PODCAST: West Ham 3 Liverpool 2 - Match Reaction

Another good podcast.

Hmmm. I didnt think we were in the game for the first 20-25 minutes especially with the disruptions. Think Virgil was ranting at Trent during the game whose positioning during the first half I thought was baffling. Fabinho is good but he's not quick. If an oppo gets past him, he's not catching anyone.

Not sure why loads have been on Robbo's case. Over all, I thought Robbo had a good game, Sadio doesnt look for him any more.

The defending on all the goals we conceeded was poor. Sadio was unlucky with the volley at the keeper, he didnt have much chance to put it either side of Fabianski.

Cant agree with the lads about Alli on the 2nd. Getting that much of a hand to it, he should be able to turn it so, nope, deffo at fault for number 2 and 3 with the first debatable.

Once we went 2-1 behind, I didnt think we were scoring again to level the game. Credit to big Div in getting a goal.

everton are shit! So very true!

Loving the Arsenal rant!

After losing to a David Moyes side, you want us to sit down and listen to Stu Monty's "analysis"?

Yeah, still enjoy these immensely, keep up the good work!

I wholeheartedly disagree on the 1st goal, though! That is a foul in every other game of football across all leagues in Europe, and I honestly can't remember a goal like that allowed to stand for quite some time, and I watch a lot of football!! We can all wish back to a time when flailing your arms in the vicinity of the keeper was allowed. Fact is, that's not the norm we're playing by anymore, and as soon as Ogbonna moves his arms that high up and makes contact with the keeper, 99.9 pct of refs blow their whistle. Allison should have saved the second one, though, that was a weak as piss shot close to him.

I'm fully onboard the Kostas bandwagon, and it's partly because of Robbo, but mostly because of the superb delivery of the greek. He'll whip in the crosses (and corners) with far more zip than Robbo, which is what you need when playing against teams with 4-6 players at 6ft+ camped inside the box. On that point, can we make sure Henderson never makes another cross at all, ever, against such teams. His floaters into the box are about the most infuriating thing since my fellow countryman Bjornebye used to smash 20 crosses a game into the opposition player in front of him. Granted, it will result in a few goals a season (Bjornebye had that one season where about every cross he got into the box was headed in the goal by Fowler!), but for Gods sake, give the ball to Trent or Mo whenever you're out there, Skipper.

When are we going to realise inswinging corners are more effective than outswinging by the way? Look at that game for evidence. We still score plenty of goals at set pieces, but we should be scoring lots more in my opinion. Get Trent and Kostas to whip them in from opposite sides, and get our players to attack the set pieces. It'll take one little glance to put the goalie and defenders at panic stations, as opposed to now, where someone will need a clear jump and a bullet header (Robbo's corners are landing somewhere around the penalty spot, which makes them almost impossible to score from. I like that we have a throw-in coach, a set piece coach should be employed too (or the one we've got should be replaced.

League is done now can forget it. We have a slight chance with champions league if Mo comes back fit from AFCON

Just listened to this. The incredulous tone in Dave's voice that Arsenal can go above us - I'm there, it's sickening. 

The more I think about this game, the more annoyed I am with the management and less so the players. Those set pieces were shambolic and we were not prepared for it. It's easy to say in hindsight, but either Konate or Phillips would have been much more useful to handle West Ham's only (pretty much) tactic. 

And why were there huge gaps in our defence? Surely that's a management issues. 

They wouldn't have wanted Phillips exposed one v one with Antonio, plus Matip is excellent in the air anyway. Konate had a bad time against Brighton so I don't see any problem with the team picked.

It does look like we weren't prepared for what West Ham did but we're always really well prepared so I'd be more inclined to put that on the players not doing their jobs rather than the analysts and staff not preparing them properly.

The gaps are a problem as they've been there all season. As I said in the match report I don't know what the fix is there, but hopefully Klopp does.

I’m blaming a pissed up Brownie and Paul for jinxing us. 
 

re Lebron's point on Robbo / Kostas.

I agree that the delivery from Kostas has been better than Robbo this season (especially set pieces). I'm also a little concerned at Robbo's habit of playing people onside by not being in line with the rest of the back four.

I'm not sure about Kostas defensively yet though. Need to see more, and need to see him against decent opposition. Not knocking him, just saying I need to see a bit more before I'm putting him on a level near Robbo's.

I agree about missing Firmino. Jota isn't the same player and we missed that extra body dropping into midfield. It's all very well Trent getting forward but someone has got to cover the space at right back, which has been a problem all season. 

Our press is always weaker without Firmino. 

Still can't get over now odd trents positioning was in this game. For all his attacking plaudits it was utterly stupid to keep wondering up field almost in an attacking centre mid position while Antonio exposed the massive hole left.