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Carling Cup Final

Arsenal 1
  • van Persie 39
Birmingham City 1
  • Zigic 28


  • Jacob Steinberg
  • guardian.co.uk, Sunday 27 February 2011 15.00 GMT <li class="history">Article history To receive updated content, refresh the page (F5 for a web browser).
    This page will update automatically every minute: On | Off
    Jack-Wilshere-in-action-a-007.jpg
    Jack Wilshere in action against Birmingham. Photograph: Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images Peep! Peep! Mike Dean brings a breathless half to a close. More, please! That was excellent.
    45 min+5: Make that one more chance. Nasri again finds space between the lines and welps a stinging, swerving drive that Foster beats away.
    45 min+4: A last chance for Arsenal in this half, as Nasri wins a corner on the right off Ridgewell. He takes it short with Van Persie, before laying the ball back to Sagna. For a moment it looked like his cross was going to find the unmarked Djourou just in front of Birmingham's goal, until Johnson headed away crucially.
    45 min+2: Larsson picks out a diagonal pass to Zigic again but the big Serbian mistimes his jump and heads the ball straight to Szcezsny.
    45 min+1: Well so far nothing has happened in injury time.
    45 min: Bowyer is down again. Makes a change. There will be four minutes more in this half. "Agree with your point of Arsenal having one too many ball players on the pitch," says William Marzouk. "RELEASE THE NIK BENDTNER!!"
    42 min: Phew. What a final this is turning out to be. Larsson is booked for a foul. He's not happy about it but Arsenal have a free-kick just inside Birmingham's half. It's lofted into the area, and although Foster drops his catch at first, eventually he recovers to avert the danger. "When Arsenal go on to win this final, do Mike Dean and his assistants receive winner's medals, or, as they likely haven't played the requisite minimum matches, do Arsenal have to apply for special dispensation?" asks Jonathan Francis. To be fair, it wasn't the worst mistake you'll ever see, it was just poor eyesight. Offsides are tricky to call at the best of times. Bowyer was on, but you can't blame Mike Dean.
    GOAL! Arsenal 1-1 Birmingham (Van Persie, 39 min): And just how much are Birmingham going to regret Zigic's miss? Barely five minutes after they could have made it 2-0, they've lost their lead after a goal of the very highest quality from Robin van Persie, who, well, what a player. What. A. Player. Arsenal were really under the cosh before this, but after they'd coped with a Birmingham free-kick, they broke forward at quite some pace. With Birmingham creaking, Wilshere picked up possession on the edge of the area and produced a sublime left-footer that cracked on to the bar, with Foster beaten. If Birmingham thought they'd got away with it, they were wrong though. The ball broke to Arshavin on the right and he wriggled clear of Ridgewell on the right, making his way to the byline and then hooking the ball towards Van Persie. Despite the presence of many Birmingham defenders, he contorted his body to acrobatically hook a superb volley into the bottom left corner. Unstoppable. How did he manage that? Foster didn't even bother moving. Just when Birmingham thought they were out, Arsenal go and pull them back in.
    36 min: The move that led to Birmingham's move was started by a loose pass in his own half from Sagna. I can tell you this because there's a stoppage in play due to an injury for Bowyer, who was caught by a stamped tackle from Koscielny. He's booked and is lucky he didn't actually make proper contact on Bowyer, because that could have been very nasty indeed. "I'm harbouring a niggling worry that the intense atmosphere and physicality of the opponents might precipitate an Arsenal melt-down a la St James Park, with Lee Bowyer in the Barton/Nolan role.," says Justin Kirkham. "Oh no they've just scored. Oh why did I tempt fate like that?" Fool.
    35 min: Birmingham have the bit between their teeth and Arsenal don't know what's hit them. Larsson drives a low cross into Arsenal's six-yard box, and Djourou clears in a panic.
    34 min: Arsenal are all over the place and what a pivotal moment this could turn out to be. From another long ball, Zigic causes more problems for Arsenal, heading down to the unchecked Gardner on the edge of the box. Gardner looks to shoot but is bundled over by Wilshere, who inadvertently knocks the ball through to Zigic. With Arsenal's defence nowhere, Zigic bursts through but the ball wouldn't quite sit nicely for him, which allowed Szczesny to block his weak prod at goal. It should be 2-0; instead Arsenal are still in it.
    33 min: Zigic barely had to jump to score. Szczesny is 6ft5 and couldn't get near him. Rosicky catches Carr with a late tackle, but he's not booked. Carr accepts the foul with a grin.
    31 min: Bowyer scoots down the right and under severe pressure from Clichy, whips a superb low ball across the face of Arsenal's goal. Unfortunately for him - and perhaps unforgivably on Birmingham's part - none of his team-mates had made it into the area, and it would only have needed the merest of touches.
    29 min: Arsenal nearly hit back straight away but Van Persie's flick from a cross from the right - I'm not sure who put it in - drops inches wide of Foster's left-hand post.
    GOAL! Arsenal 0-1 Birmingham (Zigic, 28 min): Wait a minute, there's a shock on the cards here! The underdogs are in front and the big man has undone Arsenal again. Bowyer picked up possession on the left and curled an inswinging cross towards him at the far post, forcing Arsenal to concede a corner on the right. Larsson took the corner and crossed it well away from goal, around 15 yards out. There should have been no danger for Arsenal but Johnson rose above Kosicelny to head it into the mixer, and around two yards from goal, Zigic flicked the ball past the flapping Szczesny, who was all over the place. As far as Arsenal are concerned, that is such a foolish goal to concede but Birmingham are jubilant.
    26 min: Ferguson tries to spring Arsenal's offside trap, but Koscielny gets in the way of his attempted pass through to Zigic. Arsenal counter at a thrilling speed, Nasri's cute pass slicing through Birmingham's midfield and getting Rosicky scampering through the middle. He slides a pass to Van Persie on the left, but as the Dutchman tries to trick his way past Jiranek inside Birmingham's area, the Czech defender tackles him beautifully.
    25 min: Clichy cuts on to his right foot and curls a high cross towards Arshavin in the box. Arshavin shows him what he thinks of such tactics by not even bothering to jump, and Johnson heads away easily.
    23 min: Arsenal indulge themselves in some silly buggers in their own box, Djourou slamming his clearance against Sagna. The ball nearly breaks for Zigic, but eventually the danger is cleared. The Birmingham fans are in fine voice. "I thought that A. Cole was a former Gunner," says Fred Lane. HONK!
