West Ham v Liverpool 17:30 [Match Thread]

MementoMori

So back into action after the European mid-week adventures for Liverpool.

Reina
Johnson Carra Skrtel C
Gerrard A
Kuyt Benayoun B
Torres

I reckon A is likely to be Masch on the basis of what Rafa has been saying as well as the fact that West Ham will most likely have Faubert, Noble and Park all playing so I reckon it could be a hectic enough midfield.

The question then is whether player B is Lucas (allowing Gerrard to push forward and Benayoun going out on the wing), or whether it is Riera or Babel.
Personally I have a hunch it might be Lucas, allowing Gerrard to move forward, with Benayoun on the left. While I think it may be a bit narrow I think Rafa will be looking for width from the full-backs - Johnson in particular. It will be interesting to see how often Aurelio gets forward if he does play. Personally I reckon C is likelier to be Insua than Aurelio but I'm not 100% sure on this. Rafa may well decide to play Aurelio today and Insua on Tuesday.

Subs : Cavailieri, Krygiakos, Riera, Voronin, Babel, (one of Insua/Aurelio), Kelly?

West Ham haven't exactly been prolific so far this season so I've fingers crossed that we can notch up another clean sheet. Cole has got to be the main threat but hopefully we can cut off the supply and keep him quite.
Not so sure how West Ham will line out but all the following are pretty much certain to start {Green, Upson, Collison, Faubert, Noble, Parker, Cole} while there is a fair bit of competition for the remaining places with a fair bit probably depending on what Zola does formation wise. Looking at the West Ham squad overall midfield would look to be there strongest area, with the defence not exactly overflowing with quality (Upson aside). Up-front once you go beyond Cole there looks to be a sharp drop-off in terms of quality.


Fingers crossed for 3-0 for Liverpool.

Vampireskiss

Come on Westham

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

I think you find both Measch and Lucas in the centre of midfield, with either Benny or Reira on the left. Would settle for 1-0 to be honest. 3-0 is ambitious.

Podge2k7

C'mon the pool!

I'mn hoping for a good win with Torres getting on the scoresheet.

Eire-Dearg

I kind of hope Babel starts, but I'm like that every week.

mike65

With players coming back, suddenly the opportunity to rotate rears its head! What I'd like to see

---

Riena
Johnson-Carra-Skrtel-Insua

---

Masch
Kuyt

---

Gerrard

---

Riera

---

Yossi

---

Torres

Hopefully Babel can get 20 mins ditto Aurelio and Lucas if a decent bit of daylight is opened up.

Tusky

mike65 wrote: »

With players coming back, suddenly the opportunity to rotate rears its head! What I'd like to see

---

Riena
Johnson-Carra-Skrtel-Insua

---

Masch
Kuyt

---

Gerrard

---

Riera

---

Yossi

---

Torres

Hopefully Babel can get 20 mins ditto Aurelio and Lucas if a decent bit of daylight is opened up.

I was about to post my team up but youve hit the nail on the head Mike. Unfortunately I bet we will the following.

---

Riena

Johnson-Carra-Skrtel-Insua

---

Masch--Lucas

Kuyt

---

Gerrard

---

Yossi

---

Torres

Ive nothing against Lucas, Id just prefer to have an extra attacker on the pitch...and I love it when Yossi plays in the center.

ShooterSF

Eire-Dearg wrote: »

I kind of hope Babel starts, but I'm like that every week.

So do I cause I've a few quid on West Ham

mike65

Yep 5 attacking players with both the FBs in support is how Pool should play against a side like West Ham which will look to get forwards and leave space (or indeed against teams with crap defences, esp at home).

MementoMori

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

I think you find both Measch and Lucas in the centre of midfield, with either Benny or Reira on the left. Would settle for 1-0 to be honest. 3-0 is ambitious.

3-0 might be a bit is ambitious alright but I don't fancy West Ham's defence much and am hopeful of an early goal.

On the Lucas v Riera thing - Lucas was more consistent than Riera mid-week (apart from Riera's ten minute spell he was very anonymous for large patches of the game) I also think West Ham's strength is their midfield so wouldn't mind it at all if it were the Lucas/Masch combo with Gerrard floating between them.

Interesting to see no-one has mentioned Aurelio over Insua at LB?
Is Insua now first choice or is it more to do with Aurelio getting fitness/sharpness back?

The Rooster

In my opinion, Insua should be first choice. He's taken his chance very well and has been a very good performer this season. I'd be disappointed if he was dropped. Aurelio to get his chance to stake a claim v Leeds.

SantryRed

2-2 draw.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

MementoMori wrote: »

3-0 might be a bit is ambitious alright but I don't fancy West Ham's defence much and am hopeful of an early goal.

On the Lucas v Riera thing - Lucas was more consistent than Riera mid-week (apart from Riera's ten minute spell he was very anonymous for large patches of the game) I also think West Ham's strength is their midfield so wouldn't mind it at all if it were the Lucas/Masch combo with Gerrard floating between them.

Interesting to see no-one has mentioned Aurelio over Insua at LB?
Is Insua now first choice or is it more to do with Aurelio getting fitness/sharpness back?

Ture, but Spurs had a makeshift defense as well. I'm with the others - I hope for Reira and Benny, but I'm expecting Lucas.

MementoMori

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

Ture, but Spurs had a makeshift defense as well. I'm with the others - I hope for Reira and Benny, but I'm expecting Lucas.

I think though that Spurs's makeshift defence would have to be considered a higher level than West Ham's makeshift defence. Spurs current squad cost somewhere in the region of £180m while West Ham's squad is probably nearer £60m (figures may be off a bit) Also West Ham's defence have lost Neill and Collins compared to last year.

The current West Ham defenders don't exaclty reek of quality especially once you go beyond Upson. Upson, Spector, Ilunga, Gabbidon, Tomkins, Davenport, da Costa. Upson aside I doubt any of the top-half of the table clubs would be all that interested in the rest of the defenders. None of them are exactly basket cases but they very much have the look of bottom-half of as opposed to top-half of the table defenders.

Also the problem against Spurs was conceeding some very cheap goals, which put us on the back foot.

FearDark

Come on the pool, have ye in a double with Villa and have torres as an anytime goalscorer.

From an arsenal fan

Bandit12

West ham's defence is pretty poor TBH. 0-3 to the reds.

SantryRed

Can't believe any Liverpool fans are confident of a three goal win, seriously?

MementoMori

As one of the people who said 3-0 I'm not confident but I am hopeful if that makes any sense.

SantryRed

No

Jesus Wept

SantryRed wrote: »

Can't believe any Liverpool fans are confident of a three goal win, seriously?

Why?

Eire-Dearg

Reina
Johnson Skrtel Carra Insua
Lucas Masch
Kuyt Gerrard Benny
Torres

3hn2givr7mx1sc

Does anyone else find the first post incredibly confusing?

MementoMori

Quinton Salmon Babysitter wrote: »

Does anyone else find the first post incredibly confusing?

Yup thiz ****e. Sorries

Eire-Dearg

I know none of you will believe me, but I posted that before I read the official team!

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Insua, Carragher, Skrtel, Mascherano, Lucas, Benayoun, Kuyt, Gerrard, Torres. Subs: Cavalieri, Riera, Aurelio, Kyrgiakos, Babel, Degen, Dossena.

Eire-Dearg wrote: »

Reina
Johnson Skrtel Carra Insua
Lucas Masch
Kuyt Gerrard Benny
Torres

SantryRed

The-Rigger wrote: »

Why?

Yous only scored once at home to Debrecen on Wednesday night.
Conceded four goals in your two away games this season.
West Ham are decent at home and are much better than Bolton.

MementoMori

Eire-Dearg wrote: »

I know none of you will believe me, but I posted that before I read the official team!

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Insua, Carragher, Skrtel, Mascherano, Lucas, Benayoun, Kuyt, Gerrard, Torres. Subs: Cavalieri, Riera, Aurelio, Kyrgiakos, Babel, Degen, Dossena.

Well if you read my confusing post carefully I predicted it earlier and I got 6 of the 7 subs so BooYa

F1ngers

From the West Ham website

West Ham United v Liverpool
Barclays Premier League
Boleyn Ground
Saturday 19 September 2009
5.30pm
Referee: Andre Marriner


West Ham United manager Gianfranco Zola handed Alessandro Diamanti his full debut as one of three changes to the team that went down 1-0 at Wigan Athletic a week ago.

Diamanti replaced Junior Stanislas, who was sidelined with a minor back injury, while Herita Ilunga recovered from a jaw problem to replace Danny Gabbidon at left-back. The third change saw Valon Behrami make his first start since 1 March in place of Radoslav Kovac.

Liverpool's only change from the 1-0 midweek UEFA Champions League win over Hungarian champions Debrecen saw former Hammer Javier Mascherano replace Albert Riera. Ex-West Ham players Glen Johnson and Yossi Benayoun were also named in Rafael Benitez's starting lineup.

West Ham United: Green, Faubert, Tomkins, Upson, Ilunga, Behrami, Parker, Noble, Hines, Diamanti, Cole
Subs: Kurucz, Spector, Gabbidon, Kovac, Payne, Dyer, Nouble

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Insua, Mascherano, Gerrard, Benayoun, Lucas, Kuyt, Torres
Subs: Cavalieri, Aurelio, Kyrgiakos, Degen, Dossena, Riera, Babel.



2-1 to the Happy Hammers.

Eire-Dearg

Well done.

Just read the subs now, four defenders ffs.

Bandit12

If we can score 4 against Madrid and Man U we can score 3 against the hammers. I'm alway's optimistic before our games.:)

MementoMori

SantryRed wrote: »

Yous only scored once at home to Debrecen on Wednesday night.
Conceded four goals in your two away games this season.
West Ham are decent at home and are much better than Bolton.

West Ham's results so far this season.

Wigan 1-0 West Ham
Blackburn 0-0 West Ham
West Ham 3-1 Millwall aet
West Ham 1-2 Tottenham
Wolverhampton 0-2 West Ham

So far this season they been beaten in both their games at home in the league and only beat Milwall after extra time in the riot game. Hardly that intimidating a place to be visiting.

Conceeded no goals in our last two matches and our defence is looking a bit more settled now

While we only scored one mid-week we created a fair few chances and on another night could easily have won 3 or 4 nil.

MementoMori

Eire-Dearg wrote: »

Well done.

Just read the subs now, four defenders ffs.

In fairness I would expect Degen to be there almost more as cover for Kuyt than for Johnson. Also I think with Aurelio could be considered mid-field cover and Dossena as an option on the LW.

Actually where is Voronin??

Only got 5 out of 7 subs so

RasTa

West ham -1 @ 19/1

(it worked against Villa)

Jesus Wept

SantryRed wrote: »

Yous only scored once at home to Debrecen on Wednesday night.
Conceded four goals in your two away games this season.
West Ham are decent at home and are much better than Bolton.

lol.

SantryRed

The-Rigger wrote: »

lol.

Lets just wait and see so.

MementoMori

MementoMori wrote: »

In fairness I would expect Degen to be there almost more as cover for Kuyt than for Johnson. Also I think with Aurelio could be considered mid-field cover and Dossena as an option on the LW.

Actually where is Voronin??

Only got 5 out of 7 subs so

Actually looking at the subs bench having Aurelio, Dossena, Riera and Babel on there who are primarily left-sided players, with only Degen a right-sided player, would be more of a concern. Options on the right in the squad don't look great especially if one of Kuyt or Johnson were to pick up a knock. I think Babel could well pick up a fair bit of time on the right this season

mike65

re:SantryRed

Indeed lets wait. Babel can play right side.

noodler

Too early for streams?

Joeyjoejoe43

RasTa wrote: »

West ham -1 @ 19/1

(it worked against Villa)

No offence, but I would say there is zero chnace of that bet coming in, should be 190/1

Headshot

zola with that cake

"maybe we can share the cake after"

you sly dog zola

joe123

MementoMori wrote: »

. I think Babel could well pick up a fair bit of time on the right this season

I was really impressed with Babel against debrecen. There seems to be more about him when hes on the right. He can cut inside and go on the outside when on the right. When hes left side he always does the cut back inside thing and players can read it to easily. Hes pretty bad with his left peg.

Jesus Wept

SantryRed wrote: »

Lets just wait and see so.

Of course, because if the score isn't 0-3, then you will be correct and I will be wrong?

SantryRed wrote: »

Yous only scored once at home to Debrecen on Wednesday night.

Yes, that means it's impossible for us to score 3 goals in the following game.

SantryRed wrote: »

Conceded four goals in your two away games this season.

This sample of 2 rules out any chance of us keeping a clean sheet in this game.

SantryRed wrote: »

West Ham are decent at home and are much better than Bolton.

Every game should be be related back to Bolton.

deadhead13

noodler wrote: »

Too early for streams?

http://www.iraqgoals.net/ch5.html

SantryRed

The-Rigger wrote: »

Of course, because if the score isn't 0-3, then you will be correct and I will be wrong?



Yes, that means it's impossible for us to score 3 goals in the following game.



This sample of 2 rules out any chance of us keeping a clean sheet in this game.



Every game should be be related back to Bolton.

Eh no, but usually when you're looking at the next game they'll be playing in you look at the previous games as indications?

Kess73

What a mistake and what a miss.

wcarey1975

how was that not a goal!

SantryRed

Nice start defensively eh?

wcarey1975

That should be set piece of the season

Kess73

Carragher was given a huge let off there, that would have been a costly mistake.

I am still stunned that they hit the post.





Another Carragher muddle up as I type.

Xavi6

0-0 please

wcarey1975

carra needs to come off seriously.

Kess73

Oh Yossi, thought that was 1-0