These are days to cherish
Yes I get that it isn't as important as when we stayed in the league or got promoted but those on twitter this week scoffing at this being a big game can shove it where the sun doesn't shine
No-one has the right to make anyone feel bad about looking forward to playing Liverpool and I for one was very much looking forward to the Premiership circus coming to town
It is, after all, a distraction from the real deal of the league - but what a distraction
Then came the team news. I went through it thinking who they've rested for the game and came up with...no-one. This was a full strength team from those available and with Suarez and Sturridge up front - GULP !!!
The ground was a sell out, the noise was immense and the game kicked off with Bournemouth on the front foot
In the first minute Grabban was denied as he ran through and from the corner Surman just headed wide
The NS even had a few extra songs to sing and despite what they said, there's no way a dentist could earn more than a Premiership striker .... :-)
Across the pitch Bournemouth were matching Liverpool man for man with the noticeable exception of Moses who, rather like his namesake, seemed to be able to part the defence at will and gave Francis a torrid time
Bournemouth were having a lot of possession but like so many games this year at home the final ball was either poor or plain unnecessary as a shot would have been the better option
In this opening exchange the closest Bournemouth came to scoring was an over-hit free kick that Jones had to tip over but to show their dominance it took 25 minutes for Liverpool to mount their first real threat on goal
The difference was, though, that this one chance resulted in a goal
A Suarez break down the right had him crossing low to Moses on the left. He controlled the ball, cut inside and coolly rolled the ball into the near post, from just outside the box.
No smashing the ball, just a calm pass to the place in the goal Camp wasn't covering . A classy finish where an extra bloody pass didn't even cross his mind : 0-1
To my amazement both the team and the crowd then just carried on as if nothing had happened. The crowd were loud,the team pressed forward
Both Arter and Pugh went close before an overhead kick from Pugh sent Daniels scuttling forward and his low cross was hit by Surman and just as I thought the net might billow Skrtel slid in and blocked the shot
On 37 minutes Daniels almost gifted Liverpool a second as he inexplicably chested a high ball back into the Bournemouth box from a high ball but luckily for us Henderson's centre of gravity is in his forehead so as he leant back there was only one place the ball was going - and I hope it caught Andy Townsend square in the chops
The last 5 minutes it again was all Bournemouth but yet again we just refused to shoot or crossed the ball to an empty box.
The analogy I draw is that Liverpool attack like a rapier - quick and accurate, while we attack like a feather duster - pretty enough but no cutting edge whatsoever
Half Time 0-1
The second half started as the first ended with Bournemouth having all of the possession but when Liverpool got the ball, you just felt more would happen
On 55 minutes a clash of heads had Skrtel bandaged in black very much the photo negative of Paul Ince for England when Gazza described him as a pint of Guinness
If only Rooney had thought of that - he could have save himself a fortune in hair transplants.....
While he was off the pitch Bournemouth really tried to make their extra man count with Grabban bursting through and having his shot (yes I did say shot) blocked and Elphick's header from the corner just went wide
Gerrard tried to waste some time to allow him to get back and even a shrill "do you know who I am" didn't stop him being carded
On 59 minutes a dubious half way free kick "earned" by Suarez had Sturridge through one on one and unlike our goal shy attack, he coolly slotted it into the bottom left corner.
Two clear cut chances, two goals. No fuss, no indecision, no doubt where the ball was going: 0-2
At this point the Liverpool fans finally woke up but they were quickly drowned out by the quite frankly superb home support
Pitman, Fraser and Rantie were all then thrown on but to be quite honest it was all too late
Liverpool, for the last 15 minutes showed how a team should take the sting out of a game. Bournemouth were chasing shadows and when they did get the ball, all the fantastic build up play in the world could not make up for the lack of finishing prowess
Saying that, Grsbban did have a stinging out step shot brilliantly saved late on , so at least Jones got to dirty his gloves
Had Sturridge's lob, when put through, not landed on the bar and Suarez's lob, when put though, not hit the top of the stadium the score could have been so undeservedly flattering but still it finished 0-2
I say finished, but I'd be a fool not to mention Pitman's cameo in injury time.
Running on to the ball in the penalty box, he crashed to the floor, surely a penalty? Not given - was it because we always get shit refs,or was it because there was no-one within 5 yards of him and in fact he managed to trip over s divot in the pitch - I'll let you be the judge....
Summary - Although I have relatively few chances to mention, in just about every department Bournemouth matched a full strength Liverpool.
With the exception of Arter, who even now I'm not sure was actually on the pitch, every player played as well as they could.
We went with the usual lone front man and boy Grabban's breath must be bad because until the last 15 minutes, no-one from his own team went within 20 yards of him
Again it's not a criticism of the players (Arter excluded) but of the system. The fewer chances we create, the less players want to take the responsibility of shooting, and with fewer shots, fewer goals.
it's not rocket science and it needs sorting
No disgrace in losing today - we gave a very good account of ourselves but in fairness the cup upset never looked on the cards from the moment the first goal was scored
Star Man - O'Kane - Bloody hell Eunan - why did you have to play like that on the TV :-)
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