Scott Parker was at the heart of West Ham's midfield dominance in a thrilling and vital 3-1 victory over Liverpool
Afternoon all: Looking back at Kenny Dalglish's last two visits to Upton Park as Liverpool's manager in 1988 for some omens drew something of a blank. In the league the defending champions won 2-0 with a starting XI featuring the rare combination of Peter Beardsley, Ian Rush and John Aldridge in the same side, the first two scoring. A month later they came back in the Littlewoods Cup with just Beardsley and Aldridge up front and lost 4-1 with goals from Tony Gale, a pair for Paul Ince and an own goal from Steve Staunton. Both West Ham line-ups featured Allen McKnightmare in goal, a keeper I had all but erased from my memory but who I now can't shake from featuring in recollections of very nervy displays.
I also checked the excellent "played for both sides" list on the AFS site and there have been so many that Hammers fans would wish to forget, notably Titi Camara, those who shone very briefly such as Rigobert Song and those like Rob Jones and Mike Marsh whose injuries did for them, much as Camara and Song did for Harry Redknapp. Starting for West Ham then going on to Anfield include Yossi Benayoun, Glen Johnson, Javier Mascherano, Joe Cole, Ince (eventually), Paul Konchesky and Daniel Sjolund.
Liverpool have gone for five at the back while West Ham's midfield looks the strongest quartet they've had for ages, though as Jacob Steinberg, readying himself for the League Cup final alongside me points out, lacking in pace. Anyway, should be a decent game.
Teams:
West Ham: Green, Jacobsen, Tomkins, Upson, Bridge, O'Neil, Noble, Parker, Hitzlsperger, Ba, Piquionne. Subs Subs: Boffin, Reid, Cole, Boa Morte, Spector, da Costa, Hines.
Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Kelly, Carragher, Skrtel, Wilson, Lucas, Gerrard, Meireles, Kuyt, Suarez. Subs: Gulacsi, Kyrgiakos, Cole, Poulsen, Spearing, Maxi, Ngog.
An email pings in: From Gary Naylor, on emergency loan from Rob Smyth's OBO: "Liverpool appear to be playing as King Kenny would have played ? alas not in 1978, but in 2008. Is all this pragmatism what Liverpool fans expected?" I think they would, Gary, and would be pleased that there's been some steadying of the ship and a more logical approach to Raul Meireles's best position. The co-commentator today is Chris Coleman so we'll get a Welsh lilt to the analysis. Jacob sends me this footage of West Ham's 2-1 victory in 1997, the very one that Robbie Fowler and Ian Wright have just been reminiscing about in the studio. I failed to mention the surprise of seeing Matthew Upson in West Ham's starting XI. I thought he was out for the season but he's defied the medical opinions and returns. Wonder how he'll cope with Suarez.
1 min: Liverpool kick off attacking the Sir Trevor Brooking fan, not Sir Trev himself and attempt to build from the back before Johnson's short pass leaves Wilson straining to get there and the ball goes out for a throw.
3 min: Very good possession football from West Ham up their right in tight spaces, O'Neil and Jacobsen combining well and then Parker passes to Hitzelsperger who pops a diagonal pass to Ba before it comes back to the German who fires a shot from 25 yards that Reina plucks out of the air.
7 min: Kelly loses possession when facing the wrong way when hassled by Piquionne and Skrtel comes to his rescue by hacking Piquionne down 10 yards into the Liverpool half and gets booked.
9 min: Piquionne ends up on the grass when running to try to get his toe on a through ball from Parker but Mark Halsey thinks Carragher's block was fair and waves play on.
11 min: Long ball from O'Neil aimed at Ba in the D of the penalty area but Carragher, the spare man, reads it well and heads clear. West Ham keep coming, though, and don't look at all lacking in confidence.
13 min: Mistake from Tomkins who was afraid of conceding a corner so turned and passed it, aiming for touch, straight to Johnson. He checked inside and passed to Meireles who shot from 20 yards, weakly, and Green got down to pick the ball up. He launches his kick and West Ham win a corner.
15 min: Excellent and vicious inswinging corner from Der Hammer and although Liverpool head it clear it falls to O'Neil who shoots into the crowded box and the ball rebounds away. Then Liverpool break and Hitzlsperger powers back to tackle and give Liverpool a corner, which Meireles takes and Johnson heads on to Piquionne's arm, by his side, could have been a penalty but wasn't given.
