Bournemouth find no answer to resurgent Liverpool 3-0

Match Report

Liverpool 3 v 0 AFCB

9 April 2019

Attendance: 53,178

The flags are out at Anfield and AFCB are the visitors.

Bournemouth knew it was going to be hard going to Anfield. Howe will be wondering why Mané was able to score his header so easily for the first goal, offside or not, but Liverpool were great value for the 3-0 score line. Bournemouth kept to their principles and did well just to get into Liverpool's box a few times. They came up against a Liverpool side that weren't holding back. But Bournemouth's players can be proud about the way they played and the fans saw that they gave everything.

AFCB made three changes from their starting line up against Cardiff. Out went Clyne, Stanislas and Solanke. In came Rico, Ibe and Lerma. Daniels was not in the squad for personal reasons. The good news was that Sam Surridge and Kyle Taylor were named on the bench, along with Solanke. But this was asking a lot from these players to get something at Liverpool.

AFCB have arrived at Anfield.

There are more images on Match Day Gallery - images supplied by Damien and Dek Hill

It was a good start by AFCB with Ibe darting through the middle and playing it out to the left where Fraser hits a shot that Alisson has to save low to his left. It was a fantastic ball by Ibe outside of the foot and Fraser cut inside Milner well before unleashing his powerful shot.

van Dyke finds Salah and Steve Cook has to make a big clearance. Bournemouth are having to work hard just to find each other. Bournemouth are flooding the midfield.

Aké gets a good challenge on Mané. Boruc has a free kick deep in AFCB territory. Rico does well against Salah. Steve Cook wins a free kick in his own half.

Salah tries to work a one-two with Milner but it's a goal kick. Salah is found by Keita on the right and his shot is rising over the bar.  Fraser has a neck injury after Fabinho ran into him.

Mané into Firmino and Boruc makes a great save from a tight angle. Adam Smith and Steve Cook had switched position such was the pace of the Liverpool attack. Salah has a shot and it's right into Boruc's chest on 12 minutes.

Robertson puts a deep cross in, but it's over all the Liverpool heads. Bournemouth are looking very organised but everyone is behind the ball. Ibe does well down the right but Liverpool see it out for a goal kick.

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Fraser gives the ball away. It's so congested in midfield. Lerma almost catches Mané. Ibe now holds the ball up well. Fraser. and Ibe heads towards King but Liverpool clear. Ibe's having a good game.

Rico comes forward but doesn't get his pass right to King. Fraser hits a shot that hits King. Ibe and Fraser chips to King, just too high. Promising signs from Bournemouth.

Salah finds space and Milner's cross is blocked by Rico. Gosling wins the ball and Ibe is away. Lerma and Surman flick from King doesn't work out.

Liverpool have a corner. The ball is headed out and it's hit back by Milner from the right and Mané heads it down and straight into the goal on 23 minutes. Gosling and Aké didn't get to him and it's 1-0 Liverpool.

Rico is booked for a foul on Milner.

Ibe has a run until Keita gets to him. Steve Cook goes for a long throw. The keeper punches and Mané stops it going for a corner. Firmino into Wijnaldum and Salah gets his shot all wrong. Milner shoots but it's out for a corner off Rico.

Salah goes for an ambitious volley and it's high into the stands. Adam Smith heads a Salah cross away. A slip by Aké but Bournemouth get away with it.

Half an hour gone and Bournemouth have had chances. Long ball into Firmino but Boruc is out quickly to stop him. Robertson blocked by Cook and again Salah and Rico tackles well.

Wijnaldum is on the clear. He goes for the lob and it's perfect, just over Boruc and 2-0 on 34 minutes. He took the ball down from Robertson and even though Aké was in attendance Wijnaldum lobbed it in fantastically well - worldclass!

Gosling tries to catch Fabinho and is unlucky not to get the ball. Adam Smith comes forward. He's caught from behind by Robertson in the box but the tackle is judged okay. Smith is then booked for catching Keita.

Liverpool win another free kick. Bournemouth get the free kick now. Rico agains does well against Salah and Fraser draws the free kick from Milner.

Bournemouth are working hard just to keep it at 2-0.  Salah  into Robertson Steev Cook stops it getting to Mané but Salah shoots and Boruc pushes it over the bar!

Lerma heads the corner out for another. Two minutes of added tome. Salah is held up, Rico concedes another corner. Wijnaldum goes for a long shot but Brouc is equal to it.

Fraser gets a cross in and it's out to Lerma who slices a shot over.

Liverpool 71 per cnet possession, nine shots, six on target, five corners and five fouls.
AFCB 29 per cnet possession, four shots, one on target, no corners and four fouls.