    22 min: Wilshere nearly breaks on to a through ball inside Birmingham's area but Foster is alert and speeds off his line to smother the danger. A goal is coming, you can feel it, and it's probably coming for Arsenal. That said, they do miss Fabregas and Walcott; they've got one too many ball players on the pitch.
    21 min: Oh dear. When he's good, he's brilliant. When he's bad, he's bad. And he fluctuates from the sublime to the ridiculous in the course of one match. So here's Arshavin darting forward on the left and dragging a ludicrously poor shot around 20 yards wide of Foster's right post. "The BBC really needs to step up it's efforts to find a number one commentator who isn't the terminally bland, cliche ridden Guy Mowbray," says Ben Stokes. "He's Partridge-esque in his total lack of any wit or humour and crushing sincerity. I don't think Lawro likes hime either."
    20 min: Arsenal's fans are singing a naughty song about Adebayor but this is a family site, so we won't be repeating any of that here. After that flurry from Arsenal, Birmingham are finding their feet again, and as if to prove my point, Koscielny hands them a throw-in with a dire pass to Clichy on the left.
    19 min: "It'll be interesting to see how Arsenal will fight back from 1-0 down with only ten men," says David Goldstone. "Oh wait."
    17 min: Great play from Zigic sets up a Birmingham attack. He had a posse of Arsenal defenders surrounding him but he used his strength expertly to hold them all off. He released the ball to Fahey on the left, but his cross was poor and ended up at the feet of Larsson out on the right. He took a touch and hoicked the ball back into the box, but Fahey heads his deep cross straight at Szczesny who holds well.
    14 min: Sorry to dwell on the controversy surrounding the Bowyer non-penalty, but it strikes me that there was a similar incident in last year's final when Vidic wasn't sent off for his foul on Agbonlahor that led to Villa's penalty. Back to the action, Arsenal are crackling with menace now, and this is a lovely run from Nasri, a twinkle-toed run from the right befuddling Birmingham's defence. He dances into the area in mesmeric style but with Birmingham only able to stand and watch in complete awe, he slices his shot over the bar from a tight angle. Rosicky, I think, was steaming in at the far post and he could have crossed it. But would anyone dare criticise Nasri this season?
    13 min: A lull, Birmingham stroking the thing round at the back before Foster ruins it all by hoofing the ball straight back to Sagna. "Who was the girl singing the national anthem?" asks Laura. Anyone? She was very good, mind you.
    11 min: "I think you might be right about 'True Grit'," says Steven Hughes. "If Bridges and Damon's film is indeed about Birmingham City then the lifeless body that Bridges' character comes across (which crashes to the ground from a great height) must be Nikola Zigic." To be honest, you had me at 'I think you might be right...'
    9 min: It's all Arsenal all of a sudden and from two corners in quick succession, Djourou causes havoc in Birmingham's area. He wins both headers from respective corners from Nasri and Van Persie but the first goes wide and the second loops over. He might have done better with both.
    8 min: This is a cracking start from both sides and Arsenal are starting to dominate proceedings. Nasri slides a pass into Arshavin's feet inside the area. On the six-yard box, Arshavin has his back to goal and is seemingly well marked by Jiranek but a clever turn by the Russian completely dupes the Czech defender, who has no idea where the attacker has gone. Having worked a yard of space, Arshavin drives a low shot towards goal but Foster saves brilliantly with his feet.
    7 min: The first glimmer of threat from Arsenal. Sagna breaks clear down the right, but his pass inside to Nasri is cut out by a Birmingham defender. The ball comes back to Sagna, who finds Van Persie on the edge of the area, and the Dutchman plays a clever one-two with Wilshere, whose stabbed pass over the top sends the Dutchman too wide on the left. He scored from a similar position against Barcelona, but this time his hooked volley goes well over Foster's near post.
    5 min: Gardner wheeches a shot well wide from 30 yards. But Arsenal will have to keep an eye on him; he's got a superb shot from long range on him. They've just shown the offside decision again and Bowyer was at least a yard onside. It was a clear foul by Szczesny too and although I'm not a fan of the last-man rule, it was a sending off too.
    4 min: This has been a very good start from Birmingham, who are playing with very little inhibition. Arsenal haven't seen much of the ball yet. They look nervous.
    2 min: What an escape for Arsenal, who have been let off the hook by a poor offside decision. Zigic immediately causes problems with his height, as he takes down a fine lofted pass from Fahey on his chest. Arsenal stand off him and Zigic gloriously slips a pass through to the onrushing Bowyer, making one of his trademark runs from midfield. Bowyer gets to the pass before Szczesny and nips it round the goalkeeper who brings him down! That's a penalty! And a red card - but the flag, incorrectly, goes up for offside.
    1 min: Birmingham, attacking from left to right, get us going. There's a rare old atmosphere inside Wembley. I've got a good feeling about this one. Birmingham go on the attack immediately but Clichy halts Larsson's run with a fine tackle. Arsenal win the ball back and are immediately booed by the Birmingham contingent. "Ashley Cole's presence can give anyone a shot in the arm," honks Jon Millard. Keep them coming people.
    The teams are meeting the sponsors. All the players are smiling a lot, which is nice. That's followed by the national anthem - I can only see Liam Ridgewell singing. Alex Song opts out.
    The teams stride out on to the Wembley pitch. Van Persie leads out Arsenal, Carr leads out Birmingham. Birmingham are wearing tracksuit tops over their kits; that never looks good.
    More emails.
    "How much do you have to hate your team to actually sit down and pen that song(live + breath)," asks Anish. "Apparently they've got albums of songs just like that. Surely they're a bunch of Spurs fans on a WUM, right?" No, actual Arsenal fans.
    "The urgent question that I need an answer to is what to watch - England's exciting but ultimately futile run chase or Arsenal's inevitable defeat to a scrappy Birmingham goal in the 86th minute?" asks Kat Petersen. "Please advise." Do you work for Wikipedia?
    "Although I am confident in Arsene's team, I have never been truly convinced by Clichy and I wish Ashley Cole was still with Arsenal," says Scott Stricker. "Cole's experience, defensive know-how, and winning mentality would be invaluable to this young side, and though he isn't the most prolific goal scorer I am impressed by his determination to improve upon his shooting ability, by any means necessary." I waited a long time for you to get there, but by jove you got there in the end! When John Terry told Chelsea to man up, this probably wasn't what he had in mind.
