CandH blogger Allen Cummings recalls an Anfield miracle
We could all do with a bit of cheering up right now.
So how about a blast from the not-too-distant past to remind us of happier days? Victories at Anfield don’t come along too frequently – and that’s not just a West Ham thing.
Many sides, no matter how good they might be, find the going pretty tough at that particular place on Merseyside. With Liverpool brushing aside all and sundry in the Premier League this season,
Monday night’s trip to face the mighty Reds looks foreboding indeed. But miracles can and do happen – as our visit to Anfield in August 2015 proved. 52 years we had waited for a victory there – and that day one was just around the corner.
Sakho – grabbed an Anfield winner
ive of those likely to be in the West Ham squad on Monday were playing that sunny Saturday afternoon – Mark Noble, Angelo Ogbonna, Manuel Lanzini, Aaron Cresswell and Darren Randolph.
Liverpool, while not the team they are this season, were none-the-less a formidable opponent under the management of Brendan Rodgers.
Slaven Bilic’s team were set up to play in a 4-3-3 formation, and got off to a flier, Manuel Lanzini, making his league debut for the Hammers, slotting home with just three minutes on the clock.
As expected the Reds responded with vigour, but the West Ham defence held firm under intense pressure, and the Anfield roar was silenced a second time just before the half hour when the impressive Lanzini (oh how we wish we’d been able to say that this season) robbed Lovren and following a goalmouth scramble skipper Mark Noble fired home the second.
It was backs-to-the-wall stuff for most of the second half, but all the huffing and puffing of the home side, spurred on by the ever vocal Kop, was to no avail. To add salt to the home wounds, and icing on the West Ham cake, Diafra Sakho stroked home number three two minutes into added time.
Even a Mark Noble sending off on 80 minutes couldn’t dampen the mood at the final whistle of an exuberant team and a wildly ecstatic band of travelling West Ham travelling, of which I’m happy to say I was one.
The bookies will have Klopp’s all-conquering team firm favourites to notch league win number 26 on Monday.
But following a less than impressive 1-0 victory over bottom club Norwich City and a 1-0 defeat in Europe to Athletico Madrid in their last two games maybe, just maybe, there is hope of something for us. Liverpool have to lose sometime – why not on Monday!
It’s the hope that kills you
COYI
Cheerful?? Bloody ecstatic after that one..,
I recall a game in 2008 (08-09) towardz the end of Zolas reign when results and form were against West Ham and on a rainy November/December West Ham fought doggedly for a 0-0 draw. Rob Green looked like Bufferon and even Mat Upson showed some grit along side Ginger Pele…. a fit Craig Bellamy even hit the post!!
And who was on the bench that night…. young Mark Noble!!
Love memories like that!!
With any other manager in charge we might be looking forward to this trip but sadly Moyes and his side kick Nolan will again stay with the tried and failed system we played against City and come away with a proud 3-0 defeat. All we want is a manager who recognises the strength of the team, plays his best team in the best formation and not continue to play players who have got us in this mess because they are not good enough. I hope Moyes cops on to himself as I firmly of the stance that if he insults us again with a team like the one he put out against City then he has to be sacked. We pay our money to see our team fight for survival not surrender with a whim. He will be gone before the Southampton game if our owners have any sense. Bring back Di Canio or someone who knows this teams strengths for the last 10 games and we will see a different attitude and a team that will play for him.
Di Canio……really?
The guy hasn’t managed for six and a half years.
I loved him as a player but his managerial role wasn’t a success.
Why won’t Liverpool lose on Monday ? Because West Ham will play a spineless, totally & unadventurous & a damage limitation football game. Just like they did against Man City. Luckily, if the other games go as expected today, none of the other teams at the bottom of the League will also lose – so , we won’t be any worse off. But, we simply have to win some games. But, I just can’t see any chance of it happening. Can you ?
I remember the Noble red card, for a brilliant tackle, it was later rescinded I think. Kevin Friend. One chocolate teapot of a ref.
4 3 3 is the best chance, dive and roll around as if we have been shot every time they blatantly stop our counter attacks even when there is no contact.
The reason why we will almost certainly lose at Liverpool is they have won 25 and drawn 1 game this season! Does not matter what team we put out they are a country mile ahead of everyone else.
If theres any thing for me personally to be cheerful would be west ham being taken over by Red Bull and Kovac taking the manager’s job ⚒⚽️⚒⚽️ sadly I’ve got more chance of being struck by lightning 😂😂😂