Daniel Sturridge Rediscovers Attacking Mojo in Liverpool's Win at Bournemouth
DEAN COURT, Bournemouth — When Jurgen Klopp revealed his much-changed starting lineup for Liverpool's Premier League clash away to Bournemouth on Sunday afternoon, one question pervaded the travelling Kop: Had Daniel Sturridge been relegated to the German's B team?
Sturridge was one of 10 changes Klopp made to the side that triumphed so emphatically at home to Borussia Dortmund on Thursday night, sealing progress to the UEFA Europa League semi-finals, but in the process sapping the energies of his squad.
Only Roberto Firmino kept his place from that Anfield victory, with Klopp handing full Premier League debuts to three young talents in goalkeeper Danny Ward and full-backs Connor Randall and Brad Smith.
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Meanwhile, fellow academy talents Kevin Stewart, Jordon Ibe and Sheyi Ojo made rare starting appearances alongside peripheral figures such as Kolo Toure and Lucas Leiva, leaving Klopp's selection looking like something of an afterthought, shrouded in the hangover of European ecstasy.
Sturridge's presence, along with Firmino, jarred with this notion, but with the 26-year-old starting on the substitutes' bench for both legs against Dortmund—and this year's model, Divock Origi, taking his place—he was certainly a striker with a point to prove.
But in a performance of sheer attacking class, Sturridge finally showed the form that had made him a key part of Liverpool's starting lineup since his arrival in 2012—the ex-Chelsea man has rediscovered his mojo.
Though Klopp's side took up a much different complexion to that of Thursday night's win over Thomas Tuchel's Dortmund, the 48-year-old maintained the compact, hard-working 4-2-3-1 system that provided a stable platform at Anfield.
This saw Liverpool throw bodies forward in numbers in the opening stages, with Toure's long passing looking to take advantage of Ojo's pace on the right flank and Sturridge's movement in the channels.
But with Tommy Elphick and Steve Cook resolute in their defensive work, it was Bournemouth who had the best of the chances before the half-hour mark.
These came through Joshua King, a forward who has enjoyed a remarkable development in recent months under Howe, with the Norwegian exploiting Lucas' lack of pace at centre-back to get in behind Liverpool's defensive line.
Unable to trouble the confident Ward between the sticks, however, the Cherries failed to make their mark, and soon enough Liverpool's wingers, Ojo and Ibe, turned the tide in their favour.
First, Ojo beat two men on the right flank, driving into the box to tee up Randall; while Ibe, in a creative role floating in from the left, played a key part in Liverpool's opener just over 10 minutes later, threading the ball into Sturridge in the penalty area, with the striker's backheel prodded home by a gleeful Firmino.
Ibe, who enjoyed a thoroughly positive afternoon, then laid on the Reds' second, winning a free-kick outside the penalty area before dusting himself off to loft the set piece towards Sturridge to head beyond Artur Boruc.
King hit a consolation effort in the dying moments of the game, but Liverpool were home and dry by the interval; and while the likes of Ibe, Ojo and Ward made vital contributions, most outstanding was Sturridge's performance at the tip of Klopp's attacking line.
Liverpool's four-pronged attack was in muted form until Ojo's initial moment of brilliance, but after Firmino and Sturridge's goals ensured the first half played out on a positive note, their mix of raw, youthful energy and experienced forward play began to jell.
Firmino kept the pressure up on centre-backs Cook and Elphick, while Ibe's intelligent creative work and Ojo's bursts of pace occupied Simon Francis and Charlie Daniels at right-back and left-back, respectively.
But it was Sturridge, stationing himself off the shoulder of Bournemouth's centre-backs—most frequently, former Brighton & Hove Albion man Elphick—that proved most threatening.
Since his return to Klopp's starting squad after a string of niggling injuries, Sturridge has often looked lethargic and off pace, but at Dean Court, he was sharp, incisive and on his toes throughout.
Whenever Ibe surged forward with his head up, Toure took up possession in the Liverpool half or Joe Allen snatched a loose ball from the feet of a Bournemouth midfielder, Sturridge turned and pushed into space, looking for an early ball.
Latching onto an Allen through ball on 52 minutes, Sturridge provided the perfect example of this front-footed attacking play, but after finding himself one on one with Boruc, he was unable to send his chipped effort on target.
Far from operating in the Darren Bent mould of singleminded, goal-poaching striker, Sturridge's all-round play was hugely impressive.
When Bournemouth's defenders were in possession, the England international pressed and closed down space with intelligence; and when required, he dropped deep to contribute to Liverpool's buildup play in attack.
Responding to the complete centre-forward play of Origi against Dortmund, Sturridge showcased his ability to dominate in the No. 9 role, and hitting the woodwork twice on Sunday afternoon, he will feel aggrieved not to have left the south coast with a hat-trick.
As it stands, Sturridge's goal at Dean Court brought his season's tally to six goals in 10 league games, remarkably the fourth-most of any Liverpool player; and making his fourth consecutive league start for the first time in two years, it is clear this is a striker who is just getting back to his best.
Perhaps for the first time this campaign, Sturridge looked close to the all-conquering, sharp centre-forward that helped spearhead Liverpool's title challenge in 2013/14, and speaking to BBC Sport (h/t Inside Futbol) after the game, Klopp couldn't hide his admiration:
"I'm really satisfied. Daniel Sturridge, what a striker.
"
He had an unbelievable moment—the last chance he had—when he hit the bar, it was an unbelievable moment.
He was involved in the last five, six or seven goals for us. Today it was nearly his goal the first, and he got the second. He becomes fitter and fitter.
Perfect. Hopefully it stays like this, full of greed and readiness and passion.
It was this greed that made Sturridge such a tour de force two seasons ago, and after a nightmare spell on the sidelines, this performance saw the striker hit top attacking form—and prove he is far more than a second-choice option.
Statistics via Transfermarkt.co.uk.
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