West Ham United 0-4 Liverpool: In game and Post Match discussion

The 2 main differences today were that we got our high intensity pressing game back, and that we had a clever striker making runs that opened up space. Thought Sturridge was excellent, particularly in the first half, and gave him MOTM because, even though Cou maybe was individually our best player, it was the movement up front that was more crucial to lifting us out of our recent attacking doldrums.

When was the last time we won at home? I cant even remember

When was the last time we won at home? I cant even remember

Against the blueshite

So if we beat Middlesbrough and claim 4th is Studge staying for C L next season, or going to some mid table mediocre side ?
And more important, can he stay fit enough for long enough?

Job well done today. Coutinho was a class apart, but some very good performances from Sturridge, Can & Mignolet today.

Not sure if I'm being dim here but is that photo​ with the screen real?

I was at that stadium for the ROC in London.
Those screens are huge.
We were meant to be sat behind them but moved down to the walkway that goes all around the stadium.
Place is huge, and bloody windy.

Oh, and well in Redmen.
Was delighted to see us play an diamond with Coutinho playing deeper and Sturridge as part of the 2 up top.

Thought Sturridge was excellent, particularly in the first half, and gave him MOTM because, even though Cou maybe was individually our best player

Great to see clever runs being made, but Lallana made them too.
Difference was having a player in midfield that forwards knew would see their runs.

What a difference a striker makes.

Disagree.

What a difference Coutinho makes. When he's on, I can't recall a game we haven't won.

For some reason I get some weird kick out of checking the opposition's forum out after we've battered them to see what their reactions are after FT and what they were saying before K.O. Before kick off they were basically Everton: "we've got a better team than them", "we beat Spurs so we'll definitely beat these", "their whole team is average", "we'll win 3-0" etc. etc.

During and after the game they were going on saying they should sell their entire squad near enough Also, I'm not exactly sure how but "Lanzini would walk into their starting 11"

The 2 main differences today were that we got our high intensity pressing game back, and that we had a clever striker making runs that opened up space. Thought Sturridge was excellent, particularly in the first half, and gave him MOTM because, even though Cou maybe was individually our best player, it was the movement up front that was more crucial to lifting us out of our recent attacking doldrums.

What I thought exactly mate.

For some reason I get some weird kick out of checking the opposition's forum out after we've battered them to see what their reactions are after FT and what they were saying before K.O. Before kick off they were basically Everton: "we've got a better team than them", "we beat Spurs so we'll definitely beat these", "their whole team is average", "we'll win 3-0" etc. etc.

During and after the game they were going on saying they should sell their entire squad near enough Also, I'm not exactly sure how but "Lanzini would walk into their starting 11"

I do the same! I came across one or two delusional dick heads as you did but to be fair, the majority of posts that I saw read along the lines of 'IF we play with the same intensity that we did against Tottenham we can win this game'.

I saw them against Tottenham and that's a fair shout to be honest. Tottenham have blown everybody away for the past 3 or 4 months yet West Ham were all over them and they didn't let them settle at all. They played the way we do, lots of high pressing, tons of energy and pace. They were very impressive and I was a little bit worried going into this game after seeing that.

As good as we were today, I think we can all agree that west ham were awful. Truly awful. They didn't put a tenth of the effort in that they did against Spurs. Still, we can only beat what's put infront of us and that we did!

I actually feel sorry for their support though. Must be incredibly frustrating watching your team raise their game and put 100% effort in only to watch them walk around a week later just not giving a f**k.

West Ham didn't even try and win the ball from us today. It was the complete opposite to how they played against Tottenham.

Wow!

First things first, we should quietly be counting our lucky stars Klopp was forced into a move. Dropping either of Origi or Firmino wouldn't have happened and the footballing insanity would have continued. So, it happens Firmino was injured, and back in comes a recognised striker for the first time this season, and holy sh*t didn't we look better?

Let's indulge firstly though in what Sturridge brought to this team today. Predatory instinct, positional instinct and movement. It has been lacking and while he isn't clearly up to match fitness, through no fault of his own, his movement and instinct was a joy to behold. And his goal, well, who would you rather see in that goal scoring position. He took his goal beautifully well, from an exquisite pass laid on by MoTM Coutinho. That goal broke a deadlock we'd have usually struggled with, with our 'usuals' up top. It was the catalyst that set us up for the rest of the game, and we looked dangerous and not laborious for the first time in God know's how long. The movement and threat though we carried throughout that game was night and day with the old huffing and puffing we've been recently served up.

Though I'm thankful Klopp was forced into the move of selecting Sturridge. Credit should go to him, for not going with 3 up top, we went with a diamond and little Coutinho was almost Pablo Aimar-esque in his deeper position today. That was a good change, and one again that probably wouldn't have happened had Firmino been available. But the whole side going forward looked much better, and people had be calling for a change for weeks and as it turned out those who did were fully vindicated in their calls to question the consistent selections of Klopp in recent weeks.

Even Origi, a player who I don't really rate all that much looked so much better having a proper striker in tandem with him, leading the line. The difference was night and day, and while it seemed bold-er to twist rather than to stick it paid off and rewarded us handsomely.

Now, all we need is 3pts at home to 'Boro, next week for CL qualification - of course, again, we need to start our best striker if we want to make lighter work of taking 3 pts.

One happy red here, who had become slightly disillusioned with the way we were travelling, well in lads, let's finish the job off next week!

