Roberto De Zerbi
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Roberto De Zerbi speaks about refereeing quality in Premier League after red card in Fulham loss #BHAFC

February 19, 2023
The Albion boss was red-carded by ref Darren England after his side’s 1-0 defeat to Fulham. De Zerbi spoke to referees’ chief Webb this week after his side were denied a valid goal by a VAR error. The Seagulls’ boss said: “I want to be clear. If you want to come to me to have a meeting and you want to lose two hours of my time, of my work, you have to have a different attitude on the pitch. “If we want to improve our work in football, they have to be with another attitude, only this. “I don’t want to talk about particular situations - ‘It was penalty’ or other things. “I am speaking only of attitude. “I can’t hear one opponent say a bad word – and I won’t repeat this word – and the referee without personality to control the game. "But one time I lost time with a meeting and it will never happen again. “I am not in England just to fool around in meetings.” De Zerbi said he did not swear to England. Asked whether he therefore felt the red card was unjust, he replied: “It’s not right but it’s not a problem.”
Gary O’Neil
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Gary O’Neil issues injury update on playing squad after Wolves win #AFCB

February 19, 2023
Summer signing Tavernier was the match-winner at Molineux, the winger converting from Dominic Solanke’s cross. It was the 23-year-old’s first start since November, with Tavernier missing eight fixtures following a hamstring injury. Lerma came off at the break, with O’Neil revealing that the Colombian had fallen ill prior to the game. Unable to continue for the remaining 45 minutes, Lerma was replaced with Joe Rothwell. O’Neil explained to the Daily Echo: “Jeff was ill very close to kick off, so it was a bit late to change him from the starting XI. “But he wasn't feeling very well so we knew we might have to change him. At half time he was struggling, so we have to change.” There were fears that when Tavernier went down injured that he had suffered a reoccurrence of his aforementioned hamstring injury. However, O’Neil said that the winger’s issue is not with the same hamstring, also sharing his belief that it was not a serious problem. Cherries had been preparing to take Tavernier off before he went down requiring treatment, with Jaidon Anthony brought on in his stead. Asked about Tavernier, O’Neil insisted: “No, it's not a reoccurrence. “We were about to take Tavs (Marcus Tavernier) off anyway. I think we were doing Dango (Ouattara) and Tavs together, I think, for Antoine (Semenyo) and Jaidon (Anthony). Then Tavs went down. We're not sure. “It's the other hamstring, for starters, he thinks there was a contact on it as well from the tackle. So the best news would be that it was just a contact. “And even if it wasn't, he seems to think it just tightened up a little bit. “So we're hopeful that it won't be anything too serious, but there'll obviously be checks that need to go in place.”  
Gary O’Neil
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- AFC Bournemouth’s Gary O’Neil on tactical changes at half-time against Wolves #AFCB

February 18, 2023
Marcus Tavernier’s goal shortly after the restart proved to be the difference at Molineux, the 1-0 win Cherries’ first since November, and only their second league victory on the road this campaign. Jefferson Lerma was an enforced change at the break, the midfielder coming off with illness and replaced by Joe Rothwell. Cherries spent most of the opening 45 minutes camped in their own half, with O’Neil’s side unable to make the most of their opportunities on the break. Discussing the game, O’Neil told the Daily Echo: “I felt the first half, we were slightly more passive than I wanted us to be. “A couple of reasons – we sat a little bit too deep, too early, and we turned the ball over too easily. So we just had to suffer constant phases without the ball. “Under massive threat, the boys dug in. “First half, I felt we could have been better. “We had some real good counter-attacking situations that we wasted, but, yes, second half, couple of tweaks to try and help the boys be more aggressive at half time. “I thought the second half was very good. “Should have probably took more from some of the situations that we had. “Overall pleased, but as always, still things that I would have liked to have been better.” When pressed for the tweaks he made at the break to change Cherries’ fortunes’ O’Neil explained: “We tried to get Dango (Ouattara) slightly higher, press slightly higher up, try and win the ball back slightly higher than we were. “Because although we were well organised first half, and they weren't ripping us apart, it's just a long time to be without the ball. “So tried to help the boys. We had to be aggressive, but the shape first half maybe didn't allow us to be as aggressive as we wanted to. “Second half, just tried to change a couple of things and I thought Joe Rothwell did well when he came on.”
Gary O’Neil
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- AFC Bournemouth’s Gary O’Neil shares players’ cheeky request for time off after win against Wolves #AFCB

