West Ham Utd 3 Liverpool 1 (27/02/11)

[Bobby Orangeboom]

Carroll is unlikely to play:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 405510.stm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That is a HUGE plus for us..

[theflafson]

If we have Parker, Noble and Hitz controlling the midfield and bringing up their passing game, alongside O'Neil, it could work.
Our defense is shaky and our passing game sucks. If we take care of the passing game, we may have a shot at this.

[Absentee Hammer]

We can hope that Sparta play a rough, tough tackling game against them tomorrow, 0-0 followed by extra-time, that would suit us nicely, our legs will be fresher and we could still sneak a point or 3.

[bubbles1966]

Any ideas that we should play 4-3-3 need jettisoning. That would give them excess numbers in midfield and Johnson would be given the freedom of the Boleyn to raid down the flanks.

Has to be at least 4 in midfield.

Would think that we'll be superior in the aerial battles.

[Bobby Orangeboom]

Any ideas that we should play 4-3-3 need jettisoning. That would give them excess numbers in midfield and Johnson would be given the freedom of the Boleyn to cross the Ball into the BM Upper.Has to be at least 4 in midfield.

Would think that we'll be superior in the aerial battles.

That's better.

[Absentee Hammer]

Any ideas that we should play 4-3-3 need jettisoning. That would give them excess numbers in midfield and Johnson would be given the freedom of the Boleyn to raid down the flanks.

Has to be at least 4 in midfield.

Would think that we'll be superior in the aerial battles.

Agreed Bubbles, we need a 4 1 3 2 with Parker in the hole infront of the back 4, I wouild have G O'Neil right mid, Hitz Center Mid, Obinna (if fit) on the left with Ba & Cole up front. We need to run at them with pace whilst Parker plays his midfiled General's role and covers the centre backs.

[LincolnshireHammer]

Sell out now, should be a good atmos

And I for one, are looking forward to greeting Joey Cole back!

[westhamerica]

How we've looked at our best, how we should continue. Viva la three man midfield.

[ashbanki]

How the hell anyone can propose playing a tight game with no defensive midfielders and two kids at centre half is beyond me.

[ironphil]

Club website says it's a sell out, but I've just counted 103 seats still available on the website seating plan

[the pink palermo]

How the hell anyone can propose playing a tight game with no defensive midfielders and two kids at centre half is beyond me.

Not what I said we are capable of , more what we will need to be capable of .

Can people take me through the thought process that says we will score three against a team we were lucky to get 0 against 10 weeks ago ?

[westlondonhammer]

Surprised to see so many calling for Hitz... he looked good on Monday but looked short of match fitness and would be exposed by liverpool's experienced midfield

Obinna vs Johnson (who doesn't like pace at all) would be interesting

Green, Jacobson, Bridge, Reid, Tomkins, O'Neill, Obinna, Noble, Parker, Piq, Cole

Reasoning for resting Ba - We have 3 good strikers and need to rotate them to keep them fresh. Against a back line like Liverpool's I think we should go for experienced pairing

[bubbles1966]

Pinky,

I dunno about 3 goals but:

1. We are a better team than we were in November - and Kovac, Ilunga, Gabbidon etc won't be playing this time;
2. They are a weaker team in terms of who is fit (assuming Carroll won't be in);
3: We've scored 36 times in 18 games since we played them;
4: They score one a game in most games.
5. We have raised our game at home against Man U and Spurs this season;
6. They've lost or drawn to Blackpool, Wolves, Wigan

Suspect an even contest - and a tight one at that - depending on who is available.

<3.5 goals is the safest match bet IMO.

I think we ought to go into this confident of at least one point.

[Bobby Orangeboom]

Can people take me through the thought process that says we will score three against a team we were lucky to get 0 against 10 weeks ago ?

17 Goals in our last 7 Games suggest that it's not scoring Goals that are our biggest problem at the moment..

I'm not saying we'd score 3 against Liverpool but the Game at our Anfield was undoubtedly our worst of the Season, including Newcastle Away, but we had no Parker playing & we had LBM & Kovac in the midfield & Upson, Ilunga & Gabbidon on the Pitch too which doesn't help us get a result at all..

& Hitzelberger being back also undoubtedly makes us a better Team than the one at Anfield..

I'm pretty positive we can beat Liverpool, i don't think they're a good side & not a side we should be in awe of at all..

[M*A*R*C]

Can people take me through the thought process that says we will score three against a team we were lucky to get 0 against 10 weeks ago ?

I think perhaps some people consider Ba, Hitz and Bridge to have had a positive impact.

[D C]

Playing 433, the bow on the gift that is 3 Liverpool points.

[gavind]

is obinna fit ?

[Aceface]

1. We are a better team than we were in November - and Kovac, Ilunga, Gabbidon etc won't be playing this time;
2. They are a weaker team in terms of who is fit (assuming Carroll won't be in);
3: We've scored 36 times in 18 games since we played them;
4: They score one a game in most games.
5. We have raised our game at home against Man U and Sp*rs this season;
6. They've lost or drawn to Blackpool, Wolves, Wigan

This list has actually made me feel a bit more confident about Sunday. Whether this is a good thing is another matter....

[prophet:marginal]

In commemoration of his WC antics, perhaps we should all shout handball every time Suarez touches it.

[indiehammer]

Surprised to see so many calling for Hitz... he looked good on Monday but looked short of match fitness and would be exposed by liverpool's experienced midfield

The way Hitz is going to get match fitness is by playing matches! Just not the full 90.
The point is we are a much better team with him, than without him. The midfield of Noble, Parker and Hitz is going to be the reason we stay up, if we manage it.
Avram will play 3 central midfielders with an attacking midfielder on one wing linking up with the front two i.e. Sears or Obinna. If Hitz dosen't play it will be Specs or Boa, they have both been decent this season but i'd much prefer the quality and experience of Hitz in there, even if it is only for an hour.

Watching the Burnley game, one of the main problems in the midfield in the first half was Hitz on the right. I can only assume he was there so he could drift in-field on his left peg, like he did with the goal. This left us open down the left side though with Demba drifting in-field too much and Bridge too reliant on defending. Second half, Hitz played on the left and we looked like a much stable unit with Eagles having to move to their left and Bridge attacking much more.
This is something that needs to happen from the off on Sunday. Not playing Hitz as a left winger, but marshalling that side of the field along with the attacker (Obinna?) when we're on the defensive. That way we'll control the midfield alot better, which needs to happen as Liverpool will play 5.