West Ham United v Liverpool - A Quick Liverpool Perspective

West Ham United v Liverpool A Liverpool Perspective



This game was such a disappointment, yes Liverpool did look a little better, but they were up against a Hammers side that made absolutely no effort to attack and made very little effort in general. In circumstances like that, you really want to see your team take advantage and go out there and rack up a cricket score to improve their goal difference. Especially when Liverpool are only below Manchester United on goal difference. The chance was there to change that but the same slow, turgid performances that have plagued Liverpool this season stopped that from happening.

It was a game that could have seen Liverpool lay down a marker by going out there and battering West Ham into submission, but they were instead happy to do just enough. A 1-0 lead only changed in the dying embers of the game, with the Hammers down to ten men, with little sign of Liverpool even chasing a second.



West Ham United


I have never seen a team try less for the shirt than this Hammers team. It was disgraceful how passive they were, in a way that has left me astonished. But nothing stood out more about the lack of team spirit than Paqueta's sending off. Firstly, you have to point the finger at club captain Bowen for failing to stop Paqueta, he was right there but just stood by watching. The rest of the team were pretty much the same, making no real genuine attempt to stop him. In fact, Liverpool players put more effort into trying to calm Paqueta, particularly fellow Brazilian Alisson, than the entire West Ham team put together. Even the coaching staff seemed to just stand watching, you would think they would be screaming blue murder at the rest of the team to get him out of there!

It does look like Nuno has made a huge mistake going there, his football is woefully unsuited to the club, like Moyes in the past, which makes it more difficult. But now even his strengths, which are building a great team spirit and work ethic, seem to be failing him, the job seems more impossible than anything Tom Cruise has ever attempted. Relegation is beckoning and most of the players look like they just want out, with no intention of fighting to help the club avoid the drop.



Liverpool


Alisson - he will never have an easier weekend. The only save he had to make was trying to save Paqueta from a second yellow!


Gomez - had a good game and the defence looked a lot more together with him there. In saying that, they were never put under any pressure at all.


Konate - even he was able to stroll through this game.


van Dijk - the kind of game he loves, where he is able to play well within himself. I would have liked to see him show more urgency to go get a second from the moment we got the first. Also very frustrating how happy he seems to be to roll the ball slowly to the side for 90 minutes, rather than playing the ball forward.


Kerkez - still playing with far more restraint than he should be and so not getting the most from his talents.


Mac Allister - too busy with incredibly embarrassing playacting to actually play. His diving is shameful, but that moment when the ball brushed against his back took the biscuit for most pathetic overreaction in the Premier League this season.


Gravenberch - decent, but this was probably the easiest weekend he has ever had in midfield.


Szoboszlai - is the only Liverpool player that has been able to hold his head up all season long.


Wirtz - best player on the pitch by a significant margin.


Gakpo - got the second but really did not offer as much as I would have liked over the 90minutes.


Isak - beautiful placed finish for his goal, but the rest of his performance was poor. He still looks nowhere near fit. However, goals like that go a long way towards making up for it.


Ekitike - replaced Isak in the 68th minute. After getting dropped for a massively unfit Isak, he has lost his form of the early weeks. At least he is putting in effort, linking up play and getting involved.


Jones - came in for Wirtz in the 75th minute. The drop in quality was noticeable.


Robertson - took the place of Kerkez in the 85th minute. It was all a bit messy when he came on and he never had much time to really get going.

Written by Tris Burke December 04 2025 16:07:49