#LIVWHU – Under The Hammers

Anfield Retrospective: West Ham Reprise Role of Gallant Losers in Attempt to Derail Liverpool Title March

The two best known anthems in English football sing about the fragility of dreams. Once more it is the dreams that are tossed and blown that triumph over those which fade and die

Looking back at Sunday’s game Liverpool in isolation left the impression of a decent performance where West Ham were maybe unfortunate not to come away with a share of the spoils. Whether, as some suggest, it represented the green shoots of improvement for the Graham Potter era is far less certain. The reality remains that league position, points per game, and goals scored have all deteriorated since the new manager’s appointment. The Hammers are now statistically the worst side in the league outside of the woeful bottom three. Such a decline is a huge disappointment for any coach, no matter what position was inherited at outset.

The match itself was less the game of two halves that has become the Hammer’s signature for much of the season, and more a game of four quarters. An opening quarter of total domination by the hosts, a period of relative stability where the visitors might easily have equalised and culminating with a final two quarters where, for long periods, the visitors looked much the better team. To bring the scores level only to quickly concede shortly afterwards was so West Ham. Adopting the role of gallant losers that is as much part of the club’s DNA as blowing bubbles.

If you watched the game on TV, you would have been exposed to a stream of nauseating Salah-vation during the match commentary in celebration of Mo’s contract extension. A situation that only got worse when his ‘goal-involvement’ cross was stroked home by Diaz after 18 minutes.

It was an afternoon to forget for Ollie Scarles who was given a torrid time by Salah. At times his defending was both naïve and weak, and his confidence shot to the point where it looked like he might burst out into tears. Hopefully, just a part of the learning curve although he has been unconvincing defensively in seeral of his recent games. A game or two out of the spotlight might help.

It did not come as a surprise to see Potter reverting to a back three when the teams were announced. It is a formation that is easier to justify away at Anfield than at home to Crystal Palace or Leicester. The drawback is that it doesn’t allow Jarrod Bowen, Mohammed Kudus, and Niclas Fullkrug to fit into the system or shape at the same time. Following the positive impacts made by Fullkrug’s introduction in previous games it was extremely disappointing not to see him feature on the pitch until the 78^th minute.

Elsewhere, I would have preferred Edson Alvarez to have started in place of JWP but was relieved to see Tomas Soucek left on the bench. Until there is a rule change that allows players to come on just for set pieces, I don’t see what role the slumbering Czech can play in any side with an ambition to hold on to possession.

The pairing of Lucas Paqueta and Carlos Soler in the attacking midfield areas provided more creative spark and interplay than we have been used to in recent times. Both may have contributed their best football of season, especially during the second half when they were instrumental in the Hammers running the show. I wonder how many Paqueta Islanders had put a wager on the Brazilian knocking over the referee.

Paqueta did rather blot his copy book, however, with his role in the lead up to the Liverpool winner. There are certain areas of the pitch where looking to buy a foul is way too risky if there are no takers. His reputation for going down too easily and theatrically does him no favours at all. Of course, it is almost impossible these days to be certain what is and isn’t a foul. Without an insider understanding of the permitted force of a shove in the back; or how long you can rightfully hold on to an opponent’s shirt without being penalised we can only bow to the officials’ superior knowledge. Heads there was contact, he had a right to go down; tails, it was minimal contact, he went down too easily.

The dilemma was perfectly illustrated when Van Dyke headed the Liverpool winner. As the co-commentator euphemistically described it: “the nudge by Van Dyke moving Fullkrug out of the way”. Must be a little like pinball where a ‘nudge’ is allowed but a tilt is game over.

Whatever the likley outcome of the match, Liverpool will eventually be the 2024/25 Premier League champions. The home win simply brings forward the date on which it will be confirmed. It is difficult to argue that it is not deserved and a major achievement in Slot’s first season.

Thankfully, from a West Ham perspective there are only another six games to endure before the curtain comes down on one of the dullest campaigns in living memory. With a lowly league finish, no cup runs or European football, the Hammers have taken a massive step backwards compared to the clubs we mighty have imagined to be our financial equals outside the rich six – notably Newcastle and Aston Villa. It will be goodbye to a place in the list of the world’s top twenty richest football clubs when the results are announced next year.

All hopes must now be pinned on a successful summer of recruitment, apparently spearheaded by Potter and Kyle Macaulay but unlikely to be free of interference from the self-styled Director of Football in the boardroom, David Sullivan. Our best hope is that their decision making improves significantly from the one that lumbered the club with a loan deal for an unfit (and arguably unmotivated) Evan Ferguson. Even from a distance it looked like a really stupid move that was never going to benefit West Ham.

A lot of work is required to assemble a functioning squad from the spare parts that are currently in place. All the more difficult is a club that lacks any clear strategy on its recruitment aims. It is fanciful to believe the Potter/ Macaulay partnership were instrumental in Brighton’s successful and money-spinning transfer dealings, but perhaps they learned something from the experience. The worst of all worlds is that recruitment activity again focuses solely on existing short-term firefighting issues in the squad at the expense of building for the future. Past performance does not instil a great deal of confidence.

It got to the point on Sunday where I was relived to hear that Chelsea had equalised against Ipswich. And I am not overly confident that we will not allow Southampton to overhaul Derby’s lowest ever Premier League points total this weekend either. How on earth did we get here? COYI!

West Ham face a week of the two extremes. Liverpool away (the top) and Southampton home (the bottom).

And a few thoughts on the evolution of football since the 1960s.

In our next two games we go from one extreme to the other. On Sunday we visit champions elect Liverpool for what is traditionally our annual Premier League beating on Merseyside. I hate sounding defeatist, I’d love to believe otherwise but it is hard to think that we are going to go up there and surprise them. I know that they lost at Fulham last week but sadly the Cottagers were a much tougher proposition than facing West Ham at the moment, and you cannot believe that with our current form the three points, or even one, are there for the taking.

Then the following Saturday we go to the following extreme when entertaining (?) Southampton at the London Stadium. Surely, even in our current transitional mode three points is a certainty? Well I say that but 67 years of following the Hammers tells me otherwise. No guarantees of a win even against one of the poorest sides that the Premier League has seen.

Geoff’s article following the Bournemouth draw last Saturday says all I would want to say regarding the current state of affairs. I couldn’t add to that. Instead as I sat down to write this article my mind wandered and I got to thinking about the evolution of football in my time watching the game. I read an article about somebody from the 1960s coming back to life in the present day and the changes that they would encounter such as mobile phones, colour TV, internet and so much more, and thought about applying it to football.

