West Ham Vs. Liverpool 19/09/09

[elvis]

So you are happy with the situation then I guess, we are piss poor at set pieces at both ends of the pitch.

 

The buck stops with the manager in both areas.

 

No mate , in this instance the buck stops with the owners. Give rafa genuine top flight premiership funding, and then we we will see what he can do compared to managers who can go and spend £28 million on a world class centre half etc etc etc etc. Wake up , its always been an uneven playing field as long as Benitez has been here. Fact.

[Brownie]

I've been as critical as anyone about Babel, he deserves a lot of credit for today. He did very well. Will he continue to show the same desire and hunger? Based on previous evidence, no, but he deserves to have some credit tonight.

 

Momo is just fishing again; he needs banning now.

[lebron]

Another header won by the opposition from a corner, and a great chance for them. This needs sorting otherwise it could totally undermine our season.

 

It's not really rocket science though is it. Not often I agree with Code72, but we've sold most of our decent headers of the ball in the last couple of years, without adding anyone (Kyrgiakos the possible exception) to do the job. We either lack the height or the timing or the toughness needed to clear the ball (or for that sake attacking it on attacking set pieces). I'd say Torres is our best header of the ball, possibly Gerrard second best, that says it all really. I think it is safe to say we are working on set pieces both ways on the training ground, but we will only get so far when we're inferior in the air anyway.

 

Oh, and I guess you've got to give Gerrard credit for winning that header Kuyt scored from, Nando's second goal was brilliantly taken also.

[Torvald Utne]

It wasn't a draw!!! we are a massive 2 points behind this (unbeaten) stage last year.

[OnizukaEikichi]

Phew. Babel played like a man who just got laid. Hines should be a professional carpet, every time our players challenges him, he launches himself into the air without fail.

[Crazyhorse7778]

Can't believe people aren't giving Lucas credit where it's due. He ran the midfield today - stuck his foot in and kept us ticking over all game.

 

Agreed.

[Brownie]

I'm just glad this ended in a win and not a 3-3, it would have been meltdown on here if it did.

 

No server overload though! The new server needs repping!

[Jarvinja Ilnow]

I thought the point of playing the 2 in front of the defence and behaind the 3 was to protect the central midfielders and cover the attacking fullbacks. Insua is doing his best and looks like he will come good. It's great to see him not retraet into his shell, considering he's misplaced a lot of crosses. I don't think the defence was protected adaquately by today's 2. It's a shame we lost the growing confidence of Dirk as a Stevie replacement up front and the attacking of Riera 9as we saw in the CL)

[neopulian]

Not a bad match, another 2 goals conceded from set pieces, but most importantly, 3 points.

 

I was annoyed toward the end, when the front players stopped pressing once the team were ahead. Had they tried, they might have scored another 2. Them Hammers were knackered.

 

Gerrard still hasn't found his groove. All those neat soft-touches didn't look very clever when they went to the opposition.

 

That little Hines was a diving bastard, btw -- though not necessarily on the pen play, when Carragher was sorrily exposed.

[rebel23]

Sheeeiiit, next they might work out Torres plays up front, then we'll be REALLY fucked.

 

they're just doubling up on them and dealing with it better, opposition teams spend the entire week training on how to deal with Gerrard and Torres.

 

it's too predictable.

[Spagbol]

No mate , in this instance the buck stops with the owners. Give rafa genuine top flight premiership funding, and then we we will see what he can do compared to managers who can go and spend £28 million on a world class centre half etc etc etc etc. Wake up , its always been an uneven playing field as long as Benitez has been here. Fact.

 

Eh?

 

What's money got to do with making repeated basic defensive errors?

[Guest davelfc]

No server overload though! The new server needs repping!

 

Wait until we lose, then we can judge. Of course I hope that isn't tested.

[Bust3rboi]

midfield was class today

[Strontium]

A win is a win is 3 points, but the defensive frailties are worrying: 9 conceded in 6 is 1.5 goals a game. It means we need to score at least 2 goals a game to win these days.

[G Richards]

Three points away from home are always very welcome. Torres looked well up for it. That's 5 in 5. Can't ask for more. Babel looked a bit more like a player on the right too. Nice for Insua to get more minutes under his belt as he develops as a player too. He is not quite there, but I'm really pleased Rafa is keeping faith in this youngster as he could go on to be a fixture in the team for years to come.

