Liverpool 4-0 West Ham Utd (12/08/18)

[pezza20]

When the initial cross comes in from Robertson, Firmino is standing in an offside position centrally right in front of Fabianski, then is still there when Milner pulls it back, now whether he touched it or not in either phase, how the hell wasn't he interfering - Fabianski was probably watching him rather than the ball both times. Has Firmino been out wide I'd have accepted it, but in my view that has to be offside.

[StevePottsGoalsReel]

What I don't like about the whole "first and second phase" bullsh*t is that the defence believe that they have done their job by holding their line and catching the two in the middle offside. Back in the day the two in the middle would have been flagged offside as soon as the ball was played into the box towards Milner. The reason why they're not offside is that they weren't "interfering with play" - if you ask me, 1) standing in the middle of the box is pretty interfering to me, and 2) they are standing behind the defensive line so are interfering with what's on the defender's minds and how they're set up.

I can't remember who said it but a famous manager once said 'if a player is not interfering with play then he shouldn't be on the pitch' (or something along those lines)

It's a nonsense rule. Can understand it being there for a player out by the corner flag or someone lying on the floor injured (which is how it used to be applied), but in circumstances like the one yesterday it just makes it impossible for defenders to know what to do. And, let's be honest, our defence don't need any more confusion.

[wasserburg_hammer]

They are nice to watch. Bet Kloppo threatens that anybody who keeps the ball longer than three seconds gets subbed immediately.

Only way to beat them is to do a Ramos - and I hope don't stoop that low.

Roll on Saturday and hope the lads will be up for it after yesterday's football lesson.

[sendô]

I do not understand how anyone can possibly interpret the rule such that a player standing in the 6 yard box is not interfering with play.

[Soulman58]

I know this was the first game and Liverpool are way beyond our level, but I can see this season being another slog. Not helped by a very hard start, I am sure, the individual who finalises the fixtures supports another London club. Ill be happy, even surprised, if we have more than 6 points from the first 7 games. The top half would be a good result at this point and If anyone offered me 14th i'd accept it now. We need Lanzini, Reid and even Carroll fit asap. I'm hoping Diop and Perez make more of an impression on me than what we saw yesterday.

As Sanchez looks like a last minute panic buy we are still desperate for a solid holding midfield player. For me Nobel just doesn't have the legs for the role and I think he is at his best when trying to get play moving forward. Rice might be able to fit the role eventually but at the moment it looks like a big ask. Anderson and Yarmolenko are going to need to toughen up, though both have ability. Snodgrass, might be better than we thought but is he is nothing special, should have sold and taken a punt on someone from a lower league. Wiltshire, may be good business, but still a doubt re his fitness, wouldn't Bournemouth have made some attempt to keep him!

As for the defence, apart from the fact that the manager got the tactics badly wrong, hoping he will learn from his mistake. Ultimately I would still rather see three centre backs as that is still when we have looked the most solid. Masuaku just doesn't understand how to defence, in my book the rare good attacking display doesn't warrant selection. He can hit the occasional good cross, but just as likely to fall over his own feet. Ogbonna, needs to realise he isn't as good as he thinks he is and work harder. Balbuena, might be ok, but can see lots of needless free kicks. Fredericks positioning was lacking, but he is still an improvement on what has been there since god knows when, and he should improve.

Antonio,is the biggest enigma in the club, he still struggles to put in 90 mins, not sure if that is due to the amount of running he has to do, or if he just cant get fit enough. In some ways I would rather play him up front to hassle the opposition where it hurts.

Arnautovic, will score goals if they keep him happy. However as good as he was after Moyes I still can't forget how bad/uninterested he was beforehand. I'm probably the only person on here who thinks so but I would have been very tempted to sell him for serious money, if anyone did make an offer, not sure if there was any real interest from Utd or elsewhere though.

Hopefully I am just having Monday morning blues and all will be roses after Saturday.

COYI

[jastons]

Payet pinging the ball from 50 yards right on to Antonio's head has made Antonio think he is better than he actually is.

[The Old Mile End]

Quite a lot of money for the same result!

Mind you, with so many debutants, it was a West Ham team that I barely associate with right now, getting a very familiar thumping at a place where it has happened time and time again.

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

[sutts07]

First goal - Keita picks the ball up in far too much space so you have to look at RIce and / or Noble. Fredericks was also woefully out of position allowing a very easy overlap and cross. Then Sahla (the guy who nabbed 44 goals last season) is totally free inside out box...

