Five things Liverpool learned from Bournemouth victory, including Ojo & Sturridge analysis

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Sheyi Ojo is a bundle of pace, power, skill and talent… 

Ojo got the full 90 minutes and again made us look at each other in dismay at the fact he’s only 18-year-old! He’s built like an Olympic sprinter, and showed his speed on numerous occasions. One brilliant first-half run saw Ojo leave two Bournemouth players for dead, and if he hones his crossing and final delivery – we’ve got a serious Premier League winger on our hands. It’s worth mentioning Jordon Ibe on the other flank, with the out of favour 20-year-old doing well and working hard on his return to the lineup.

Joe Allen simply must be awarded a new contract…

Brendan Rodgers was right about Joe Allen. The Welshman’s a proper player. Today, the 26-year-old started alongside Kevin Stewart in a midfield double pivot and totally ran the show. Not only were his passes forward and creative, but he got stuck in as well – making clever tackles and interceptions – which were possible thanks to smart positioning rather than brute force. Jurgen Klopp confirmed that no conversations regarding Allen’s contract, which runs out in 2017, had taken place yet. They need to, pronto.

Daniel Sturridge isn’t sulking and is proving to Klopp he MUST be a regular starter…

Sturridge has found himself part of the rotation XI in recent weeks, benched for the more important fixtures behind Divock Origi. But today Sturridge put in his best all-round performance of the season. The striker was involved in everything good Liverpool did and could have bagged a hat-trick had the woodwork not denied him twice. The Englishman pressed and worked hard, but it was quality on the ball that left us spellbound. His headed goal was expertly taken, and based on today’s evidence – Klopp simply has to find a way to get Sturridge into the ‘first-choice’ team. If that’s alongside Origi, then so be it. Instead of sulking, Sturridge is letting his wonderful feet do the talking.

Danny Ward has promise but is not yet ready to be no.1…

A decent debut for Ward, who was 30 seconds away from keeping a clean-sheet. He made one good save and distributed the ball well, showing good ability with his feet. However, the youngster wasn’t confident at dealing with balls sent into the box – a problem our regular no.1 Simon Mignolet occasionally suffers from. Ward’s more than good enough for a spot on our bench, but shouldn’t usurp the Belgian just yet.

Jurgen Klopp might not be quite as impressed by Jon Flanagan as the fans… 

Today, in an entirely rotated team, Klopp selected Connor Randall ahead of a fully fit Flanagan. It might be because of the Merseyside Derby midweek, but you’d have to assume Nathaniel Clyne and Alberto Moreno will get the nod then – based on strong outings against Dortmund. Flanagan’s been healthy for a while since his time out, but has struggled for minutes. Randall is not great, so if Klopp’s selecting him over Flanno, questions must be raised as to how much the manager actually rates the local hero.

More Stories Daniel Sturridge Danny Ward Joe Allen Jon Flanagan Sheyi Ojo