February 18, 2023
Marcus Tavernier’s second-half goal was enough for Cherries to record their first win in 10 games, taking all three points via the 1-0 scoreline at Molineux. After a tricky run of results that saw Cherries drop into the drop zone, the win saw the Dorset outfit rise to 17th ahead of West Ham’s fixture with Tottenham on Sunday. Asked what the mood was like in the dressing room following the result, O’Neil quipped: “They enjoyed it. Of course they enjoyed it. “They asked for Monday off, I said no! “You have to win more than one game to get a day off, lads!” Whilst Cherries’ performances have improved in recent weeks, results had not, with O’Neil maintaining that belief was high in camp. “They enjoyed the win, of course, because they've been working so hard the last few weeks and I've been telling them that it's coming. “They have a real belief in the group that that we can cause team's problems. “See, I'm delighted for them because, as I've said before, sometimes I have to come in here and explain how well they've done and how hard they've worked, but today the result makes that easier. “You can see yourself.” O’Neil’s attention has already turned to next weekend, with reigning Premier League champions Manchester City in town. “Big game next week,” he restarted. “Let's get ourselves dusted down. “Make sure the boys that had to come off today, or Jeff (Lerma), that was ill, make sure we get them ready to go again because we have another big game.”
Ruben Selles
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Interim manager Ruben Selles provides explanation for Southampton FC struggles #SAINTSFC

February 18, 2023
Sitting bottom of the Premier League table with just 15 points after 22 games, Saints have already sacked two managers this season, Ralph Hasenhuttl in November and Nathan Jones last week. Brought into the club in the summer to work under Hasenhuttl, Selles will now be taking charge of his first league game as manager, currently in position on a temporary basis. READ MORE: 'I want to be the manager' Selles eyeing permanent Saints job ahead of Chelsea test  The 39-year-old made it clear on Friday that he wants the full-time managerial role after spending the campaign thus far in an assistants’ capacity. “Listen, I have my own opinion, of course, some of which I can share with you and some I can not,” Selles told the Daily Echo when asked what he feels has gone wrong for Saints this season.  “The thing is that we also started this week some kind of mentorship group. Because when you develop players, you can not develop 11 young players at the same time. I think in parts of the season, in our team selection, we were not taking into consideration those things.  READ MORE: Saints team news ahead of Chelsea trip with Che Adams a fresh doubt “I think we have a lot of good young talented players, but we need to bring them the best platform to show and to grow into the Premier League level. I think I have a brilliant team, a brilliant bunch of young players, and also experienced players that can help.  “We need to find that connection and that’s what probably hasn’t been there a lot. But it’s not because of one of the players or the other players. It’s because we as an organisation didn’t put it together and didn’t put in the tools to give them the best chance to show themselves and perform the best for the club.” Saints recruitment in the last two windows has seen a raft of talented players arrive, with eight of the new recruits 20 years old or younger. It’s led to great promise within the Saints team but also understandable questions as to whether they can handle the intensity and pressure of a Premier League relegation battle.
Roberto De Zerbi
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Roberto De Zerbi welcomes acceptance of referee mistake from Howard Webb #BHAFC

