Bournemouth v Liverpool: Capital One Cup – as it happened

http://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2014/dec/17/bournemouth-v-liverpool-capital-one-cup-live

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9.38pm GMT21:38

Full-time: Bournemouth 1-3 Liverpool

Rodgers’ team did what they had to do - and then some: they didn’t merely avoid a confidence-sapping defeat, they strode into the League Cup semi-final with style. Granted, the opposition were from a division below but Bournemouth showed plenty of quality and Liverpool performed in a way that can let them believe they are getting back to what they want to be. It’ll be interesting to see whether they still feel that way after the weekend’s encounter with Arsenal ...

9.34pm GMT21:34

90 min: Lallana, who’s had another inventive game tonight, dances past one before offloading to Sakho. The Frenchman clips a decent ball over the top for Sterling to chase, but the keeper gets there first.

9.32pm GMT21:32

89 min: Liverpool substitution: Gerrard off, Borini on.

9.31pm GMT21:31

88 min: A set-piece for Liverpool to attempt to defend. A freekick from wide on the left. Ritchie over-hits. Fraser retrievs on the far side and sends it back in. Cargill beats Skrtel to it but his header lacks enough power to trouble Jones.

9.30pm GMT21:30

84 min: Bournemouth are not giving up here, not by a long shot, but Liverpool are keeping them well at bay. “Can you please confirm or deny whether Pascoe is wearing full pants or the usual short shorts?” asks Patrice Sincere. He’s wearing knee-length shorts. That mental picture forming nicely?

9.24pm GMT21:24

80 min: Bournemouth sub: O’Kane off, Pitman on. “Sakho makes Liverpool watchers nervous because he looks ungainly, but the numbers don’t lie: he’s actually good with the ball, especially by the club’s defense’s standards. He should get more minutes” storms Jason B Jones. Yes, he is good with the ball - he’s good at everything, as I said in my original entry, it’s just that sometimes he can undo that good work with deeds that really are goofy (and don’t just look ungainly). But there’s plenty to work with there and I agree that he should be used much more. I’m a fan of his.

Updated at 9.24pm GMT

9.22pm GMT21:22

78 min: It just might be that Liverpool have navigated their way out of the ‘hanging-on phase’. Composure has returned to their game and they knock the ball about and threaten to deprive Bournemouth of any meaningful possession.

9.19pm GMT21:19

75 min: Are Liverpool fans ready to start debating who they would like to get in the semi-final: Chelsea, Tottenham (who are 4-0 up on Newcastle) or Sheffield United? Or is that being disrespectful to Bournemouth, not to mention Liverpool’s capacity to completely bottle it in the last quarter of games?

9.17pm GMT21:17

73 min: Liverpool sub: Coutinho off, Can on. Rodgers battening down the hatches. “Where is all this nonsense about Sakho coming from?” thunders Dave McKenna. “His passing accuracy is excellent (approx 93℅ last season), among the highest in Europe. Also, last season he made a total of 1 defensive error that lead to a goal opportunity.” You see, what you’re doing there is placing too much emphasis on blunt stats and not enough on evidence gleaned from actually watching matches: if Liverpool watchers say he makes them nervous, it’s because he has committed far more than one awkward mistakes, even if the stats-gatherers have missed them.

Updated at 9.17pm GMT

9.14pm GMT21:14

71 min: Ritchie prods wide from close range! Liverpool appear to have entered the aforementioned hanging-on phase ...

9.12pm GMT21:12

70 min: After a fine run in from the left by the substitute Ryan Fraser, Gosling curls a lovely shot from the edge of the area ... and it bounces out off the post!

Updated at 9.13pm GMT

9.12pm GMT21:12

69 min: “Stevie G is in Hollywood-ball heaven here,” tweets Dave Buchanan. “That is until we enter the desperately hanging on phase...” And on that note, Henderson does his utmost to earn a yellow by chopping down Ritchie as Bournemouth sought to launch a counter. The ref opts for leniency.

9.10pm GMT21:10

67 min: Oh Raheem! Sterling botches his hat-trick by blemming wide from six yards after a sublime flick from Lallana!

9.08pm GMT21:08

65 min: Shoddiness at the back from Liverpool, as Toure and Henderson allow O’Kane to meet get between them and meet a cross with a header. It’s off-target.

9.07pm GMT21:07

64 min: A perfectly-timed tackle by Sakho on Wilson means Bournemouth fans are appealing for a penalty for no good reason.

