Happy New Year! Game Week 20

[JayMags71]

The place: Boleyn Ground

West Ham starting XI: Adrian, Tomkins, Collins, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Kouyate, Lanzini, Noble (c), Antonio, Valencia, Carroll.
Subs: Randolph, Jenkinson, Obiang, Song, Payet, Zarate, Jelavic.

Liverpool starting XI: Mignolet, Moreno, Sakho, Lovren, Clyne, Can, Lucas, Firmino, Coutinho, Ibe, Benteke.
Subs:Bogdan, Toure, Smith, Randall, Brannagan, Allen, Lallana.

 

[DLew On Roids]

In their zeal to complain about fancy Dan Johnny Foreigner softie Moreno, the commentators seem to have missed that Antonio didn't even touch the ball on the tackle that led to West Ham's goal. It was a textbook foul.

 

[DLew On Roids]

Now Firmino's getting called soft. It was an interesting decision by NBC to put Nigel Farage on their broadcasts.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Your team is small and getting bossed around the pitch by a bigger, stronger West Ham side. You know old Englishmen eat that up.

I think there are some vulnerabilities at the back for West Ham, especially in the middle, but they're doing a great job preventing runs through the midfield...curious to see if Jurgen tries anything different.

 

[Zomp]

Payet. Love watching him.

 

[DLew On Roids]

No argument that West Ham is better today, despite LFC's dominance in possession. Same old story for Liverpool: Comfortable on the ball, can't create space in the final 20 yards. Benteke and Firmino are non-entities. Clyne has been left alone on crosses to the back post twice when he's short and can't jump and multiple West Ham players are running there. That's a scheme issue, not Lovren's fault. They're less than the sum of their parts again.

 

[DLew On Roids]

Payet. Love watching him.

That little set of spin moves was awesome.

 

[PedroSpecialK]

Smith was caught defending both Valencia and Carroll on a cross as well. Bilić's tactics haven't been rocket science - get it wide, hit the forward coming late on the opposite side. Just frustrating that Liverpool couldn't simply counter that by having the CBs push wider on balls into the box and have Lucas play as a true DM to provide them cover.

 

[PedroSpecialK]

Even Joe Allen shouldn't be missing that, good god

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Agree with both of the Roma gentlemen- I was surprised and excited to see him back on the bench today.

 

[fletcherpost]

Joe Allen got nice hair though. Terrible miss. Frustrating performance by Liverpool. Lacked some guile and class in the final third. West Ham played to their strengths. There's no shame crossing to the big man in the box if the big man's as good in the air as Andy Carroll. Liverpool players looked a bit knackered.

 

[DLew On Roids]

Joe Allen = Welsh Pirlo

 

[fletcherpost]

Aye, Welsh Pirlo doin a shite.

 

[Conigliaro's Potential]

Through 35+ minutes, Arsenal looks completely hungover. No energy, little skill.

 

[Morgan's Magic Snowplow]

Six 3:00 matches, one goal among them at halftime. English football in the cold rain.

 

[blueguitar322]

Arsenal stormed out of the gate for the first 5-10 minutes, but yeah, it's been like pulling teeth since then. The team has looked increasingly disorganized in their defensive press and Ox seems to have no positional sense when Newcastle has the ball.

Ramsey has gone down twice and looked tentative both times. Have to consider pulling him and encasing him in bubble wrap for the drive home.

 

[ifmanis5]

Finally for Arsenal after a terrible 2nd half.

 

[Conigliaro's Potential]

Scrappy goal, against the run of play...but we'll take it.

 

[Zomp]

Rooney. About time.

Can we please hold on. Please.

 

[Zomp]

A WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3 POINTS!

 

[Conigliaro's Potential]

What a header by Fabianski at the death...just wide.

 

[coremiller]

Looks like Spurs are playing with a back 3, with Dier as a right sided CB and Walker pushed up very high on the right and Carroll as the deepest central midfielder.

 

[coremiller]

Of course Lennon scores against Spurs.

 

[OCST]

Somebody posted last week about Everton games being exciting and today was more of the same. Last 15 minutes was end to end action.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Ross Wallace with the early leader for goal of the year.


My favorite part (aside from the goal) is Forestieri just throwing his hands on top of his head in amazement.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

And Forestieri scores a goal that might be better, and then is teased into repeating his goal celebration.