    "I had my photo taken with Bob Wilson outside the Stade de France during the 1998 World Cup," says Mark Judd. "He is a top bloke."
    "Mr. Steinberg-Casual, how exactly did you notice this change in Birmingham's wikipedia entry?" asks Alexander Wilson. "Are you trying to tell me that your research for this game involves nothing more substantial than a cursory glance at both side's wikipedia pages just before kick-off? Forsooth." You've rumbled me.
    "Considering how much it's said that this is a spring board to other tropies, surely if Arsenal do win now they will go on to lose all the others, if they lose today they'll win all the others, just to spite the pundits," says Oliver Lewis.
    Birmingham-001.jpg
    The state of play at 3.46pm, a full 14 minutes before the 2011 Carling Cup final started. Photograph: Wikipedia The internet in action: On Wikipedia, Birmingham are listed as the runners-up of the 2011 Carling Cup. Tempting fate or what? They might as well not turn up.
    Jingo-watch: "I guarantee you Arsenal won't have as much determination as our lot on the day," says Craig Gardner, presumably because Arsenal aren't as BRITISH and ENGLISH as Birmingham, and as such have very little determination.
    Our first email of Cup final day! Who do you reckon it's from? "Re Wenger's view of this competition, do you think he'll do a Mourinho and fling his medal into the crowd?" asks Gary Naylor. "And if so, how much will it go for on Ebay tonight?"
    As a great (sic) man once said, success breeds envy, so perhaps Arsene Wenger has been on a mission to rid the world of sin by avoiding the stuff for the last six years. It's been six long years since Arsenal last lifted a trophy, Patrick Vieira's final act in a red and white shirt scoring the penalty that beat Manchester United in the FA Cup final. Only three players remain from the Arsenal side that day: a teenage Cesc Fabregas started the match, Robin van Persie came off the bench in stoppage time and Manuel Almunia was an unused substitute. Arsenal's six-year trophy drought has been a stick for their devoted critics to beat them with, although at times, Wenger hasn't seemed that bothered. He's got a plan, you see. "If you win the Carling Cup, for me you cannot really say you win 'trophies'," he said last year. Yeah, right, Arsene, winning's for losers, if you really think long and hard about it. That philosophy hasn't done Arsenal much good - the painters at the Emirates had to stop drawing trophies on the stadium once they got to 2005 - but this year something has clicked. Wenger has tended to treat the Carling Cup as an opportunity to play the youngsters; enough against the Sheffield Uniteds of this world, foolhardy against Chelsea and Manchester United. But Wenger has realised this miserable statistic needs arresting and when Arsenal played Tottenham in the third round, the likes of Samir Nasri started and they won 4-1.
    Of course, the quote doesn't really have that much import. It's just a thing managers say, an automatic defence mechanism, like Sir Alex Ferguson defending Wayne Rooney's liberal use of his elbow yesterday. There are plenty of fans who would love to have experienced Arsenal's 'drought' of course; constant top-four finishes, title challenges, cup finals, brilliant football, Champions League runs and Emmanuel Eboue. But that's not enough for a club like Arsenal and, in a way, they've held an Indian sign over themselves for the last six years. Not Winning has become a complex; when Jose Mourinho came to Chelsea in 2004, he made sure he won a trophy as soon as possible, even if it was only the Carling Cup. Manchester United didn't know they could win the Champions League, until they won a group match against Juventus in 1997 - maybe Arsenal's victory over Barcelona will have a similar effect (although perhaps only if they go through). Winning breeds winners. So, yes, it's a competition sponsored by a beer so putrid I've refused to even countenance drinking one of the free cans that are lying around this office, but its importance can be under-played. After all, after three trophyless years, a young United side beat Wigan 4-0 in 2006, won the league the next year and the Champions League in the one after that. So, just saying. From 1997-2004, Wenger created three thrilling teams at Arsenal. This one could - could - be his fourth.
    Standing in their way, though, are their own insecurities Birmingham City. Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon have just made a film about this lot. As you can tell from the previous two paragraphs, Birmingham are huge underdogs for this game. As you'd expect, they've lost both of their league games against Arsenal this season, the last a depressing 3-0 defeat at home. But, as they proved in their marvellous comeback against West Ham in the semi-final, only a fool would write them off. They're a great second-half side. Arsenal could be 4-0 up at half time and, well, Phil Dowd. Birmingham will be encouraged by the injuries to Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott, and the knowledge that possess all the tools (ie, Lee Bowyer) to irritate Arsenal beyond belief this afternoon. If Birmingham aren't exactly Stoke, they certainly like to play the percentages, and plenty will depend on whether Arsenal will cope with the incessant long balls to Nikola Zigic, who scored a header at the Emirates earlier this season. When Alex McLeish was at Rangers, they won five out of five cup finals. Birmingham's history is not exactly glittering. They haven't won anything since 1963, when they beat Aston Villa 3-1 in the League Cup final. Forty-eight years. 48! Now that's a trophy drought.
    Team news: As we knew, there's no Fabregas or Walcott, so Tomas Rosicky and Andrey Arshavin come in for Arsenal. Otherwise they're at full strength, with the exceptional Robin van Persie recovering from a calf injury to start on his own up front. Laurent Koscielny was also a slight doubt but he's in too, so his impressive partnership Birmingham had injury worries over Stephen Carr and Martin Jiranek, but other than the absence of Scott Dann, their defence is as strong as they could hope for. Nikola Zigic is on his own up front, and Birmingham will have to get forward from midfield to support him. To be fair, all of their midfielders do that very well.
    Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Szczesny; Sagna, Djourou, Koscielny, Clichy; Song, Wilshere; Rosicky, Nasri, Arshavin; Van Persie. Subs: Almunia, Denilson, Eboue, Chamakh, Bendtner, Diaby, Squillaci.
    Birmingham (4-5-1): Foster; Carr, Jiranek, Johnson, Ridgewell; Larsson, Ferguson, Gardner, Bowyer, Fahey; Zigic. Subs: Taylor, Murphy, Phillips, Jerome, Martins, Parnaby, Beausejour.
    Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)
    Cup final songs: As far as I'm aware, cup songs were never really used for the League Cup, another example of its status as the FA Cup's poorer relation. Neither side has concocted one today anyway, so here are a few suggestions for what they could have used.