9.06pm GMT21:06

61 min: Liverpool seem determined not allow Bournemouth to start thinking they could get back into this. The visitors are penning their hosts back as they seek a fourth. “Why all the hate for Sakho?” wonders Luke McManus, who may be hanging around with the wrong sorts, because there’s been no hate for Sakho here. “Compared to Lovren he’s Billy Costacurta. Lovren might actually be worse than some of the notorious centre halves of the Evans era - Babb & Kvarme, I’m thinking in particular.” I remain confident that Lovren will come good. Ish. He had an unhappy start to his time at Lyon and proved his worth once he got his bearings.With a bit more focus on defending from the Liverpool management, and a better keeper behind him, he’ll tighten up.

9.02pm GMT21:02

GOAL! Bournemouth 1-3 Liverpool (Gosling 57)

Another fine goal. It was a good move down the right by Bournemouth and Ritchie pulledthe ball back towards the edge of the area. Gosling ran on to met it, commendably deided not to go down in the box despite being clipped by a backtracking Liverpool player, and then fired beneath Jones. And, unlike when he he scored for Everton against Liverpool a few years ago, he’ll be able to watch it when he goes home because the television company, not being ITV, didn’t cut to commercials just as he shot!

8.58pm GMT20:58

55 min: Another sweeping Liverpool attack, this time initiaated by Gerrard. who pinged a ball into Coutinho. The Brazilian clipped it on to Lallana and then scampered forward to receive it back, but his shot from the edge of the area flew wide. “I think Sakho is OK except when he has the ball and has time to pass it, those occasions make me very nervous,” confides Roger Theberge.

8.56pm GMT20:56

53 min: Markovic to Sterling, and back to Markovic again. The Serb curls a reasonable effort wide from the corner of the box. “First Glen Johnson goes out with groin tweak against United and now Lovren follows suit with his own groin twang<” notes Peter Oh. “ I’m pleased to see Sakho in a uniform and not shopping for souvenirs in central Bournemouth, but I really do miss Daniel Agger.”

8.54pm GMT20:54

GOAL! Bournemouth 0-3 Liverpool (Sterling 50)

Another splendid goal. Toure broke up a Bournemouth attack and then pinged a long and low ball forward to Lallana. The former Southampton player (and Bournemouth youth) helped it on to Sterling, who took it in his stride, slalomed past the last defender and fired beneath the keeper and into the net!

8.51pm GMT20:51

48 min: A Liverpool corner is flicked on at the near post and bounces across the goal and out on the other side.

8.50pm GMT20:50

47 min: Sakho is an intriguing player. He has nearly everything required to be a top defender, but also also an unfortunate knack of committing comedy clangers. Something for Rodgers’ defensive coaches to work on then. Oh.

8.48pm GMT20:48

Liverpool substitution: Sakho on for Lovren, who has apparently picked up a groin injury. Let’s not have any jokes about the night getting better and better for Liverpool ....

8.34pm GMT20:34

Half-time: Bournemouth 0-2 Liverpool

A good half from Rodgers’ team, as they played with confidence and style and, most of all, capitalised on their good play with two fine goals. A little luck also went their way as Bournemouth squandered two decent chances. The hosts came back into the game a bit but look vulnerable to Sterling-led counter-attack, though how long Sterling will be kept on for remains to be seen. Rodgers must be tempted to give the lad a break now.

8.32pm GMT20:32

45 min: Lallana trips Smith as he tries to burst between the former Saint and Henderson. Freekick at the corner of the box. Stanislas floats it towards the back post. Skrtel heads it behind.

8.29pm GMT20:29

43 min: Stanislas skins Henderson down the left before delivering a decent cross. Jones tlls his defenders to leave it and then catches it easily. Are you watching, Mignolet?

8.28pm GMT20:28

42 min: Markovic proves his suitability for Liverpool’s defence by hurriedly donking an attempted clearance straight up into the air, spreading panic. Skrtel tidies up.

8.27pm GMT20:27

40 min: Sterling scampers into the box as Liverpool decide to push forward again, but the keeper hurtles off his line to smother the danger.

8.26pm GMT20:26

38 min: Bournemouth slowly work their way forward, and Smith creates a shooting opportunity for Wilson with a clever reverse pass. But Skrtel sticks a foot out to divert the ball behind for a corner. The set-piece is cleared to the edge of the area, where Gosling get hold of it with a fierce shot. Jones dives to his right - the correct way! - but the ball doesn’t reach him, as Gerrard plays the heroic captain and blocks it bravely.

