West Ham 0, Liverpool 2 – Match Recap: Change Is Gonna Come?

WEST HAM 0 – 2 LIVERPOOL

Liverpool: Isak 60’, Gakpo 90+2’

Pre-Match

Morale has been at an all time low – not just at TLO Towers but amongst a large swathe of LFC fans. We’ve lost 9 of our last 12 matches, and could very well make it 10 today. Liverpool have traveled to the London Stadium to face West Ham, who at least have had a draw in their last five matches, unlike us. So much talk has been made throughout the week of whether Arne should get sacked, what can be done to help this drowning side, and what should be done. The unfortunate fact is that as fans, these performances are the only way to judge what is going on. There’s been changes to the lineup, with Mohamed Salah on the bench, Joe Gomez starting in defense, Florian Wirtz back from injury, and Alisson back between the sticks, but will it be enough?

First Half

The day starts with a tribute and moment of applause for Billy Bonds, West Ham’s former captain, defender, midfielder, coach, manager and record-appearance holder, who passed away this morning. We get underway and Liverpool take possession early on but give it away just as quickly, but Wirtz works to unsettle them and is rewarded by a misplaced pass ending in a goal kick. We actually get into the other end of the park, with Wirtz taking over for Salah on the right side and moving through defenders, crossing over towards Gakpo who dummies it to Isak but the shot goes high. It is better than we’ve seen in the last however long, and we’re only five minutes in.

Alisson is really tested for the first time around the 11th minute, as the Hammers are able to push through our midfield and Wan Bissaka picks up a pass and smokes Kerkez, but his cross towards goal is just barely batted away even with Gomez running right into Alisson as he’s outstretched. West Ham are getting more brave heading towards goal and Liverpool haven’t been able to respond until the last second. Callum Wilson finds ages of space in the final third and it takes three of our four defenders to shut him down and they still win a corner that thankfully doesn’t go anywhere in the 18th minute. If we’re not careful and focused, they might just score first again and really break us. We have a massive opportunity as Gomez gets forward and passes towards Gakpo who heads it to Isak, with Isak actually getting a good chance but his shot is saved by Areola. If Gomez can keep playing like that we might stand a chance.

Surprisingly (or not) we’ve had some shots on target and most of the possession, so there is a hopeful feeling in watching the Reds. Don’t quote me on that, as West Ham get back into our area, but are thankfully shut down once more. Wirtz has been much better than when he’s been buried in the midfield, and Liverpool have been able to be seemingly more productive in the final third, we’ve just had more unlucky bounces than lucky. There are some much brighter spots within this team than there have been, that’s for sure. Funny how that works, when we have some space to move. Virgil van Dijk goes down after Wilson’s arm catches him in the throat and it does win us some possession once again, even getting so far as right in front of goal. Gakpo picks up a pass and lays it off to Wirtz, but his shot isn’t powerful enough and Areola saves it easily. It appears we might be having a day where the goalkeeper is having the match of his life despite our best efforts, as Areola makes another save off of a Gomez cross inside. There is only one minute added to the half, but going into the break scoreless might be a nice reprieve for the Reds as opposed to behind.

Second Half

We come out for the second half without any changes made, and get underway but Kerkez goes down to briefly pause the restart. Things get going again and once again Gakpo shoots at the sky, but at least it’s on target? Surprising that we went a full half without mentioning that Salah is on the bench and now that we’re still scoreless I guess the commentators have noticed. These opening five minutes of the half have been uneventful outside of Gakpo’s shot, so they have to find something, I suppose.

West Ham win a corner in the 54th minute and though it goes well into the scrum, Gakpo gets it away and out for a throw. The hosts are winning yet another set piece, with another corner, that they take short and Konate blocks an effort, that goes out for – you guessed it – another corner. These moments are the most dangerous for Liverpool but this last one they actually get into the middle of the park to break the set piece chain. We are back to struggling to maintain possession though and even Paqueta takes a shot from midfield that gets dangerously close to goal but not quite on target. Gomez and Wirtz have been a nice link up on the other end of things, with Wirtz getting into the third again. IT FINALLY HAPPENS! ALEXANDER ISAK SCORES FOR LIVERPOOL AND WE ARE LEADING! Wirtz finds Gakpo who finds Isak standing in front of goal and the expensive striker finally sends it into the back of the net and thankfully, Liverpool have the advantage.

West Ham get the first yellow card of the match after Magassa tackles Szoboszlai in the middle of the park. Nuno also looks to make the first change of the match, bringing on Guilherme for the carded Magassa, as Slot also makes a change to take off Isak and bring on Ekitike. Maybe our young and wild Frenchman will score to make it two and put some healing salve on our hurting hearts. Liverpool get back on the offensive in the 71st minute, trying to find a way around West Ham. Slot makes another change, bringing on Curtis Jones for Wirtz, who has been an impressive piece of the machine today. Ekitike takes a shot not long after fed by Jones, but it goes just barely wide. The good news is that West Ham haven’t had a single shot on target, so we’ve been doing something right. A second goal for Liverpool would go a long way in these fifteen or so minutes, not least of all to put our goal differential in the positives rather than the negatives. The best thing has been that Paqueta gets sent off for two yellow cards in succession for dissenting with the ref visibly and loudly – even after coming back from suspension and taking his sweet time coming off the pitch. Now West Ham are down to 10, making them slightly more dangerous, and us slightly more vulnerable. Like clockwork, West Ham get into the box and Liverpool are unable to shut them down, but thankfully Jarrod Bowen’s desperate shot goes over.

There are five added minutes to the end of this half thanks to Paqueta’s passionate arguing with the officials, and it is all down to Liverpool to protect that narrow lead. We finally get into the West Ham area and GAKPO GETS ONE IN! The Dutchman turns right in front of Areola and shoots right into the net, and thankfully, that puts it to bed.

Final Thoughts

WE FINALLY DID THE THING. Slot’s changes were indeed advantageous, with Joe Gomez and Florian Wirtz two of the best players on the pitch on Sunday, and we can all start this week with a little bit more hope.