Barclays Premier League – March 5th 2008 – Result
| Liverpool 4 | West Ham 0 |
| Torres 8, 61, 81 Gerrard 83 |
Reaction:
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez: “At the end I was really pleased with the performance of the team. It was important to win tonight because we have been talking about this game in hand for a long time, but now when you see the points on the table it is much easier and better for the confidence. We have three more points and we are closer now, it depends on us. If we can beat Newcastle we will approach the Inter game with a lot of confidence.”
Liverpool have employed a system in recent games that is sometimes described as 4-3-3, 4-5-1 or more accurately 4-2-3-1. Rafa has used the system previously as Liverpool boss, but although its reintroduction has coincided with a steady run of form and good results, Rafa said it’s not the only reason: “It is more than the system because we have used it in some games before. We were talking the other day about Ryan Babel and how he needed to settle down, and also Torres is on fire. Some players are playing really well now and that is the difference for the team because everyone has confidence that we will score.
“Torres is on fire and that is good for him and fantastic for the team. He is a key player but the same as Gerrard, Carra, Reina he does his job – scoring goals. He is a good player has confidence and I think he is on fire. If he continues scoring goals I’m sure he will be a threat for all defenders, but he can give us more than that because the defenders might be thinking about him and give a chance to Babel, Gerrard, Kuyt or another.”
“We now have a really important game against Newcastle and we have to make sure we get three points.”
Rafa revealed he nearly brought Torres off before he scored his second hat-trick in successive home games: “I was actually talking with Peter Crouch and told him to be ready in a few minutes. Maybe Torres was inspired.” But Torres almost didn’t play at all: “He had a small problem with sickness this morning. I thought about resting him but he was okay.”
Liverpool’s need to fight for fourth place comes after far too many dropped points, particularly from December onwards, but he sees the players getting back to early form now: “We started the season really well, but at this crucial period of the season we are playing with confidence. The team is working really hard. We must win against Newcastle and then we can go to Inter Milan in the Champions League next week with a lot of confidence.”
Benítez said Javier Mascherano, forced to leave the field early meaning Liverpool ended the game with ten men, should be fit for the visit of the Geordies. The Argentinean was hacked down cynically by West Ham’s Noble.
“I think the team was really good, a great performance and everything was good. The stadium full of people on a Wednesday and for supporters it is really good to see Torres scoring goals and Gerrard and the team playing well.
“When you know you have one game in hand everybody can talk about the three points but you need to win and now at least we have three more points and we are very pleased.”
West Ham manager Alan Curbishley:
“We made no impression on Liverpool at all. It’s the second time in four days we’ve played a top side. We knew it would be tough but I didn’t expect this. We’ve let ourselves down.
“It’s the first time they have let themselves down this season. The last two performances just haven’t been good enough. We’ve just had a meeting in the dressing room. It wasn’t a crisis meeting but we’ve just played two Champions League clubs and have not made any impression on them.”
Liverpool supporters on the Kop and around the ground: “Liverpool Football Club is in the wrong hands.” Alos “Get out of our club, you lying bastards, get out of our club.”
Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Skrtel, Carragher, Riise, Mascherano, Alonso, Babel (Pennant 76), Gerrard, Kuyt (Benayoun 63), Torres (Crouch 82)
Unused subs: Itandje, Hyypia
Goals: Torres 8, 61, 81, Gerrard 83
West Ham: Green, Neill, Ferdinand, Upson (Spector 63), McCartney, Solano (Ashton 69), Noble, Mullins, Ljungberg, Boa Morte, Cole (Zamora 69)
Subs Not Used: Wright, Pantsil
Booked: Cole, Neill, Noble
BBC Stats: (Liverpool – West Ham)
Possession: 61% – 39%
Shots on target: 12 – 3
Shots off target: 9 – 0
Corners: 16 – 3
Fouls: 9 – 15
Setanta Stats: (Liverpool – West Ham)
Possession: 53.5 – 46.5
Shots on Target: 8 – 2
Shots off Target: 9 – 0
Blocked Shots: 7 – 2
Corners: 16 – 3
Fouls: 9 – 15
Attendance: 42,954
Referee: Steve Bennett (Kent)
I couldn’t watch the match considering time differences, and knowing that if I had to reach the supporters club, I won’t be back home until 3:00 AM !!! so had to listen to the commentary at home, laying on my bed. This is the first time the commentator “Steve Hunter” going public about how the fans are, he usually keeps stating that he won’t be able to make a comment considering he’s a Liverpool FC staff. I was shocked by how it showed… Gillett is DIFFINETLY selling, it’s not a matter of who? Why? or When? rather than HOW MUCH this fuckin’ bastards wants before leaving.
