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MOTD: Liverpool 1-0 Bournemouth

By on August 17, 2015

Bournemouth had a buzz about them; a spring in their step, a high-pressing system and belief. At Anfield, they took the game to Liverpool from the first whistle. This was not the look of a newly-promoted team conservatively parking the bus against superior opposition, letting fate control their destiny. The visitors also had Eddie Howe, who managed to motivate them back into the game at halftime, despite an unlucky first half. In their first meeting with a Premier League titan, Bournemouth had all the qualities to take control of their fate and survive in the Premier League. What they didn’t have was fortune on their side.

It took only five minutes for Tommy Elphick to head home an early corner to seemingly score Bournemouth’s first Premier League goal. But referee Craig Pawson was on a different page and disallowed the goal for what was a minor foul at best. In the potential relegation fight, a precious point would have been just as welcome for Howe as the injection of confidence instilled from having taken an early lead against Liverpool.

“We can’t live in fear of the reputations and history of clubs, we just have to play the game,” Howe summarized per Bournemouth’s official website. “And I am happy with the game that the players played this evening.”

Howe would do well with a clinical finisher, too. Liverpool saw few clear chances but in the crucial moment, despite the fact that replays confirmed that Philippe Coutinho should have been ruled offside, Christian Benteke ultimately converted Jordan Henderson’s cross. Coutinho also frequently tore through Bournemouth’s otherwise solid midfield.

Apart from these scattered highlights, Liverpool’s play was rather mundane. They’ve come away with six points from their first two matches of the season but neither has been won in particularly impressive fashion. Brendan Rodgers’ men got the job done, that’s what good teams do, but the gaffer won’t be very impressed after having being upstaged by Bournemouth at home.

Simply, the Cherries’ vigor made up for the gap in class and made Liverpool look unprepared. “My concern at this period was showing that steel and determination to get results and to make a good start,” said Rodgers after the match, via Liverpool’s official website.

Max Gradel bombed down the left wing and Matt Ritchie also had a fair share of looks at goal, particularly in the second half. Yet Bournemouth’s final touch just wasn’t there and in the first half they had only one shot, off target at that, which only exaggerated the importance of Elphick’s disallowed header.

Liverpool, meanwhile, took the first chance that came there way as Benteke poked home Henderson’s curling cross at the far post. A clearly offside Coutinho certainly played a role in Artur Boruc’s goalkeeping decisions but the goal stood.

On the back of their goal momentum, Henderson’s twenty-yard half-volley from James Milner’s short free-kick clipped the crossbar and Coutinho curled a great opportunity wide from fifteen yards.  The halftime whistle couldn’t have come sooner for Bournemouth.

Indeed, Howe’s motivation efforts worked wonders and Bournemouth came out for the second period with newfound intensity.  They had twelve shots in the second half and notably, Ritchie’s side-volley from the edge of the box clipped the outside of the post.  While Bournemouth took control of the game, defensive organization came to Liverpool’s aid and what should have been a positive performance from Howe’s men was entangled with frustration.  If it wasn’t for Boruc’s late heroics, somehow tipping Benteke’s volleyed finish onto the crossbar, Liverpool could even have gotten a second late on.

Homepage photo credit: Kevin Walsh, via Flickr

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.