Liverpool 3 West Ham United 0: match report

Liverpool's journey to Madrid will be far more taxing than this leisurely stroll through West Ham United’s defence, which obligingly parted three times to allow goals for Yossi Benayoun, David Ngog and a rebound in off the unfortunate Robert Green.

In stark contrast to their lively support, West Ham’s lack of fight was alarming as they remain in 17th position, only three points above Hull City, who play their game against Aston Villa tomorrow. West Ham remain in peril, although at least their goal difference is markedly superior to Hull’s.

 Related ArticlesLiverpool and Fulham face 24-hour journeysPremier League tablePremier League actionTelegraph player raterPremier League fixturesSport on television

West Ham had no one in the class of Steven Gerrard, who ran the game until leaving to a standing ovation, and whose set-pieces triggered carnage in the visitors’ defence. Liverpool’s captain seemed a man on a hurry, as if he had a train to catch, which he actually does today.

Such was Liverpool’s early control, the hosts cruising into a two-goal lead, that they could have left even earlier for Madrid. Despite their team’s very obvious travails, the West Ham supporters were at least in good voice, taunting the Kop with chants of “Thursday night, Channel Five’’, although they could easily have added “Tuesday night, Channel Tunnel’’.

Liverpool’s complicated journey to Madrid seems to involve everything but the ferry across the Mersey, and it seemed slightly cruel to stage stop-overs in London and Paris, two cities where they have experienced such joy in the European Cup.

Ignoring the West Ham jibes, Liverpool let their football do the talking. Benayoun was really in the mood, taking the game time and again to his old team, doubtless stirred by some of the ribald chants coming his way, scoring early. When Steven Gerrard swung over a free-kick from the right, West Ham’s defence froze, allowing Benayoun to glide in and score via his midriff.

For those West Ham supporters who had questioned Benayoun’s occasional stomach for the fight, here was the most ironic of responses.

Sadly for West Ham, Zola’s defence lacked the defiance of their supporters and the visitors almost fell further behind from another chaos-bringing set-piece. This time it was a corner from the right, driven in by Gerrard, perfectly measured to pick out Sotirios Kyrgiakos. Somehow, he managed to head the ball down and over the bar.

Beware Greeks wasting gifts? Liverpool swiftly recovered from the centre-half’s aberration, extending their lead through a fine, quick-passing move. Benayoun was again involved, darting through the middle before intelligently switching the ball

right to Maxi Rodríguez. The Argentine’s cross was immaculate, swept into the box where Ngog deftly re-directed it first time past Green.

In front of the watching Ray Clemence, and in the wake of good reviews for David James against Aston Villa, Green picked a bad moment to falter. However much he was let down again by his sluggish defenders, West Ham’s England keeper reacted too slowly to Ngog’s finish.

West Ham tried to respond, tried to give their fans some reward for their devotion, something to remember on the tortuous journey back down the cone-zone that is the M6. Carlton Cole, who was being watched by Franco Baldini, embarked on a typical muscular charge through the middle, Liverpool players bouncing off him, before he shot wide.

Badly missing the suspended Scott Parker, West Ham’s midfield lacked real bite and Gerrard drove through the middle almost at will. When space really opened up just before the interval, Dirk Kuyt tried his luck from 30 yards, bringing a sprawling save from Green.

West Ham were so disappointing, so tame. Arguably the best touch from a visitor in the first half came from Zola, the Italian neatly controlling a loose ball as it hurtled out for a throw near the tunnel.

Zola had little choice but to gamble at the break sending on another striker, attempting to pose Liverpool some semblance of a threat. He removed his right-winger, Junior Stanislas, and sent on Guillermo Franco, who ran around, soon colliding with Pepe Reina. Franco was often involved, soon lifting a long pass towards Cole on the right only for Glen Johnson to intercept.

After this brief flurry of action from West Ham, the game settled back into its earlier rhythm. Liverpool were dominant, adding a third just before the hour mark from more dead-ball mayhem. When Gerrard whipped over another free-kick, Kyrgiakos diverted the ball goalwards, it hit the post and rebounded in off the luckless Green.

West Ham finally remembered the art of defending when Gerrard came raiding into the box, being denied only by a block from Manuel da Costa.

West Ham woke up, piecing together a quick attack, bringing Cole one-on-one with Reina. It was an unequal contest, Reina spreading himself and saving with ease at an Anfield Road End that was far from full. For all the talk of a fans’ protest, it appeared that the empty seats were a result of Liverpool’s Scandinavian and Irish fan clubs being unable to travel.

The Kop was full but quiet and the only real noise emanated from the West Ham section. “4-3, we’re going to win 4-3’’ they chanted, breaking off from a lengthy version of the Hokey Cokey.

Keen to shake it up, Zola sent on Benni McCarthy for Cole. Rafa Benitez made a substitution that will have doubtless pleased Baldini, removing Gerrard, who departed to a standing ovation after tenderly tying the armband around Jamie Carragher’s left bicep. Some of Gerrard’s passing and turning had been superb and Liverpool briefly lost some of their zest. Rodríguez sought to raise the tempo again with a powerful shot that Green clutched at the second attempt.

View the Original article