When football fans reach a certain age, and I guess I have reached it, it is common to complain about how football has changed. “The beautiful game”, “a funny old game” or whatever you want to call it has undergone significant transformations over the decades since I first watched a game at Upton Park way back in 1958. As a youngster I thought it was a simple game, but it has evolved dramatically, especially in the 21st century. Football when I first knew it and football today are worlds apart in many ways, reflecting changes in tactics, technology, culture and the global nature of the game.

The football I remember from my youth was direct and more physical. The emphasis seemed to be on long balls and robust challenges. Teams at that time set up in a 2-3-5 formation, the players were numbered one to eleven, with each number relating to a specific position, 9 was centre forward, 11 outside left, 5 centre half etc. Players wore black boots, the kick-off had to travel forward, goal kicks had to clear the penalty area, almost all games kicked off at 3.00 on a Saturday or midweek games at 7.30 on a Wednesday. The referee didn’t draw any lines on the pitch to indicate ten yards, and players could back pass to a goalkeeper who could then pick it up.

Now boots are multi-coloured, the kick off always travels backwards, goal kicks can be small touches aimed at ball retention and building from the back. Referees now draw lines to indicate ten yards for free kicks in attacking areas but their accuracy at marking out the distance is sometimes questionable. Balls deliberately passed back to the keeper require modern keepers to demonstrate ball-playing skills that their predecessors didn’t have to. Some are better than others in this respect.

Years ago I don’t remember the term false nine at the time, or a number 41 playing as an eight or a 16 as a ten. I do remember Ron Greenwood studying continental football and introducing 4-2-4 to West Ham. Today, modern football is highly tactical, with variations in formation allowing for fluid transitions. There’s a greater focus on possession, pressing, and data-driven strategies.

In the 1960s training was less scientific, and fitness levels were varied. Some players had second jobs, Geoff Hurst for example played cricket for Essex in the summer alongside his main job as West Ham’s number 10. There was little focus on nutrition. Today footballers are generally elite athletes with access to advanced training methods, sports science and tailored diets.

Back in the day there was no VAR, no goal-line technology, no advanced analysis. Referees made decisions, often leading to controversy. Today technology plays a huge role from the tracking of player and team performance to VAR. And we still get controversy, VAR may have improved fairness (usually?) but at a cost where the natural flow of the game is disrupted. And we are also bombarded with statistics that may or may not be of interest too.

Back in the 1960s, time wasting was prevalent but less scrutinised than today. Goalkeepers could bounce the ball for some time before releasing it, players could pass back to them and they could pick it up and waste more time. In theory the modern game has introduced stricter enforcement against time wasting, with sometimes many minutes added to compensate for delays. However, despite these measures problems still persist. Substitutions in the final minutes or in added time remain tactics to disrupt the rhythm of the game.

And talking of substitutes they didn’t exist when I first watched the game. Players were known to return to the pitch with broken bones (even a broken neck in one famous instance) so that they had eleven on the field. Gradually that changed with one substitute allowed (for injury) and has gradually expanded so that now five are allowed with further additions for games with extra time or concussion injuries. How long before it becomes like rugby or American Football with “finishers” or “specialist teams”?

Social media did not exist in the 1960s whereas players today can be global influencers. Stadium safety has dramatically improved as a result of tragedies such as Hillsborough, Bradford etc which highlighted the need for stricter regulations. Modern stadiums are designed with advanced safety measures, including all seater stadiums and in theory better crowd control. However many still stand, especially behind the goals. But it is definitely safer.

Back in the sixties there was little football on TV – the cup final, England internationals and tournaments like the 1966 World Cup. Now of course, TV football is extensive. If you wish you can watch football almost non-stop day and night. The Champions League and other European competitions are a case in point. I remember the days when only the league champions gained entry into the European Cup, the cup winners entered the European Cup Winners Cup and perhaps a couple of others went into the Fairs Cup.

It has now changed to such an extent that we now have four English teams in the Champions League each season. Based on coefficient rankings that number will increase to five next season. And in the (unlikely perhaps) event of Aston Villa winning this season’s Champions League and finishing outside the top five in the Premier League then that will give English teams another spot taking it to six. Also, with Manchester United and Tottenham both languishing in the lower reaches of the league, but in the quarter finals of the Europa League, then if either of them win the competition that would be yet another team from England in next season’s Champions League bringing the total to seven!

The European competitions continue to expand. There has been a big rise in the number of games this season using the Swiss chess tournament method in the early stages. Never mind the quality feel the width is a phrase that is used to persuade us that quantity is more important than quality. Purely financial though isn’t it? Sometimes less is more. There’s a lot to be said for quality.

Football has evolved significantly since the 1960s, reflecting broader changes in society, technology and the global economy. The passion and essence of the game remain unchanged, its transformation has brought both opportunities and challenges. Football continues to evolve, sometimes for the better and sometimes not. I still believe that there is a lot that could be done to improve the game. Here are just some off the top of my head. You can probably think of others.

A solution is needed to the nonsense that takes place at corner kicks and free kicks involving pushing, pulling and holding.
The offside rule. Offside was designed over 100 years ago to eliminate goal hanging yet you can be offside anywhere in your opponents’ half. Why?
Timing of games – why can’t we adopt the rugby method of timekeepers independent of the referee via a stadium clock which could be stopped upon signal from the referee.
Unpunished time wasting.
Improvements are needed to VAR
Players surrounding the officials

I still enjoy watching good football, but I’m not sure that the enjoyment is what it was back in the 1960s / 1970s. In many ways modern football is perhaps better than old football. But my rose-tinted nostalgia for the game I watched back in my youth makes me lean towards those days. It’s probably just an age thing? Or is it?

Lopetegui’s Baptism Of Dire. Time For The New West Ham Coach To Demonstrate His Tactical Pedigree

Nobody said it would be easy but there have been few encouraging signs of progress from new look West Ham style and squad. The run of three games before the next international break may take on more significance than expected.

It is fair to say that the record breaking start to Julen Lopetegui’s rein as coach of West Ham United wasn’t quite what he was hoping for. A third consecutive London Stadium defeat – this time at the hands of Chelsea – making it the first time in a chaotic history that the Hammers have ever lost their opening three home league fixtures.

