Liverpool 0-0 West Ham United: In-game & post-match irascibility

Does irascibility mean disappointed as F**k and a profound sense of puzzlement as to why we can't kick on and get our arses in gear? If so it's a spot on title thread.

What we witnessed against West Ham has nothing to do with the team, nothing to do with Brendan Rodgers, it goes far deeper almost as if it's in the psyche of the club. Look at the entire Premier League era. Roy Evan's side struggled against so-called "lesser" opposition. Houlier's sides did. Rafa's sides did as did Roy and Kenny and now Rodgers. Over the last 20 odd years we've gone to clubs like Chelsea or United and dominated a game then gone to sides like West Ham or Stoke and put in lacklustre performances. It's become almost the Liverpool Disease and this lack of consistency is the main reason why we've been unable to win the Premier League.

What we witnessed against West Ham has nothing to do with the team, nothing to do with Brendan Rodgers, it goes far deeper almost as if it's in the psyche of the club. Look at the entire Premier League era. Roy Evan's side struggled against so-called "lesser" opposition. Houlier's sides did. Rafa's sides did as did Roy and Kenny and now Rodgers. Over the last 20 odd years we've gone to clubs like Chelsea or United and dominated a game then gone to sides like West Ham or Stoke and put in lacklustre performances. It's become almost the Liverpool Disease and this lack of consistency is the main reason why we've been unable to win the Premier League.

Sorry fella but I realy can't agree with that. LFC have delivered their fair share of thrashings of lesser teams over the years and I can't remember too many seasons in recent memory (with 08-09 being the exception) where we have realy bossed it agains the rest of the top sides.

Just looking at this season alone we've bashed Wigan 3-0 & 4-0, beat Swanswea 5-0, put 5 past Norwich twice and 4 past Fulham. The mancs have made a habbit of smashing the smaller sides for many years now but the rest of the big clubs still do it for much of the time. I think it just sticks in the mind more when we fail to do so.

Whats really starting to aggrivate me and it was so noticable in this match is the amount of times we get into good positions in the final third and instead of looking up and finding a player in a better position we just go for the glory and waste great opportunities. A few times on sunday the likes of Gerrard and Suarez were screaming for the ball at the edge of the box in great positions and never got the pass.

In fairness to West Ham they defended really well. They've put up good performances against top 4 sides this season taking points of Chelsea and City. United only narrowly defeated them at home. Still we had enough opportunities and got in enough goal scoring positions to beat them but poor decision making in the opposition box is a factor all season and has still not been fully addressed. Bringing in Coutinho and Sturridge should have given us enough attacking flair to breakdown stubborn defences ala Stoke and West Ham. We have the quality to do it but our decision making lets us down time and time again.

In fairness to West Ham they defended really well. They've put up good performances against top 4 sides this season taking points of Chelsea and City. United only narrowly defeated them at home. Still we had enough opportunities and got in enough goal scoring positions to beat them but poor decision making in the opposition box is a factor all season and has still not been fully addressed. Bringing in Coutinho and Sturridge should have given us enough attacking flair to breakdown stubborn defences ala Stoke and West Ham. We have the quality to do it but our decision making lets us down time and time again.

Wouldn't take anything away from them mate, on the day they defended well and put a reasonable game plan into effect.
It was to our cost we didn't have an answer.

Wouldn't take anything away from them mate, on the day they defended well and put a reasonable game plan into effect.
It was to our cost we didn't have an answer.

BR didn't have an answer Stu.

BR didn't have an answer Stu.

Now don't go laying the blame at the manager, he only chose the team, set out the tactics and chose the training schedule for this week to beat West Ham.

It's also surely unfair to suggest he had any responsibility in our lack of ability to break down the 3rd worst away form team in the league! After all he's only spent £50m this year, we have to wait until he's actually bought someone for every position and perhaps backup for that signing in case of injury before he can actually be given any of this responsibility.

Didn't you realise that any failing we currently have is absolved from Brendan and laid purely on the shoulders of the past.

P.S. If anyone reading this doesn't understand it's an attempt at sarcasm, it's not because you struggle to pick up sarcasm when it's written it's a personal problem.

Now don't go laying the blame at the manager, he only chose the team, set out the tactics and chose the training schedule for this week to beat West Ham.

It's also surely unfair to suggest he had any responsibility in our lack of ability to break down the 3rd worst away form team in the league! After all he's only spent £50m this year, we have to wait until he's actually bought someone for every position and perhaps backup for that signing in case of injury before he can actually be given any of this responsibility.


Didn't you realise that any failing we currently have is absolved from Brendan and laid purely on the shoulders of the past.


P.S. If anyone reading this doesn't understand it's an attempt at sarcasm, it's not because you struggle to pick up sarcasm when it's written it's a personal problem.

 

Never see the mancs or any of the other top sides looking to simply luzz it in to a 'Big Man' when they are chasing a game in the last 5 minutes. This sort of deperation football is played by teams who live way down the league. Top teams keep passing the ball and trying to work opportunities.

Can anyone show me one who doesn't?

I think you're missing the point here mate. The point Dan was making that it helps to have an aerial threat in your ranks per se, not just in the last five minutes of a game. United have Van Persie @ 6ft 1" and Welbeck @ 6ft. Spurs have Adebayor @ 6ft 4" and Clint Dempsey @ 6ft 1". Arsenal have Giroud @ 6ft 4" and Podolski @ 6ft . City have Dzeko @ 6ft 4" and Guidetti @ 6ft 1". Chelsea have Torres @ 6ft and Demba Ba @ 6ft 2".

These are not players that are brought on for the last five minutes when they are chasing a game, these are players that are part of a system. A system that gives the side tactical flexibility during a game, not a Plan B, just an all round plan or system.

Disappointed when I heard the score, thought a win would have been on the cards, especially when the side have been scoring a few goals lately.