8.24pm GMT20:24

35 min: Liverpool have eased off a tad and allowed Bournemouth to pass the ball about a bit, albeit in innocuous areas.

8.22pm GMT20:22

31 min: “I’m suddenly confused,” admits Matt Dony. “Last season was great, but yielded exactly no trophies. If (and, yes, it’s a big-ass ‘if’) Liverpool go ahead and win the League Cup, will that make it a good season? Because, so far, it’s not been too much fun. I don’t want to put too much stock in the old Milk Cup, but hey, a Cup is a Cup.” What do you think, Liverpool fans, would winning the League Cup be preferable to finishing fourth in the Premier League? I’m guessing the club owners would say ‘no’: after all, they jilted none other than Kenny Dalglish in 2012 despite him winning the League Cup (and reaching the FA Cup final).

8.16pm GMT20:16

29 min: Bournemouth spurn a glorious chance to get back into the game, Kermorgant blasting over from 10 yards after a pull-back from the right!

8.15pm GMT20:15

GOAL! Bournemouth 0-2 Liverpool (Markovic 27)

As if to prove my previous point, Markovic sends Liverpool further ahead with a cool, clever finish. He started the move with a pass from the left to Coutinho. Elphick paused to appeal for offside - he may have had a case but you don’t just stop! - and when Coutinho’s pull-back fell to Markovic 16 yards from goal, the Serb placed a tasty sidefooter into the net

Updated at 8.18pm GMT

8.13pm GMT20:13

26 min: “So was your guess correct: Is Markovic at LWB?” wonders Bryan Tisiniger. “If so, how has he looked so far?” Yes he is, Bryan, although he’s spending most of his time on the front foot as Liverpool have established total control. He’s doing well so far, finding plenty of space and using the ball wisely when he gets it.

8.12pm GMT20:12

25 min: As Liverpool continue making their hosts chase the ball in vain, the 1,300 visiting fans belt out their ode to Brendan Rodgers.

8.09pm GMT20:09

22 min: having completed their celebrations, Liverpool relieve Bournemouth off the ball again and resume their dominance. Things are going swimmingly on the south coast for Rodgers’ team: might this be a turning point in their season? Don’t answer that just yet, because there’s still plenty of time for a turning point in this game ...

8.06pm GMT20:06

GOAL! Bournemouth 0-1 Liverpool (Sterling 20)

That’s a wonderful goal. After a tidy exchange on the left, Markovic lofted a splendid ball to the back post. Henderson nodded back across goal and Sterling dived in front of his marker to guide an excellent header into the corner of the goal.

8.05pm GMT20:05

18 min: Look away now if you don’t want to know that Bentaleb has given Tottenham a 1-0 lead over Newcastle in tonight’s other match in this tournament. What? Oh, sorry about that.

8.04pm GMT20:04

17 min: Liverpool are bossing this. Bournemouth are having to show plenty of focus and dynamism to hold things together as the visitors pull them all over the park and probe relentlessly.

8.01pm GMT20:01

15 min: Gerrard spanks a superb pass wide to Coutinho, who kills it on his chest and then lifts the ball over Francis and sends a cross to the back post. Where no one was waiting for it - and there you see the downside of this Liverpool line-up.

Updated at 8.01pm GMT

7.59pm GMT19:59

13 min: Liverpool’s amorphous formation is posing some problems to Bournemouth, with both Lallana and Sterling continually eluding defenders. You get the feeling Liverpool are going to create numerous chances and again it’ll be a question of whether they can take them. And, of course, whether they can avoid imploding at the back.

7.58pm GMT19:58

11 min: Toure bashes a long ball into the channel for Lallana to chase. Not quite the Rodger Way but it yields a throw-in by the Bournemouth corner flag, giving Liverpool a platform for attack. And they do mount a decent assault but another two blocks from home defenders see off the danger.

Updated at 7.58pm GMT

7.56pm GMT19:56

10 min: A fine tackle by Francis stops Markovic from gliding into the box.

7.55pm GMT19:55

8 min: Liverpool were looking swish as they pinged the ball about, right up to the point where Sterling faked a pass but fooled only himself, allowing a grateful opponent to stride forth and pilfer the ball. Bournemouth romp forward anew, with Francis floating a decent ball in from the right. Toure clears.

7.53pm GMT19:53

6 min: Coutinho skitters down the left and into the box, then cuts a tidy pass back to Gerrard, who whacks it first time from the edge of the area. Blocked!