In the summer I had speculated how the extent of the changes in personnel and style – plus the slow pace of recruitment – made a stuttering start to the season almost inevitable. Patience would be required. But with the appointment of Lopetegui not being the most popular of choices outside of the board room, the honeymoon period could well be short-lived.

Indeed, the first rumblings of discontent have already been heard through the dreaded ‘careful watch you wish for’ raising its ugly head on Saturday’s TV commentary. Of course, it is a cliché predicated on the false dilemma that there was only a binary choice between keeping the Scottish manager and bring in Lopetegui – which was simply not the case.

For now, Lopetegui must continue to get the benefit of the doubt. Not every manager is able to make an immediate impact, but it is difficult not to pick up on worrying signs from the haphazard nature of performances to date. And especially having recently watched the abysmal showing against Chelsea in what should be one of the Hammer’s premier London derbies of the season.

Had we witnessed encouraging performances that were blighted only by individual slips as players acclimatised to the new style it would be easy to explain away. However, the apparent absence of intensity, passion, organisation, and cohesion is a whole lot more difficult to overlook.

Failure to put in decent showings against Liverpool in Thursday’s EFL cup-tie and the two remaining league fixtures – Brentford away and Ipswich at home – before the next international break will surely increase the pressure. How long before we see the first sighting of a headline on Hammers Zone News websites proclaiming ‘Lopetegui has just four games to save his job’?

Precisely how the coach plans for his team to approach games has not yet become apparent. From what we have seen and what we were told to expect it may or may not involve some of the following: an emphasis of possession; playing out from the back; a high defensive line; full backs providing attacking width; central midfielders supporting the centre backs in defending and beating the press; wide attackers playing narrower as inside forwards; and a striker providing link up play as well as being the arrowhead for attacks.

In an ideal world, the coach has his philosophy, and the recruitment guy finds the individuals capable of slotting into it. The scale of the personnel changes required has clearly led to compromises and the jury is out as to which players in the squad have the attributes to embrace the new philosophy quickly. Current evidence is of a huge gap between the sum and the parts.

The biggest question marks for me are the absence of pace and athleticism in midfield and the confusing role of the full backs. We might also add in the ongoing striker debacle once we have had the chance for a proper look at Niclas Fullkrug. The instinct is that a quicker, more mobile alternative would have been a more productive addition but perhaps Fullkrug can become the perfect foil for the talents of Bowen and Kudus.

Of the defensive midfield options, none of Edson Alvarez, Guido Rodriguez or Tomas Soucek is blessed with the pace or mobility required to provide rotational defensive cover or to shift the ball quickly once in possession. In theory, using two defensive midfielders two centre backs in a box formation prevents opponents attacking through the middle, but West Ham have been ruthlessly exposed in this area during each of the early games this season. Without the use of conventional full backs, the backline becomes strung out rather than compact.

It is the role of the full backs which raises the most eyebrows. It doesn’t help that the first-choice pair are completely different in style to start with. Emerson happier in the attacking wing back role, capable of cutting inside but weaker in defending. Aaron Wan-Bissaka regularly touted as the best one-on-one defender in the league but looking lost and confused as a tucked-in wing back that has left him jogging back as opponents exploit the oceans of room vacated.

Wan-Bissaka was one of those implicated in the opening goal last Saturday. It was schoolboy defending (possibly unfair to PE teachers across the country) to turn backs or look away as their opponents prepared to take a quick free kick. It set the tone for much of the match. Alvarez was criticised for not being able to run faster than he can in tracking Jackson’s run, but at least he gave it a go. He might have been better advised to stand and watch like his colleagues. Too often West Ham players are static, standing on their heels rather than playing on their toes – one of the hallmarks of the entertaining Greenwood and Lyall teams of old.

Despite Chelsea’s dominance, the Hammers might have been handed a unlikely lifeline had the referee correctly awarded a penalty when Fofana held back the run of ‘Jimmy’ Summerville. It appears this kind of foul has a length of hold time limit – like the three second rule when you drop a piece of food on the floor – during which it is acceptable to carry on as normal. But only if it happens inside the area. Fofana was booked for a similar offence on Summerville in safer territory some moments later. Every year PGMOL come up with new and imaginative ways to spoil the game. This year’s special is the blitz on delaying the re-start which will be quietly forgotten before the clocks change.

A ray of light from the early Lopetegui era is a willingness to make substitutions earlier in the game. Once he learns to make wise ones it will be an added bonus. No-one could argue against the withdrawal of Guido Rodriguez but replacing him with Tomas Soucek was akin to switching one dud battery for another in a Duracel bunny and wondering why it still doesn’t work. While making first half changes might be applauded it could also suggest poor team selection or tactics in the first place. Replacing Summerville with Michail Antonio was particularly perplexing as it removed one of our most dangerous players and forced another (Mohammed Kudus) to switch to a less favoured position. Declining to bring on the rarely seen Jean-Clair Todibo and previous week’s saviour, Danny Ings, were equally questionable.

The next three games may go a long way to defining the direction of travel. They will either deepen the gloom or hint at a light at the end of the tunnel. Starting with an away visit to Anfield in the compromised draw of the EFL Cup is not where you would want to start but there needs to be encouraging signs even in anticipated defeat. Surely a chance for Todibo as well as for Carlos Soler and Andy Irvine who both looked as if they were familiar with a football during their late introductions against Chelsea. They could do no worse than Lucas Paqueta who continues to offer only intermittent inspiration rather than the sustained playmaking influence required.

West Ham expects. COYI!

Another Chance To Break The Anfield Curse: West Ham Battle Liverpool For A Place In The EFL Cup Semi-Final

With a touch of verve, swagger and style returning to the Hammer’s play can they pull of a classic smash and grab at Liverpool tonight? Or will it be yet another case of Merseycide?

It will be a buoyant West Ham who head to Anfield tonight to take on Liverpool in the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup. The prize, a place in the semi-final draw alongside Chelsea, Fulham, and Middlesbrough. The winner of tonight’s tie becoming the highest ranked team remaining in the competition.

There have been a host of unlikely winners in 63 seasons of the Milk, Littlewoods, Rumbelows, Coca-Cola, Worthington, Carling, Capital One, Carabao Cup – but the Hammers have yet to get among them. In previous seasons, the names of Norwich, Birmingham, West Brom, Middlesbrough, QPR, Stoke, Luton, Swindon, and Oxford have all been engraved on the old trophy. But the best West Ham have to show for it is two losing final appearances. The first, a two-legged affair against West Bromwich Albion in 1966; the second, a replay defeat to tonight’s opponents in 1981.

