Sport

Evanilson’s instant success proves how well-run Bournemouth are

Bournemouth were in the mood to break some records against Wolves on Saturday. By converting three times from the spot, Justin Kluivert became the first player in Premier League history to register a hat trick of penalties in a single game. Evanilson also became the first player to win three penalties.

The Brazilian forward might not have found the back of the net himself, but he was instrumental in securing an impressive 4-2 win at Molineux for Bournemouth who continue to exceed expectations. The win moved the Cherries closer to the top half of the table where many believe they could finish this season.

“Evanilson is not on the scoresheet but he was the difference-maker,” said Bournemouth manager Andoni Ireola after the win over Wolves. “I know Justin scored the hat-trick and we must value this but I would like to recognise Evanilson especially. He made it really uncomfortable for them and his work rate without the ball, his fight and his spirit gave us a lot.”

Wolves couldn’t handle Evanilson’s pressing from the front. Gary O’Neill clearly wanted his team to play out from the back, but this cost the hosts more than once as Evanilson anticipated their play. The 25-year-old set the tone for another assertive Premier League performance by Bournemouth.

Of course, the fear for Bournemouth was that they wouldn’t be able to replace Dominic Solanke. Sold for £65m to Tottenham Hotspur in the summer transfer window, Solanke’s departure left a hole in Ireola’s team. The England international netted 19 times in the Premier League last season and so replacing him could have been a struggle.

Instead, Bournemouth moved quickly to secure the signing of Evanilson from Porto. The Cherries reinvested £40m of the Solanke money in the Brazilian forward and hardly missed a step as they have continued to make progress this season. This sale and swap proved Bournemouth are one of the best run clubs in the Premier League at this moment in time.

Bournemouth’s transfer strategy allows them to punch well above their weight. They have been smart in targeting young players like Milos Kerkez, Ilya Zabarnyi, Antoine Semenyo and Kluivert who have taken the team to another level, both in terms of results and technical ability. Ireola wants his side to play a brand of modern, dynamic football.

Solanke won’t be the last player to be moved on by Bournemouth for big money. Kerkez has been linked with Liverpool and Manchester United in the past. Semenyo has moved up another gear this season, scoring four goals in 12 league appearances from the right wing. Zabarnyi is another who has the potential to reach the elite level.

Richard Hughes did such a good job as sporting director at the Vitality Stadium that he earned a move to Liverpool over the summer, but Bournemouth have kept moving forward. There’s no reason to believe they can’t climb even higher up the Premier League table as the Cherries’ transfer strategy continues to work.

Evanilson might not reach the goalscoring numbers registered by Solanke last season, but the Brazilian is giving Bournemouth plenty in terms of his all-round game. He can press from the front – as Wolves discovered to their cost on Saturday. He can link up play in the attacking third. He can drop deep to get involved in possession play. And he can finish.

Having come through a challenging run of fixtures that included games against Arsenal, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Brighton, Bournemouth can now stretch their legs in matches against Tottenham Hotspur, Ipswich Town and West Ham before Christmas. Evanilson will almost certainly play a key role in all of them.