AFCb are two down at half-time.

Second half
No changes at half-time.Rico, Surman to Gosling and Ibe wins a free kick off Mané. Fraser to take the free kick. It's charged down and Liverpool have a free kick. Mané infield to Wijnaldum and Firmino is through the middle, back heel and Salah's piked it up and makes it 3-0!

Great finish from Salah right inside the far post. Fraser gets a cross into King and Ibe has a go but the ball bubbles up and the ball goes to the keeper.

Liverpool are fizzing the ball about now. Adam Smith blocks Mané and the game is opening up. Liverpool are pinging the ball  around. They then press Bournemouth and have Aké putting the ball out of play.

Salah on to Wijnaldum, cross to the far post and Mané has headed it down but past the left post, heading across the goal. Let off for AFCB.

King's in the box and wins AFCB's first corner on 57 minutes. Rico shoots and it's blocked. Surman and Ibe work well and Surman wins another corner, while Aké has gone down.

Solanke is coming in for Ibe on 59 minutes. Gosling has moved out to the right wing and Solnke goes up top.

Liverpool have a free kick. Milner to Salah who shoots and hits Rico for a corner. Lerma is fouled.

Matip is booked for a foul on Fraser. Rico takes it Cook and Fraser loses it. Salah on the break and Surman gets a foot in. King almost beats van Dyke. Robertson's cross is charged down.

Bournemouth are still playing from the back. Solanke can't control a knock on from Surman. Salah puts in a cross but it's out of play.

King beats one man. Smith into the box and Smith is down, holding his ankle. The pace has slowed down now. AFCB are getting some of the ball. Adam Smith does well getting free of Keita. Lerma's lofted the ball out of pay.

Aké's wins a goal kick. Mousset is replacing Lerma on 73 minutes. Mousset goes for an early strike from distance just wide of the left post. Surman goes for a shot but it bounces ff players to the keeper.

Salah's inside the box and he hist his shot against the bar. Wijnaldum is subbed for Trent Alexander-Arnold on 77 minutes. Fraser makes a run. Mousset hits a shot, top corner, that Alison has to save corner. Aké goes for the header but it's blocked.

Salah on the break. Keita and Fraser gets back. Salah, Firmino has a shot blocked and Keita has a chance but he's put it over.

Rico is subbed for Mepham tocome on after 80 minutes.  Surman gets a tackle on Salah for a corner.

Alisson comes out to stop Solanke  getting in. Milner has a shot blocked, corner.  Milner shoots well over on 83 minutes.

King and Mousset link well. Mousset is up for it today. Fraser ad Smith. Surman to Mousset chests it and Solanke can't get a shot off. Smith puts in a cross and AFCB have a corner. Van Dyke is there first. Firmino is clear and Boruc saves down low to his right.

Yellow card for Fabinho pulling back Surman. Mané is subbed for Origi on 87 minutes. Mousset into Fraser and it's another corner.

Salah has the ball - great skill on half way, and Milner and Origi can't beat Aké in the box.  Trent Alexander-Arnold was in the clear but Boruc makes a great save.

Sturridge replaces Firmino on 89 minutes. Four minutes of added time. Fraser through to Solanke but he can't take the ball with him.

Solanke has a shot from distance but it's wide. He beat Robertson well. Mepham gets a headed clearance away. Gosling runs into trouble.

AFCB thanks the away fans.

Summary
Can't complain about the result. Liverpool were better in every area. You kind of think it could be a hard day when Ryan Fraser has a great chance early on and Alisson makes a super save. Bournemouth tried really hard to keep things tight and the first goal was again a goal that could have been prevented. Gosling and Aké will be annoyed at not stopping Mané and AFCB were slow to get out to Milner to stop the cross. After that I raise my hat to Wijnaldum and Salah for their great strikes, and I was just pleased that Boruc continued to play well in goal and did well to keep the score down. It could be worse - look at Southampton! UTCIAD!

T-shirt winner!
Congratulations to Jamie Williams @afcbjamie who correctly predicted the 3-0 scoreline and wins a Cherry Chimes T-shirt.

AFCB line up

Begovic, A Smith, S Cook, Aké, Rico, Ibe,
Lerma, Gosling, Surman, Fraser, King

AFCB Ratings
Begovic 7, A Smith, 7 S Cook 7, Aké 7, Rico 8, Ibe 8, Lerma 6, Gosling 6, Surman 6,
Fraser 7, King 6

Cherry Chimes MOM: Diego Rico

Ref Watch: 5/10 Anthony Taylor - tidy match for the referee - may be an offside first goal.

