I drove 50 mph in a 35 zone to make it home for kickoff. I had to take care of some paperwork for my dads estate in order to send documents to Manhattan for Monday morning. Considering I expected absolutely nothing from today I don’t know why I risked legal troubles for sure pain. But I made it. Maybe I should have stayed out.
There was a lot of talk prior to the match that Hernandez deserved to keep his spot in the first eleven. In theory I agreed with the sentiment. But at the same time, we have been out our best with Arnautovic and Lanzini working together up top. Add to that logic the need for an extra midfielder to limit Liverpool’s space in that area of the pitch and it all made sense, even if it was a bit unfair to Chicharito. In the end, however, it also was irrelevant.
Liverpool came inches away from scoring an early goal in the third minute. Firmino attacked from the left, and fed Salah in the box. The Egyptian goal scoring machine took advantage of Ogbonna’s apparent fear of challenging him and found space between the two central defenders. His low shot hit the inside of the far post and bounced back into the box, but West Ham were able to clear for a corner. Minutes later, Van Dyke got on the end of a Milner corner but his header went right to Adrian.
I got a text from my best mate Jon in the 8th minute. “They are going to score ten on us today” he said. I thought he was nuts. Five was more like it.
With virtually no possession, and not much better passing accuracy when we did have it, Arnautovic broke alone on a counter in the 15th minute and tried to chip the ball over Karius. He almost succeeded. The ball floated over the keepers hand and bounced off the crossbar. Moments later, Zabaleta sent a ball through the box that Lanzini came inches away from poking in.
By the time the first half reached its halfway point, the Hammers looked a bit more involved. Or at least we didn’t look like we were being bullied in the school yard. We tracked back, tackled well, and even kept the ball for a few passes. Sometimes small favors are the most you can ask for. And when you do that, danger is often right around the corner. For West Ham, that manifested itself in the 29th minute when Emre Can flew over Collins on a corner and easily won a header that he put past Adrian.
Liverpool 1
West Ham 0
It should have been a second for the home side when Robertson sent a superb cross from the left side of the box that met the run of Salah at the far post, but his header went over the bar.
To West Ham’s credit, they didn’t roll over and die for the remainder of the half. In the 41st minute, Arnautovic took the ball after a give and go with Evra near the top of the Liverpool eighteen yard box. He looked for a pass, but then seemed to shrug his shoulders and say “why the hell not” to himself and let fly. Karius had to dive and extend his hand to tip the shot over the bar.
Halftime
Liverpool 1
West Ham 0
It’s hard enough to watch your team concede a goal, one that likely means the day is over. It’s that much harder when the action started with what should have been a good opportunity for us. Arnautovic, around whom everything good seems to revolve, went on a lovely run down the right. He made it into the box, but then it all broke down. Mario tried to breathe life into the action, but before you knew it Liverpool had pressed West Ham back to midfield. Then they won the ball. Then they worked to it Salah in the box. Then Salah put a shot between Cresswell’s legs and past Adrian. Poof. Opportunity transformed to disaster.
Liverpool 2
West Ham 0
In the 55th minute, Firmino sent Mane into the box with a deft pass off the side of his right foot. Mane tried to beat Adrian between the legs but the Spaniard smothered it. But minutes later, Adrian’s goal kick got hung up in the wind and Liverpool were back to the races. The race turned out to be between Firmino and Adrian. The West Ham keeper rushed out to try to clear a long pass, but missed. Firmino didn’t miss, and rolled the ball into the empty net.
Liverpool 3
West Ham 0
The third Liverpool goal became even more painful moments later when Kouyate won the ball at midfield and sent Antonio on a run down the right. Antonio sent a low ball towards goal that looked like a cross to the onrushing Arnautovic. Instead it became a shot, and a shot that scored. The many what ifs raced through my caffeine fortified brain.
Liverpool 3
West Ham 1
The 74th minute should have seen Liverpool on four goals. Mane played Cresswell like a drum on the line, and played himself onside. All alone in front of Adrian, Mane put his low shot off the outside of the post and wide. But moments later, he got on the end of a low cross from Robertson and put the ball over Adrian. I put my IPad away as well.
Final Score
Liverpool 4
West Ham 1
From a purely pragmatic standpoint, the worst news of the day was Gabbiadini’s late goal for Southampton. Prior to that, the bottom three hadn’t gained any ground on us. But even with that, we started the day four points clear and ended it three points above the drop. While that isn’t the type of news that I want to consider as good, I have no choice but to accept it.
I, for one, want today in my rear view mirror.