INTERIM boss Gary O’Neil would rather the “season just continued as normal” as the Premier League prepares to pause following this weekend’s fixtures for the World Cup. Asked for his thoughts on the break,
Gary O’Neil said: “I’d rather the season just continued as normal. But yeah, I mean, there are benefits and negatives to the break. You will be able to do some good work with the group once you manage to get them back. We’ll be able to get some people back from injury. You will be able to put a real good plan together for the back half of the season.”
Before the league schedule is interrupted, Cherries face Everton for the second time in five days, after the Dorset outfit knocked their Merseyside opponents in the League Cup on Tuesday. Victory in the cup marked Cherries’ first win since a 2-1 defeat of Leicester at the start of October, with O’Neil keen to add more points to the league table.
Gary O Neil said: “I think the last game before you have a break, you always want it to end on a positive. So for the boys, before they go away and have a break, for myself, and most importantly for the position it puts the club in, three more points would be huge for us.”
Only one point and one place separates 16th placed Everton from Cherries in the final safe spot of 17th. Asked if he viewed the game as a so-called six-pointer,
Gary O’Neil detailed: “No, I don’t think so. I can see six pointers sometimes towards the end of seasons. I don’t see them this early, really. I think there’s so much that can still go on. Obviously a winter break, a transfer window so there’s so much that can change between now and the end of the season. It’s just a game that we’re desperate to go and get more points from.”