Here's a thought. Imagine if we played 2 upfront with a midfield diamond and had Sturridge and Benteke up front (origi off the bench) with Coutinho behind. How scary would that have been for defenders?

Theres seriously no way we should be allowing Sturridge to leave in the summer. We need to replace Benteke with another top class striker. Otherwise we're fooked and looking for 2 strikers

Benteke up front! your as bad as DanMan with his conspiracy theories around Sturridge.

If we get the CL spot we need a bigger squad. We should get a new striker still but Sturridge should stay if he wants to.

If we get the CL spot we need a bigger squad. We should get a new striker still but Sturridge should stay if he wants to.

I would think most fans don't wantvSturridge to leave, however would FSG sanction a player who on average is available for 20 games a season on £150k a week to sit on the bench?

Good post, but I don't agree that Klopp was "forced" into selecting Studge, I think he would play him every game if he was fit, no doubt in my mind.

Hand on heart: If Firmino had been fit, do you think Sturridge would have started?

It's an emphatic no from me, and the evidence suggests as much.

It was a blessing in disguise, and made our work of West Ham that much easier.

Hand on heart: If Firmino had been fit, do you think Sturridge would have started?

It's an emphatic no from me, and the evidence suggests as much.

It was a blessing in disguise, and made our work of West Ham that much easier.

Agreed! Sturridge has to start against Boro.

I have no idea, only Klopp would know that, but he had different options and could have still left Studge on the bench. One thing Klopp knows is that when Studge is fit and ready he is a fantastic option to have. You speak as if the gaffer, who is undoubtedly one of the best managers in the world doesn't know what he is doing, you really should have more faith. Who is to say, for example we wouldn't have won without Studge? West Ham didn't look that interested to be honest and it turned into a bit of a training match.

I'm going on the evidence mate.

And I'm not buying for one minute that Sturridge was only able to miraculously start yesterday due to his fitness level, that coincided with an injury to Firmino. 

I'm not saying he doesn't know what he's doing, inflexible, stubborn yes. Not that he doesn't know what he's doing. All his guardians on here have been saying all season long how Sturridge doesn't fit into his system. What with running around a lot, and defending from the front being en vogue, and scoring falling beneath these requirements he demands in his strikers.

Like I said, the evidence seems to contradict what you say really.

No worries though, we won. Pretty emphatically too, and I'm not going to take anything away from the boys by implying West Ham were sh*t. I'll credit Jürgen (playing Couts deeper) and the boys for making West Ham look sh*t.

still delighted with the win.

were almost over the line, dont balls it up now (and i hope that Arsenal and City somehow drop points midweek)

Hand on heart: If Firmino had been fit, do you think Sturridge would have started?

It's an emphatic no from me, and the evidence suggests as much.

It was a blessing in disguise, and made our work of West Ham that much easier.

Well lets hope he's injured next week because for me a fit studge has to be in that team Jürgen has to find a way of playing both dropping Origi is the answer for me on his best day hes only half the finisher Danny is, we've needed goals and Hes been sat on the bench kicking his heels big mistake that .
Now if that fairy would tap Danny on the shoulder and keep the fcker fit id be eternally grateful.

Well according to Klopp after the game that's exactly it, even the best players in the world need to train. If Daniel is fit and ready he plays, it's not Firmino vs Sturridge as both should be on the pitch. Do you honestly think that Klopp when faced with a fully fit Sturridge thinks "Nah I'll put Origi on" cause I don't. Anyway like you say we won and we still have to stand up and be counted for the last game cause we are going to need the 3 points.

Well that cant be true can it or are we saying Danny has been sat on the bench but hes not fit so he cant play , why else would he be there ?

I'm going on the evidence mate.

And I'm not buying for one minute that Sturridge was only able to miraculously start yesterday due to his fitness level, that coincided with an injury to Firmino. 

Keep preaching mate. One day they may listen.. but don't give up. Keep saying it like it is.

Here was Klopp only 10 days before yesterday's game:

“It’s not that we could say he is at 100 per cent, he is doing what we think is right for him to keep him on track for these last three games.”

“[We’ve had] very good talks, we’re really close in the moment. [He’s doing] something different today then training with the team tomorrow and all that stuff. As long as it’s like this we can for sure have him and use him in the squad, that’s the most important thing.”

“Then we have to see which line-up we start with and then how long he can go, but in this moment it’s very, very important that we have him as an option on the bench and can bring him in because, how everybody knows, he can decide a game in a second.”

“So that’s very, very positive and hopefully it stays like this.”

Next game he's on the bench. Just as Klopp explained how he sees Sturridge to be. Then the game after, Firmino is injured... and suddenly... by no coincidence.. Sturridge is in the starting line up.

Come on. Who seriously doesn't see it that Klopp would have had Sturridge on the bench again with a fit Firmino? Origi has been preferred ahead of Sturridge for some time.

It was a forced change, and hopefully, Sturridge has forced his way back into the team.

He has not been fully fit or he would have started the odd 15 min 30 min brought him on. Just because he is on the bench doesn't mean he is ready to do a full 90 minutes.

No one said 90 mins though hes either fit or hes not if hes fit enough to take a placr on the bench then surely hes fit enough to play even if its only half an hour , the whole point is Origi has been awfull of late weve been desperate for goals and Dannys been sat on the bench .