West Ham Utd v Liverpool, Sat Sept 20th, KO@17:30, SS1.

Super-Rush

Big Sam's West Ham team welcome a Liverpool side that have been poor in recent games.

Last weeks Saturday Night Football saw the red men come up against Aston Villa where it was complimentary to say they were piss poor. In losing, Liverpool managed a whooping one shot on target in 90 minutes.

On Tuesday night Liverpool were again at home, hosting the might of Ludogorets in the Champions League. While they ran out 2-1 winners and were the only English side to win on the opening week, it still needed a last gasp penalty to secure the win.

Liverpool go into tomorrows fixture having not lost to the Hammers in 485 attempts and the reverse fixture last season saw Liverpool sneak a 1-2 win thanks to another penalty.

Both teams have some important players missing through injury.

West Ham: Jarvis (thigh, 27 Sep), Carroll (ankle, unknown), Nolan (shoulder, 18 Oct), O’Brien (knee, unknown)

Liverpool: Sturridge (thigh, 27 Sep), Allen (knee, 4 Oct), Can (ankle, 19 Oct), Johnson (thigh, 27 Sept), Flanagan (knee, Dec)

While West Ham should field an unchanged side from Monday nights 2-2 draw with Hull, Liverpool will most likely welcome back top scorer Raheem Sterling and centre back Martin Skrtel, and many people are calling for either Fabio Borini or Rickie Lamert to partner Mario Balotelli up front.

Prediction 2-1 to the home side.

Kerrigooney

If bib theory is correct but it never is these days and Gerrard and Lucas are starting then I don't fancy our chances much.

2-1 to the 'ammers as well.

Zapp Brannigan

Another saturday evening game. Another team that can just sit 10 men behind the ball. Another ropey Liverpool performance ahead.

Not confident about this at all. Performances have been poor enough so far.

Playing away from home suits Liverpool better though tbf

BMJD

World Cup hangover to be blown away by Balotelli-inspired thrashing.

Mad Mario smashes Hammers.

4-1 Liverpool.

OwaynOTT

Totally confident about this. Performances have been poor, including the spurs one where they on,y scored 3. Today though,there will be a big improvement, with the team playing so well that the bigger one of the Sams will resign from football and take up the career he always wanted to take up.

Jelle1880

Actually looking forward to this a lot.

The performances this season have improved a lot + at home to a Liverpool that has struggled a little bit...

joe123

West Hams last game was a 2-2 v Hull so not sure why the Southampton game is mentioned in the Op!

West Ham have dramatically changed their style and are much more focused on playing the ball on the ground this season. If they continue in that veign tonight it might just play into Liverpools hands.

Saying that im worried about this one. I think Enner Valencia could do sone serious damage and its looking like Allen is still out who imo is a big loss.

Ballotelli needs a partner up front to get the best out of him too.

2-1 not sure who to or a 2-2

Harry Palmr

West Hams defence is porous so goals will surely come. The good news is that a directive was issued by a governing body so the grass at the Boleyn Ground will be no more than 30mm high.

Just play two up front and a diamond, Liverpool should be okay.

DVDM93

1-0 West Ham, Downing hat-trick.

Hammer Archer

So we've seen some very decent performances so far this season and our new signings seem to be finding their feet.
On the other hand, Liverpool are struggling compared to last year and their defence is shaky. So there's only going to be one outcome. 3-0 to Liverpool.

Wonder will Gerrard complain about having to walk "a mile" (from the car park that every team bus stops in) again.

DVDM93

Hammer Archer wrote: »

So we've seen some very decent performances so far this season and our new signings seem to be finding their feet.
On the other hand, Liverpool are struggling compared to last year and their defence is shaky. So there's only going to be one outcome. 3-0 to Liverpool.

Wonder will Gerrard complain about having to walk "a mile" (from the car park that every team bus stops in) again.

There was no room left to park in front of the West Ham goal anyway with their bus parked there.

Jelle1880

DVDM93 wrote: »

There was no room left to park in front of the West Ham goal anyway with their bus parked there.

Why would you park your team bus on the pitch ?

Hammer Archer

Jelle1880 wrote: »

Why would you park your team bus on the pitch ?

Because actually making Gerrard walk from the bus to the pitch is obviously trying every trick in the book.

GavRedKing

Liverpool by 2 goals today, 3-1.

Fescue

Hammer Archer wrote: »

Because actually making Gerrard walk from the bus to the pitch is obviously trying every trick in the book.

West Ham had to cut the pitch though. So that trick won't be available today.

Hammer Archer

Fescue wrote: »

West Ham had to cut the pitch though. So that trick won't be available today.

Didn't Rodgers complain about the surface at Anfield recently?

JJJJNR

Ballotelli to sit this one out. Scoreless draw.

Fescue

Hammer Archer wrote: »

Didn't Rodgers complain about the surface at Anfield recently?