In contrast to the Hammer’s duck, Liverpool have won the competition more times than any other club, running out victorious in nine of the 13 finals they have appeared in. Their most recent victory was in a 2022 penalty shootout against Chelsea in 2022, after the game finished scoreless after extra time.

One record that the two clubs share is the biggest win in EFL Cup history – by ten goals to nil. West Ham thumping Bury in 1983, Liverpool doing likewise to Fulham in 1986. There is no record of The Reds signing any of the Fulham defenders after the match as the Hammers did with Paul Hilton of Bury.

The curse of West Ham visits to Anfield is well documented. An emphatic 3-0 win in 2015, which indirectly led to the demise of Brendan Rodgers and the appointment of Jurgen Klopp, was the first away victory at Anfield for 52 years. But the hoodoo has not been lifted again since. The Hammers now on a run of seven consecutive defeats at Liverpool since a 2-2 draw in Dec 2016.

Tonight is the sixth time that West Ham have faced Liverpool in the EFL Cup. The first and last of those meetings saw the Hammers come out on top with Liverpool winning the three in between. Unsurprisingly, both West Ham wins were recorded at Upton Park – a 2-1 win (Hurst, Robson) in October 1971, and a shock 4-1 victory (Gale, Ince 2, Staunton OG) in November 1988. The Hammers line up that day: McKnight, Potts, Dicks, Gale, Martin, Devonshire, Brady, Kelly, Rosenoir, Dickens, Ince. It was an eventful year at West Ham as they were eventually beaten in semi-final of the EFL Cup by Luton, lost in a sixth round FA Cup replay to Norwich, and ended up being relegated.

It has become compulsory at this time of year to mention that the games are coming thick and fast, although Christmas schedules aren’t as hectic as they once were and European fixtures are taking a breather. Managers must still take a gamble with how they juggle resources. Even if the early rounds or the EFL cup are seen as nuisance it takes on greater significance as thoughts of the Wembley dome come to mind.

Klopp in particular will be in two minds on team selection with a top of the table clash with Arsenal on the weekend horizon, and at a time when the Anfield sickbay is bursting at the seams – Matip, Thiago, Bajcetic, Robertson, Mac Allister, and Jota are all probable absentees. Klopp has plenty of attacking talent to call upon, but they are clearly vulnerable in defence and midfield.

On the other hand, West Ham have only Michail Antonio on the long-term sick list – although a few are close to exhaustion if overnight reports are correct. It is either luck or testament to the club’s training methods that the Hammers have suffered few injury problems of late (makes note to touch wood). A far cry from the time when players only needed to pull their socks up to pull a hamstring.

The issue for Moyes is more about quality – or at least which players he feels he can trust. Playing the same group of players week in and week out doesn’t appear to be a sustainable policy, so he may well be pressured to make changes for tonight’s game. I would be quite happy to see two or three of Thilo Kehrer, Pablo Fornals, Said Benrahma, or Divin Mubama introduced but please no Aaron Cresswell or Danny Ings.

If the Hammers win it would make it a first EFL Cup semi-final for 10 years. Thankfully, Manchester City will not be waiting in the draw this time around. If they should advance, it is a eminently winnable competition. It’s just the record at Anfield that makes it a big ‘if’. But all winning and losing streaks must come to an end eventually so why not tonight when Liverpool’s have one eye fixed on the Premier League table? COYI!

Mersey Mission Impossible? West Ham and David Moyes Pay Another Visit To Anfield’s Unhappy Hunting Ground

Another test of the Hammer’s bright start to the season as they take on unbeaten Liverpool at Anfield. Will it be another pointless visit to Merseyside?

Midweek European group stage games can be something of a lottery. Opposition strengths and weaknesses are an unknown quantity and managers must try to balance progress in the group with the opportunity to rotate squad resources. In the end West Ham had enough quality to overcome the resistance of TSC despite an early setback, just as Liverpool and Manchester City had to in their respective games against LASK and Red Star Belgrade.

With David Moyes making nine changes from the eleven that had started the previous weekend it is impossible to draw any conclusions from Thursday’s victory other than suspecting that qualification from the group will be straightforward enough. The game saw useful debuts from Mohammed Kudus and Konstantinos Mavropanos both of whom should be pressing for Premier League starts in the coming months.

Thursday night’s game was not the most riveting of encounters. A lively start from the home side struggled to create clear-cut opportunities and they appeared to have lost their way before going behind in disastrous circumstances. A slip by Angelo Ogbonna compounding poor decision making when attempting to play the ball back to the keeper. At least it woke the Hammers up, but it would take a brace of James Ward-Prove set piece special deliveries to give the scoreline a respectable look.

The novelty of West Ham bossing possession is unlikely to be repeated at Anfield this afternoon where it will be a return to the counterattacking and set piece threats which have always represented the manager’s safe space. Liverpool are a very different, more direct proposition to the ball-loving sides that the Hammers have already faced – Chelsea, Manchester City and Brighton – and there are sound reasons to maintain a solid and compact defensive shape against them.

The Reds are unbeaten this season. In their previous two home games both Bournemouth and Villa allowed way too much space between defence and midfield which was exploited ruthlessly by the Liverpool forwards. The Hammer’s challenge will be denying space at one end while getting enough players forward quickly to create chances at the other.

West Ham’s shocking record at Anfield is legendary. A 3-0 victory in August 2015 being the solitary away win over in 60 years. The victory in 2015 was instrumental in Liverpool’s decision to replace Brendan Rodgers with Jurgen Klopp. Since Klopp’s appointment the record shows one draw and seven defeats for the Hammers – the last four all by a single goal margin. The statistics also show that Moyes has failed to win in 19 visits to Anfield as manager of four different clubs.

The predicted Hammers lineup today should show few changes from the side that lost out to Manchester City. Alphonse Areola will return between the sticks after his midweek rest. There may be a case to leave Nayef Aguerd on the bench following some unconvincing lapses, but I expect Moyes to stick with him for now. The manager will want to include both Edson Alvarez and Thomas Soucek as a defensive shield to counter the home side’s impressive attacking and aerial threat – and also to put pressure on Alisson at set pieces. With the more attack minded players selection will depend on the fitness of Jarrod Bowen who failed to make the midweek squad due to sickness. In his absence Kudus will fill in.

