Just another day in the Anfield office for Liverpool. Amidst great excitement, and Mo Salah's milestone goal, Liverpool put three past last season's bogey team, Bournemouth, en route to a 7-0 league aggregate score and crucial three points as they continue their quest for top four.
Game Story:
Eddie Howe's tactical decision of a back three and Charlie Daniels and Ryan Fraser as wing-backs did not serve his side well. Liverpool took charge from the beginning of the match and in the seventh minute it paid off as Sadio Mane put Liverpool in front. Chance-after-chance flowed freely for the Liverpool attack as the first half was all them, but they only had a goal to show for it. Howe failed to make the changes at the half to quell the Red storm and despite a stouter defensive performance, Liverpool's main man Mo Salah added a second off a delightful Trent Alexander-Arnold floated ball over the top and the Reds had their two-goal advantage.
Loris Karius was not pressed into action often, but when he was late in the game off a Dan Gosling shot, he did well to save it by pressing it away from him in the box. Bournemouth eventually did gain a foothold attacking-wise, however this Gosling save was the best chance and Liverpool continued to sustain a clean-sheet. Bobby Firmino added a third after a lovely run from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain freed up space to give Bobby the chance to beat the keeper and punctuate an outstanding three-goal team performance.
One would be amiss if they did not mention Mo Salah in greater detail. The Egyptian scored his 40th goal in all competitions and 30th in the league, becoming the first African player in league history to hit the 30 mark. Salah is now only behind Ian Rush and Roger Hunt in terms of most goals in a single-season in Liverpool history making for very exclusive company. His headed finish was a highlight of the game, but lost within that one moment of brilliance was his ability to create space for his teammates. If you want to follow Mo out, who will play deeper in the park, that creates vast amounts of space for players like Chamberlain who had a nice hit go just wide in the second half as a direct result of this. Salah may be scoring at an unreal rate, but his greater contributions to the team should not be forgotten.
How Did This Happen:
Quite simply, Liverpool were just the finer team. It seemed as though any time Bournemouth strung more than three passes together, there were at least two Liverpool men there to tackle it away and start another Liverpool attack. At the moment, Liverpool are playing almost as a singular footballing entity on the pitch. Each player has their individual shining moments, but everyone plays on the same wavelength and this match highlighted it with the common pressing abilities and sustained attacking prowess. All three of the devastating Liverpool attack snagged a goal in more reason to celebrate.
The Bournemouth side was littered with players that had previously given Liverpool trouble (Jermain Defoe, Josh King, and Ryan Fraser all got starts) but this Liverpool team with the utmost confidence simply had too much in the tank. Alexander-Arnold not only had a stellar assist, but utterly shut down the right flank and controlled that section of the park, and with it Josh King. Andy Robertson on the other side did not allow his countryman Fraser any space to operate. Alexander-Arnold and Robertson have quickly become the Full-Backs of Destruction in Anfield, leaving wingers in their path. Another game, another clean-sheet for this Liverpool defense that is quickly becoming one of the finest in England.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain put in a fine performance, running the entire show in midfield for Liverpool. Attacking and tracking back, the ex-Arsenal man continues to show that his price tag was worthy of the player that he is. Likewise, in the midfield, Jordan Henderson had an immense first half. The two men, combined with Gini Wijnaldum in his continued role of being a more holding midfielder, kept the Liverpool engine running at all times by shoveling coal into the pressing fires whenever necessary. The energetic midfield has all season long, especially as of late, allowed Liverpool's attackers to eat their fill, and this game was no different.
What's Next:
One more match in the league must be completed before their European night against Roma at Anfield, and that's a match with bottom place West Brom. A team who gave them much trouble twice now, beating them once in the cup, Liverpool mustn't look over this match despite the poor form of the Baggies. The Reds are just six points away from clinching top four and face the bottom two teams back-to-back in the league. Liverpool will surely look to rest key players ahead of a mid-week fixture and hope to get one step closer to top four.
Game Story:
Eddie Howe's tactical decision of a back three and Charlie Daniels and Ryan Fraser as wing-backs did not serve his side well. Liverpool took charge from the beginning of the match and in the seventh minute it paid off as Sadio Mane put Liverpool in front. Chance-after-chance flowed freely for the Liverpool attack as the first half was all them, but they only had a goal to show for it. Howe failed to make the changes at the half to quell the Red storm and despite a stouter defensive performance, Liverpool's main man Mo Salah added a second off a delightful Trent Alexander-Arnold floated ball over the top and the Reds had their two-goal advantage.
Loris Karius was not pressed into action often, but when he was late in the game off a Dan Gosling shot, he did well to save it by pressing it away from him in the box. Bournemouth eventually did gain a foothold attacking-wise, however this Gosling save was the best chance and Liverpool continued to sustain a clean-sheet. Bobby Firmino added a third after a lovely run from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain freed up space to give Bobby the chance to beat the keeper and punctuate an outstanding three-goal team performance.
One would be amiss if they did not mention Mo Salah in greater detail. The Egyptian scored his 40th goal in all competitions and 30th in the league, becoming the first African player in league history to hit the 30 mark. Salah is now only behind Ian Rush and Roger Hunt in terms of most goals in a single-season in Liverpool history making for very exclusive company. His headed finish was a highlight of the game, but lost within that one moment of brilliance was his ability to create space for his teammates. If you want to follow Mo out, who will play deeper in the park, that creates vast amounts of space for players like Chamberlain who had a nice hit go just wide in the second half as a direct result of this. Salah may be scoring at an unreal rate, but his greater contributions to the team should not be forgotten.
How Did This Happen:
Quite simply, Liverpool were just the finer team. It seemed as though any time Bournemouth strung more than three passes together, there were at least two Liverpool men there to tackle it away and start another Liverpool attack. At the moment, Liverpool are playing almost as a singular footballing entity on the pitch. Each player has their individual shining moments, but everyone plays on the same wavelength and this match highlighted it with the common pressing abilities and sustained attacking prowess. All three of the devastating Liverpool attack snagged a goal in more reason to celebrate.
The Bournemouth side was littered with players that had previously given Liverpool trouble (Jermain Defoe, Josh King, and Ryan Fraser all got starts) but this Liverpool team with the utmost confidence simply had too much in the tank. Alexander-Arnold not only had a stellar assist, but utterly shut down the right flank and controlled that section of the park, and with it Josh King. Andy Robertson on the other side did not allow his countryman Fraser any space to operate. Alexander-Arnold and Robertson have quickly become the Full-Backs of Destruction in Anfield, leaving wingers in their path. Another game, another clean-sheet for this Liverpool defense that is quickly becoming one of the finest in England.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain put in a fine performance, running the entire show in midfield for Liverpool. Attacking and tracking back, the ex-Arsenal man continues to show that his price tag was worthy of the player that he is. Likewise, in the midfield, Jordan Henderson had an immense first half. The two men, combined with Gini Wijnaldum in his continued role of being a more holding midfielder, kept the Liverpool engine running at all times by shoveling coal into the pressing fires whenever necessary. The energetic midfield has all season long, especially as of late, allowed Liverpool's attackers to eat their fill, and this game was no different.
What's Next:
One more match in the league must be completed before their European night against Roma at Anfield, and that's a match with bottom place West Brom. A team who gave them much trouble twice now, beating them once in the cup, Liverpool mustn't look over this match despite the poor form of the Baggies. The Reds are just six points away from clinching top four and face the bottom two teams back-to-back in the league. Liverpool will surely look to rest key players ahead of a mid-week fixture and hope to get one step closer to top four.
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