It’s a disconcerting pattern that needs to be rectified sooner rather than later. I’d say it was two weeks in a row that we conceded an early goal to put our backs against the wall before the match even really got started, but that’s not entirely true — this week, we gave up two of them.
Oddly enough, West Ham United looked a bit like the Liverpool of last season that we’d all become accustomed to as they raced out of the gate. Winston Reid headed home his first goal in just under a year after a mere 80-seconds had been played and summer signing Diafra Sakho made it two with a well worked chip well before the ten minute mark. Raheem Sterling pulled one back before the break and the Reds looked on course to find an equalizer after it, but Morgan Amalfitano rounded out the win on the counter-attack as the hosts claimed their first home victory of the season.
After the loss to Aston Villa last time out, this result is a bit harder to swallow — and considering the manner in which we conceded, I have a bad feeling that it’s still stuck in my throat. Stewart Downing’s free-kick following Alberto Moreno’s silly foul wasn’t exactly world-class, but it ended on a familiar enough note: Jordan Henderson beaten in the air, Martin Skrtel helplessly transfixed on the ball as it floated across the face of goal and Dejan Lovren worked over by Reid before he headed calmly past Simon Mignolet.
We have problems from set-pieces; we know that already and banging on about it isn’t going to do my mental state any favours. A goal down within two minutes isn’t something we need to worry too much about, right? Just a bad start, right? There’s a lot of football left to play, right? That is right — too bad it was the Hammers that decided to play it.
As we were charging forward willy-nilly trying to atone for our sins, Sam Allardyce’s side were keeping their heads cool and when Sakho — looking like a real astute signing by the East London outfit — picked up possession in the midfield you knew there was going to be trouble. And, of course, there was as his chipped cross-cum-shot dipped over a stranded Mignolet and in at the far post before an on-rushing Enner Valencia could get his head to the ball.
Time to shift gears? Right, then. Javier Manquillo, who wasn’t doing terribly up until this point considering the scoreline, was sacrified for Mamadou Sakho as Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers switched to three at the back and that reshuffle worked a treat with Sterling pulling one back.
The youngster, who was a bit off the pace on the night, couldn’t have done any better as he smashed home from the top off the box after Mario Balotelli’s initial shot from Henderson’s cross was blocked off. The Italian did well to bring the ball under-control, but with double coverage becoming a familiar trend, his shot cannoned back where Sterling — now operating as a wing-back — picked up the pieces.
The Hammers, completely unfazed, had a number of chances before the break to increase their lead, but the Liverpool back-line thankfully held it together with Moreno and Mignolet doing particularly well to stop a pair of chances. Adam Lallana was summoned at half-time to replace Lucas as Rodgers shuffled his back yet again and the former Southampton man once again showed that he needs time to bed in — regardless, the Reds looked better for the next goal throughout the second 45-minutes.
Fabio Borini, making his first start this season, brought a low save out of West Ham ‘keeper Adrian before blazing over the bar minutes later, Balotelli’s stinging drive at the near post was batted away and Sakho headed straight at the Spanish shot-stopper as the Anfield outfit looked for a way back, but it wasn’t to be as their hosts took advantage of the space in the closing stages. Downing, who put in a good showing over 90-minutes, released substitute Amalfitano, playing at the top a midfield diamond, and the former West Bromwich Albion man made no mistake with an assured finish past Mignolet.
West Ham United three, Liverpool one — yeah, I’m not quite sure why that happened either.
Did we suffer the dreaded Champions League hangover? Is it more of those pesky growing pains? Was complacency and disorganization to blame? Another case of our extremely expensive defensive making us look like a pub side? Are we missing Daniel Sturridge and Joe Allen that bad? Did Allardyce make a pact with the dark lord to finally win a home match?
I don’t want to talk about it anymore.
–Steven