Liverpool

13 Alisson, 7 Milner, 32 Matip, 4 van Dijk, 26 Robertson, 5 Wijnaldum (Trent Alexander-Arnold 77), 3 Fabinho, 8 Keita, 11 Salah, 9 Firmino (Sturridge 89), 10 Mané (Origi 87)

Liverpool Subs

14 Henderson, 15 Sturridge, 20 Lallana, 22 Mignolet, 27 Origi, 64 Camacho, 66 Alexander-Arnold

Can Bournemouth make Liverpool defend?

We are all aware of how good Liverpool's fab four are in attack. Klopp loves to let them loose and hit teams with pace to get in behind defences, but the Cherries must find a plan to keep Mane, Salah, Ferminio and Coutinho from camping out near Begovic's goal. So how do you make Liverpool defend?

It has to be a full team effort to stop Liverpool.

I think the choice of who Eddie picks in midfield is going to be extremely important today. He could stay with two central midfielders or add a third. Having seen how well the team played up at Manchester, Eddie Howe is likely to be just as brave at home. But an experienced pairing might just be favourited for Howe who does not like to move away from Surman and Arter that often. We saw Arter in relatively good form up at Manchester and Surman has been rested, so there is plenty of reason for him to go with this pairing, even though fans have seen the benefits of playing Lewis Cook in recent games. Whoever plays though, Bournemouth have to be strong and full of energy to cope with the skill of Can Coutinho and Wijnaldum. If AFCB can stop balls getting through to Mane and Salah frequently then they'll be in the game. 

Liverpool might not be able to put the line up out that Klopp would really like to. Salah felt his hamstring in the match against Everton but played agains against WBA, so he could be rested while Emre Can is suspended. For Bournemouth. Harry Arter and Steve Cook are just a card away from their fifth yellows and suspension.

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The problem for Bournemouth will be in getting not only the possession but doing the right things in the last third. They came close to getting it right at Old Trafford and they'll get opportunities against Liverpool. They need a high number of chances though as Bournemouth have not been finding it easy to get goals and Eddie Howe is still not clear from what I can see in who he believes is the best strike partnership to get goals. If he can get it right though in a game like this, the team might find its stride in future games, as beating Liverpool would be a tremendous achievement and probably even more impressive than the win that was managed in the same fixture last season.

Possible AFCB line up

AFCB Subs: Boruc (GK), A Smith (RD), Gosling (CM), L Cook (CM), Fraser (RW/LW),
King (FW), Wilson (FW)

Newcastle have strengthened but are still struggling

Newcastle had plenty of time to reflect on their 5-1 demolition handed out by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge a couple of weeks ago. Since then they have had a midweek game against Stoke where they lost out narrowly, but they are finding it hard to pick up points and the Cherries have to make the most of that.

The media have been focussing on the amount of money that Steve McClaren has been able to spend in January and while the signings of Jonjo Shelvey, Andros Townsend and the signings of Henri Saivet and Doumbai may have strengthened the Toon Army, but they have heaped even more pressure on the manager. Two wins in their last 10 games is only one win worse than the Cherries, but Newcastle are finding it hard to break out of the lower regions of the table and that in itself brings its own pressure as well.

Newcastle Utd players at Dean Court earlier this season.

Goals are what will save the Geordies if anything does, but with midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum their top scorer there is plenty of room for improvement from their strikers. Andros Townsend was rested with a hamstring problem but could make it back for this game. Mitrovic and Perez have had their moments including Perez' goal at Dean Court, but McClaren had to strengthen in January and he decided on Seydou Doumbia on loan from AS Roma. Doumbia still has not scored yet. In fact, I am not sure if he has even made it on the team bus! 

McClaren may also have hoped that the return to fitness of Steve Taylor would make a big difference in defence but the drubbing that Newcastle got at Chelsea still leaves a question mark over the back four with Janmaat, Coloccini and Aarons not proving very water tight, although they got a clean sheet a week earlier against WBA at St James' Park. That is the worry. At home Newcastle are a different team and the Cherries will have to quieten the crowd with some early pressure if they are to pull away from Newcastle and get a win, which would be one of the most important of the season. I even believe a draw would be a good result for the Cherries as it would be very damaging to Newcastle not to make any ground on the Cherries at this stage.

Newcastle's team last time out against Stoke City.

Elliot

Janmatt, Taylor, Lascelles, Dummett

Shelvey, Colback

Sissoko, Wijnaldum, Gouffran

Mitrovic

Newcastle Home Form
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AFCB Away Form
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Competition time - Guess the minute of the Last goal
I am just keeping you on your toes by changing the competition this week to ask you in what minute do you think the last goal will go in for either team during the game between Newcastle Utd and AFC Bournemouth? 

