thumped Man Utd 3-0 at Old Trafford and looked good value for their win in the process.
Crystal Palace were glad to have Eze back in the starting line-up. He linked up well with Mateta before picking out Munoz in the box. The striker seemed to scuff his shot somewhat into the far corner which led to a routine save for Kepa. A first warning that The Eagles had not come to the south coast to play the part of fodder.
Kluivert then played a superb pass from the halfway line on the outside of his right foot. As they swept towards goal, the visitors managed to clear it behind for a corner. As Palace struggled to deal with the following ball into the box, Semenyo drilled a shot towards goal from a tight angle. It had the keeper beaten but Sarr was there to clear it off the line.
Mateta was then to play a great pass through the middle for Sarr to run onto. As Kepa came out to meet him, he confidently slotted it past him and into the back of the net. The flag immediately went up for offside with the player in disbelief. As the replay showed, had he been any further ahead of The Cherries’ defence he may have been closer to Selhurst Park than the Vitality Stadium.
It was an entertaining half of football with both sides looking to get forward all of the time. Bournemouth piled forward and as it was played into Ouattara, with a clear sight of goal, he lashed his shot over the crossbar. That is the difference between a decent Premier League player and a world-class one, seizing upon those half-chances and punishing your opponents.
Into the second-half and The Eagles started to ask questions of the hosts. Eze and Mateta were involved in everything good Glasner’s side did. They seem to have such an understanding between each other, not many teams can cope with them. If they are to target anyone in the transfer window, they would be best advised to just bring more medical staff in to keep their winger fit.
Eze then picked up the ball in the middle of the park and opted to test Kepa from distance. His shot was too close to the keeper but in his true style, the Spaniard made some bizarre save to keep it out. It makes you wonder how the guy got through any trials with clubs, most of his saves would have the goalkeeping coach saying, ‘what the f*** was that?’
Semenyo then charged into the box and forced a save from Henderson from a tight angle. The follow up shot was diverted goalwards by Unal but the Palace keeper did well to react and keep it out. Iraola’s side were piling on the pressure, desperately looking for a winner to ensure they stayed on the coattails of Nottingham Forest in the table.
Evanilson was the next player to have a sight of goal but he dragged his shot wide of the far post. With the form he has been in of late, most of the ground was expecting to the see the net bulge but it was not to be. Time was running out and you wondered if either side could create one more clear-cut chance to take all the points.
A clipped ball over the top of the defence found Billing at the back post. Once again The Cherries player dragged it wide of the target. They seemed to be snatching at their chances and were letting Palace off the hook far too often. It was a nervy end to the game as Bournemouth would see this as two points dropped at home.
With one of the last chances of the game, a teasing cross was lofted into the box. Semenyo rose to head it towards goal but his effort dropped just a yard wide of the post. Henderson was rooted to the spot and relieved to see it go the wrong side of the post. A frustrated Bournemouth had to settle for a point against The Eagles.
This will be seen as a far better result for Crystal Palace than the hosts. They are only three points above the bottom three but every point counts when you are in a relegation dogfight. Bournemouth dropped to sixth in the table as Newcastle leapfrogged them on goal difference. It has been a good festive schedule for The Cherries despite this disappointing result.
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