February 18, 2023
Albion’s head coach has again declined to criticise the VAR error which cost his side a goal at Crystal Palace. He said he appreciated Webb fronting up after the mistake by John Brooks which saw Pervis Estupinan’s strike incorrectly ruled out. De Zerbi’s approach when asked about the VAR fall-out at his press conference today was in contrast to that taken by his Arsenal counterpart Mikel Arteta, whose side fell foul of a poor decision in their 1-1 draw with Brentford. The Albion boss said: “For me, sincerely it is not a problem. “Referees are human like other people and can make mistakes. “I don’t like if I have to criticise them because it is not my job. I’m sorry for the mistakes, for sure. “I think we lost four or five points, not only Palace but with Aston Villa at home there was a clear, clear, clear penalty. And the same at Leicester. “But it can happen, some mistakes. “At the end of the season, I think the mistakes are not so important in terms of the table because there is a balance of mistakes. “MY problem is my team to play with a quality, a style and to try to win the game, only this.” He added: “Referees are humans, VAR is technology, it is different. We hope football can improve through this technology. “But I don’t want to speak too much about referees. “There are other people who want to take advantage about this. “I don’t like this in Italy, I don’t like this in Ukraine, in the UK the same." Webb was pro-active after a bad day for match officials in the Prem. De Zerbi said: “He is a good guy, he’s an honest person and I appreciate that he showed his face. “When there is a mistake, it’s not easy to show your face. “I told him there is no problem for me, my players, or my club. “We don’t want to put any pressure on referees.” De Zerbi believes VAR should be a tool which improves the game. He said: “It should be better, no? “The technology can and has to help the referee. “At Palace it was like this and we can’t change the result. “Maybe if Pervis’s goal had been allowed, we could still have lost the game. “We don’t know the other possibilities during the game.”
Gary O’Neil
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- AFC Bournemouth’s Gary O’Neil on Dominic Solanke’s defensive work rate #AFCB

February 18, 2023
Cherries talisman Solanke returned to action during the side’s 1-1 draw with Newcastle last weekend, the striker coming back from a knee injury sustained in innocuous circumstances during training. With three goals and three assists in the Premier League this campaign, the 25-year-old is one of the biggest sources of goals in the Cherries squad. However, the striker also works hard off the ball, often dropping deep to help his side either win the ball back, or provide a passing option to help drive the side forward. This has not gone unnoticed by Solanke’s head coach, with O’Neil sharing how the Cherries coaching staff were looking for the former Chelsea and Liverpool forward to stay higher up the pitch in order to act as a focal point of the attack. Asked about the one-time England international’s work off the ball, O’Neil told the Daily Echo: “I think Dom is extremely honest and hard working, as you picked up, and if anything, his tendency would be to come down too much and want to help. “So we do a lot of work with him on the right times to come down. “Obviously always working hard, which is a given with Dom, he always works hard. “We're trying to help him with still making sure that we have a threat at the top of the pitch while we're working hard. “Some of the other lads behind him, pushing him forward sometimes and saying: ‘we don't need you at this moment, Dom. ‘We're fine, you can stay on the top line.’ “So the main thing you have to work with Dom is trying to make him a little bit less for the team, and a little bit more for himself. “But he's been fantastic for us and I like to have him back.” O’Neil also explained how he was also looking for his side to be “more aggressive” during games, especially when defending. He explained: “Disappointed with the goal against Newcastle, but there's been a lot of work going, not only to the back four, of course, but the boys in front of them. “Tendency sometimes in the group is similar to what I spoke about with Dom, really. “There's a real honesty and wanting to help within the group and sometimes that can lead to having a lot of bodies trying to help out behind the ball when sometimes we can still be more aggressive. “So a bit of work on that maybe showed up a little bit in the Newcastle game. We tried to stay aggressive in that. “We need to keep improving that, really, because when you get yourself in good situations, you need to try and have a good shape and a good structure, but try and stay aggressive from that and still carry a threat.”
Marcus Tavernier
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- AFC Bournemouth’s Marcus Tavernier on return from injury #AFCB