 
Carling Cup Final

Arsenal 1
  • van Persie 39
Birmingham City 1
  • Zigic 28


  • Jacob Steinberg
  • guardian.co.uk, Sunday 27 February 2011 15.00 GMT To receive updated content, refresh the page (F5 for a web browser).
    Jack-Wilshere-in-action-a-007.jpg
    Jack Wilshere does running. Photograph: Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images 47 min: The second half starts as the first half ended, bright, open and entertaining. Arsenal cut Birmingham open through the middle - they've done that far too many times today - and the ball is worked to Nasri by Arshavin on the right side of the area. He doesn't have many options though, and delays and delays and delays, unsure whether to shoot or cross. He does neither in the end and finds Sagna instead, whose cross is headed over by Wilshere. He took a blow to the head from Carr as he did, but he's ok to continue.
    46 min: Arsenal get us going then. As usual at the start of a second half at Wembley, there are plenty of empty seats. Carling's not that good.
    An alarming stat for Birmingham: In 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2010 the team who scored first in the final went on to lose.
    Peep! Peep! Mike Dean brings a breathless half to a close. More, please! That was excellent.

 
Carling Cup final - in pictures

Tom Jenkins goes behind the scenes at Wembley as Arsenal and Birmingham attempt to secure the first silverware of the season





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Wembley ground manager Tony Stones gives the grass a quick trim ahead of today's match. A new Desso Pitch identical to the one at the Emirates Stadium has been laid. Doubtless that'll please Arsène Wenger Photograph: Tom Jenkins for The Guardian


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Carling Cup Final

Arsenal 1
  • van Persie 39
Birmingham City 1
  • Zigic 28


  • Jacob Steinberg
  • guardian.co.uk, Sunday 27 February 2011 15.00 GMT <li class="history">Article history To receive updated content, refresh the page (F5 for a web browser).
    This page will update automatically every minute: On | Off
    Jack-Wilshere-in-action-a-007.jpg
    Jack Wilshere does running. Photograph: Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images 55 min: Carr chips the ball over Arsenal's high line, but Zigic is roughly 457 yards offside.
    54 min: Great defending from Koscielny who heads Larsson's devillish, pacy free-kick over his own bar in the six-yard box. Another chance for Birmingham though, Larsson trotting over to the left to take it. His corner is cleared as far as Ferguson, who sprays the ball out to Fahey on the right. His cross is poor though and Djourou heads away.
    53 min: Now they do, and as they do, Clichy is booked for a bodycheck on Fahey on the right. Fahey beat Clichy so easily there. This is a highly promising position for Birmingham.
    51 min: Arsenal corner, as Van Persie slithers on to a pass from Nasri, forcing Johnson to put the ball behind. Nasri's corner is dreadful though, low and straight to the defender at the near post. A professional footballer and all. Arsenal have started this half well and Birmingham have barely made it into their half yet.
    50 min: Birmingham substitution: Craig Gardner appears to have picked up a knock so Jean Beausejour come on in his place.

 
Premier League

West Ham United 3
  • Parker 22,
  • Ba 45,
  • Cole 90
Liverpool 1
  • Johnson 84


