Pre-Match Thread: West Ham V Liverpool

We really should win this one, but I hope we start with 2 up top, no more of this one striker bollocks, especially when we have 2 ok'ish strikers on the bench.

Carroll.

That's a shock!


Real shame Can is out, think he could have done a job here. Gerrard is not having a good season at all, think his mobility has gotten worse over the summer and with Allen out, Lallana not fit & Coutinho also out of form we really could do with another pair of legs. Especially away from home and when West Ham will probably play 5 in midfield.

That's a shock!


Real shame Can is out, think he could have done a job here. Gerrard is not having a good season at all, think his mobility has gotten worse over the summer and with Allen out, Lallana not fit & Coutinho also out of form we really could do with another pair of legs. Especially away from home and when West Ham will probably play 5 in midfield.

The sooner Can and Allen get back to fitness the better.
I'm hopeful they'll feature in a strong season.

Need to win this for obvious reasons,
Cannot afford many more slip ups,

Not sure if Skittles is fit yet but if so I'd play him alongside Lovren,  I'd keep Gerrard in front with Hendo and Allen if fit in the middle, Lallana needs game time so he slots in in the hole with Raheem and Mario as a top pairing, alternatively, if wee Joe is still crocked Lallana could play alongside Hendo,  Sterling in the hole and have BorinI partnering Mario, although a tad light in muscle it allows us to play two up top,

                      Mignolet
   Manquillo Skrtel Lovren Moreno
                        Gerrard
         Henderson.          Allen
                          Lallana
                   Sterling.   Ballotelli

Or....
                         Mignolet
      Manquillo Skrtel Lovren Moreno
                          Gerrard
              Henderson.      Lallana
                          Sterling
                   BorinI
                               Balotelli

I prefer the two up top option with Sterling in the hole,  would have been ideal had Can been fit, with Lallana we look a tad light in muscle, however if we play like we know we can that won't matter as much,

I think we will win this but no clean sheet, I'm going for 1-2 Redmen,  got a good history at the Boleyn ground, don't think it will change much after Saturday.

YNWA

Will Markovic come back in for this one? Thought he was only out of the Champs League match because of a suspension incurred from last years Champs League?

Especially away from home and when West Ham will probably play 5 in midfield.

No, they won't, they will go for the usual 1-10-0 formation, that fat pr*ck will instruct his players to kick us off the pitch and West Ham fans will behave in disgustingly low class manner as always.

But, a real good test for us to break teams like these down. We need the practise

Hammers fan Sean Whetstone gives us the lowdown on his team as they prepare to take on the Reds at Upton Park

The games are coming thick and fast for Liverpool and their next stop is Upton Park, where they will take on a West Ham side struggling to impress in front of their own supporters.

So... what have Hammers fans made of their team's start to the season?

We spoke to Sean Whetstone, who writes for the West Ham Till I Die website, to get the lowdown on the London side before Saturday's game.

He says the jury is still out on boss Sam Allardyce, while West Ham's best player this season has been someone who needs no introduction to Reds fans. Sean is also wary of a potential "world superstar" in Liverpool's ranks. 

It’s been an up and down start to the season for the Hammers. What have you made of them so far?

Sean Whetstone (SW): Great form on the road and still unbeaten but dreadful form in front of the Boleyn ground faithful, with three losses on the bounce so far this season.

The win against Crystal Palace and the draw against Hull City on Monday night shows West Ham can play attractive football and how well some of the new summer signings have settled in to the challenges of the Premier League. Unfortunately we have not been repeating this form at home and the recent Southampton loss was one of the worst games I have seen in terms in entertainment, performance and the end result.

Sam Allardyce always seems to have a strained relationship with the fans. Has his football this season been any more expansive?

SW: Sam can sometimes be arrogant in his relationship with the Hammers fans. About 50% of West Ham fans have never backed him since his appointment in 2010 and the remainder blow hot and cold depending on his results. The roots of the recent stained relationship date back to 2012 in the Championship when Sam was quoted as calling West Ham fans delusional after he was criticised for not playing the ‘West Ham Way’. This culminated in a poll of over 13,000 fans at the end of last season, in which nearly 78% wanted him gone. He survived the end of the season meeting with the owners but was told in no uncertain terms to play more attractive football and get on better with the fans.