 

Two observations:

 

1. Glad Gerrard is not the only one taking a corner these days. He did very well in the box to head it down into the corner, with Kuyt getting the last touch for the second goal. As many have said on here, Stevie needs to be in the box for corners as he is good in the air, or at least he needs to be hovering on the edge of the box for the second ball since he has a great shot. He is wasted when he takes corners, especially since his corners are not that great.

 

2. I am concerned about Carragher. He hasn't looked at his best this season to me. I'm not sure whether it is just a bit of form and he will raise his level a bit or whether it is more serious. I will watch him intently from now on to make up my mind. When we signed Skrtel I thought the future would be Agger/Skrtel, but obviously it was up to Carra how many seasons he kept that at bay. Agger's injury notwithstanding, Carra's form at the moment does not make him undroppable.

[Xherdan]

Fuck sake this ESPN shit is pissing me off already. Couldnt find a decent stream so had to go down to the pub. I havent watched a match in the pub for years because I cant listen to the fucking assholes that populate most pubs.

 

Anyway, when Rafa took Benni off and replaced him with Fabio a guy beside me was shaking his head. He turned to me and said 'Fuck sake, we will never win anything with Benitez in charge, he is just too negative'. I couldnt believe it. We are three two up with five minutes to go and we make a sensible decision to replace an attack minded LM with a more defensive LM/LB. What do these people want? Take off a CB and put on Voronin? Get to fuck. Needless to say I bottled the cunt.

[elvis]

Eh?

 

What's money got to do with making repeated basic defensive errors?

 

Quality of the defenders you start with, Carra as much as i like him has probably played his best years for us and skirtel , for me isnt world class , we cant go out and replace these players because we dont have the funds.

You might say its a case of arganisation , i just think the quality isnt there.

[Guest]

Dear me.

 

Every time I watch us sober, I remember why I drink so much.

 

Phew!

[rebel23]

we also suffer a height deficit with Masher and Insua in the team which might explain the set piece problems and Johnson is new as well

[Red Nick]

STAY ON YOUR FUCKING FEET, FFS HOW DIFFICULT IS THAT TO COACH

 

Defensively we are not good enough to win the PL are CBs are just too awful.

 

Benayoun was class again today and was my MOM followed by Torres.

 

Its got to be be one of Lucas and Mascher but not both, Rafa got away with that one today.

 

Lets be thankfull that West Ham were so poor.

 

3 points when it could have been so much worse

 

Reasons to be positive.

[Spagbol]

Quality of the defenders you start with, Carra as much as i like him has probably played his best years for us and skirtel , for me isnt world class , we cant go out and replace these players because we dont have the funds.

You might say its a case of arganisation , i just think the quality isnt there.

 

Erm, we've consistently had one of the best defences around under Benitez. You can't suddenly start saying it's due to money because previously class defenders are suddenly defending like school kids in a flawed system.

[Troubadour]

Is a draw in Manchester and a Spurs win, tomorrow too much to ask for?

 

:drool:

 

Two draws is best for us, no? That way we've lost the least ground to as many teams as possible. Having said that, if City win, I'll not be crying. Not that bothered about Chelsea - they'll blow up at some point or other, so if they can put Spurs back in their place then I don't especially have a problem with that.

 

Good three points today. The spirit that got us through an equally dodgy period last season is coming back, and with every win, the confidence will return. Rafa really needs to sort the defence out, though. Drogba will be rubbing his hands with glee at the sight of what Carlton Cole did to Carra and Skrtel. We need Agger back to put pressure on the two of them as soon as possible.

[StevieH]

we also suffer a height deficit with Masher and Insua in the team which might explain the set piece problems and Johnson is new as well

 

Stick them on the posts.

[Crazyhorse7778]

Drogba will have a field day against Carra and Skrtel in a few weeks if we don't sort that shit out.

[smokinsteve]

Ohh Sami Sami, Sami, Sami, Sami, Sami Hyypia.

 

What the fuck are we doing at Melwood, thats our 9th conceded goal from set pieces this season.

 

Its almost an sackable offense for any manager after just 6 games into the season.

 

Simply not good enough however you try to twist it.

 

Defence is a shambles. Carra is finished.

 

 

Honestly....

 

Get a grip