Tweet the minute to @Peter Bell19 to win an AFCB key ring with screwdriver end fittings - I rather like that prize! If no one guesses the exact minute we will go with the closest guess and if we have more than one correct answer we will draw the winner from the hat. Good luck!

Rival Lines: Toon Bano says Newcastle won't sack McClaren

Rival Lines

Match Preview: Newcastle Utd v AFCB

Blogger Interview: Toon Bano
Twitter: @ToonBano

Toon Bano is a Newcastle Utd fan blog written by Ginger Pirlo as he likes to be called. He is not afraid to shout out about his beloved team and this Toon Army man is a bit closer to home than you might think!

CC: From what I understand you are a Toon fan and blogger that lives in Bournemouth. Is that an easy situation and if you had a second team would it be AFCB?

Yeah, I haven't lived in Newcastle for a long while so I'm more then used to being away from the Toon. Bournemouth are without doubt my second team. Ever since I moved here a few years ago I went to go watch them and the way Eddie Howe has them play is phenomenal. I have been hooked ever since. The girlfriend is a Cherries fan also which helps. We were there on promotion night last season and have been at every home game this season. I am lucky enough to have a job as a Football Stats Operator for all Bournemouth and Southampton home game, so I get to see how the Cherries play week in week out. [Ed - hope he does not feed Mr McClaren with too much info on the Cherries!]

CC: Steve McClaren wanted the fans to wait 10 games before they judged him, so are you surprised or disappointed that he is still at Newcastle after 27 games?

Surprised? No. Lee Charnley our chief exec won't sack him, even if we go down. Him and Mike Ashley have this 'stability' mentality to keep the manager no matter what. [Ed - Others might disagree] Pardew should have been sacked a long time ago, but even head butting a player still didn't get him sacked. Disappointed? I'm not disappointed he is still here, but I am disappointed in what he has done with the team this season. I fully expected us to be a well coached team with a strong philosophy and strategy towards the way we play. I haven't seen anything like that from McClaren. No Toon fan could tell you what 'kind of team' we are. Apart from probably a poor one.

CC: While the £21m offer for Saido Berahino did not entice WBA this January, do you feel that it is money saved when you consider the Saints picked up Charlie Austin for £4m?

Well it's too early to say if it was money saved. If we go down, then obviously it wasn't. If we stay up, then I think paying that amount of money for a player like Berahino is way too much. Charlie Austin is an absolute steal. Eddie has to explain to us all why he didn't at least try to bring him in. He is head and shoulders above Glenn Murray for example. [Ed- It was not through a lack of trying.]

CC: What is the best thing about being a Newcastle blogger?

Getting to say whatever I want, about whatever I want and having even the smallest influence on a fellow fans outlook on the team. I get plenty of stick from some quarters which always makes me laugh but lots of agreements as well. Whenever I get time to do it, which isn't much these days having two jobs and coaching a team, I do love it.

CC: Jonjo Shelvey has made a good start at Newcastle. Is he a better player than you expected having seen him for a few games now in a white and black shirt?

He is to be honest. When you look at the Liverpool team he left a couple of years ago, he is exactly what they are missing. His passing is very good but he needs to watch his attitude. He can spit his dummy out and go missing in games. Hopefully he will grow up in a black and white shirt for years to come.

CC: Newcastle have not lost at St James' Park this year so is there more hope now about the possibility of staying up?

Not really. I don't look at little stats like that to judge whether we will or won't stay up, it's all about the performances. Which overall have been pretty dire apart from the one game against West Brom. Even in that game we scraped over the line, which sums our team up to be honest. We just don't score enough goals. How we didn't sign a striker (Doumbia doesn't exactly count given his lack of fitness) is beyond me and all Toon fans.

CC: If the Cherries score against Newcastle on Saturday that will be 51 goals that the Toon Army has let in this season so has McClaren done anything to improve the defensive side of the team that you can see?

Not that I can see. We signed Mbemba in the summer who is a good signing for us but much like the way the team play overall, I can't tell you 'how' we defend as a team. We don't really press nor drop off. We don't necessarily play a high line, our full backs tend to get forward but so does every team. McClaren will always have doubts over his ability as a manager, but I am even doubting him as a coach now from what I've seen this year.

CC: Is Georginhio Wijnaldum an exceptional player playing in an average (I'm trying to be kind) Newcastle Utd side?

