Liverpool FC Forum

By rights this should be a shoo-in but as we know the Premiership has become quite unpredictable these days. I feel we took this lot 3-0 Benteke 2, and another Coutiniho wonder goal. 4 clean sheets will be very welcome too. COME ON YOU REDS

There's an international break after this so getting a win is vital, we don't want to spend the next fortnight brooding over a poor result.

Confidence is high throughout the team so you'd think we should get the points. However.....

Go for it ls, go enjoy yourselves.

Important game for us with the international break coming, followed by our run of away fixtures. Even this early in the season this is almost a must win for us.

West Ham are capable of scoring goals but look very dodgy defensively. That said they produced an excellent defensive display at the Emirates.  Inconsistent is the best description of them at present, but potentially dangerous.

I still fancy us for the win but have a feeling our clean sheet record will go.

2-1. Benteke for at least one of them.

Vital that we get a win in this game as we have Man Utd straight after the international break at Old Trafford which is always difficult regardless of form. West Ham are set up to better away from home so we need to be careful with over committing numbers to attack and being exposed to the counter as Arsenal were a few weeks back. Having said that if were sensible we should have more than enough to win comfortably, im gonna go for a 1 - 0 to the reds.

Whenever we come up against Bilic I always drift uncomfortably back to how we were tactically outthought and sadly outfought in the Europa league ,whatever happens we have to be well drilled because despite all of Arsenals inventive play and efforts on goal the Hammerz actually left the Emirates with three points, and not dreams of what could have been. 

We have to stick away the chances that fall our way ,start with Firmino and let Lucas control the midfield as well as protecting our defence . I also think shackling the dangerous Payet would be key in collecting the three points, because he looks a real talent.

I'd love to see Coutz  ,Firmino and Lazar  in the same team ,but its likely it wont ever come to fruition ,with the latter seeking  pastures anew if he continues to be ignored for the ineffective Ibe.

I'd start with the same team that dominated Arsenal in the first half. Both Lucas and Firmino need match fitness as it's not given they will play in the international break.

Start like we did in our last match and we'll be 3-0 by half time 

The difference this season redshade is that when teams do that and defend on the edge of their box, we have a player in Benteke who we can just knock it into who will disrupt their back line without us having to be too precise in our passing, which should yield chances.

I think West Ham will look to do that and break on us with pace which we need to be careful of.

Slaven Bilic admits he may have to “park the bus” at in-form Liverpool - and that he could need a double- or even triple-decker.

C-R » Sat Aug 29, 2015 7:53 am wrote:Slaven Bilic admits he may have to “park the bus” at in-form Liverpool - and that he could need a double- or even triple-decker.

As JC points out we have the option now of slinging percentage balls into the box so we don't have to be as precise in terms of our build up. Another way of beating a stacked defence is having a go from long range, shots from distance can often be deflected or parried into the path of a forward by a keeper.
I think the art to breaking down teams who park the bus is to mix it up and don't become predictable, one minute you try to play through them with intricate triangles the next you sling it in, don't fall into the trap of doing the same thing over and over again allowing a defence to find their 'rhythm'.

Liverpool team to face West Ham... Mignolet, Clyne, Skrtel, Lovren, Gomez, Lucas, Milner, Can, Coutinho, Firmino, Benteke