Bournemouth vs. Liverpool: Winners and Losers from Premier League
Liverpool rounded out an enjoyable week on Sunday with a 2-1 win away at Bournemouth.
Goals from Roberto Firmino and Daniel Sturridge shortly before half-time all but secured the three points for Jurgen Klopp's much-changed side. Joshua King's stoppage-time effort proved little more than a consolation as the visitors avoided suffering from the kind of late drama they inflicted on Borussia Dortmund in the Europa League on Thursday.
A largely even first half swung Liverpool's way when Firmino swept home after Artur Boruc had saved Sturridge's initial back-heel effort.
The striker did not have to wait long to get on the scoresheet. Left unmarked by an again disorganised Cherries defence, Sturridge guided Jordan Ibe's free-kick into the bottom corner with a deftly taken header.
Bournemouth pushed to get back into the game but rarely troubled Liverpool's debutant goalkeeper in Danny Ward. It was Sturridge who looked closest to scoring again when he fired against Boruc's crossbar.
The impressive King strike was excellently controlled and finished but was ultimately too late.
Read on for the winners and losers from this Premier League clash.
Winner: Daniel Sturridge
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Under Klopp's management, Sturridge is having to get used to a more modified assignment than he would probably like.
Team-mate Divock Origi has done so well spearheading Liverpool’s attack in games like the win over Borussia Dortmund. There is a simplicity to using the Belgian battering ram that understandably appeals to his boss.
Against Bournemouth, Sturridge served reminder how direct a threat he can also be leading the line—albeit a more intricate one.
Liverpool’s initial attempts at quickly moving the ball up front were directed his way, but the team asked a little too much of him seeing as how he was surrounded by the more imposing Steve Cook and Tommy Elphick. Once the visitors established their passing rhythm, Sturridge had more joy.
He smartly found half a yard in the buildup to Firmino's goal and was a tad unlucky his sharp back heel did not beat Boruc. After his headed goal, he continued to make the most of Bournemouth's woeful marking, positioning himself in between defenders, ready to strike.
Joe Allen set Sturridge up for a chipped effort that hit the post. Later on, it was Adam Lallana who found the striker with two prompt through balls. One subsequent shot hitting the crossbar after an excellent turn, the next going just over.
Loser: Artur Boruc
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Left to fend for himself for both of Liverpool's goals, Boruc was fighting a losing battle. A familiar feeling this season for the once again poorly protected Bournemouth goalkeeper (see recent losses to Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur).
After a good reaction stop to Sturridge's shot, he could only watch as Firmino was allowed by the static Charlie Daniels to convert unchallenged for the opener.
The second was even more egregious. As well taken as his header was, Sturridge should not have been allowed the space to place it like he did.
Boruc is prone to losing his concentration at times, too. His handling could arguably have been better at times keeping in shots and crosses he ended up spilling wide.
But after an opening 40 minutes in which he had done his part keeping Liverpool out, he has every right to feel aggrieved at his team's collapse. There is only so much he can do if his defenders are unwilling (or unable?) to do the basic requirements of their jobs.
Winner: Danny Ward
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Down the other end to Boruc, Liverpool goalkeeper Ward enjoyed his afternoon a lot more.
The first-time starter was not severely tested in the opening 45 minutes but did what was needed of him. Comfortably claiming crosses and marshalling his penalty area well when his defence was bypassed.
After the interval, he denied King three times, twice at the attacker's feet. The latter of these an especially good intervention after Mamadou Sakho had been left scrambling to recover by the Bournemouth man.
There were a few nervier moments for the 22-year-old later on as Bournemouth peppered the box with crosses. But overall, he had reason to be satisfied with his first appearance.
Fellow youngsters Sheyi Ojo, Connor Randall, Brad Smith and Kevin Stewart all featured too, all with similar degrees of (in)experience. They along with the also young but slightly more battle-tested Jordon Ibe did well, more than adhering to their boss Klopp's general instructions.
"Now it is easy to say, but I told the boys you can play football because if it doesn’t work, they can blame me and not you," he told Liverpool's official website. "The exciting thing is giving the young boys the opportunity to be part of their first Premier League game, second Premier League game."
Loser: Eddie Howe
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Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has garnered plenty of praise in his first season as a top-flight coach. Not least from Sunday's counterpart in Klopp, who described him as "the most exciting manager in the league," per FourFourTwo.
He has taken his team to within touching distance of securing their Premier League status and handed opportunities to talents such as King, Matt Ritchie and Callum Wilson—making his home return against Liverpool after seven months out—to prove themselves on the big stage.
But unless he works to address it, his extremely underwhelming defence could leave him looking more like Roberto Martinez than one of the division's best at his job. The Everton boss is another attack-minded, highly touted coach whose disregard for defensive basics is undermining him to damaging effect.
"We didn’t play well at all in that period [the first-half] and as the home team, we didn’t get near their goal enough," he told Bournemouth's official website. "We gifted them possession and the game got away from us."
While there is some truth to the latter statement, his initial assessment overlooks the effort his attack still put in. King especially caused Lucas and Smith a number of problems and had the score still been level they might have figured out a way to hurt Liverpool.
That they were unable to was ultimately down to their timid, disorganised and disinterested back line handing the visitors keys to their goal.
Only the bottom four have conceded as many or more than Bournemouth (57 goals). If they continue to hide behind a passing philosophy at the expense of basics like marking and knowing when to clear your lines, they are going to just keep minimising the benefits their preferred style does produce.
Winner: Joe Allen
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Allen's performance for Liverpool was an example in how to get both sides of the game right. One minute he's covering for Stewart, the next he's creating for Sturridge.
Per the club's official Twitter page, the midfielder "regained possession 14 times, more than anyone else on the pitch."
Rather than disrupt or negate his attacking involvement, this (surprise, surprise) informed it. His diligence in central areas facilitating quick transitions or at least directing his team to areas they could begin applying pressure to Bournemouth.
Allen finished the contest having completed 85 per cent of his passes, per Squawka. He combined particularly well with Ibe and Smith out left in the second half as Liverpool took the air out of Bournemouth's spells of pressure.
Off the back of his good work in Thursday's win over Dortmund, Allen is staking a convincing claim for a place in Klopp's plans heading into next season.
