Liverpool 3 West Ham 2 (Feb 24 2020)

[tlw content 17,095]

 

 

 

Report by

Dave Usher

 

I’ll be honest, after an hour or so of this I was thinking that this might finally be the game where the streak ends. Not necessarily the unbeaten streak (although that did cross my mind), but the 17 game winning run felt as though it was in real danger. It just had the stench of ‘one of those games’ about it.

 

We were below par, the opposition were performing well above themselves and it was a cold, windy horrible night. With the title already wrapped up barring the formalities, the stakes weren’t especially high and if we had dropped points it would have made no difference to the outcome of the title race. And yet it felt horrible. 

 

The idea of us dropping any points, let alone losing a game, was horrifying. Games shouldn’t be stressful when you’re this far ahead, but they are. It’s almost as stressful as watching us during us last year’s title run in. The feeling when watching our games is exactly the same. The only difference is this time we don’t have to suffer through City’s games as well. Doesn’t matter what they do now, they’re an irrelevance. It’s just about us now.

 

Some of you reading this will say you’re not bothered about going unbeaten. Some will argue that once the title is won we should be resting players for Champions League games (assuming we get past Atletico) and even the FA Cup.

 

My head can go along with that, but my heart is a different matter. I don’t just want to go unbeaten, I don’t even want to draw any games. It’s greedy, unreasonable, perhaps even unrealistic. But there it is. That’s how I feel. Irrational as it might sound, a draw would feel like the end of the world at the moment.

 

You know whats great though? As much as I feel like that, it’s nothing to how the players themselves feel. Take how I feel about us dropping any points and magnify it by a hundred and you still won’t match how the players feel. None of them will say it of course, because it would sound cocky and be seen as disrespectful to the other teams we face. 

 

That’s how they feel though. They don’t have to say it because it shows in how they approach every game. So many times this season they could have settled for a draw or even accepted a defeat, knowing that it’s “not a big deal” given how far ahead they are. They never do though. They’re desperate to win every game and I bet you that in their quieter moments some of them look back at that draw at Old Trafford and fucking fume about it.

 

It’s that relentless drive that keeps seeing us through when things get hairy. It’s a cliché but this is a game we’d have lost a few years ago. The last game we lost at Anfield was 2-1 against Palace and there were a lot of similarities with this game. The big difference was this time we found a way to win it. That’s what we do now.

 

 

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[aws 8,072]

Good report Dave. I'm ridiculously stressed at the prospect of dropping a single point too even though deep down I know it doesn't matter. 

 

Hated the Matip sub as well. Particularly choosing Mane.  

[rb14 1,901]

I think it was Antonionionio who was backing in to Ali every corner. There's no doubt in my mind it absolutely affected him as he had to give the fat lump a massive push each time the ball was delivered just to be able to breathe. Every time. And fatty Moss did nothing. 

 

Don't get me started again on that lightweight over-rated broken toenail Keita. You've got it wrong (not often I say that to you) and so has Jurgy. Get shot. ASAP. 

 

If everything were to go our way, we could win it on my birthday March 7th. What a 25th birthday prezzie that would be eh? 

[JustTosh 390]

11 minutes ago, rb14 said:

If everything were to go our way, we could win it on my birthday March 7th. What a 25th birthday prezzie that would be eh? 

Sorry to ruin your birthday, but it can’t be won on March 7^th. If everything goes our way and babyface Ole’s babes beat Man City March 8^th we may be within 3 points, 1 win, to claim it.

You may be right about Keita. I'm willing to give him until the end of the season before writng him off completely though.

 

 

[halewood pete 3,809]

Another good read Dave,totally agree about the Henderson effect in games,and I also want us to win every game,even pre season friendlies, I sulk if we lose any of them,but isn't that the whole point of being a supporter?

[William_Ulsterman 111]

30 minutes ago, rb14 said:

If everything were to go our way, we could win it on my birthday March 7th. What a 25th birthday prezzie that would be eh? 

25... whats that in dog years?

[JustTosh 390]

Nice report as always Dave.

I also want us to break all records possible. I want us to make the longest run of consecutive wins ever, the longest unbeaten run ever, the most points achieved in the history of the league. All of it.

However, if we won all our remaining games it would kind of pain me knowing only a draw at Old T prevented us from the 100% season record. I’ll use that as comfort if we eventually drop a couple of points.

[Paul Wright 40]

Bobby just waiting to score THE goal at Anfield that clinches the title, That is how that lad rolls.

[dockers_strike 4,130]

It's in the bag already in my opinion but Im calling the Palace home game as the game when it's mathematically won.

[Anubis 21,567]

Quote

“....but then there was the voice inside telling me “show a little fucking faith in them you shithouse”.

That’d be my voice.

[dave u 7,751]

54 minutes ago, JustTosh said:

 

However, if we won all our remaining games it would kind of pain me knowing only a draw at Old T prevented us from the 100% season record. I’ll use that as comfort if we eventually drop a couple of points.

 

That's a good point actually. I still want to win every game but it would be a small crumb of comfort.

[alles ist gut 4,699]

Top, top Hendo analysis there, Dave.

[frankie 23]

I don't want this team to drop any more points either. Henderson comments spot on. Be a concern if he's not back for the second leg...

[Marcas 74]

Keita...shakes head and exhales. Remember back before he joined he was supposed to be some hybrid Kante/Essien wrecking ball who was gonna seriously fuck-up the opposition? Instead we got our version of George Weah’s cousin, albeit with a nicer line in 5 yard passes...

[bigal 257]

Alisson seemed to get really unnerved by Antonio. For their first goal he was pushing Antonio away even as the ball was delivered and so wasn't quite ready for the header. Expect to see it used more by teams in upcoming games.

[Moo 956]

3 hours ago, dockers_strike said:

It's in the bag already in my opinion but Im calling the Palace home game as the game when it's mathematically won.

I've got a feeling we'll scrape past Chelsea in the FA Cup and if we do that the Palace match will be postponed.  I think it will come down to the City match before we have the chance to win it, personally I'll still settle for winning the league this season in any circumstances. Yeah I'm a shitbag. 

[Red_or_Dead 1,498]

Looks like Keita is the new Henderson.

 

 

[Guest Alex_K]

This side is in the unique position of having 11 games in front of them to lay down indisputable credentials as the greatest domestic side in the 132 year history of the English game. Those are the stakes; it’s more than being unbeaten, more than having the most points. It’s about becoming  the masters of the English football universe. Every single one of those 11 games is key - it’s become about more than just winning a single league title. It’s now the title.

[Nunavut Patrick 4,923]

Mark Noble is a Poundland Scotty Parker.

 

[Butch 1,430]

1 hour ago, Nunavut Patrick said:

Mark Noble is a Poundland Scotty Parker.

 

Bit harsh on poundland that. 

[Stephen Adams. 74]

It would be great if keepers started doing that against us more often. Mark Schwarzer used to throw one in at Old Trafford every year.

[alles ist gut 4,699]

 

[StevieMax 126]

14 hours ago, Nunavut Patrick said:

Mark Noble is a Poundland Scotty Parker.

 

Without the Dan Dare haircut.

[johnsusername 3,469]

West Ham were proper shithouses. Where is the protection from the officials? Why are teams allowed to wrestle our players with impunity? I think we missed Henderson in that no-one seemed to be pointing all these incidents out to the referee.

 

Surely Allison was being obstructed at those corners? 

 

Really hope we've got a good referee for the second leg european game. 

[William_Ulsterman 111]

3 hours ago, alles ist gut said:

 

what was Mo doing outside frisking everyone?