Most definetly. Well at home he is exceptional. Away from home he may as well be on the bench for the impact he makes. All I can hope for is we stay up, sign a decent striker and defender in the summer and have a much better campaign next season. Otherwise he will do what Cabaye, Demba Ba etc did and find a much better team to play for. Thank you for being kind by the way. I'll take average...

CC: Which three sides are going down? I imagine you might have a Black Cat in there!

Villa are doomed. Hopefully Sunderland won't pull off an escape act again. Then I think Norwich. My worst nightmare is Newcastle and Bournemouth in a head to head fight for survival on the last day of the season. I'm hoping both will be safe and sound by then. Watch out for Palace being dragged into mind you...Pardew loves a winless run end a season.

CC: How important is this game against the Cherries for Newcastle's season and your score prediction please?

Huge. If we lose against the Cherries we will struggle to pick up the points we need to survive given
our fixtures. I think Bournemouth will get enough even if they lose. I'm going for a draw though, 2-2.

Thanks ToonBano. I really hope that the Cherries are not sweating on Newcastle's result on the last day of the season when we are away at Old Trafford! I kind of agree that Villa and Norwich will find it had to escape the drop but I am glad I don't live in the Northeast as Newcastle and Sunderland have a lot of work to do. I know a lot of our fans are making the trip up to the Toon to not only see the game but to experience the atmosphere and stadium. This one will be like a cup final!

ToonBano has some great articles on it including a battering of Jamie Carragher, Gary Neville and Co, plus some strikers who they could have looked at to improve their standing in the table - And yes Mario Balotelli is among them.


Competition time - Guess the minute of the Last goal!
I am just keeping you on your toes by changing the competition this week to ask you in what minute do you think the last goal will go in for either team during the game between Newcastle Utd and AFC Bournemouth?

Tweet the minute to @Peter Bell19 to win an AFCB key ring with screwdriver end fittings - I rather like that prize! If no one guesses the exact minute we will go with the closest guess and if we have more than one correct answer we will draw the winner from the hat. Good luck!

Howe has to get the better of McClaren's Toons

Saturday will see another great battle for points at the Vitality stadium as Newcastle are the visitors and like the Cherries they desperately need the points. The Toon Army have similar problems to the Cherries in terms of confidence having earned just one win all season. If Steve McClaren loses this game though, he will surely come under even more pressure as fans see the gap above them to safety suddenly starting to widen.

It will be the first time that Steve McClaren has come back to the stadium since bringing his former Derby team who managed to claw a 2-2 draw against the Cherries in February, on that occasion in the Championship. So Steve knows Eddie Howe and Bournemouth's game well, and it will be his problem to come up with a way to defend against a team that he knows he can't afford to really lose to at this stage.

At the back they have been playing Daryl Janmaat and Chancel Mbemba along with Fabricio Coloccini and Paul Dummett, while Rob Elliot has come into the team for long term goalkeeping casualty Tim Krul. McClaren is probably going to have to make changes though as Elliot was suffering from a thigh problem even before their last match. Newcastle now have a goalkeeping crisis. Teenager Freddie Woodman may even have to play in goal against AFCB, although Ellliot hopes to recover in time. They have other problems too, as right back Daryl Janmaat is also a doubt having come off in the draw against Stoke City. Jamaal Lascelles, who replaced Janmaat in the game, is expected to fill in again if Janmaat can't recover in time.

Still, having kept a clean sheet against Stoke City at home in their last match, it is clear that Newcastle are going to make it hard for teams at St James' Park. When you look at their away outings though they look very fragile in defence. A humiliating 3-0 loss to the Black Cats was probably worse for their fans to suffer than the 6-1 drubbing at the Etihad. Newcastle are done the bottom for a reason. Like AFCB they let in too many goals.

They are also not a team though that strikes fear into other teams with their line up. In midfield Moussa Sissoko is probably the pick of their creative players, but one star performance from Georginhio Wijnaldum with his four goals against Norwich City marks him out as another player that the Cherries will have to be looking to stop. Newcastle have not played Pappa Demba Cisse up front since he came on as a sub in the last two minutes in the Norwich game. More often than not it is Ayoze Perez that has been given the role to support Aleksandar Mitrovic. Scoring has not been easy for them though and they have other concerns too about their general play.

The Cherries will roll up their sleeves for this one.

This is a huge game for both sides, but Eddie Howe has much in his favour with the match being at home and one of this being the longest away trip for the Magpies. A defeat for Newcastle would surely deflate them at this point, and it is a chance to change the direction of the season so far for the Cherries.

Newcastle Away Form
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AFCB Home Form
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