Díaz and Núñez see off plucky Cherries
Liverpool 3 Bournemouth 0, 21st September 2024
LIVERPOOL 3 (Díaz 26 and 28, Núñez 37)
BOURNEMOUTH 0
Working backwards and focussing first on today’s Anfield visitors and the south coast “Cherries” of Bournemouth, Andoni Iraola’s team created far more goal scoring chances and panic within the Liverpool defensive back line than the more illustrious Italians of AC Milan and the Reds footballing dance partners last Wednesday and, I’d hazard a prediction, posed more problems and defensive headaches than will West Ham United this Wednesday when the Mighty Reds next tango on a football field again. Brighter, sharper and quicker to second balls in the opening minutes of the game, only the VAR eye in the sky ruled out Antoine Semenyo’s 4th minute tap-in and whilst their hosts slowly felt their way into the game Semenyo forced a superb smothering and close in save from Caoimhin Kelleher on 19 minutes, before the Irishman in the Reds goal punched away Justin Kluivert’s stinging long range drive on the half-hour and watched with relief as Semenyo dragged his shot wide seconds later and with the Reds in front of him unable to clear their defensive lines, Evanilson went closer still with a rasping drive a few inches above his crossbar. 3–0 down and the result long since a foregone conclusion, the visitors still forced the giant Irishman in the Reds goal to deny Semenyo on 53 minutes, Luis Sinisterra with an even better, some might argue brilliant save on 82 minutes before Kelleher bettered even this as first he was finally beaten by Sinisterra’s glancing header from the resultant corner but not his crossbar, but with the ball now bouncing goal wards from Trent Alexander-Arnold, the Irishman with the greatest of cup winning smiles clawed even this away from right on his goal line and eventually, to safety.
Although deserving of a goal today Bournemouth did not do anywhere near enough to prise away the 3 precious points for a Premier League victory and that they achieved neither was down to a goalkeeping error that opened the flood gates for the Mighty Reds of Liverpool to really play, and the unbeatable Irishman in the Reds goal. Mr Reliable and able deputy to an injured Alisson Becker, Caoimhin Kelleher’s performance today will be lost in the fog and glory of a comprehensive looking, on paper at least, 3–0 win. But without the reflexes, agility and bloody minded determination not to concede a goal from the Cork born goalkeeper, today’s score line could have been a lot closer than many Reds dare imagine. The win was inked in the forever score book long before Kelleher’s brilliant second half saves but his first half saves shouldn’t be forgotten, nor his near faultless displays when deputising for Alisson Becker, the world’s greatest goalkeeper lest we forget, and therein lies the forever problem for the “kid” who wins cup finals. First he has to depose the world’s best goalkeeper and then he has the already signed competition of Giorgi Mamardashvili who will arrive in the summer of 2025. Football is indeed a cruel business, especially so for goalkeepers.
Just ask Kepa Arrizabalaga.
As a long term favourite in goal at Chelsea suffice to say I don’t have any particular love for the 29 year old from Ondarroa in Spain, but it was his error that allowed the Colombian magician Luis Díaz to waltz home his first goal on 26 minutes and 11 minutes later his team were trailing 3–0 and the game effectively over before the half-time whistle. The Cherries goalkeeper could do nothing to prevent Díaz scoring again in double-quick time and then, even more emphatically so, beaten brilliantly on 37 minutes as Darwin Núñez curled home a majestic third goal and a goal deserved of the Uruguayan's all round game today. It’s either Núñez or Diogo Jota for the final place in Arne Slot’s attacking front 3 and with Jota not overly featuring in recent games, the Uruguayan took his (goal scoring) chance well today, as did the magician from Barrancas who was only edged to the Reds “Man of the Match” by another immense display from Dutchman Ryan Gravenberch. Apparently Liverpool need a “Number 6” (whatever that is) with everyone failing to see the Reds already have at least two in the guise of Gravenberch and Wataru Endō. As is apparent with a fully fit squad and the addition of Federico Chiesa (who needs fitness but shone a little today and hit the post when offside), there is competition for places throughout Slot’s current team and whilst it’s arguably Jürgen Klopp’s former players, Slot is moulding “a team and individuals that are so special” in his own way and with injuries avoided, his team of Mighty Reds might go mightily close to silverware again this season.
Early days but another clean sheet brilliantly defended by their goalkeeper behind a little shaky back 4 today, but ahead of them: a supreme all round performance from Ryan Gravenberch next to the mercurial Alexis Mac Allister who did the hard yards today for an under performing Dominik Szoboszlai and ahead of them still: Mo Salah didn’t score but was always in the game, Darwin Núñez scored a beauty and Luis Díaz bagged a pair and is in the form of his career.
Let’s see what the Boss thought of it all, shall we?
Arne’s Afterword
“There were 12 minutes where we scored three goals but I think during the whole first half we saw many of those moments. Unfortunately for us, the first, second and third didn’t go in. The good thing for us was their first chance didn’t go in as well. Then there were these 12 minutes of one attack after another that led to three goals, which was really pleasing to see at that moment — and which we also needed because we played against a tough opponent. An opponent which showed today that even when they were 3–0 down they just kept on going, kept on going and kept on going. It was tougher than the result might look like”.
“I said to them today in the pre-match meeting that I learn from them day by day and I was really curious to see how we would react after the Milan game. What I know from the start — and what I knew before I even started — is that there is a lot of quality in this team, that’s clear, but we are not the only one. There are a lot of quality teams in this league. So, winning games is not so difficult if you have so much quality, but if you want to win more than only a few games it’s also about mentality. After the United game, which was a big win, or a statement win I think you call it here in England, then to see us coming back against Nottingham Forest like that, that was not what you expect from a team that wants to compete for something. So, after the big win against AC Milan I was curious to see how we would react today — and it was a much, much better reaction than we had against Nottingham Forest”.
“We needed our goalkeeper today more than in all the other matches we played before because, like I just said, Bournemouth got more chances than I am used to seeing the other teams getting against us in the first six games of the season. But it was a good thing that we had Caoimhin today because he made some really good saves — which Alisson did in the other games as well, but he didn’t have to make that many as Caoimhin made today”.
Thanks for reading. I often lament that despite my hundreds of articles here I rarely if ever make contact with genuine Liverpool fans so, if that is you, please say a hearty hello and, whilst you’re here, can I interest you in these spectacularly good self-published books on the Mighty Reds?
"A final word from The Boss" - link to Amazon
"Chasing the Impossible and a Sword of Damocles" - link to Amazon
Thanks for reading. I hope this message in a bottle in The Matrix finds you well, prospering, and the right way up in an upside down world.