18 min: O'Neil has started well on the right. Sky had him playing on the right of an attacking three but he's actually tucked further back in a midfield four. Here's Scott Stricker on the thorny subject of Steven Gerrard, who seems to get a lot of correspondents' goats. "How many ill-conceived 40 yard cross field balls can we expect from Gerrard today? As tonight is the Ooscars, is it possible he will be trying to get a late nomination for best supporting actor to the real Liverpool lead, Raul Meireles, by littering this game with hundreds of wasteful Hollywood passes?" I think one of his real weaknesses is occasionally overhitting routine passes to team-mates who would have to have the control of a Pele to deal with some of them.
20 min: Chris Coleman thinks Piquionne lacks heart, shouting "Go on Big Fella" when he let ba pass from Parker roll out for a goalkick instead of chasing it to the touchline. He's also had a go for his failure to ride Carragher's earlier challenge. Yet West Ham are playing well and Piquionne is playing his part. O'Neil links up well with Ba, who slipped the ball past Skrtel and bombed on.
GOAL!! West Ham 1-0 Liverpool (Parker) Parker bursts in from the right, beats Lucas or possibly Wilson, passes to Hitzlsperger who hits a lovely return round the corner and Parker's finish is an absolute peach, flicked with the outside of his right foot across Reina and into the right-hand corner of the Spaniard's net.
24 min: Another strong ruin from Ba wins West Ham a corner when he tries to skin Carragher. Reina's punch sets up a quick counter attack, Suarez running forward and leaving the two West Ham markers for dust, passes to Kuyt who shoots into the side netting.
27 min:West Ham come straight back at Liverpool with Noble dispossessing Meireles on halfway then storms forward and passes to O'Neil who fizzes a cross across the six-yard box and a lunging Ba can't reach it.
29 min: Some news from James Dart on the West Ham co-owner David Gold: "David Gold was today in hospital being treated for cholangitis and septicaemia, the club have confirmed. Gold, 74, was first taken ill on Wednesday evening and was unable to attend the Hammers' Barclays Premier League game against Liverpool this afternoon. His daughter, Jacqueline, said: "I saw my dad this morning and he is very poorly with cholangitis (inflammation of the bile duct) and septicaemia. "He is on powerful antibiotics and we hope to see an improvement in the next few days. "He asked me to be at the Liverpool game today on his behalf and is absolutely devastated he could not be there himself."
31 min: Suarez is limping after a challenge from Tomkins who threw the full weight of his body into the tackle. West Ham are pressing very adeptly and Hitzlsperger, in particular, looks like someone with energy to burn. It's been quite end-to-end but West Ham look comfortable in possession. The danger comes when they play the killer ball, or attempt to play the killer ball, rather, and Liverpool break with pace.
33 min: Suarez seems to have run off his knock and he wins a free kick off Tomkins who slides in to tackle him then handles when on the grass. Now Meireles is clutching his knee after another firm tackle from Parker. Here's Andrew Booth with some tactical insights: "Liverpool are playing the wrong formation here. With three centre backs minding three strikers they lack the numerical advantage at the back that makes the formation effective against other sides. It means the fullbacks are having to stay back to give support, so that the man for man midfield is also not having the time on the ball they need. Wonder how long before Kuyt starts to drop deeper to help out the midfield, fully blunting the Liverpool attack."
35 min: Piquionne is penalised for hand ball in the Liverpool area which allows Sky to show a couple of challenges in the West Ham area, one, where Tomkins just boots Suarez's standing leg, was inches inside the box and should have been a penalty.
37 min: "Liverpool would be far more dangerous if they did not have to rely on breaking with pace and Dirk Kuyt," writes Ian Copestake. As predicted by Andrew Booth, below, Kuyt has dropped deeper which leaves Suarez the sole target of a brace of Gerrard ineffectual long balls, easily picked off by Upson and Jacobsen.
39 min: Sky are eulogising "Matty Upson, the rock solid defender at the heart of West Ham". He's done well so far but not sure rock solid is the most apt description given his frailty. Kelly shoots from the right of the area, cutting in to hit it with his left but Green only has to go to ground to gather as it's a weak, bobbling scuffer.
41min: West Ham free kick, 25 yards out to the left of Liverpool's goal after Skrtel fouls Hitzlsperger to stop him shooting. Taken by Noble with his right and curled wide.
42min: Kelly goes down on a lung-burster of a dribble up the right wing when he grasps the back of his left thigh. That's a pinged hamstring.
43min: Liverpool substitution Joe Cole on for Martin Kelly. Liverpool go 4-4-2 with Johnson at right-back and Wilson at left-back, Cole on the left of midfield, Meireles, for now, stuck in Hodgson exile on the right.
GOAL!! West Ham 2-0 Liverpool (Ba) In the mixer! Green's goalkick on to Ba's head. He cushions header to Noble who rampages up the right wing, cuts back his cross to Ba by the penalty spot and he scores with a loopy diving header.