February 17, 2023
Summer signing Tavernier was one of Cherries’ standout performers before the World Cup break, the former Middlesbrough man coming into his own on the south coast just before the Premier League paused midway through November. When domestic football restarted, Tavernier was absent, with the winger sidelined with a hamstring injury. The 23-year-old made his return to competitive action off the bench during Cherries’ 1-1 draw with Newcastle, having missed eight games. Discussing his rehabilitation, Tavernier told the Daily Echo: “I can't thank the physios enough off for getting me back this quick. “It was going to be a little bit longer, but I'm happy to be back now, playing and doing what I love. “It was a hamstring injury. “ It was one which we didn't expect. We didn't think it was as bad as it seemed, and then the scans and the MRI came back and it was a lot worse than we presumed. “But like I said, the physios have been nothing but great. “They helped me through the process and they've got me got me back for this game (Newcastle). “We pencilled it in as soon as I was injured and we worked towards it. And here I am now.” Cherries have struggled for points in the absence of Tavernier, with their draw with Newcastle producing just their second point since Gary O’Neil was appointed on a permanent basis. “It's been hard to come by at the moment, to get points,” restarted the Leeds-born attacker. “It's been tough, but it's good to get one on the board and with a strong performance as well from the whole team, it's great. “We’ve got a few more lads back now from injury and a few more to come. So it can only get better from here.” Tavernier then went on to detail how he found watching on from the sidelines as his side struggled on the pitch. He explained: “That’s been the toughest part for me. “It's probably been the longest time I've been injured and the worst thing is just watching and not being able to have an impact on the game. “But I feel like I'm back now and I can only have that impact I had beforehand and help the team.” The World Cup break and injury came at the worst time, with Tavernier scoring twice and producing four assists in his last three appearances. “I feel like it's probably the best form I’ve been in my life so far,” he continued. “But I'm happy now just to be back playing again. Hopefully I can get that form again and contribute to the team.”
Roberto De Zerbi
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Pervis Estupinan praised by Brighton boss Robert De Zerbi after solid performance against Crystal Palace #BHAFC

February 16, 2023
Pervis Estupinan was denied a first Premier League goal by a VAR error at Crystal Palace. But he later set up the opener for Solly March and has now provided five assists in the last six league and cup games. Estupinan has served up a series of exciting performances down the left. Head coach De Zerbi said: “He’s very important in build-up but he’s becoming a complete player now. “And our target is to help the players to become complete. “They have to be able to play in every part of the pitch. “They are able to understand the play. “They are able to understand before to receive the ball, what is the next line of pass open. “And for this I’m very happy.” De Zerbi believes Estupinan’s Ecuadorean compatriot Moises Caicedo has not yet recaptured his very best form since transfer approaches from Arsenal late in the January window. But he is not concerned about the midfielder. He said: “I think he’s played well but he can play better. “For sure in the last period he suffered this, the transfer market situation, but we wait for him because it’s too important for us. “Caicedo is a problem if he plays for another team, not for us.” Albion return home on Saturday for a sold-out Premier League clash with seventh-placed Fulham.
Dominic Solanke Bournemouth
Posted in2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- AFC Bournemouth’s Dominic Solanke speaks after return from injury #AFCB

February 15, 2023
Cherries’ talismanic striker had missed the previous three Premier League fixtures prior to the 1-1 draw with Newcastle at the weekend after picking up a knee issue in training. Boss Gary O’Neil described the incident, sharing how the striker had jarred his knee with no one around him. Speaking about his return from injury, Solanke told the Daily Echo: “Yeah, it was a bit of a freak accident in training, which was annoying. “Bit of a scare, but luckily didn't end up being too bad. “It was just nice to get back (out there).”It could have been a goalscoring return for the former Liverpool man, with his flicked backheel cleared off the line by Kieran Trippier late on. “Yeah, I've scored a few like that,” began the 25-year-old. “The way it fell to me, in those moments, that's probably the most comfortable way to try and put in the back of the net. But I was unlucky today. “Didn't expect him to be on the line, but it was good defending.” Aside from his attacking threat, Solanke was frequently seen dropping back and helping his side regain possession. He explained: “I think that's just part of the game, really. “Especially in the Premier League. We know that every game is going to be difficult. “We need everybody attacking and defending. So, yeah, I'm happy to play my part. That's it.” Brought to the Vitality Stadium by Eddie Howe in January 2019, Solanke has gone on to establish himself as a key player for Cherries. With his former boss in the opposing dugout managing Newcastle, the ex-Chelsea man was pleased for Howe to receive a ‘deserved’ welcome. He restarted: “I don't really need to say what he done for the club. “He's a hero here, so for him to come back, and get that welcome, it was deserved.”