West Ham 1 Liverpool 2 (Apr 26 2023)

[tlw content]

 

That was good I thought. It wasn’t brilliant and there are some things that need work, but there was a lot more good than bad in this and we deserved the points. It was closer than it should have been and we needed a marginal offside call to preserve our lead, while on another day Thiago may have been (wrongly) penalised for a late ‘handball’, but overall it was a good performance and another step in the right direction.

 

I quite enjoyed the game, it was entertaining without ever really taking off. West Ham wanted to sit in and counter attack but for the most part we didn’t allow that as we kept the ball so well. Trent absolutely bossed this game from the middle of the park, certainly in the first half anyway when he was an absolute joy to watch. West Ham got tighter to him after the break and by the end of the game he was at right back again as we made changes and were looking to preserve our lead, but that one tweak has massively helped us look more secure at the back, simply because if the other team doesn’t have the ball then they can’t score.

 

Several times while I was watching this I found myself saying, with an element of surprise, “this is actually good”. It’s weird though because we weren’t creating too many chances and it wasn’t a blood and thunder game, but everything else felt like it was functioning at a high level and there was a degree of comfort I felt watching this that hasn’t been there for most of the season. In possession we were moving the ball around nicely and making West Ham work. Out of possession we were winning it back very quickly and barring a couple of breaks and the odd set-piece we had them well under control.

 

We’re still a work in progress though with this new set up. There’s a lot to like about what we did in this game but equally there are things that don’t quite look right. The lack of width for one thing. Trent moving to the middle is giving us a lot more control in there, which in turn makes it more difficult for teams to get at us. But there’s often a gaping chasm on the right hand side of the field, while we weren’t making too much headway down the left either, not until Diaz came on anyway.

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[alles ist gut]

Top, top 50p head analysis there, Dave.

[Razoray]

100% agree on Fabinho, it was as if he wasn't afraid to step in and nick the ball because he had a comfort blanket of Trent behind him. For the earlier part of the season he was staying and was easily played through, onto 2 centre backs, with both Trent and Ronbo higher up yhe pitch. Klopp's teams need to defend on the front foot and Trent as the 2nd no.6 gives us that. Trent himself is actually very good at stepping in and turning possesion over, also. 

 

Since the Wolves 3-0 game, we have played 12 games in the league and have 24 points. Across the season, that would have us comfortably in 3rd. (BIG) If we finish the season with another 6 wins, we can go into next season with 42 points from our final 18 games. That is title contending form, over almost half a season. With improvements in the summer, we aren't as far away as it looked in early February. The final 6 months will shape the belief in the players and management for 23/24, in my opinion. 

[Razoray]

The lack of width, especially on the right was blatant at times last night. If the Trent experiment is here to stay long term, is Diaz an option there? He is more comfortable and natural than Mo at drifting back 10 yards further to give an option and we wouldnt need our biggest goal threat retreating into our half for a large part of the game. How Mo would be fitted in further upfield is another thing.

Or will the replacement for Hendo in the right sided 8/10 position drift wider to create the option?

[Rushies tash]

Agree with your observation about Jones's pressing and energy - although I still find it frustrating how much time he seems to want on the ball. If he can speed up his decision making, then he fully deserves his place in midfield for the foreseeable.

[piphomer]

First thing I thought when Big Bird powered in that header was "Dave's gonna talk about his 50p head in the report".

[Barnesey]

Diaz makes a big difference and must get into the team somewhere

[Carvalho Diablo]

Fabinho, whilst better, was still rubbish.

 

No coincidence either, Henderson gets subbed and we start dominating the game.

 

Fabinho is poor, Henderson is worse than Salif Diao.

[s(k)aturation]

 

Great description of why Thiago incident wasn't a pen, @dave u

[TheSire]

2 hours ago, Carvalho Diablo said:

Fabinho, whilst better, was still rubbish.

 

No coincidence either, Henderson gets subbed and we start dominating the game.

 

Fabinho is poor, Henderson is worse than Salif Diao.

He wasn't. You're talking shite.

[Carvalho Diablo]

14 minutes ago, TheSire said:

He wasn't. You're talking shite.

Toxic positivity

[bigal]

Usually agree with pretty much all you write but I thought Fabinho was poor first half, he gave the ball away several times and was slow to recover. He was better second half. I heard similar comments too but I guess we all see it differently at times. Mind he was better than Hendo who can't do two games so quickly anymore. 

[DalyanPete]

Pity we've wasted a season to realise some old legs need replacing but I watched that game thinking a couple of quality signings puts us right back in. Not sure if a Virgil replacement should be looked at, he's getting very used to that pathetic attempted block that's cost us a few goals.

It was nice to watch a game and not feel guilty about winning, think West ham are safe now but I want those other cunts gone. 

[Guest]

 

[Section_31]

On 28/04/2023 at 07:51, DalyanPete said:

Pity we've wasted a season to realise some old legs need replacing but I watched that game thinking a couple of quality signings puts us right back in. Not sure if a Virgil replacement should be looked at, he's getting very used to that pathetic attempted block that's cost us a few goals.

It was nice to watch a game and not feel guilty about winning, think West ham are safe now but I want those other cunts gone. 

 

I'm always amazed at how utterly peripheral Henderson is to the action. He looks like a championship captain that's playing in an FA Cup match with a premier league opponent, trying to put a shift in but 100 miles too slow in both the legs and the head.

[DalyanPete]

On 29/04/2023 at 14:26, Section_31 said:

 

I'm always amazed at how utterly peripheral Henderson is to the action. He looks like a championship captain that's playing in an FA Cup match with a premier league opponent, trying to put a shift in but 100 miles too slow in both the legs and the head.

He makes me laugh when he looks at what pass is available and I know it's going to be the easiest one and let them decide what to do. That doesn't take away what he's achieved here just those legs can't do it anymore.