The Hull away game is a glimpse that even Sam Allardyce can change his spots and what might be ahead this season. It is early days so far but whatever happens this season I do not expect him to last beyond the end of his contract at the end of this season.

Who have been the main men for the Hammers so far and how do you think they will set up on Saturday?

SW: Cheikhou Kouyate has been a great summer signing and much admired throughout the Premier League but let’s not forget former Liverpool player Stewart Downing, who has probably been our best performer over the first four games which may surprise some Liverpool fans . We also have great hopes for Diafra Sakho, Enner Valencia and Mauro Zarate as our attacking strike force. They could create a great strike force that could keep Andy Carroll and Kevin Nolan on the bench when they both recover from injury.

I expect an almost identical setup to Hull City on Monday in a 4-3-3 formation as long as everyone remains fit. Maybe Carl Jenkinson will start as right back instead of Guy Demel but Sam won’t change it around too much. I believe Alex Song lacks match fitness still so is likely to come off the bench at some point during the match.

How much will Allardyce have learned from Villa’s smothering job on the Reds last weekend?

SW: You can be sure that Big Sam has downloaded the Prozone and OPTA statistics on to his laptop from the Villa v Liverpool match trying to look for any weakness. The one weakness seems a leaky defence which Liverpool seemed to suffer last season and I am sure he will tell his new front men to put as many balls in the Liverpool box as possible to put them under as much pressure as possible. I hope Sam does go for it and doesn’t just park the bus and throw 11 men behind the ball. That would make for a very dull game to watch and guarantee last slot on Match of the Day.

If you could sign one Liverpool player (with money no object), who would it be?

SW: It would probably have to be Raheem Sterling for his youth and pace on the right or left wing, crossing in those balls. He scores one or two as well which always helpful. World superstar of the future.

Prediction time. How will it finish on Saturday?

SW: My Hammers heart says 1-0 win to West Ham but it is three years since our last win against the Reds at Upton Park so a draw is more realistic and we won’t even discuss a loss, despite how probable it is. As long as it is an entertaining game and we give a good performance I won’t worry too much about the final result.

If you could sign one Liverpool player (with money no object), who would it be?

SW: It would probably have to be Raheem Sterling for his youth and pace on the right or left wing, crossing in those balls. He scores one or two as well which always helpful. World superstar of the future.

Why am I not surprised by this

Anyone who shows 1 up front hasnt watched us play lately. Either Borini or Lambert need to start with Balo. If Lallana is playing then I would start Lambo as I think they will link up well. I think Borini could work well up top, especially in this game which will hopefully be us pressing up against a tight back 4 x 2.

This wont be an easy game. Dirty, scrappy, clean, hardfought, murdered whatever type win we can get... we need a win.

Based on current form, Im not looking forward to this one.

Would prefer the gaffer sticks with Lovren and Sakho, must get 10games together, but have a feeling he prefers Skrtel Lovren as his 2 centre backs. Clearly Sakho wasnt a target of his and a committee buy.

Happy to see that Borini is trying very hard, but trying very hard is not good enough, he has to start scoring. Whoever that has not scored a goal so far this season please stand and be counted to do so in the absence of Sturridge.

Real shame Can is out, think he could have done a job here. Gerrard is not having a good season at all, think his mobility has gotten worse over the summer and with Allen out, Lallana not fit & Coutinho also out of form we really could do with another pair of legs. Especially away from home and when West Ham will probably play 5 in midfield.

I think as Gerrard has got older he takes a little longer to reach top form. For the past few seasons there have been doubts about him early in the season as he struggles for his best form, then he hits top form and puts all the doubts to bed. I am very confident he will do the same this season too. 

                        Migs
Manquillo  Lovren  Sahko   Moreno
                      Gerrard
             Henderson   Lallana
                       Sterling
                  Borini  Balotelli

Borini deserves a chance to show everyone what he exactly provides the team. His movement and pressing of defense is needed. The bigegst difference for me compared to the peak of last year, is our press. Last year we came out of the gun, and jumped all over the other team when they had posession. The turnovers that we created, also created our fast breaking counters. We need to see more of that, especially against an inferior midfield of West Ham. Lovren needs a solid game, as I think Skrtel slides right back into the 11 when healthy again. The question is, for who? I could aslo see Luca sliding in for Stevie, as he wil need to be rested at some point. Really want/need to see more of Markovic too. I don't think we have even seen a glimpse of what he can do. Go Reds!!