45min +2: "Oh lord, Demba Ba" is the Boleyn chant of choice to the tune of Kumbaya.
Half-time: A very assured performance from the Hammers going forward and though they've left themselves a little unmanned at the back after the first goal, they've been industrious and inventive. Liverpool are struggling to contain the thrusts down the left of their defence and were outnumbered in midfield. If Parker, O'Neil, Hitzlsperger and Noble have the stamina to keep pressing like they have, then it's a long road back for Liverpool. Back in ten minutes.
Email musings: Here's Richard Johnson: "This match highlights why it is so exciting to be a West Ham supporter. One never knows what the game might be like ?
I'm watching a Danish feed ? that's an Internet broadcast from Denmark, not and eating contest ? and they refer to Mr. Dalglish as 'King Kenny' as well. My Danish isn't that good, but is Stevie M$E playing? Also, regarding Tomkins at 35 minutes, could one not say he Carraghered Suarez?" He absolutely Carraghered him, Richard. Graeme Neill is from the other camp: "If Liverpool are to pull this back, Kenny needs to stick Gerrard on the right and play Meireles in his best position as he is clearly the better central midfielder. Either that or Gerrard will play a blinder from the centre in the second half just to spite me." And David Goldstone sees a cloud in the claret and blue sky: "Will be interesting to see the effect in the second half of one of Avram's famous half time team talks." Maybe he'll just let Parker do the honours again, David.
46min: Perhaps they'd be better putting Kuyt on the right and let Meireles play off Suarez instead of sticking either the Portuguese fella or Gerrard out there. They're off and Cole is free on the left and chips a cross across goal and Kuyt can't get there.
48min: Piquionne misplaces a clearance straight to Kuyt who plays it out to the right where Meireles hits a deep, dangerous cross after Bridge failed to close him down. Tomkins is paying attention, though, and dives to head over.
49min: Meireles limps off after his first-half injury. Ngog comes on for him.
49min: Ba, as the ex-professionals always put it, "looks a player", good feet and really fine control on his rangy dribbling bursts. Joe Cole cleans him out in a tackle, which looks a foul, but Liverpool get the benefit of the doubt and regain the initiative.
51min: Bridge plays an almost perfect hospital pass across from the left to Tomkins that Suarez is a toe-clipping away from nicking and the centre-half has to belt it into touch under pressure from Kuyt. From the throw West Ham win it back and Parker threads a pass to Ba, who runs across goal and clips his shot just wide.
53min:v West Ham corner after another Parker inspired attack. Short to Noble whose cross is headed clear by Carragher.
54min: Liverpool are all over the place positionally and keep giving the ball away. Parker whacks a pass forward that comes to Hitzlsperger who shapes to shoot with his left but is closed down and his right-foot shot is deflected for a corner. The German takes it and whips it in menacingly but Liverpool clear by sheer number of bodies.
56min: No signs of a Liverpool comeback or any coherence this last five minutes. They can't get any time on the ball ? until now when Gerrard bombs forward on the right but Upson reads his intentions and belts the cross away.
59min: West Ham's workrate would have Mick McCarthy talking about 10 shifts being put in. They're absolutely hounding Liverpool's midfield who can't get the space to play.
60min: Glorious 40 yard diagonal pass from Hitzlsperger to Piquionne who saunters past Wilson then changes the ball on to his left and rolls it to the German. Lucas does well to hassle him out of shooting with his left s0 he hits it with his swinger instead and it sails over the bar.
63min: Excellent Liverpool move at last, started by Lucas's clipped pass to Gerrard in a central position with his back to goal and he turns it round the corner to Suarez who tries to curl it in at the far post but Green dives to his left and saves well. Two Liverpool corners get the crowd going but are snuffed out by West Ham who bomb up the other end and O'Neil fools Wilson by shaping right and cutting in on his left to shoot. Reina clears for a corner that is looped back to the keeper.
65min: "Demba Ba could have gone home after his diving header and I would have been pleased with his performance," writes Andrew Stricker. "But now he's spinning and twisting and doing dribbling tricks ? I would also like to add how much I love diving headers." If you're tired of diving headers, Andrew, you're tired of life. Gary Naylor, an Evertonian, has a theory: "The way this match is going and the performance Wolves yesterday makes me think Blackpool are going down, but will Blackburn join them? It could be a Lancashire trio with Liverpool ? sorry, Wigan, joining them."
67min: Some worries over Parker's fitness before a West Ham corner, taken by Noble after he inadvertently knocked the ball out first time with his toe and picked the ball up. It should have been a Liverpool free-kick but wasn't. He gets a second chance with his corner and puts it on Piquionne's head. Should have scored as it was essentially a free header and he glances it wide.
