West Ham 0 Liverpool 2: Match Review

Neil Atkinson’s post-match evaluation for The Anfield Wrap after West Ham United 0 Liverpool 2 within the 2025-2026 Premier League on the London Stadium…

YOU’VE SEEN The Reds win all of it. You’ve seen The Reds on the highest of highs. You’ve seen The Reds win in Madrid to seal a sixth European Cup. You’ve seen The Reds go to Leicester Metropolis after the Membership World Cup and win making a league profitable hole. You’ve seen The Reds beat Tottenham to win our twentieth title. You’ve seen The Reds do every part that might be requested.

However you’ve most likely not been as relieved to see The Reds win as you had been immediately.

When Cody Gakpo scores your head, your shoulders, your again simply unravel. The knots disappear. There it’s. There’s what you’ve wanted for what has felt just like the longest time.

You’re not kidding your self. You’re not kidding your mates. Nothing is sorted however everyone knows this:

All the pieces has to begin someplace.

Everyone knows this:

All the pieces good in life is about discovering a approach to put one foot in entrance of one other.

At present Liverpool put one foot in entrance of one other.

At present Liverpool aren’t good between the pink card and 0-2. But it surely doesn’t matter as a result of they’ve determined that it gained’t be taking place immediately. At present Liverpool assault nicely however not completely however that doesn’t matter both as a result of Liverpool gamble the farm on one among their good gamers doing one thing particular.

Florian Wirtz does a lot of particular issues however Alexander Isak does probably the most particular factor and when he does you perceive, not for the primary time, that there’s a cause why the lads who play furthest ahead, who’re the focus of the assault, earn probably the most cash and price probably the most cash.

Alexander Isak isn’t match. You aren’t kidding your self about that both. He nonetheless lacks a burst of tempo however instantly you get to see the sport altering high quality.

There’s a lot chat about Liverpool’s summer season, Liverpool’s plans, about what the long-term is supposed to be. For me a lot of it misses the essence of what the sport is about – having match-changing variations in penalty areas. That’s what Liverpool invested in.

You recognize that you simply shouldn’t get carried away with selections made immediately by the supervisor. What he does immediately isn’t the entire plan as a result of there can by no means be a complete plan. It’s soccer. However what he does do immediately is put Isak and Wirtz within the centre of the pitch to begin with.

“To begin with” is the important thing side of this. In tons of how the one factor you by no means need out of your quantity 10 is that he solely ever will get the ball in the midst of the pitch, forty yards out. At present you see Wirtz pull this fashion and that. You see him drop deep and also you see him attempt to stretch it.

However greater than that, greater than something, you see his high quality, his contact and consciousness, his anticipation. You see him play a luxurious sport of soccer within the first-half and graft within the second. He wants a objective and the one shortcoming is that the second the objective is there may be his sole second with out conviction however apart from that what he does is marvellous.

He goes the place the house is.

Elsewhere the supervisor makes two different massive calls. One is to select Joe Gomez and the opposite is to select Ibou Konate. For the primary hour you see Virgil van Dijk urge, cajole and congratulate Ibou Konate’s each good contact and intervention. However Konate additionally begins to move nicely. That is so, so essential. It’s the bellwether for his performances and immediately he’s wonderful.

Joe Gomez although is available in from the chilly and appears like what he’s to his fingers and toes: A Liverpool participant. Joe is an asset to each staff he performs in and immediately is not any exception.

There was a number of chat this season about who Liverpool’s greatest right-back is and Gomez immediately makes his software for the function. He repeatedly delivers nicely however being a Liverpool participant is about managing feelings, about staying cool within the maelstrom. Joe Gomez is the best cat and he’ll all the time do for you.

What else? Cody Gakpo appeared the half all through. Alexis Mac Allister was a bit wobbly however was as decided as anybody that immediately was Liverpool’s. The captain and the left-back each performed nicely.

Once more, you realize these are amongst the poorest sides now we have seen this season. You recognize this. You recognize that every part begins once more from nil on Wednesday and you realize that this Liverpool now has every part to show from scratch once more – however then there isn’t a different approach to do it.

You wish to see Liverpool present this stage of seriousness for the remainder of this problem. One step at a time. All to be taken collectively. One foot in entrance of the opposite. Within the meantime although you’re so relieved you may burst.

Neil