Yeah, they can't wet it sufficiently. He blamed an ageing irrigation system.

Long grass though is a personal hate of mine. Games played on it are usually poor.

A directive this year means the maximum it can be is 30mm.

ike

Despite the long walk to the sweltering dressing rooms, I think today is when our season kicks off...

5live

ike wrote: »

Despite the long walk to the sweltering dressing rooms, I think today is when our season kicks off...

Will it start at 5.30 or 7.25 pm though...:P

hadepsx

Bad feeling bout this game. Another fcuking late sat game. Hate em. Don't think pool will get anything outta this. And then man u tomorrow to win to round off another ****ty weekend for all pool fans

Lapin

Liverpool to rediscover their away form from the second half of last season and hammer the hammers by a goal. Final score 2 - 3 with Gerard to score.

Super-Rush

Even though i watched the game, i'd forgotten about the game against Hull on Monday.

Kerrigooney

Super-Rush wrote: »

Even though i watched the game, i'd forgotten about the game against Hull on Monday.

Great game it was too.

Augmerson

3-1 West Ham.

Last_Minute

3 - 1 Liverpool.

Borini to score 2 with Gerrard to finish them of.

5starpool

Bib theory correct.

Skrtel, Lucas and Borini start.

Confirmed #LFC XI v @whufc_official: Mignolet, Manquillo, Moreno, Lovren, Skrtel, Gerrard, Henderson, Lucas, Sterling, Borini, Balotelli.

Harry Palmr

Confirmed #LFC XI v @whufc_official: Mignolet, Manquillo, Moreno, Lovren, Skrtel, Gerrard, Henderson, Lucas, Sterling, Borini, Balotelli.

Ugh Gerrard/Lucas! The only hope is that with two up this is a diamond of some sort!

Last_Minute

Any chance Kolo could get some game time this season?

Charlie19

No sign of any bus being parked at Upton park today with Big Sam showing he's capable of a tactical masterclass.

2-1 Liverpool

kfallon

Oh ffs :rolleyes:

2-0 home win, Liverpool thread to go into meltdown about 8pm, bans to be handed out around about closing time as dutch courage gets the better of some posters. The blame for defeat to be laid at the feet of Mignolet/Gerrard/Skrtel/loveren/Lucas/Borini/Glenjo (even tho he's injured) and every second post to include the words "We miss Suarez"

Super-Rush

Last_Minute wrote: »

Any chance Kolo could get some game time this season?

Hopefully not.

5starpool

Confirmed @whufc_official team to face #LFC: Adrian, Cresswell, Reid, Tomkins, Demel, Noble, Song, Kouyate, Sakho, Downing, Valencia.

DaveSuarez

That's a very average looking Liverpool side, not confident at all.

Harry Palmr

So Sakho has snuck across in to the home sides dressing room?

Francie Barrett

Couinho injured?

Last_Minute

Super-Rush wrote: »

Hopefully not.

Lol yeah maybe you're right.

I imagine hes just there to cover injuries/as back up in case of injuries? I didn't really expect him to be there this season at all.

Lapin

Lapin

The sight of one of these shirts gives me hope.


The other one makes me nervous.

5starpool

Lapin wrote: »

The sight of one of these shirts gives me hope.


The other one makes me nervous.

Ya, Borini makes me nervous too.

murpho999

Champion's League comes in and Rodger's becomes "The Tinkerman". Very different to last season.

Great opportunity for Borini, who has never impressed me. Love him to prove me wrong.

Zapp Brannigan

Lucas and Gerrard doesn't seem to work these days. Hope I'm wrong, but I think we're in for a long evening.

marklazarcovic

A must not loose for lfc

Paully D

Very interesting to see how Borini performs this evening. He stayed put and backed himself to break into the team. Regardless of it being to injury and poor form from others, he has now got an opportunity. He won't get many unless he does the business, so he really needs to make this one count.

Lots of pressure on him. How will he handle it?

Charlie19

From twitter:rolleyes:
#LucasYellowCardPredictionBingo

5starpool

I'm hopeful that our general shape will be much better with two up front, and I think Rodgers is looking to address some of the defensive woes by bringing in Lucas rather than playing Lallana in the team, but Lucas and Gerrard often see us look lacklustre at times, so hopefully we can get a bit of fluidity in the game.

jebidiah

Lucas and Gerrard makes sense. Kind of. Maybe.

Since we have two, very, attacking full backs, we need someone to come accross from midfield to cover them when they go forward. Wasnt Moreno caught miles up the pitch the other day?

Could be the reasoning behid having two "DM"'s

double GG

Should be an easy win for the Pool. I'm going 3-1.

SlickRic

I don't trust Lucas and Gerrard in the same team.

I trust the diamond though.

ere'go I've fúck all notion what's going to happen.

Harry Palmr

Ah no Nail Quinn

Looks very "Sam" style already!