7.52pm GMT19:52

5 min: A superb save from Boruc thwarts Lallana, who let fly from 25 yards after a dinky interplay involving Sterling and Coutinho. This is shaping up to be a grand game!

7.51pm GMT19:51

4 min: What a miss! There was pandemonium in the Liverpool box, if you can believe that, and Wilson poked the ball through Skrtel’s legs before somehow pulling a shot way wide from five yards!

Updated at 7.53pm GMT

7.49pm GMT19:49

2 min: Liverpool knock the ball about for a minute as they try to deflate their hosts’ uppitiness. But as soon as Henderson mislays a pass, Bournemouth tear forward. Smith nutmegs Gerrard, if you please, and then fires off a shot from 25 yards, which Toure blocks.

Updated at 7.52pm GMT

7.47pm GMT19:47

1 min: Liverpool kick off, with Coutinho rolling the ball to a freshly-shaven Sterling. Liverpool then set off down the left with gusto but they lose the ball within seconds and the home side try to run right back at the them but Skrtel intervenes. A high-paced start and no mistake!

7.43pm GMT19:43

Here they come, here they come, here they come ...

The teams enter the arena, Bournemouth in red and black, Liverpool in banana yellow in reference to the potential for a cliched slip-up here.

7.37pm GMT19:37

“As a Liverpool fan I’m concerned by all signs pointing to a famous win for Bournemouth in today’s League Cup tie,” frets Peter Oh. “10 league games without defeat for the home side; a quaint, likeable seaside locale; a charming manager; Plucky Cherries versus historic/massive/ginormous/mighty Reds. But if there’s anything to be learned from Nottingham Forest’s recent £250,000 lottery win on the heels of being put on the naughty step for financial shenanigans, wins sometimes go those who deserve them least. I’m betting it all on Red!” You know Bournemouth wear red, right?

7.30pm GMT19:30

Rodgers speaks:

Rodgers has just explained the thinking behind his team selection to Sky, ie to build on the promising display against Manchester United: “I looked at the game at the weekend and that was probably the most chances we created for a long time. I was pleased with certain aspects of the weekend ... The players look comfortable in this system so hopefully we’ll get a result here.”

7.25pm GMT19:25

So who wants to guess the formation that Liverpool will play here? 3-7-0? 3-4-3? 3-2-3-1-1? 3-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1? Wasn’t there a point a few weeks ago where Rodgers seemed to be going back to basics? Now Rodgers seems to have resolved that if he’s going to go down, he’s going to go down his way. Which is admirable, in fairness. But is that Markovic at rampaging left wingback? This is going to be fascinating ...

Updated at 7.27pm GMT

6.59pm GMT18:59

Rodgers has decided not to play a specialist striker but he is undeniably going for it here. That is what he believes to be his strongest available team, with no concession being given to the looming Premier League clash with Arsenal. It’s a sign of the importance hat Rodgers attaches to progressing in this tournament that even Raheem Sterling’ has not been rested: the 20-year-old has certainly looked like he could do with a break recently but that’ll have to be for another day, apparently. Bournemouth, meanwhile, have made six changes to the side that walloped Cardiff last week to keep the Cherries top of the Championship.

Updated at 7.31pm GMT

6.52pm GMT18:52

Teams:

Bournemouth: Boruc, Francis, Elphick, Cargill, Smith, Ritchie, Gosling, Stanislas, Kermorgant, Wilson

Subs: Camp, Cook, Daniels, Arter, MacDonald, Fraser, Pitman

Liverpool: Jones, Toure, Skrtel, Lovren, Henderson, Gerrard, Lucas, Coutinho, Lallana, Sterling, Markovic

Subs: Mignolet, Lambert, Sakho, Moreno, Manquillo, Can, Borini

Referee: M Clattenburg

Updated at 7.19pm GMT

6.45pm GMT18:45

Preamble:

Bournemouth are one famous win away from extending their best ever run in the League Cup, and one defeat away from being able to concentrate on their promotion charge from the Championship. Liverpool are one win away from the League Cup semi-final and one infamous defeat away from being catapulted into another vortex of despair and prophesies of impending doom for Brendan Rodgers and his motley crew of technicians, enigmas and down-on-their-luck chancers. So this match matters, readers, and the good news is that you don’t have to do anything to follow it except sit there and let good old-fashioned words fill your eyes like prose versions of celebrity backsides. We’ll have team news soon too, for extra thrills.

Before all that, why not find out how Eddie Howe has been biding his time prior to kick-off? Here the Bournemouth manager tells Stuart James how he gets his kicks.