Hicks looks like staying. I just read some post that he’s welling to sell one of his sports “franchises” in the US because of the refinancing deal at our beloved club. I won’t call that commitment, it’s more about him NOW knowing what profit he’ll get from this club on a long term basis, considering the TV money and CL runs! Liverpool is his golden ticket and he won’t let it go easily, I don’t think so!… as of the other prick, he never made any ambitious attempt to even speak, at least to himself in regards to what his stance is, but since it is damn obvious he wants out, that’s good news after all this shit. Just hoping DIC won’t prove to be another problematic figure around Anfield!
What a quality performance from the team.
West Ham were never in the game and, although partly due to their own lack of interest, I’d put that down to our team formation/strategy/effort/etc.
When we want we can suffocate teams to the point of their own implosion and also maintain possession effectively ourselves, we just have to do it more often…..
Quality….Torres…..just quality….
Let’s roll over Keegans Krew and we’ll be fine for fourth…
11 points behind manyoo…..never say never!! haha
Haha Jules… nice one!
Though I believe Chelsea is a more realistic target at 3rd. They are 58 points “5 points ahead of us” with a game in hand against Tottenham. They usually stuff the sorry lillywhites, but hey… never say never!
Take away the obvious from last night ie Torres and the new ‘partnership’ between Gerrard, Torres and Babel.
I had my eye on Skrtel and believe that this guy is on his way to becoming a class act. he’s raw at the moment but so is Babel. and that fellow up front, Torres, well he’s having a difficult year in a new league. He’ll be better next year when he settles in.
But I digress. Skrtel is no nonsense and when he made that 70 yard run into the Hammer’s half, I was shouting HIT IT HIT IT. Oh for a defender with a strikers brain. Carragher would have had his own hat trick.
We have a harder run in than the blue noses, but i think we should now forget about them and set our sights on Chelsea.
Some interesting developments re: DIC and Gillett
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2008/03/06/tom-hicks-set-to-move-on-dubai-100252-20568509/
Latest news is that Hicks has given Gillet the greenlight to sell to DIC. Looks like things are starting to move. At the risk of upsetting a few fans I can’t help but feel that Mourinho could be being lined up to replace Benitez by DIC. I’m not saying I want that.
Im so glad that we are now three points clear in fourth, but as fans we shouldnt be settling for this! The season so far has been a shocker on and off the pitch, I posted a long time ago about my resentment of our two faced dumb yank owners and they both need to go! At least Gillet has been big enough to own up to it, we are just stuck with the money grabbing twat Hicks to give in and sell to DIC NOW! Im not sure if this is the right move but it cant be any worse surely?!
As for Benetiz, if we had not been knocked out of the cups how many players would he have rotated, would we be three points clear? I hate to say it, no matter what I do not believe and it pains me to say this as he has taken us to Europen glory that he will not win the league and that is what I really would love to see us achieve again, if that means giving Murinho a chance bring him in and get rid of Rafa!
Obviously Matty Boy ‘your finger is a way off the pulse’ and you dont understand the hatred of Mourinho at Anfield. he would never be accepted for his previous actions and comments made against liverpool.