West Ham play alright but lose to Liverpool anyway

It was never likely that West Ham were going to pry a point or three off of the runaway League winners Liverpool in this match, but the 2-0 loss didn’t hurt that bad, suggesting maybe this was a positive for the Hammers.

Team prediction out the window when the starting XI was announced as U23 right-back/winger Jeremy Ngakia gets the surprise start over Pablo Zabaleta in his Premier League debut! It was a surprising move by David Moyes but the West Ham ranks of right-backs are light right now, so Ngakia was the next man up.

When the match kicked off, it was clear Ngakia would be lined up against Divock Origi, the Belgian forward who looked like a monster standing beside him. Regardless of height differential, Liverpool attacked down Ngakia’s wing and he did well in the opening barrage to stay with his man and try to keep it tight at the back.

The breakthrough goal in the first half came by way of a converted Mohammad Salah penalty. Origi was touched in the box by a lunging Issa Diop and flailed to the ground, and after a short VAR check that breezed by a potential handball in the buildup play, Salah slammed home the shot. West Ham had played well, focusing on keeping their shape and limiting chances against, but were undone by Diop’s tackle in the 34th minute.

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I don’t hate the tackle by Diop and do think he was justified to take a swipe at Origi in hopes of nudging the ball away. Ngakia was on the wrong side of the player and rather than pull his leg back and let him score, Diop made a challenge to try and stop the chance. It was a gamble he lost on, but Fabianski is above average at penalties and it was a risk worth taking. That challenge is never a yellow though, proving Jon Moss is deluded.

There was no life in the West Ham attack in the first half, predictably so. However, an unchanged but inspired team started on the front foot in the second half. An early corner would show promise, but Mark Noble and Arthur Masuaku couldn’t figure out coverage which sprung Salah who found Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in alone to score the second goal against in the 52nd minute.

The skipper and fullback made this a mess, but a counterattacking goal was coming at some point in this match. Regardless, clear your lines and put the ball out if you’re panicking. Goal differential is massive now and that was unacceptable from the duo.

The match would end 2-0 but there were some positives. Declan Rice was immense in the midfield and had the best chance against, surging forward to intercept a pass and getting a shot on target. Robert Snodgrass and Jeremy Ngakia were great along the right side of the pitch also. And finally, the team looked more comfortable in a 3/5 at the back formation.

Next. West Ham Player Grades in a “just not good enough” match v Liverpool. dark

Brighton at home was always going to be the more important match, and with that game rapidly approaching, the Hammers need to focus on their finishing and get motivated for what appears to be a must-win match against the Gulls.