We are better away from home at the moment. I would like to see Lallana, Markovic on the bench. Praying Skrts is back.

                  Migs
Manquillo  Skrtel Sakho Moreno
           Hendo  Gerrard
                 Lucas
         Sterling Mario Borini

We are better away from home at the moment. I would like to see Lallana, Markovic on the bench. Praying Skrts is back.

                  Migs
Manquillo  Skrtel Sakho Moreno
           Hendo  Gerrard
                 Lucas
         Sterling Mario Borini

Lucas playing behind the front 3? Wow.

Lucas playing behind the front 3? Wow.

That would be an absolute disaster.

Anyone who shows 1 up front hasnt watched us play lately. Either Borini or Lambert need to start with Balo. If Lallana is playing then I would start Lambo as I think they will link up well. I think Borini could work well up top, especially in this game which will hopefully be us pressing up against a tight back 4 x 2.

This wont be an easy game. Dirty, scrappy, clean, hardfought, murdered whatever type win we can get... we need a win.

Based on current form, Im not looking forward to this one.

Would prefer the gaffer sticks with Lovren and Sakho, must get 10games together, but have a feeling he prefers Skrtel Lovren as his 2 centre backs. Clearly Sakho wasnt a target of his and a committee buy.

Agreed on most part of your post mate except the Clearly Sakho wasnt a target of his and a committee buy, IMO we don't see 'clearly' reason to support that.

Sakho maybe still struggle but IMO he's the quality CB at the level we need (if he can play at the level he play for France, and we can reasonably hope he will reach that). Surely anyone watch some his excellent games for his nation should not against the fact that he's quality player.

Talk about BR's target for CB I remember one clearly is Swansea's Ashley Williams, I think we're lucky not to sign him.

 

Agreed on most part of your post mate except the Clearly Sakho wasnt a target of his and a committee buy, IMO we don't see 'clearly' reason to support that.

Sakho maybe still struggle but IMO he's the quality CB at the level we need (if he can play at the level he play for France, and we can reasonably hope he will reach that). Surely anyone watch some his excellent games for his nation should not against the fact that he's quality player.

Talk about BR's target for CB I remember one clearly is Swansea's Ashley Williams, I think we're lucky not to sign him.

 

I think if Sakho is dropped tomorrow it would suggest that he was not a target of Brendan. Which makes you wonder what a waste of £18M after all he is the french first choice CB along with Varane and if he cant into our team with all our defensive woes I cant see him sticking around too long warming the bench.
But we will see.

                                      Mignolet

Manquillo            Skrtel               Lovren          Moreno

                                  Gerrard

                  Henderson          Lallana

                               Coutinho

                    Sterling       Balotelli   

Hoping for a clean sheet and a win. 

I like the look of that mate.

Don't think just BR drop any player due to poor form is indicate that player is not his target mate, but as this is Match Thread so it's better wait and see like you say

Lucas playing behind the front 3? Wow.

Wow indeed.

                                      Mignolet

Manquillo            Skrtel               Lovren          Moreno

                                  Gerrard

                  Henderson          Lallana

                               Coutinho

                    Sterling       Balotelli   

Hoping for a clean sheet and a win. 

I'd be delighted with that starting line up mate, get Sterling up top with the freedom to roam, either with Balotelli or Lambert. A midfield four of Stevie, Henderson, Lallana and Coutinho is hard working and skillful. That's our best side although I'm not sure we will see Skrtel back in so quickly.

                                      Mignolet

Manquillo            Skrtel               Lovren          Moreno

                                  Gerrard

                  Henderson          Lallana

                               Coutinho

                    Sterling       Balotelli   

Hoping for a clean sheet and a win.

Glad to see someone agrees with my formation from page one

I would add that assuming he plays, this is Coutinho's last chance and if it's another bad game from him, he should be dropped.

I'm really hoping for a good response to the villa game. We simply have to give Mario better service! I would start with a front 2 with Ricky and Mario.