West Ham 3-1 Liverpool: 5 talking points

Another weekend and another gentle reminder why the Premier League is the most beloved league in the world. The ultra-competitive nature was on full show in the late kick-off on Saturday as West Ham ripped apart Liverpool 3-1 at Upton Park.The Londoners, under Big Sam, provided us with a brand of football that not many had imagined they were capable of producing; outplaying Liverpool in their own type of football.Here are the five biggest talking points from the game.

#1 West Ham surprisingly played better football

West Ham were deserved winners yesterday.

Sam Allardyce and his team have always been associated with route one football and using brute physical strengths of his teams to the upmost to beat oppositions. So, when anyone sees the scoreline without having seen the contest, he would be forgiven to think that Liverpool were bullied out of the game.

However, the game was far from that. West Ham played an effective brand of football that was, for once, pleasing on the eye as well. The Hammers put down the hammer early on in the game pulling away with a two goal lead as Liverpool looked stunned by West Ham’s display of pace combined with intricate passing and movement.

When Liverpool looked to find their way back into the game, they were met with a team that was well oiled in its defensive duties and equally potent on the counter.

#2 The battle was decided in midfield

Liverpool midfielders were not given a moment’s respite during the whole game.

The place where Liverpool really lost the game was in the midfield. The starting trio of Steven Gerrard, Jordan Henderson and Lucas Leiva were never really afforded much time on the ball during the whole of the contest and thus failed to produce any real note-worthy chances throughout the game.

Pressure exerted by West Ham’s central midfielder denied Gerrand an co. to string any decisive sequence of passes as West Ham pressed high and pressed efficiently to disrupt Liverpool in their passing game. Gerrard (82%), Henderson (83%) and Lucas (81%) and Lallana averaged for a paltry 84% pass completion rate and only 3 chances created across the whole game.

Their balls into the final third were especially atrocious. Even the introduction of Adam Lallana didn’t quite have the effect Brendan Rodgers had hoped for with the England international having only a handful of touches in the game.

Liverpool’s passing was particularly bad in the final third.

With none of the three having the ability to take on a player and beat them with their dribbling and skills, it made for some dour football from Liverpool in the centre of the park. While West Ham’s midfield trio of Song, Noble and Downing weren’t exactly stellar in the passing department, they were miles ahead in every other department.

Downing’s pace and nifty feet helped West Ham establish them on the counter. Their robust nature accounted for 67% success on their tackles, while Liverpool had a dismal 38% success while making tackles.

Another decisive factor was that even though West Ham had completed only 81% of their passes from the centre of the field, they made it count when it came to delivering in the final third. The men in claret and blue created 6 chances to keep Liverpool’s defence on their toes.

#3 West Hams new recruits looked better than Liverpools signings

Cheikhou Kouyate’s strong running had Liverpool’s defence on the back-foot all night long.

West Ham’s side look a totally transformed one from last season. 5 of the 11 were all new recruits and seemed to have bedded into Sam Allardyce’s scheme of things quite nicely. The front three of Enner Valencia, Diafra Sakho and Chiekhou Kouyate look not only menacing going forward but also have the mindset to help the team out while not in possession.

The front three were all over the park in this game and that is, in a good way. They made three interceptions and four clearances, whenever the Hammers sensed danger.

West Hame forward three were all over the pitch.

Meanwhile, the same can’t be said of Liverpool’s new names. Mario Balotelli showed flashes of brilliance, especially with the way he brought down the ball that lead to the goal. But, Reid and Tomkins had him reasonably tied down for most parts of the game.

Lovren, however, still looks a little shaky at the back and Manquillo too looks like he will need some time to truly bed in to the Premier League. Meanwhile, even Moreno who has looked sprightly in his first couple of games failed to get going in this one.

#4 Liverpool and Brendan Rodgers need results fast

Brendan Rodgers needs to deliver soon, again.

Liverpool had exceeded all expectations last season. This season, they are falling well short of even meeting them. The Reds might have lost Luis Suarez, but they have strengthened in every department, including getting the enigmatic forward Mario Ballotelli to replace the now departed Uruguayan.

However, the new boys are yet to start firing on all cylinders. In fact, they are yet to show why Liverpool shelled so much money to bring them in at the start of the season.

That is a big reason why that the Scousers now see themselves languishing in 10th spot after the first 5 games of the season, already 6 points adrift of the leaders.

Liverpool came into the season as one of the favourites for the title but five games in and they have already lost three. In the last four seasons of the Premier League, the champions on an average have lost only 5 games in a season. Now, that affords Liverpool a slip up in only 2 of their next 33 games. This title challenge might be over before it even begun.

#5 Liverpool lacks that oomph going forward

Liverpool don’t seem to have that vigour going forward this season.

One of the biggest factors of Liverpool’s title challenge last season was their prowess while going forward. This made them a delight for viewing even for the neutrals. It was not only the intricate passing and movement, but also the ability of their players to take on the defender and beat them for either pace or just tie them in knots with their trickery.

The team that took to the field yesterday didn’t possess any of that quality, except maybe Raheem Sterling. Only the England international looked like the person who could really torment the opposition. There was no Suarez of course, but with Coutinho and Sturridge also missing, the Reds lacked that dimension going forward. Even against lowly Bulgarian side Ludogorets in the Champions League, Liverpool looked out of ideas when in possession.

While many may point to their defence and lack of power at the centre of the park, it was their capability of hitting teams with purpose that kept the opposition pegged back last season. Liverpool were equally capable of scoring goals from stagnant play as well as on the counter.

With that Liverpool incapable of shifting to that gear, it played into West Ham’s hand as the Londoners looked more potent on the break while not having much to worry about while defending.