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Reality Bites-Pellegrini "We Must Improve" Following Anfield Loss

nevillenixon's picture
Submitted by nevillenixon on Sun, 12/08/2018 - 18:19

An opening fixture at Anfield was hardly a barometer to judge early progress but Hammers have lost more top flight games against Liverpool than any other side and despite spending around £100m on new recruits this was always going to be a difficult match. Pellegrini used five of his new players Fabianski, Ryan Fredericks, Balbuena, Felipe Anderson and Jack Wilshere from the start, Wilshere was isolated in attack, failing to touch the ball in the Liverpool penalty area, and Anderson was withdrawn in the second half after running out of puff.

Mohamed Salah nudged in a 19th minute opener from an Andy Robertson's cross, the home side then doubled their lead when Sadio Mane turned in James Milner's cross after being left unmarked six yards from goal. It took Hammers half an hour to create any sort of chance as they struggled against a free flowing Liverpool whose new goalkeeper Alisson, signed for £66.8m from Roma in the summer, comfortably saved a Fabian Balbuena header which was one of only two efforts on target for the West Ham.

Mane added his second and Liverpool's third early in the second half despite being clearly off side, VAR where are you when needed? but the flag stayed down and he drilled his effort past Lukasz Fabianski. Substitute Daniel Sturridge completed Hammers' misery by scoring with his first touch seconds after coming on, to ensure Liverpool recorded an emphatic victory

The arrival of new manager Manuel Pellegrini and 10 summer signings was supposed to bring renewed optimism as the Chilean has promised a return to attacking football, but Rome wasn't built in a day and obviously West Ham are a work in progress, one thing for certain is Liverpool won't have such an easy time in the return fixture. Pellegrini was sanguine in his match appraisal, "We Must Improve", says it all really! - Ed

We'll post a warts and all revue of the match after getting the sound of the Sky commentators out of our collective minds.

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Comments

boogerscaravan's picture

Don't panic Mr Mainwaring. First game away from home. Probably the worst start we could have had either Citeh or the Poo. Judge us at home against Bournemouth. Players still knackered from the World Cup (although not many). All to easy to get out of your prams and slate shiz. Yes, not happy but expected as much, if we fail and are crap against the cherries then yes, we can start having a go - but not yet. One thing I did pick up on was Masuaku, not happy in a back 4 - is snuffed out with someone (Anderson) in front of him. But early days and can see a 4-0 victory on the horizon Wilshere was imense never stopped all game.........Boogerscaravan news at 10 - cup half full - I thank you!!!

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100 users have voted.
Dartford Bhoy's picture

Away at the bin dippers or Citeh is no judge of how the season will unfold. Pell must learn from this. I see or rather hear Allardyce is now putting the knife in for Pell :o(

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118 users have voted.
moore 6 legend's picture

On a positive note,175 mil spent by poo,and they could only stick 4 past us,so they didn't improve on last season did they ;) COYI

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125 users have voted.
asheshammer's picture

I thought we ordered the self-driving, 8-cylinder, dynamic transmission, solid chassis, white-walled, Italian designed sports car, but I'd swear I was looking at Alan Curbishley's brown Volvo ...

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106 users have voted.

I have put in a previous post that we shouldnt worry,it was a hard first game,but on reflection,sticking 4 past us, and us not making any threat in front if goal,was rather poor,2 nil wouldnt of been as bad but still a loss.We really didnt have the upper hand at any part of the game,now the tell tale sign will be if we get spanked at home to bournemouth,if that happens,then this club must be jinxed,there is no other explanation.

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130 users have voted.

Liverpool are cheats . They are praised for their “pressing” game, which is basically , running full pelt into the player with the ball . They don’t always get penalised for this , but the player is usually disposessed. At worst they are penalised for a niggly foul , at best they get the ball unpunished. It is systematic, intentional, cheating

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147 users have voted.

Personally Liverpool had way to much strength and pace in the middle pellergrini should leave masauku as a left mid as he has the ability to win the ball and provide assists Anderson behind arnie Creswell left back

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122 users have voted.

deepak

La Vida Hammer's picture

But WTF why not go for it as we did. we would have learnt nothing from the game doing that, at least now he knows where we are weak and can work on it. Its alright for the so-called experts (ex as in has been and spurt as in drip under pressure) to go on after the event, if we had parked the bus, they would be saying we should have gone for it nothing to loose bla bla bla

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134 users have voted.

I'm not judging by one game. We certainly need more to settle in so many new boys. Having said that what DOES worry me is neither full back has a defensive game and our keeper is 4 foot tall. So I'm wondering how pelle is gonna get round the fact he has wing backs where full backs should be.

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124 users have voted.

From what I have seen and using the players strengths, these would be the changes that I think would make a difference:
Fabianski, Fredericks, Balbuena, Ogbonna, Cresswell in defence. Wilshere and Anderson, in midfield, Masuaku and Antonio on the wings (left and right respectively), Arnatouvic and Yarmolenko as forwards. If Yarmolenko plays more on the right wing then he and Antonio could switch positions easily during the game to confuse the opposition. After all Antonio and Masuaku can carry the ball forward quite swiftly and defend as they have the experience to do so. Couple that with Wilshere and Anderson in midfield who have the pace as well, then, this could have been far more effective against Liverpool. It is my pleasure to offer this free advice!! We should also have Xande Silva on the bench as he looks like a formidable player. Bring him on as a sub.

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135 users have voted.
Dartford Bhoy's picture

£22M, for a few days our record buy but no one mentions him... Pig in poke springs to mind?

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136 users have voted.

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