  • Rob Bagchi
  • guardian.co.uk, Sunday 27 February 2011 12.36 GMT <li class="history">Article history
    West-Ham-Uniteds-Scott-Pa-007.jpg
    West Ham United's Scott Parker celebrates after opening the scoring in their 3-1 victory over Liverpool. Photograph: Stephen Pond/Empics Sport Afternoon all: Looking back at Kenny Dalglish's last two visits to Upton Park as Liverpool's manager in 1988 for some omens drew something of a blank. In the league the defending champions won 2-0 with a starting XI featuring the rare combination of Peter Beardsley, Ian Rush and John Aldridge in the same side, the first two scoring. A month later they came back in the Littlewoods Cup with just Beardsley and Aldridge up front and lost 4-1 with goals from Tony Gale, a pair for Paul Ince and an own goal from Steve Staunton. Both West Ham line-ups featured Allen McKnightmare in goal, a keeper I had all but erased from my memory but who I now can't shake from featuring in recollections of very nervy displays.
    I also checked the excellent "played for both sides" list on the AFS site and there have been so many that Hammers fans would wish to forget, notably Titi Camara, those who shone very briefly such as Rigobert Song and those like Rob Jones and Mike Marsh whose injuries did for them, much as Camara and Song did for Harry Redknapp. Starting for West Ham then going on to Anfield include Yossi Benayoun, Glen Johnson, Javier Mascherano, Joe Cole, Ince (eventually), Paul Konchesky and Daniel Sjolund.
    Liverpool have gone for five at the back while West Ham's midfield looks the strongest quartet they've had for ages, though as Jacob Steinberg, readying himself for the League Cup final alongside me points out, lacking in pace. Anyway, should be a decent game.
    Teams:
    West Ham: Green, Jacobsen, Tomkins, Upson, Bridge, O'Neil, Noble, Parker, Hitzlsperger, Ba, Piquionne. Subs Subs: Boffin, Reid, Cole, Boa Morte, Spector, da Costa, Hines.
    Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Kelly, Carragher, Skrtel, Wilson, Lucas, Gerrard, Meireles, Kuyt, Suarez. Subs: Gulacsi, Kyrgiakos, Cole, Poulsen, Spearing, Maxi, Ngog.
    An email pings in: From Gary Naylor, on emergency loan from Rob Smyth's OBO: "Liverpool appear to be playing as King Kenny would have played &#8211; alas not in 1978, but in 2008. Is all this pragmatism what Liverpool fans expected?" I think they would, Gary, and would be pleased that there's been some steadying of the ship and a more logical approach to Raul Meireles's best position. The co-commentator today is Chris Coleman so we'll get a Welsh lilt to the analysis. Jacob sends me this footage of West Ham's 2-1 victory in 1997, the very one that Robbie Fowler and Ian Wright have just been reminiscing about in the studio. I failed to mention the surprise of seeing Matthew Upson in West Ham's starting XI. I thought he was out for the season but he's defied the medical opinions and returns. Wonder how he'll cope with Suarez.
    1 min: Liverpool kick off attacking the Sir Trevor Brooking fan, not Sir Trev himself and attempt to build from the back before Johnson's short pass leaves Wilson straining to get there and the ball goes out for a throw.
    3 min: Very good possession football from West Ham up their right in tight spaces, O'Neil and Jacobsen combining well and then Parker passes to Hitzelsperger who pops a diagonal pass to Ba before it comes back to the German who fires a shot from 25 yards that Reina plucks out of the air.
    7 min: Kelly loses possession when facing the wrong way when hassled by Piquionne and Skrtel comes to his rescue by hacking Piquionne down 10 yards into the Liverpool half and gets booked.
    9 min: Piquionne ends up on the grass when running to try to get his toe on a through ball from Parker but Mark Halsey thinks Carragher's block was fair and waves play on.
    11 min: Long ball from O'Neil aimed at Ba in the D of the penalty area but Carragher, the spare man, reads it well and heads clear. West Ham keep coming, though, and don't look at all lacking in confidence.
    13 min: Mistake from Tomkins who was afraid of conceding a corner so turned and passed it, aiming for touch, straight to Johnson. He checked inside and passed to Meireles who shot from 20 yards, weakly, and Green got down to pick the ball up. He launches his kick and West Ham win a corner.
    15 min: Excellent and vicious inswinging corner from Der Hammer and although Liverpool head it clear it falls to O'Neil who shoots into the crowded box and the ball rebounds away. Then Liverpool break and Hitzlsperger powers back to tackle and give Liverpool a corner, which Meireles takes and Johnson heads on to Piquionne's arm, by his side, could have been a penalty but wasn't given.
    18 min: O'Neil has started well on the right. Sky had him playing on the right of an attacking three but he's actually tucked further back in a midfield four. Here's Scott Stricker on the thorny subject of Steven Gerrard, who seems to get a lot of correspondents' goats. "How many ill-conceived 40 yard cross field balls can we expect from Gerrard today? As tonight is the Ooscars, is it possible he will be trying to get a late nomination for best supporting actor to the real Liverpool lead, Raul Meireles, by littering this game with hundreds of wasteful Hollywood passes?" I think one of his real weaknesses is occasionally overhitting routine passes to team-mates who would have to have the control of a Pele to deal with some of them.
    20 min: Chris Coleman thinks Piquionne lacks heart, shouting "Go on Big Fella" when he let ba pass from Parker roll out for a goalkick instead of chasing it to the touchline. He's also had a go for his failure to ride Carragher's earlier challenge. Yet West Ham are playing well and Piquionne is playing his part. O'Neil links up well with Ba, who slipped the ball past Skrtel and bombed on.
    GOAL!! West Ham 1-0 Liverpool (Parker) Parker bursts in from the right, beats Lucas or possibly Wilson, passes to Hitzlsperger who hits a lovely return round the corner and Parker's finish is an absolute peach, flicked with the outside of his right foot across Reina and into the right-hand corner of the Spaniard's net.
    24 min: Another strong ruin from Ba wins West Ham a corner when he tries to skin Carragher. Reina's punch sets up a quick counter attack, Suarez running forward and leaving the two West Ham markers for dust, passes to Kuyt who shoots into the side netting.
    27 min:West Ham come straight back at Liverpool with Noble dispossessing Meireles on halfway then storms forward and passes to O'Neil who fizzes a cross across the six-yard box and a lunging Ba can't reach it.
    29 min: Some news from James Dart on the West Ham co-owner David Gold: "David Gold was today in hospital being treated for cholangitis and septicaemia, the club have confirmed. Gold, 74, was first taken ill on Wednesday evening and was unable to attend the Hammers' Barclays Premier League game against Liverpool this afternoon. His daughter, Jacqueline, said: "I saw my dad this morning and he is very poorly with cholangitis (inflammation of the bile duct) and septicaemia. "He is on powerful antibiotics and we hope to see an improvement in the next few days. "He asked me to be at the Liverpool game today on his behalf and is absolutely devastated he could not be there himself."
    31 min: Suarez is limping after a challenge from Tomkins who threw the full weight of his body into the tackle. West Ham are pressing very adeptly and Hitzlsperger, in particular, looks like someone with energy to burn. It's been quite end-to-end but West Ham look comfortable in possession. The danger comes when they play the killer ball, or attempt to play the killer ball, rather, and Liverpool break with pace.
    33 min: Suarez seems to have run off his knock and he wins a free kick off Tomkins who slides in to tackle him then handles when on the grass. Now Meireles is clutching his knee after another firm tackle from Parker. Here's Andrew Booth with some tactical insights: "Liverpool are playing the wrong formation here. With three centre backs minding three strikers they lack the numerical advantage at the back that makes the formation effective against other sides. It means the fullbacks are having to stay back to give support, so that the man for man midfield is also not having the time on the ball they need. Wonder how long before Kuyt starts to drop deeper to help out the midfield, fully blunting the Liverpool attack."
    35 min: Piquionne is penalised for hand ball in the Liverpool area which allows Sky to show a couple of challenges in the West Ham area, one, where Tomkins just boots Suarez's standing leg, was inches inside the box and should have been a penalty.
    37 min: "Liverpool would be far more dangerous if they did not have to rely on breaking with pace and Dirk Kuyt," writes Ian Copestake. As predicted by Andrew Booth, below, Kuyt has dropped deeper which leaves Suarez the sole target of a brace of Gerrard ineffectual long balls, easily picked off by Upson and Jacobsen.
    39 min: Sky are eulogising "Matty Upson, the rock solid defender at the heart of West Ham". He's done well so far but not sure rock solid is the most apt description given his frailty. Kelly shoots from the right of the area, cutting in to hit it with his left but Green only has to go to ground to gather as it's a weak, bobbling scuffer.
    41min: West Ham free kick, 25 yards out to the left of Liverpool's goal after Skrtel fouls Hitzlsperger to stop him shooting. Taken by Noble with his right and curled wide.
    42min: Kelly goes down on a lung-burster of a dribble up the right wing when he grasps the back of his left thigh. That's a pinged hamstring.
    43min: Liverpool substitution Joe Cole on for Martin Kelly. Liverpool go 4-4-2 with Johnson at right-back and Wilson at left-back, Cole on the left of midfield, Meireles, for now, stuck in Hodgson exile on the right.
    GOAL!! West Ham 2-0 Liverpool (Ba) In the mixer! Green's goalkick on to Ba's head. He cushions header to Noble who rampages up the right wing, cuts back his cross to Ba by the penalty spot and he scores with a loopy diving header.
    45min +2: "Oh lord, Demba Ba" is the Boleyn chant of choice to the tune of Kumbaya.
    Half-time: A very assured performance from the Hammers going forward and though they've left themselves a little unmanned at the back after the first goal, they've been industrious and inventive. Liverpool are struggling to contain the thrusts down the left of their defence and were outnumbered in midfield. If Parker, O'Neil, Hitzlsperger and Noble have the stamina to keep pressing like they have, then it's a long road back for Liverpool. Back in ten minutes.
    Email musings: Here's Richard Johnson: "This match highlights why it is so exciting to be a West Ham supporter. One never knows what the game might be like &#8230;
    I'm watching a Danish feed &#8211; that's an Internet broadcast from Denmark, not and eating contest &#8211; and they refer to Mr. Dalglish as 'King Kenny' as well. My Danish isn't that good, but is Stevie M$E playing? Also, regarding Tomkins at 35 minutes, could one not say he Carraghered Suarez?" He absolutely Carraghered him, Richard. Graeme Neill is from the other camp: "If Liverpool are to pull this back, Kenny needs to stick Gerrard on the right and play Meireles in his best position as he is clearly the better central midfielder. Either that or Gerrard will play a blinder from the centre in the second half just to spite me." And David Goldstone sees a cloud in the claret and blue sky: "Will be interesting to see the effect in the second half of one of Avram's famous half time team talks." Maybe he'll just let Parker do the honours again, David.
    46min: Perhaps they'd be better putting Kuyt on the right and let Meireles play off Suarez instead of sticking either the Portuguese fella or Gerrard out there. They're off and Cole is free on the left and chips a cross across goal and Kuyt can't get there.
    48min: Piquionne misplaces a clearance straight to Kuyt who plays it out to the right where Meireles hits a deep, dangerous cross after Bridge failed to close him down. Tomkins is paying attention, though, and dives to head over.
    49min: Meireles limps off after his first-half injury. Ngog comes on for him.
    49min: Ba, as the ex-professionals always put it, "looks a player", good feet and really fine control on his rangy dribbling bursts. Joe Cole cleans him out in a tackle, which looks a foul, but Liverpool get the benefit of the doubt and regain the initiative.
    51min: Bridge plays an almost perfect hospital pass across from the left to Tomkins that Suarez is a toe-clipping away from nicking and the centre-half has to belt it into touch under pressure from Kuyt. From the throw West Ham win it back and Parker threads a pass to Ba, who runs across goal and clips his shot just wide.
    53min:v West Ham corner after another Parker inspired attack. Short to Noble whose cross is headed clear by Carragher.
    54min: Liverpool are all over the place positionally and keep giving the ball away. Parker whacks a pass forward that comes to Hitzlsperger who shapes to shoot with his left but is closed down and his right-foot shot is deflected for a corner. The German takes it and whips it in menacingly but Liverpool clear by sheer number of bodies.
    56min: No signs of a Liverpool comeback or any coherence this last five minutes. They can't get any time on the ball &#8230; until now when Gerrard bombs forward on the right but Upson reads his intentions and belts the cross away.
    59min: West Ham's workrate would have Mick McCarthy talking about 10 shifts being put in. They're absolutely hounding Liverpool's midfield who can't get the space to play.
    60min: Glorious 40 yard diagonal pass from Hitzlsperger to Piquionne who saunters past Wilson then changes the ball on to his left and rolls it to the German. Lucas does well to hassle him out of shooting with his left s0 he hits it with his swinger instead and it sails over the bar.
    63min: Excellent Liverpool move at last, started by Lucas's clipped pass to Gerrard in a central position with his back to goal and he turns it round the corner to Suarez who tries to curl it in at the far post but Green dives to his left and saves well. Two Liverpool corners get the crowd going but are snuffed out by West Ham who bomb up the other end and O'Neil fools Wilson by shaping right and cutting in on his left to shoot. Reina clears for a corner that is looped back to the keeper.
    65min: "Demba Ba could have gone home after his diving header and I would have been pleased with his performance," writes Andrew Stricker. "But now he's spinning and twisting and doing dribbling tricks &#8211; I would also like to add how much I love diving headers." If you're tired of diving headers, Andrew, you're tired of life. Gary Naylor, an Evertonian, has a theory: "The way this match is going and the performance Wolves yesterday makes me think Blackpool are going down, but will Blackburn join them? It could be a Lancashire trio with Liverpool &#8230; sorry, Wigan, joining them."
    67min: Some worries over Parker's fitness before a West Ham corner, taken by Noble after he inadvertently knocked the ball out first time with his toe and picked the ball up. It should have been a Liverpool free-kick but wasn't. He gets a second chance with his corner and puts it on Piquionne's head. Should have scored as it was essentially a free header and he glances it wide.
    69min: Cole takes up a more central position and turns a pass to Gerrard on the right of the Hammers' box. He shoots first time but Parker's there with a block.
    71min: Suarez's neat feet almost got him a shooting chance in the box from the edge of the D, dribbling it past two but then being crowded out. From the breakdown Ngog runs forward and Suarez crosses to the back post, invitingly but to no one.
    73min: Gerrard free from a West Ham throw in that came straight off Bridge's face and should have gone Liverpool's way. The ball bounces high in front of him but he gets his leg above the perpendicular to hit a dipping volley that Green tips over. From the corner West Ham break and Ba races on to Hitzlsperger's pass into Liverpool's box but Reina is sharp and gets there first. "West Ham certainly don't appear to be a team in the relegation zone today. Has Hitzlsperger made that much of a difference? From what I've seen, they appear to be winning this game in the middle of the park," writes Nick White. He certainly has, Nick, and the underrated O'Neil whose also played very well. Both players are very comfortable on the ball and keep possession in a way West Ham's other midfield alternatives don't always manage.
    76min: Gerrard goes down in the box but doesn't appeal for a penalty but he still takes stick from West Ham's fans. Green kicks it up and Piquionne takes the long ball, turns, shoots and the ball slides under Reina but he's done enough to take the pace off and he twists and regains the ball a yard from the goalline.
    78min: Sean D writes: "Stevie G's legs have completely gone. I wonder if there's a club on the continent that will still buy him for big(gish) money in the summer based on his reputation alone." Is it his legs, lack of an established role or positional discipline?
    80min: Getting very bitty now as Parker tires a little and Liverpool start to get more ball but can't find a way through West Ham's defence who have been able to read the game very well thus far and pop out to intervene at crucial times, which always helps if you're attacked primarily and somewhat predictably through the middle.
    82min: West Ham substitution. Piquionne off, Spector on.
    83min: Liverpool start to push West Ham back for the past two minutes but penalty box pinball plays into West Ham's hands when Upson and Tomkins are reading the game as well as this, getting first to the knockdowns.
    GOAL!! West Ham 2-1 Liverpool (Johnson) Just as I wrote that West Ham were defending well they blow about six opportunities to clear as the ball pings around the box and a sumptuous turn and cross from Suarez on the left flies across the six-yard line and Johnson bursts in to tap the ball into the net.
    86min: Chris Coleman is pondering how good a partnership Suarez could make with "Big Carroll". There's something about the way he says it in that Swansea accent that makes Big Carroll sound like the queen of Mumbles nightlife.
    88min: Gerrard free kick 30 yards out, fairly central but curled to the far post. It's overhit and West Ham have a goalkick. Off goes Ba and on comes Carlton Cole.
    89min: Peter Ranger writes: "Has Steven Gerrard ever had any positional awareness to lose? Also Lucas is slowly becoming quite a good player, which I think is partly down to being used more than just as a Makelele-esque holding player, he's certainly not worse than Arsenal's step-over less Denilson." I think you may be on to something there, Peter. Noble is now on the right and gets a shooting chance he puts to Reina's left. Reina dives to catch.
    GOAL!! West Ham 3-1 Liverpool (Carlton Cole) When Reina tried to clear after saving, Cole came too close to block his clearance and Liverpool got a free kick that Reina kicks straight to Bridge, I think. The ball is played to Cole in the inside left channel, he spins Skrtle and leaves him on the floor, looks up and hits a fine low shot past Reina.
    90min+2: The Hammers almost went to sleep straight after scoring and Suarez was left free to shoot, wide as it turned out.
    Final whistle: West Ham 3-1 Liverpool. Wigan go bottom, the Hammers up to 18th and that was a deserved victory, full of commitment, good passing, energy and some intelligent movement from Ba. That midfield, if it can play the next 10 games, will give them a fine chance of avoiding relegation. Noble, Parker, O'Neil and Hitzlsperger were all outstanding as were Upson and Tomkins at the back, Jacobsen looked tidy, and Ba is a handful. As for Liverpool, they were woeful. The five at the back, three at the back, whatever, didn't work after the first 15 minutes when the Hammers four v three in midfield took the game away from them. A really enjoyable match, not for the Liverpool fans, of course, but better than most. Thanks for your emails. Please join Jacob Steinberg for the League Cup final now where I expect he'll be happy to talk about West Ham for a few minutes. For happy, read ecstatic. Bye

