Bournemouth 1 Liverpool 2: First Thoughts

Bournemouth 1 King 94'
Liverpool 2 Firmino 41', Sturridge 47'

• Pregame Thoughts: Big story here is the rotation. Ebay, Randall, Captain Lucas, and Ward probably with the most the prove out this lineup. A good game for Smith could be critical to the lad's Liverpool future, with so many links to transfer moves for LBs recently. 
  
  
• Classy pregame ceremony for the 96 from Bournemouth.  YNWA.
  
  
• Danny Ward's hair is ambitious, pompous, somewhat misguided, and he just about pulls it off. We love it.
  
  
• #56 Randall linking up with #54 Ojo on the right flank today for a combined squad number of 110.
  
  
• Good energy to start, but scattershot touch killing the build up, in particular from Firmino. Smith showing pace on a recovery, the press is working hard, as it should be with fresh legs.
  
  
• Bournemouth have grown into the game like Joe Allen's hair. Looks like Allen has shifted the Alice band back to midskull, and that is the point where we have to tap out on the style, Wee Joe. Get your hairs cut. 
  
  
• Atrocious set piece defense continues. Good catch Danny.
  
  
• Bad giveaway by Stewart to Everton graduate Dan Gosling, but cleaned up by Allen, who has looked sharp. 
  
  
• Ojo dancing on the right and blasting Cook in the chest, before Randall gets an even more power blast into Cook's tummy. Don't neglect the abs is the lesson there.
  
  
• Ward gets a passback under pressure and blasts the clearance high, beyond midfield, and central. Didn't know we could do that.
  
  
• Excellent example of the hands on coaching from Klopp and Zeljko on the sideline during an injury. Smith and Ibe to Klopp, Toure and Stewart to the ageless one.
  
  
• ***GOAL*** Ibe dinks it into Studge who goes for the audacious backheel, and Firmino is savvy to the follow up. Bing, bang, boom.
  
  
• ***GOAL*** Ibe with a perfect free kick delivery that Sturridge climbs for and flicks home from 10 yards out. Well hello again, Ebay!
  
  
• Halftime: 2-0 due to opportunistic finishing goes down quite smoothly, but this lead has a lot to thank Ward, Allen, and Ojo for. Our halftime team talk involves coffee. Delicious, dark, robust coffee.
  
  
• So Ebay's ears are back, and even though Smith and him got some ironing out to do on the you-go-now-I-go intricacies of flank partnerships, there's quite a lot there. 
  
  
• Kolo picks his butt, then does a pitch perfect dead man's pose on the ground. Then sike! Haha, just playing, he's fine. Just Kolo things.
  
  
• Firmino gets dispossessed then almost turns in an own goal on the track back. Brazilian's been out of form, which will belie his goal. At the same time, getting a goal while you're out of form is something far too few Liverpool players have been capable of in the last calendar year. 
  
  
• Two nearly identical handball shouts in this game involving Lucas in the first and now Kolo in the second. Mike Jones isn't interested. Mike JOOOONNESSSS.
  
  
• Color commentator sounds an awful lot like Woy. Kolo out after all, Mama Sakho comes in.
  
  
• Josh King with two good chances, including a facsimile of last week's chip, but Danny Ward saved very well. Danny Ward, by the way? Been everything you need in a goalkeeper. He hasn't been tested on the snap save, but our only complaint is the neckbeard.
  
  
• Ward's first spill of the game comes on a 75th minute cross. Cleaned up by his defense.
  
  
• Origi on for Bobby and Lallana on for Ibe. Klopp keeping the edge sharp on two guys who have a big part to play in this run in.
  
  
• Shout out for the Stewart-Allen double pivot. Very tidy, good balance in the partnership.
  
  
• Danny Ward's cleansheet will not be denied on one end, while Studge punishes the upright with a snapshot on the other.
  
  
• Liverpool have had a good amount of blocks in this game. The sign of well organized positioning.
  
  
• ***GOAL*** King puts one neatly away after capitulation defensively.
  
  
• Game. Scary end, but great showing from Liverpool, with lots of youths putting down markers. Stewart so solid, Ojo & Ibe making Naija proud, and Ward. Definitely Danny Ward.

We'll be back shortly to take an in-depth look at everything that happened in today's game with the full recap. Until then, let us know your take on the ups and downs of the match in the comments, and if you haven't already, join the community on the Liverpool Offside, where we'll have full coverage and lively in-game discussion for every match this season.