In this type of game there is no viable alternative to Michail Antonio in the lone striker role. With Danny Ings looking increasingly ineffective in the West Ham setup, the failure to bring in a new striker will surely cause a drag on performances until the oversight can be resolved. It is such a sharp contrast to the attacking talent available to Klopp who can select from Salah, Gakpo, Jota, Diaz, and Nunez.

It will require a battling West Ham performance to take anything from the game. We know that Moyes team are organised, disciplined, and resilient these days – and that they rarely fold like West Ham teams of old. However, they have yet to keep a clean sheet this season and will likely need to get on the scoresheet themselves in order to get a result. Can they do it? I’m hoping so provided the Anfield VAR behaves itself. A game with honours shared, I think. COYI!

Hammers Have Hope In Their Hearts For Annual Anfield Altercation

Will the dreams be tossed and blown or will they fade and die as West Ham make the annual pointless trip up north to play Liverpool

According to popular wisdom: “it is better to travel in hope than to arrive”. That has certainly been the case for West Ham visits to Liverpool in the past. A contest that has seen the visitors accumulate a paltry three away wins in ninety-nine years of competition. Recent experience provides no greater comfort with a run of five straight defeats since the Hammers last came away with a point in December 2016. Famously, a 50+ year hoodoo had been broken the previous season – but that was not to be start of a new era and the fixture continues to carry the hallmarks of a contractual obligation.

The ‘travel in hope’ quotation is said to have been coined by by Robert Louis Stevenson. Quite appropriate then that it would require a monstrous Jekyll and Hyde type transformation from last weekend’s respective performances for the visitors to improve on their sad record.

Following Liverpool’s stuttering start to the season, where their problem has been far too many drawn games, it was a shock to see them stifle and defeat a free-scoring Manchester City side, who I had earmarked as potential Invincibles material. Perhaps they were fortunate that Haaland had gone ‘off the boil’ by extending his goal drought to a whole match! Still it was a far more energetic and purposeful performance by the hosts in which the only straw clutching hope is that it may have taken a lot out of them – and resulted in one or two more injuries.

True to form, VAR once again found itself at the centre of attention when it went into overdrive to disallow what might heve been Manchester City’s opener. Had Haaland pulled Fabinho’s force with sufficient grippage (is that a word?) ; did Haaland subsequently kick the ball out of Alissons hands; if not, should that have constituted a new phase of play; does anyone understand the rules; do they make them up as they go along? Suffice to say, we shouldn’t expect any favours from the VAR team this evening.

As for the Hammers, it was a case of two points dropped at St Marys Stadium on Sunday. The absence of four recognised central defenders from the West Ham line-up set the scene for the game with David Moyes opting for an unusual all-full-back back three of Ben Johnson, Thilo Kehrer, and Aaron Cresswell. As I have written before, my aversion to playing three at the back is not that it is negative, but because there’s no-one in the squad capable of playing effectively as wing-backs. Vladimir Coufal and Emerson went on to prove that point perfectly. Sad to see that Coufal received abuse on social media. Whatever the shortcomings or poor form of various players, I don’t see any that are not giving 100%.

The makeshift defence started like a group of strangers and although understanding steadily improved, the Hammers found themselves a goal down by then. It was a goal conceded in bizarre circumstances when hapless referee, Peter Bankes, body checked Jarrod Bowen to present Perraud with a shooting opportunity. Bankes, and his VAR minder, would later go on to miss a penalty area judo throw on Tomas Soucek – the type of challenge that was penalised at every other ground over the weekend.

If the starting line-up that Moyes opted for could be seen as understandable in the circumstances, his substitutions were once more beyond perplexing. His team had been well on top for most of the game. Possession, goal attempts and corner kicks were off the scale, and Southampton had given up any pretence of trying to score. Only one team were capable of going on to win the game. Surely, time to give it a real go – an opportunity to see Giancarlo Scamacca and Michail Antonio terrorise the Saints defence for the final ten or fifteen minutes? But no, that’s just what they would have expected us to do. Far better to take off your biggest goal threats and tamely play out the remaining minutes to bank the point. A lovely goal by Declan Rice, by the way!

This week’s episode of Centre Back Crisis season 2 is the subject of conflicting reports. Wishful thinking says that at least one of Kurt Zouma and Craig Dawson should be available to play, while past performance indicates that recoveries always take longer than anticipated from the West Ham sickbay. It’s good news that Nayef Aguerd is nearing first team action and it can’t come soon enough. Relying on the ageing bodies of Dawson and Angelo Ogbonna in a packed programme of fixtures is never going to end well.

Even in perfect conditions, a trip to Anfield is a daunting task for West Ham. Having to play the same defence that took the field at Southampton would bring the pessimism level down several more notches. A silver lining is that Liverpool have their own injury problems, except they are still able to throw the combined talents of Salah, Firmino and Nunez at our depleted defences. The confirmed team news will be viewed with interest. If Antonio is preferred to Scamacca it will be obvious what sort of evening we are in for. An ultra-low block with hopeful punts up-field as the one and only outlet.

Perhaps Moyes will pull a surprise for once. But his record and deference against the ‘big six’ is well known. Over the past two seasons of relative West Ham success, his teams have lost sixteen of twenty-four games played against the ‘elite’. Away from home the record is poor in the extreme: played twelve, won none, drawn one, and lost eleven. Only Manuel Lanzini’s very last minute strike at Tottenham preventing an outright whitewash.

In the interests of travelling hopefully though, perhaps there’s an outside chance we can escape with a point. COYI!

Double Trouble: West Ham Facing Daunting Trips To Liverpool And Sevilla. How Will They Fare?

Following FA Cup elimination, West Ham now face two crucial games in a week to determine if they can continue fighting on two fronts for Premier League and Europa League glory

A week is a long time in football, especially one that will have such a defining effect on the entire season. The West Ham’s week started with the high of a win against Wolves, sunk to the low of defeat in the FA Cup at Southampton, and must now rise to the challenge of a game where, historically, we rarely come away with anything more than a ticket stub and an empty pie wrapper.

The decision by David Moyes to change formation to a back three with wing backs worked well against Wolves. It drew a much better performance from of the team and brought back a touch of the swagger that had gone missing. It was surprising how many decent chances were created against what is one of the meanest defences in the league. And to cap it off there was a fine man-of-the-match performance from Kurt Zouma to enjoy.

