Post Match -W'Ham

[keniget]

Sakho. Thought he was good though struggled with Carroll and doesn't look to have the pace I thought he did. Either that or he's carrying a knock or well short of match practice - I know that would be understandable but still, looked well slower.

Definitely. There was one moment where he appeared to be running in cement.

I don't think he's fast (perhaps that was just assumed when he arrived) but definitely appeared to be sluggish yesterday. Let's hope it's just a case of lacking match practice.

 

[Whirly]

Stats can be misleading, in the 2nd half we dominated and passed the ball for fun around the midfield as they defended with 2 banks of four. His attempts at creativity were simply awful in the 1st half as was his general play ... do we have a stat for how many times he gave the ball away ? I know I was screaming at the TV and he got hit by at least 20 cushions !

Dispossessed twice like I said, but he had zero turnovers. I'm on my phone, so I don't remember the exact stats, but I think he was 4/6 on long balls, and something like 1/3 on through balls? And I think he was 0/1 crossing? The stats are all on WhoScored.

Overall, that's not bad by any means though.

 

[Best Believe It]

I have to say, as someone who was genuinely (and oft whiningly) panicked that not signing anyone in the Jan transfer window would adversely affect our chances of even finishing in the top four, I am stunned at how good we are and how good we could eventually be. Brendan Rodgers and the players are doing a brilliant job. I am getting less and less nervous as time goes on because we seem to be better than any challenge put in front of us.

 

[Pesam]

Excellent battling performance and, as on so many occasions this season, we prevailed in a match we would have bottled in previous years. West Ham made it very difficult for us and their midfield were hugely combative in the first half. Fortunately they weren't able to keep up the pace and they faded in the last 30 minutes in which we dominated. It was a very professional performance and once again we showed we have the winning mentality as well as the talent.

Skrtel once again was a tower of strength, Gerrard seemed at the centre of everything, Suarez never stopped trying although most things didn't come off for him and Lucas did well when he came on. Henderson was quietly effective and Sterling was good throughout. Mignolet did well considering there are some doubts about his handling under pressure, Glenjo was solid as was Sakho. Sturridge was saving himself for his match-winning hattrick next weekend, Flanagan struggled against Diame but did ok and then won the penalty. Coutinho was a bit bullied during the first half midfield battle and would have been far more effective as second half sub against a tiring West Ham.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Mignolet did well considering there are some doubts about his handling under pressure

Was pleased to see him come out to challenge for a few aerial balls. Two good punch outs and a good solid pluck in the air that was spoiled by a cheat. His long clearances and distribution from the back has looked much better than earlier in the season as well.

 

[jimmy]

I was so nervous at the start of the 2nd half - it looked all packed there and no hope of us penetrating.
Then @65 minutes my friend writes to me on whatsapp - "don't worry, we'll score by 70 minutes"... I couldn't believe it when the penalty was awarded...
He then went on "we'll win this one 3:1" and was disappointed at Suarez for not scoring that 1:1 with the keeper that was set by Sterling.

All in all a much tougher game than I expected, and we did struggle against a well organised West Ham defence.
But: 3 more points in the bag, 5 more cup finals to go and we usually follow a "not-so-good" performance with a brilliant one, so here's hoping...

 

[doctor_mac]

I think this was good mental prep for the Palace game where we'll face the same gameplan against arguably poorer players.

 

[jimmy]

Palace will be a tough nut to crack.

 

[Brizzle]

Hopefully Palace will be safe by the time we play them, will be nice to have some of the edge taken off.

And hopefully they get safe by beating City who I think play there the week before us

 

[RolandG]

We struggled against a packed defence. WHU had all of their players behind the ball. Their tactics wasn't much of a surprise.

We showed great character and kept our cool despite struggling. We were poor. The win was just reward for all our hard work and application. We have been winning despite not playing well. Games against Sunderland, Fulham, Cardiff, Stoke and WHU would have been lost in previous seasons. We are showing the mark of Champions. Long may it continue.

 

[jimmy]

We struggled against a packed defence. WHU had all of their players behind the ball. Their tactics wasn't much of a surprise.

We showed great character and kept our cool despite struggling. We were poor. The win was just reward for all our hard work and application. We have been winning despite not playing well. Games against Sunderland, Fulham, Norwich, Stoke and WHU would have been lost in previous seasons. We are showing the mark of Champions. Long may it continue.

Norwich? 5:1?

 

[RolandG]

Norwich? 5:1?

Actually Cardiff, a thousand apologies mate!

 

[Red Bird]

I was out for a walk after 79 minutes today John. Don't know if I can last much longer.

I have been taking to walking, too. I was on the Oxford Canal for last week's entire match, unfortunately spoiled by a bunch of red fans going in the opposite direction celebrating Henderson's goal with a rousing rendition of Streets of Anfield Road.

 

[Woland]

 

[Mersey86]

I was out for a walk after 79 minutes today John. Don't know if I can last much longer.

You lasted 25 minutes longer than I did. I went for a walk early in the second half. Told my boy to text me with a W, a D or an L when it was over. My knees buckled slightly when I saw the 'W'. I'm working out my strategy to deal with the City game.

 

[jimmy]

You lasted 25 minutes longer than I did. I went for a walk early in the second half. Told my boy to text me with a W, a D or an L when it was over. My knees buckled slightly when I saw the 'W'. I'm working out my strategy to deal with the City game.

Man up! Watch it!

(I was shaking during the last 10 minutes...)

 

[walesnj]

What's the deal regarding Gerrard and his bookings now, has he passed the game where it will still count towards a ban?

 

[Mersey86]

No -City is the last game. Booking then and he misses Norwich and Chelsea.

 

[tony]

They narrowed the width of the pitch as well

 

[Modo]

 

[tombrown]

How far could a team push it before the FA intervene?


Make the bus park 10 miles away,
heat the changing room to 40 deg C
Lace the tea
Put caustic soda in the shower water

To me their "gamesmanship" is going just over the limit ... but I guess if we did it I would laugh

 

[Athens]

How far could a team push it before the FA intervene?


Make the bus park 10 miles away,
heat the changing room to 40 deg C
Lace the tea
Put caustic soda in the shower water

To me their "gamesmanship" is going just over the limit ... but I guess if we did it I would laugh

Liverpool need to hire someone that can mess with the traffic lights like in the Italian job. Make city's players walk an hour before the match.

 

[Brizzle]

There are loads of stories like this - any way to get an advantage. Away dressing rooms in odd shapes to make it impossible for a manager to do a team talk when the players are all at their lockers.. small number of showers/toilets etc.

 

[HC]

It didn't work quite as well as when Arsenal Poisoned the entire Spurs squad ?

 

[Modo]

 

[mark1975]

Ahh well, so what if he did? We've been pussy's for too long, it's about time we started acting like winners.

 

[Whirly]

 

[gene hughes]

Scary what the last few, difficult years have done to Barclay Bros.

 

[gkmacca]

How far could a team push it before the FA intervene?


Make the bus park 10 miles away,
heat the changing room to 40 deg C
Lace the tea
Put caustic soda in the shower water

To me their "gamesmanship" is going just over the limit ... but I guess if we did it I would laugh

As I said, it's really old school John Beck. So much for the ultra-modern Allardyccio's appliance of science!

 

[Ceefax the Cat]

I wonder if Allardyce used all these tricks when United came to town.
Bet the cunt didn't.