Second goal - I have no idea how Firmino cannot be considered as offside considering the ball passes directly past him twice before going in. Him standing directly in front of the keeper and our six yard box causes Masuaku to make a choice between marking him or not and as a result Milner is totally free at the far post. That said, the total lack or reaction from our full back four once Milner hooks it back in is astounding. You teach kids to play the whistle., pros should know better.

Third goal - So offside that it is hard to understand what the lineo is seeing.

Fourth goal - game was dead.

Liverpool were superb in all honesty, they are head and shoulders above us and Keita looks like a real star, certainly one to watch this season. They will batter many a team both home and away and could be a really entertaining watch week in week out to be fair.

Fair to say that we were not up to it. They looked fitter, quicker and better in pretty much every area. Also safe to say there were a few out there yesterday who may not feature much this season once we have everyone fit and up to speed.

Lot's of room for improvement, which is as much a positive as it is a negative.

[Morocco Mole]

When the initial cross comes in from Robertson, Firmino is standing in an offside position centrally right in front of Fabianski, then is still there when Milner pulls it back, now whether he touched it or not in either phase, how the hell wasn't he interfering - Fabianski was probably watching him rather than the ball both times. Has Firmino been out wide I'd have accepted it, but in my view that has to be offside.

Agree 100%.

With the rule being so iffy now though as to what constitutes ‘interfering’ or not, I can’t see how any team can employ an offside trap as a tactic with any degree of success. You’re in the hands of the officials even if you get it right.

[sutts07]

When the initial cross comes in from Robertson, Firmino is standing in an offside position centrally right in front of Fabianski, then is still there when Milner pulls it back, now whether he touched it or not in either phase, how the hell wasn't he interfering - Fabianski was probably watching him rather than the ball both times. Has Firmino been out wide I'd have accepted it, but in my view that has to be offside.

Firmino standing where he is causes all kinds of confusion for our defence (as others have said, they don't need too much help there truth be told).

Masuaku is torn between marking him, leaving him, dropping back to mark Milner or just standing in no mans land... Sadly he picked the last option.

Fabianski is torn between attempting a punch in front of Milner or blocking a cut back.

Ogbonna and Balbuena are torn between holding their line or dropping in to prevent a tap in...

Any player standing smack bang in the middle of the box, in an offside position and letting the ball bypass him twice, is absolutely influencing the choices other players are making. Touching the ball or not, that should be called offside.

[hammer1975]

Anyone remember the Christmas/new year game against Arsenal at the Boleyn where we had a goal ruled out for offside as Song (I think) was standing in the middle of the goal and deemed offside as the ball passed closely by him?

Rule is a joke

[Graza]

Anyone remember the Christmas/new year game against Arsenal at the Boleyn where we had a goal ruled out for offside as Song (I think) was standing in the middle of the goal and deemed offside as the ball passed closely by him?

Rule is a joke

Didn't he step over it. Besides as we saw last year that's only given against us.

The only saving grace for the officials with the second goal is that Firminio has seen he's offside and starts walking (slowly) away from goal, he made no attempt to play it, no motion towards it.

If we'd had that goal disallowed we'd not have been happy, it's marginal but I think Firmino's motion probably means that it should stand.

More disappointing for me was that 30 seconds before that we had a corner. The half was virtually done, and we we slack at the back.

The third was a joke though, and it ended the game.

[sendô]

If we'd had that goal disallowed we'd not have been happy

We would 100% be fine with it if the officials were at least being consistent and applying the rules properly.

[sicknote]

The game ended at 1 0 not the offside goal, Liverpool never got out of first gear and we were gash

[Up the Junction]

The opposition view: Liverpool
http://www.kumb.com/story.php?id=132755

[sendô]

^ I'm not bloody reading that boss.

[sendô]

Nope, I read it like some sort of sadist.

What are the scouse monkeys moaning about the ref for. Gave everything to us? Did they not see the two offside goals?

Always the victims...

[S-H]

The opposition view: Liverpool
http://www.kumb.com/story.php?id=132755

[DasNutNock]

"West Ham can f*ck off with the sign on chants. W*nkers the lot of them." said one Scouse fan before heading to the Benefits Office for the third time this week.

[psychoscoredthelot]

The opposition view: Liverpool
http://www.kumb.com/story.php?id=132755

THEY are moaning about the ref - unbelievable !!

Sign on :lol: