West Ham were defeated 3-2 by Liverpool, but there were plenty of signs that the Merseysiders should be worried in the future.
It was a weary Sunday morning, 2am, knowing I had to go to work only 8 hours later, but against my better judgement I decided to stay up and watch West Ham vs Liverpool.
First off, the game was brilliant. The first half was absolutely pulsating from start to finish. The second, however, was very one sided, and I was hoping in my claret and blue heart that the Irons could hold on, but alas, Torres.
The problems that Liverpool presented during the match were very numerous, even from before the match kicked off. No real surprises in the team selection, but the substitute bench for Liverpool was one that would raise a few eyebrows.
Aurelio, Kyrgiakos, Degen, Dossena, Riera, Babel (along with the reserve goalkeeper). This selection should bewilder even the most positive Scouser.
We know Liverpool don’t have that quality striker to back up Torres, but when the entire attacking force on the bench consists of two wingers in Babel and Riera, one has to wonder why the like’s of N’go or El Zhar weren’t even on the bench, in the event that Liverpool had to chase the game.
Had the match turned out slightly differently, and Torres, when grabbing at his knee on the 20 minute mark, had to be substituted instead of single-handedly winning the game, what would Benitez have done?
His only option would be to bring on Riera or Babel, and play them out wide, whilst moving Dirk Kuyt to become the central striker, a void which he unsuccessfully tried to fill, until he became a hit playing out wide.
The first 90 seconds of the game highlighted the rest of the match. Jamie Carragher’s lapse in defense was a preview for the defensive nightmares to follow.
Liverpool were far from convincing, and looked very vulnerable on the counter-attack. What surprised me the most was how exposed they seemed to the pace of Zavon Hines, making only his second Premier League start.
Skrtl was very lucky not to be sent off following an incident in which he dragged the Jamaican down after losing possession.
Liverpool were struggling to break down a West Ham side who had lost their best defender, and arguably the best midfielder, of last season in Upson and Behrami within half an hour.
Ultimately this told in the second half when the hammers tired, and made their third substitution, taking off new signing Alessandro Diamanti after a twinge in his hamstring.
Liverpool’s zonal marking from corners again came under question, when Carlton Cole rose up smack bang in the middle of a triangle of Liverpool players to nod in Noble’s corner. Another defensive mistake along with Carragher’s conceded penalty, and these are flaws that will not go unpunished.
It was only the brilliance of the Spaniard on this occasion, who claimed the points for the Reds in a match that they should have dominated. Last week (and pretty much every second week) it was Gerrard who got Liverpool out of jail, and now, on occasion, they have Torres to fill that role.
Consider this: West Ham United’s line-up after the two initial injuries included a 20 year old centre-back, a 30 year old centre-back playing only his 3rd match in 2 years, a new signing who has only played 3 matches in top-flight football making his first Premier League start, a youngster making only his second Premier League start, and Carlton Cole, and you have to wonder how this game was even close.
I could mention how vulnerable Javier Mascherano is to being sent off, and how both him and Skrtl should both have been sent to have early showers, but this is the Premier League, and unfortunately the “big clubs” get such decisions in their favour time and again.
It happens too often, and it is the smaller clubs who pay the penalty, as we have seen for many seasons with the likes of Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney, and John Terry getting away with studs up tackles, dissent, and having suspensions rescinded. I could mention this, but then I might upset some people.
At the beginning of the season I predicted Manchester United would drop out of the top four, to be replaced by the biggest club in Manchester, possibly more out of hope than anything else.
But, should Gerrard or Torres get injured, the bareness of the Liverpool squad will become exposed, and it may be them who will drop out of the coveted Champions League places.
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