69min: Cole takes up a more central position and turns a pass to Gerrard on the right of the Hammers' box. He shoots first time but Parker's there with a block.
71min: Suarez's neat feet almost got him a shooting chance in the box from the edge of the D, dribbling it past two but then being crowded out. From the breakdown Ngog runs forward and Suarez crosses to the back post, invitingly but to no one.
73min: Gerrard free from a West Ham throw in that came straight off Bridge's face and should have gone Liverpool's way. The ball bounces high in front of him but he gets his leg above the perpendicular to hit a dipping volley that Green tips over. From the corner West Ham break and Ba races on to Hitzlsperger's pass into Liverpool's box but Reina is sharp and gets there first. "West Ham certainly don't appear to be a team in the relegation zone today. Has Hitzlsperger made that much of a difference? From what I've seen, they appear to be winning this game in the middle of the park," writes Nick White. He certainly has, Nick, and the underrated O'Neil whose also played very well. Both players are very comfortable on the ball and keep possession in a way West Ham's other midfield alternatives don't always manage.
76min: Gerrard goes down in the box but doesn't appeal for a penalty but he still takes stick from West Ham's fans. Green kicks it up and Piquionne takes the long ball, turns, shoots and the ball slides under Reina but he's done enough to take the pace off and he twists and regains the ball a yard from the goalline.
78min: Sean D writes: "Stevie G's legs have completely gone. I wonder if there's a club on the continent that will still buy him for big(gish) money in the summer based on his reputation alone." Is it his legs, lack of an established role or positional discipline?
80min: Getting very bitty now as Parker tires a little and Liverpool start to get more ball but can't find a way through West Ham's defence who have been able to read the game very well thus far and pop out to intervene at crucial times, which always helps if you're attacked primarily and somewhat predictably through the middle.
82min: West Ham substitution. Piquionne off, Spector on.
83min: Liverpool start to push West Ham back for the past two minutes but penalty box pinball plays into West Ham's hands when Upson and Tomkins are reading the game as well as this, getting first to the knockdowns.
GOAL!! West Ham 2-1 Liverpool (Johnson) Just as I wrote that West Ham were defending well they blow about six opportunities to clear as the ball pings around the box and a sumptuous turn and cross from Suarez on the left flies across the six-yard line and Johnson bursts in to tap the ball into the net.
86min: Chris Coleman is pondering how good a partnership Suarez could make with "Big Carroll". There's something about the way he says it in that Swansea accent that makes Big Carroll sound like the queen of Mumbles nightlife.
88min: Gerrard free kick 30 yards out, fairly central but curled to the far post. It's overhit and West Ham have a goalkick. Off goes Ba and on comes Carlton Cole.
89min: Peter Ranger writes: "Has Steven Gerrard ever had any positional awareness to lose? Also Lucas is slowly becoming quite a good player, which I think is partly down to being used more than just as a Makelele-esque holding player, he's certainly not worse than Arsenal's step-over less Denilson." I think you may be on to something there, Peter. Noble is now on the right and gets a shooting chance he puts to Reina's left. Reina dives to catch.
GOAL!! West Ham 3-1 Liverpool (Carlton Cole) When Reina tried to clear after saving, Cole came too close to block his clearance and Liverpool got a free kick that Reina kicks straight to Bridge, I think. The ball is played to Cole in the inside left channel, he spins Skrtle and leaves him on the floor, looks up and hits a fine low shot past Reina.
90min+2: The Hammers almost went to sleep straight after scoring and Suarez was left free to shoot, wide as it turned out.
Final whistle: West Ham 3-1 Liverpool. Wigan go bottom, the Hammers up to 18th and that was a deserved victory, full of commitment, good passing, energy and some intelligent movement from Ba. That midfield, if it can play the next 10 games, will give them a fine chance of avoiding relegation. Noble, Parker, O'Neil and Hitzlsperger were all outstanding as were Upson and Tomkins at the back, Jacobsen looked tidy, and Ba is a handful. As for Liverpool, they were woeful. The five at the back, three at the back, whatever, didn't work after the first 15 minutes when the Hammers four v three in midfield took the game away from them. A really enjoyable match, not for the Liverpool fans, of course, but better than most. Thanks for your emails. Please join Jacob Steinberg for the League Cup final now where I expect he'll be happy to talk about West Ham for a few minutes. For happy, read ecstatic. Bye
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/feb/27/west-ham-liverpool-live-report
Alastair Cook Radio Pop and rock Biffy Clyro Arsène Wenger Climate change
No comments:
Post a Comment