NOBLE DEEDS DEFEAT LIVERPOOL
It took an injury time penalty from local-boy Mark Noble to break the deadlock for West Ham against Liverpool in a game of woeful profligacy. The 20-year-old midfielder, the heartbeat of the side, cooly placed the last kick of the game beyond Pepe Reina after Jamie Carragher had upended Freddie Ljungberg in the area.
Until then that moment - which took the home side to within four points of Liverpool, who cannot be considered a ‘big four’ club on this evidence - it had looked as though the game would meander towards a goalless draw. Rafa Benitez’s side have now gained only four points from their last five league games.
Either side had chances aplenty to score, but the lack of finishing finesse was indicative of the position of mid-table mediocrity that both teams find themselves in.
As the strings of destiny would orchestrate, these two teams last met at the same venue on January 30 last year. On that occasion Liverpool’s 2-1 victory propelled the Reds to just two points behind second-placed Chelsea and sunk West Ham deeper in the relegation mire.
This time round there was less to separate the teams in the league and it showed in a cagy, blunt game.
Benitez brought back eight recognised first-teamers to his starting eleven, but retained West Ham old boy Yossi Benayoun, who at the weekend netted a 15 minute hat-trick to see off Blue Square Premier South's Havant and Waterlooville in the FA Cup Fourth Round.
Alan Curbishley sprung off his bench in the sixth minute to berate his slovenly defence who had let in old boy Benayoun far too easily. Luckily for the home side he could only chip over from 12 yards out on the right.
To their credit West Ham’s defence battened down the hatches, and after 22 minutes almost opened the scoring themselves. But Luis Boa Morte could only blaze wastefully over when the ball fell to him eight yards out in a crowed box.
West Ham came even closer five minutes later when Noble’s free-kick clipped Benayoun’s head in the defensive wall and crashed against stranded Pepe Reina’s crossbar.
After the interval Curbishley brought on the double attacking threat of Matty Etherington and Dean Ashton. Etheington came close with a drive on his weaker right foot late on, and Liverpool’s replacement Lucas had two half-chances that both screwed wide.
But Carragher’s foul on Ljungberg in the third minute of extra-time gave the home side the opportunity they needed. From 12 yards Noble made no mistake and sent the Upton Park faithful into rapturous delight.
It took an injury time penalty from local-boy Mark Noble to break the deadlock for West Ham against Liverpool in a game of woeful profligacy. The 20-year-old midfielder, the heartbeat of the side, cooly placed the last kick of the game beyond Pepe Reina after Jamie Carragher had upended Freddie Ljungberg in the area.
Until then that moment - which took the home side to within four points of Liverpool, who cannot be considered a ‘big four’ club on this evidence - it had looked as though the game would meander towards a goalless draw. Rafa Benitez’s side have now gained only four points from their last five league games.
Either side had chances aplenty to score, but the lack of finishing finesse was indicative of the position of mid-table mediocrity that both teams find themselves in.
As the strings of destiny would orchestrate, these two teams last met at the same venue on January 30 last year. On that occasion Liverpool’s 2-1 victory propelled the Reds to just two points behind second-placed Chelsea and sunk West Ham deeper in the relegation mire.
This time round there was less to separate the teams in the league and it showed in a cagy, blunt game.
Benitez brought back eight recognised first-teamers to his starting eleven, but retained West Ham old boy Yossi Benayoun, who at the weekend netted a 15 minute hat-trick to see off Blue Square Premier South's Havant and Waterlooville in the FA Cup Fourth Round.
Alan Curbishley sprung off his bench in the sixth minute to berate his slovenly defence who had let in old boy Benayoun far too easily. Luckily for the home side he could only chip over from 12 yards out on the right.
To their credit West Ham’s defence battened down the hatches, and after 22 minutes almost opened the scoring themselves. But Luis Boa Morte could only blaze wastefully over when the ball fell to him eight yards out in a crowed box.
West Ham came even closer five minutes later when Noble’s free-kick clipped Benayoun’s head in the defensive wall and crashed against stranded Pepe Reina’s crossbar.
After the interval Curbishley brought on the double attacking threat of Matty Etherington and Dean Ashton. Etheington came close with a drive on his weaker right foot late on, and Liverpool’s replacement Lucas had two half-chances that both screwed wide.
But Carragher’s foul on Ljungberg in the third minute of extra-time gave the home side the opportunity they needed. From 12 yards Noble made no mistake and sent the Upton Park faithful into rapturous delight.
Labels: football, Liverpool, Premier League, West Ham United