I do wonder, though, what might have happened had Wolves started with their strongest side and shown greater adventure. It was the strangest decision from Bruno Lage to leave all of Jimenez, Podence, and Neto on the bench for so long.

When the starting lineups were announced at St Marys it appeared history might be repeating itself in a matter of a few days. Ralph Hasenhüttl opting to field a second string while David Moyes selected nine of the eleven that had played most of the game three days earlier. It can’t have gone unnoticed that the Saints have far greater squad depth than us.

Ultimately, for the second time this season, a Southampton victory hinged on the eccentric interpretation of tussles taking place between Craig Dawson and Armando Broja inside and outside the area. On each occasions the outcome was Ward-Prowse blasting home emphatically from the spot. Disappointingly, the FA Cup years-of-hurt clock will now tick over to 43. A shame the FA don’t take a leaf out of the UEFA book and allow defeated clubs to drop down into the FA Trophy. I could fancy our chances against Needham Market in the last eight.

In the six meetings at Anfield since the Dmitri Payet inspired win in 2015 – the game that ended a 52-year drought – the Hammers have reverted meekly to type, losing (the last) four and drawing the other two. It would take something really special to disrupt that new sequence today. We are habitually reminded that Moyes has never managed a team to victory at Anfield, from seventeen previous attempts. Another record that will need to be shattered if West Ham are to register a season win double over the Merseysiders this evening.

I consider the win over Liverpool at the London Stadium in November as the Hammers finest performance of the season. Sadly, the international break intervened, and the same heights were never reached again. In previewing that game, I mentioned a grudging respect for Jurgen Klopp, but he lost me that day revealing himself as a poor and ungracious loser. Just because they missed out on a club record unbeaten run. Fortunately for him, his side have lost just one league game since.

There is little need for debate over the Hammer’s line-up. The team pretty much picks itself. Not the result of outstanding performances all round, but due to the absence of realistic alternatives. If there is to be a debate, it is whether Moyes will stick with the same formation that won at Wolves. The team did look better balanced, but we really don’t have the personnel capable of excelling in the wing-back roles. Normally, they are the ones meant to be the providing attacking width and getting behind the opposition defence. Ben Johnson is a fine defender who has the energy to get forward, but he lacks the composure to deliver when he gets there. Pablo Fornals works as hard as anyone and can show great vision with his passing, just not often enough. But he is not a wing-back and is not strong on his left foot. Square pegs in round holes.

There is a chance, I suppose, that Moyes will rest a few today with the Thrilla in Sevilla looming on the horizon. It would be a surprise to me, but it is possible. As things stand the likes of Nikola Vlasic, Alex Kral, Andriy Yarmolenko are best left on the bench. With Said Benrahma still sitting on the naughty step after last week’s outburst.

Liverpool have a few injury problems of their own and may be without Firmino, Matip, Thiago, Keita, and Jones. It is a strong squad, though, and they have plenty of attacking options to pick from: Salah, Jota, Diaz, Mane, and Origi. Read that and weep, Moysie.

The Hammers are hardly likely to register on the Oracle Cloud Win Probability for this one. The only glimmer of hope is that Liverpool won’t be sitting back and expecting us to break them down. Our twin threats of counter-attacking goals and set-pieces could cause Liverpool concerns, as they did at the London Stadium. But the game will be more about keeping Liverpool quiet and keeping their full backs occupied at the back. That will be the key to any success. COYI!

West Ham are facing Liverpool at Anfield on Halloween. Can we expect trick or treat?

It doesn’t come much tougher does it? Liverpool, the reigning premier League Champions, who in the season that ended a little over three months ago, finished 18 points clear of Manchester City, who themselves were 15 points ahead of third placed Manchester United, are unbeatable aren’t they? Just a few days ago they were made to work hard but completed a comeback win against Sheffield United to extend their unbeaten Premier League run at Anfield to 62 games, so what chance do we have? They were also not at their best against FC Midtjylland, the Danish champions, in their Champions League game in midweek and could easily have conceded an equaliser before wrapping up the win in time added on. And who can forget the 7-2 drubbing they took at Aston Villa? But as the 62 game unbeaten run shows, at Anfield they are exceptionally hard to beat.

As West Ham fans we know this only too well – we couldn’t manage it from September 1963 (at about the time Gerry and the Pacemakers were recording their soon to be number one – You’ll Never Walk Alone) right through to the end of August 2015 until we thumped them 3-0 on their ground in front of a shocked home crowd, with goals from Lanzini, Noble and Sakho. Despite only having 33% possession (not untypical at Anfield) we matched them in all areas that day and displayed excellent counter attacking, and fully deserved our victory. Slaven Bilic came out with an excellent quote after the game “we parked the bus, but we didn’t put the handbrake on”. We even did the double over them that season with a 2-0 win in the return fixture at Upton Park with goals from Antonio and Carroll.

Do you remember the game there in February last season? When Wijnaldum scored the opening goal in the first ten minutes it seemed that we would be in for a long night, but Diop equalised within a couple of minutes, and we held on for 1-1 at half time. Fornals replaced Soucek early in the second half and hadn’t been on the field long when he put us into the lead. Unfortunately Fabianski chose this game to be probably his worst in our goal, and was badly at fault as Salah and then Mane scored to clinch a 3-2 home win.

2019-20 was a strange season of course due to the lockdown because of the pandemic, which meant that the last game was played a full 50 weeks after the first, the longest Premier League season ever. It was a strange season for West Ham too, with a very good beginning and end but with a lengthy poor spell in between. There was a certain symmetry in the campaign with us picking up 12 points in the first seven games (W3, D3, L1), and 12 points in the last seven games (W3, D3, L1). If only we could have maintained a similar record in the 24 games in between where we only amassed 15 points (W4,D3, L17)! An average of 12 points every 7 games would equate to 65 points in a whole season. That would have been good enough for a fifth placed finish last season. We’re not at that point yet but that is the level of consistency we must be aiming for.

The match at Anfield is our seventh of this new season, and with 8 points so far we will be unable to match the 12 points that we had after 7 matches last time, even if we do win the game. Nevertheless, I maintain that the start to this campaign is greatly superior to the last in view of the opposition we have faced. Not only has the quality of our football been a massive improvement, but the confidence and belief is evident for all to see, and much credit must go to our manager and coaching staff for the effect they have had in turning around the club.

We all knew that it would be a difficult start when we saw the fixtures schedule. But I wonder how many of us looked at those opening seven games and worked out how many points we picked up in the equivalent fixtures last season? How many points do you think we collected from home games against Newcastle, Wolves and Manchester City, and away trips to Arsenal, Leicester, Tottenham and Liverpool? Those seven games yielded zero points, in which we scored five times and conceded 20. With Liverpool to come we are already 8 points better off than we were last time when matching up the equivalent fixtures with 12 goals scored and 8 against. Even if we only picked up similar points to last season in the other games, we would finish with 47 points. But I expect much more than that, and a top half finish.

But to achieve that we need to avoid injuries to the key players in our squad, which is a little thin in some areas. Michail Antonio has probably been the most in-form striker in the whole of the Premier League since football resumed after the lockdown, and his importance to West Ham, and the playing system that has evolved this season, is massive. He is a crucial cog in the system and the team. As an example, there was a massive difference in the performance of the team when he had to go off against Manchester City to be replaced by Haller. Haller is not a bad player, but he just doesn’t fit into the system we play, and arguably never has in his time with us. As Antonio is unable to play then we need to replace him with someone of a similar type, but we haven’t got anybody like that. The alternative will be to adopt a new approach and jettison the system that has been so successful so far.

Perhaps we might consider 4-4-2 with similar personnel? That system would have drawbacks of course. A back four of Coufal, Balbuena, Ogbonna, and Cresswell in front of Fabianski. A midfield 4 of Soucek, Rice, Fornals and Masuaku, with Haller and Bowen up front? Or perhaps a place for Lanzini, Yarmolenko or Snodgrass or maybe even Benrahma if they believe he is ready? What about Noble or Coventry? Possibly even adopting what they call the false 9 with no traditional strikers, and flooding the midfield with 6 players and excluding Haller from the starting eleven?

Do we need extra pace at the back? Almost certainly yes, but would Fredericks, Diop or Dawson get a look in? Or even Ashby who is considered to be a great prospect? Perhaps Diop’s pace would be an alternative to Balbuena? Balbuena hasn’t done too much wrong in his return to the team due to Diop’s self-isolation, but speed could be important when facing Liverpool’s attack. However, I doubt that Moyes will tinker with the players at the back, but who knows? It’s all speculation but we shouldn’t go to Anfield to roll over. We must take this new found confidence and belief into the game and give it a go. Wouldn’t it be great to come away extending our unbeaten league run to five games? It will be difficult but Liverpool themselves have their injury concerns over a number of players and certainly miss Van Dijk at the back. It’s a real shame that Antonio is not available to exploit this.

Unsurprisingly, the bookmakers don’t think we have much chance and quote odds of around 7/1 for us to pick up three points. Even the draw at 4/1 is a long shot. But our draw against Manchester City last weekend ruined many accumulators. Can we do it again? In this season of surprise results I am hoping for another one.

Hamstrings and Shoestrings: Chances Of A West Ham Upset At Liverpool Torn Apart By Antonio Injury

It didn’t need Mystic Meg to predict that there would be injuries at West Ham, making the usual short-sighted penny pinching by the Board all the more unpalatable.

We all knew it was going to happen, it was only a case of just when. Still, the reports that Michail Antonio could be out for anywhere up to 4 or 6 weeks have come as an unwelcome blow, as West Ham prepare for their annual outing to Anfield. And potentially it will be an even more significant blow in the run of easier games that follow the Liverpool one.

It had taken a while, but David Moyes hit upon a system that worked for him and suited the players available. A hard-working, disciplined, compact unit, capable of quick counterattacking – a system that made best use of what there was to work with, and compensated for its deficiencies. In the recent run of games, it had proved both effective and entertaining.

That system, though, relies heavily on a strong, athletic, mobile, and pacey presence upfront. In the past it had been Arnautovic, now it is Antonio. Very few would be inclined to describe Sebastien Haller in similar terms. But with the Board failing to spend the money required to recruit a suitable backup (to a problem that anyone could have predicted) there are limited options in a shoestring squad. The lack of ambition/ intelligence/ interest/ investment/ foresight/ self-awareness (*delete as applicable) strikes again.

It is fair to say that Haller has (to date) represented poor value for money at West Ham. The poisoned chalice of disappointment that goes with being the clubs record signing is in safe hands, just as it had with Felipe Anderson before him. Whether the fault lies with the players or is a consequence of absurd random recruitment practices is one to debate. It is easy to argue that neither Haller nor Anderson looks particularly interested in a West Ham shirt but a large part of the problem could be not being suited to English football or the style of football being played.

In the case of Haller, it is clear that to thrive he needs someone to play alongside him – and to receive more crosses into the box. Without reverting to a back four (and the defensive vulnerabilities that would involved) it is difficult to see how the team can be set up to provide that support. Whether such a one-dimensional player is worth £40-odd million is a valid question to ask, though.

Some suggest that Andriy Yarmolenko would be a better option, but I don’t see it myself – certainly not if his (almost) disastrous cameo last weekend is anything to go by. And pushing Jarrod Bowen further forward is not only ineffective, but weakens the team elsewhere. It is a side that needs to work tirelessly when we don’t have the ball – which is almost 60% of the time – and Bowen provides a vital contribution in that endeavour.

With Moyes prioritising a clean sheet over goals scored, I believe he will go with a straight Haller for Antonio swap – it’s as near like-for-like as it gets. The out-ball will be the problem, though, and the Hammers will need to find different options for keeping the ball when they win it. Could that be Said Behrama? Possibly, but would be unlike Moyes to be make such an adventurous a move.

Elsewhere, I might be tempted to bring in Issa Diop for Fabian Balbuena. Not that the latter has done much wrong in recent games but because Diop may handle the pace of the Liverpool front three and provide cover for the threat from the Liverpool full-backs better.

The long term absence of Van Dyke’s quality is a massive blow to the home side’s hopes of retaining the title – but the Antonio absence makes their job far more straightforward this weekend – even if other injuries mean they are struggling to find two specialist centre-backs. They have far greater depth than we do.

There is a Pavlovian response among a section of West Ham supporters to detest anything and everything to do with Liverpool (Football Club). Personally, I don’t get that. They are just another north-west club who beats us on a regular basis. They were worthy champions last season, by some distance, and have an excellent manager in Jurgen Klopp. It is a side very much in his image.

Their US owners are, however, one of the leading protagonists in the Big Picture money and power grab that has recently been exposed. It is yet another nail in the coffin of the ordinary matchday supporter in the search for an even greater share of the TV revenues. The move towards a European super league has been brewing for some time and the proposals to organise it as a closed shop illustrate perfectly why sport and business are uncomfortable bedfellows. I have long believed that European games will eventually be switched to weekends to capture a bigger worldwide TV audience.

Personally, I would say let them have their super league, provided that resigning from domestic competition is a condition of the breakaway circus. Of course, that isn’t what they want. They want cake, to eat it and then have a second helping – with B teams competing in the lower tiers of the pyramid. More games for their customers to enjoy!

An oddity from last weekend’s hard-earned point at home to Manchester City was how little was made of the penalty incident where Garcia challenged Antonio in the area, completely missed the ball and sent the striker sprawling. Not worthy of VAR review apparently, whereas had it occurred at the other end, we would have been seeing it on repeat from every angle. In fact, anywhere else on the pitch and a foul would have been given. Isn’t this what VAR is meant to be for? Clear and obvious situations where the referee was poorly positioned to make penalty calls – rather than analysing offsides to the nearest millimetre.

Add in Gundogan escaping a yellow card for his cynical attempted foul on Declan Rice and it makes you wonder, doesn’t it? I’ve never understood why a professional foul should dealt with differently depending on where on the pitch it occurs. Hardly a match goes by without someone ‘taking one for the team.’ It is revered in the pundit fraternity as some kind of heroic or selfless act rather than the intentional cheating tactic it has become. Time it was dealt with more harshly – a 10-minute stint in the sin bin, perhaps.

Talking of TV coverage, why do commentators continue to talk about players scoring in front of The Kop or the Stretford End when the stadiums are completely empty? It all seems rather pointless in the circumstances!

If West Ham are to extend their unbeaten run to five games it will require all the resilience shown in the Man City performance, another slice of the good fortune experienced at Tottenham and for VAR to be on its best behaviour. If each of those can be mysteriously aligned, there could be a point in it for us. On the other hand …….

The Incapables take on the Invincibles in the Monday night match. West Ham expectations are at an all-time low.

As West Ham visit Anfield for their annual charity giveaway, the big talking point is whether the Hammers will produce a shot on target

When Arsenal embarked on their famous ‘Invincibles’ season in 2003/04, West Ham were taking one of their regular sabbaticals in the Championship – and, thus, unable to put a spoke in the celebratory wheel. With Liverpool now looking a great good bet to emulate Arsenal’s feat, the Hammer’s have a final opportunity to make something of their season by snatching victory and becoming the ultimate party poopers. As long shots go though, this is a lob from well inside your own half.

Coming off the back of the latest disappointing and uncontested defeat to Manchester City, the instinct is to write off this match, get it out of the way with as little damage as possible to the goal difference. Without doubt, the performance at the Etihad was painful, but those supporters seemingly remembering a time when West Ham could come away from any game with an against the odds victory may have their nostalgia filter set too high – maybe the occasional home win against a title chaser but rarely on the road – and even more rarely in the north-west. A quick reminder that the Hammers have recorded just one victory at Anfield since the mid-1960’s puts tonight’s game into context – and in some of those games we even had a decent team.

It is no stretch of the imagination to believe that tonight’s game will pan out in a similar way to last Wednesdays. We have little to offer in terms of competition to a relentless and ruthless Liverpool side that has only dropped two points all season. Not that this should be an excuse to throw in the towel before a ball has been kicked. We can accept and forgive heroic failure but not unconditional surrender.

David Moyes is doing himself no favours if he wants to earn any supporter sympathy. It is one thing to park the bus, it is yet another to abandon it and set it ablaze. Being content to concede possession is fine, if it provides an opportunity to hurt your opponent on the break – not so smart if you simply give the ball straight back whenever you gain possession. A gulf in class can be understood and tolerated, but it is still 11 against 11 and a team should never appear out-numbered – as West Ham so frequently do. Sadly, a collective lack of pace, and an absence of belief or commitment in individual players will likely prove our downfall once again – both tonight and possibly in the months to come.

It is easy to cherry pick statistics to prove a particular point but if you ignore the promising start to the season (11 points from the first 6 games) it gives you a return of just 13 points from the last 20 league outings – relegation form in any season. It is all well and good having a run of winnable games on paper to end the season with, but the points still need to be won. Right now, it is not obvious how that is going to happen.

The good news from the weekend was an almost clean losing sweep for our relegation rivals with only Brighton (on the fringes anyway) picking up a point. With Norwich looking a lost cause, there remains a chance that two of Watford, Villa and Bournemouth will continue to struggle and save us from the drop. Watford and Villa were well beaten while Bournemouth fell to a VAR inspired defeat at Burnley – VAR at its finest in turning an apparent equaliser into a penalty at the other end. Not something that would ever happen to Liverpool.

Roly-poly referee, Jonathan Moss from West Yorkshire, will once again be on hand to ensure that most of the decisions go the host’s way. VAR responsibility, for picking up accidental handballs and offside shin pads while ignoring stamping assaults, will fall to Lee Mason. What a farce VAR has become, but at least it gives the commentators something to talk about.

TV pundits, Lawro and Charlie Nicholas, have both opted for a conservative 2-0 home win. The logic, I suppose, is that Liverpool will want to do just enough to ensure victory before calling it a day – game management as it’s known in common parlance. I don’t suppose there is any chance of Liverpool being complacent or over-confident?

It would nice to think that Moyes and his Hammers will make a game of it and give the long-suffering travelling support something to cheer. We did, at least, create a number of chances in the reverse fixture last month, despite being easily outplayed. Perhaps a combination of Michail Antonio and Jarrod Bowen in the most advanced players can ask a few questions of the Liverpool defence. Perhaps we will abandon the zonal defensive system that has left us so vulnerable from set pieces. Perhaps we won’t line-up as the slowest team in the league. Perhaps there might be a rare start for Pablo Fornals. Who knows what goes through a manager’s mind?

I heard a story many years ago about when Joe Louis was due to fight Max Schmeling for the world heavyweight boxing title in 1936. Louis was red-hot favourite and every newspaper correspondent except one tipped him to win. The dissenting voice figured that if Louis won no-one would be interested to remember his tip, but if Schmeling won (which he did) he would be able to dine out on it for years to come. On that basis, I am predicting West Ham to win 1-0 tonight – with a late Liverpool equaliser ruled out by VAR causing Jurgen Klopp to spontaneously combust.

COYI.