West Ham vs Liverpool a few quick thoughts
Dan Tracey
May 15, 2017
1,881 Views
- It seems quite apparent that West Ham cannot play well for two consecutive matches
- After winning their “Cup Final” at home to Tottenham 10 days ago they waved the white flag at the same ground yesterday when up against Liverpool
- Slaven Bilic’s men must have shot their bolt after derailing Mauricio Pochettino’s men title tilt because it looked like they were on the beach in the Spring East London sun.
- If West Ham had nothing to play for then Liverpool certainly done what with Arsenal hot on their heels in the race for the Champions League places
- Coupled with the fact that Manchester City had beaten Leicester on Saturday and quite obviously three into two will simply not fit
- The plaudits yesterday will have no doubt been earned by Philippe Coutinho as he set up the opener and then added a second half brace for his troubles
- The first saw him play an inch perfect pass for the returning Daniel Sturridge
- It was a through ball which broke not one but two lines of defence with the midfield and back line all at sea thanks to Coutinho’s precision
- Sturridge was played onside by James Collins who was all at sea and all was left for the England international to do was sell Adrian with a dummy and stroke the ball home to open the deficit.
- Liverpool were cruising but they were given a huge let off just before the break when Andre Ayew somehow conspired to hit the post from a yard
- Not once but twice
- It was comical how he failed to prod the ball home and Arsenal fans watching at home must have been cursing the Ghanaian as their hopes of a top four finish began to diminish
- And they would have diminished further when Coutinho bagged his first goal of the afternoon soon after the break
- Georginio Wijnaldum’s thunderbolt pinged back off the bar and Coutinho was the first to pounce before driving home after a quick Liverpool counter-attack.
- 2-0 and all but game over as Liverpool’s bid for a Champions League place was very much in their own hands once again
- Coutinho would have his second of the game just after the hour when Adrian made a mess of a high ball in the box and the dimunitive Brazilian prodded home
- He showed Ayew how it should be done as Liverpool began to run away with proceedings
- And they would still have time to add another to their tally for the day
- Divock Origi smashed the ball past the hapless Adrian who had a day to forget and that goal was the cue for a sea of Hammers fans to head for the exits
- Defeat for West Ham sees them stay 12th but a top half finish now looks unlikely due to their inferior goal difference when compared to the likes of Southampton and Bournemouth above them
- For Liverpool they just have to beat Middlesbrough on the final day of the season to ensure a return to Europe’s top club competition next season
- As for Daniel Sturridge is that the last we will see of him in a Liverpool shirt, he may well get an Anfield send off but his injury record will more than likely mean he is shipped off in the Summer
- That said he could do well at someone like West Ham but as they know themselves it’s no good buying perma-crocked forwards who can only play 1 game in 3
- They need someone who can stay fit and score with a regular basis but those strikers do not grow on trees
- Does Slaven Bilic stay on in the Summer I would say it’s more than likely but he will need to have a decent start to the next campaign or the pressure will be on the Croatian once again.
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