 
Premier League

West Ham United 3
  • Parker 22,
  • Ba 45,
  • Cole 90
Liverpool 1
  • Johnson 84


  • Rob Bagchi
  • guardian.co.uk, Sunday 27 February 2011 12.36 GMT <li class="history">Article history
    West-Ham-Uniteds-Scott-Pa-007.jpg
    West Ham United's Scott Parker celebrates after opening the scoring in their 3-1 victory over Liverpool. Photograph: Stephen Pond/Empics Sport Afternoon all: Looking back at Kenny Dalglish's last two visits to Upton Park as Liverpool's manager in 1988 for some omens drew something of a blank. In the league the defending champions won 2-0 with a starting XI featuring the rare combination of Peter Beardsley, Ian Rush and John Aldridge in the same side, the first two scoring. A month later they came back in the Littlewoods Cup with just Beardsley and Aldridge up front and lost 4-1 with goals from Tony Gale, a pair for Paul Ince and an own goal from Steve Staunton. Both West Ham line-ups featured Allen McKnightmare in goal, a keeper I had all but erased from my memory but who I now can't shake from featuring in recollections of very nervy displays.
    I also checked the excellent "played for both sides" list on the AFS site and there have been so many that Hammers fans would wish to forget, notably Titi Camara, those who shone very briefly such as Rigobert Song and those like Rob Jones and Mike Marsh whose injuries did for them, much as Camara and Song did for Harry Redknapp. Starting for West Ham then going on to Anfield include Yossi Benayoun, Glen Johnson, Javier Mascherano, Joe Cole, Ince (eventually), Paul Konchesky and Daniel Sjolund.
    Liverpool have gone for five at the back while West Ham's midfield looks the strongest quartet they've had for ages, though as Jacob Steinberg, readying himself for the League Cup final alongside me points out, lacking in pace. Anyway, should be a decent game.
    Teams:
    West Ham: Green, Jacobsen, Tomkins, Upson, Bridge, O'Neil, Noble, Parker, Hitzlsperger, Ba, Piquionne. Subs Subs: Boffin, Reid, Cole, Boa Morte, Spector, da Costa, Hines.
    Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Kelly, Carragher, Skrtel, Wilson, Lucas, Gerrard, Meireles, Kuyt, Suarez. Subs: Gulacsi, Kyrgiakos, Cole, Poulsen, Spearing, Maxi, Ngog.
    An email pings in: From Gary Naylor, on emergency loan from Rob Smyth's OBO: "Liverpool appear to be playing as King Kenny would have played – alas not in 1978, but in 2008. Is all this pragmatism what Liverpool fans expected?" I think they would, Gary, and would be pleased that there's been some steadying of the ship and a more logical approach to Raul Meireles's best position. The co-commentator today is Chris Coleman so we'll get a Welsh lilt to the analysis. Jacob sends me this footage of West Ham's 2-1 victory in 1997, the very one that Robbie Fowler and Ian Wright have just been reminiscing about in the studio. I failed to mention the surprise of seeing Matthew Upson in West Ham's starting XI. I thought he was out for the season but he's defied the medical opinions and returns. Wonder how he'll cope with Suarez.
    1 min: Liverpool kick off attacking the Sir Trevor Brooking fan, not Sir Trev himself and attempt to build from the back before Johnson's short pass leaves Wilson straining to get there and the ball goes out for a throw.
    3 min: Very good possession football from West Ham up their right in tight spaces, O'Neil and Jacobsen combining well and then Parker passes to Hitzelsperger who pops a diagonal pass to Ba before it comes back to the German who fires a shot from 25 yards that Reina plucks out of the air.
    7 min: Kelly loses possession when facing the wrong way when hassled by Piquionne and Skrtel comes to his rescue by hacking Piquionne down 10 yards into the Liverpool half and gets booked.
    9 min: Piquionne ends up on the grass when running to try to get his toe on a through ball from Parker but Mark Halsey thinks Carragher's block was fair and waves play on.
    11 min: Long ball from O'Neil aimed at Ba in the D of the penalty area but Carragher, the spare man, reads it well and heads clear. West Ham keep coming, though, and don't look at all lacking in confidence.
    13 min: Mistake from Tomkins who was afraid of conceding a corner so turned and passed it, aiming for touch, straight to Johnson. He checked inside and passed to Meireles who shot from 20 yards, weakly, and Green got down to pick the ball up. He launches his kick and West Ham win a corner.
    15 min: Excellent and vicious inswinging corner from Der Hammer and although Liverpool head it clear it falls to O'Neil who shoots into the crowded box and the ball rebounds away. Then Liverpool break and Hitzlsperger powers back to tackle and give Liverpool a corner, which Meireles takes and Johnson heads on to Piquionne's arm, by his side, could have been a penalty but wasn't given.
    18 min: O'Neil has started well on the right. Sky had him playing on the right of an attacking three but he's actually tucked further back in a midfield four. Here's Scott Stricker on the thorny subject of Steven Gerrard, who seems to get a lot of correspondents' goats. "How many ill-conceived 40 yard cross field balls can we expect from Gerrard today? As tonight is the Ooscars, is it possible he will be trying to get a late nomination for best supporting actor to the real Liverpool lead, Raul Meireles, by littering this game with hundreds of wasteful Hollywood passes?" I think one of his real weaknesses is occasionally overhitting routine passes to team-mates who would have to have the control of a Pele to deal with some of them.
    20 min: Chris Coleman thinks Piquionne lacks heart, shouting "Go on Big Fella" when he let ba pass from Parker roll out for a goalkick instead of chasing it to the touchline. He's also had a go for his failure to ride Carragher's earlier challenge. Yet West Ham are playing well and Piquionne is playing his part. O'Neil links up well with Ba, who slipped the ball past Skrtel and bombed on.
    GOAL!! West Ham 1-0 Liverpool (Parker) Parker bursts in from the right, beats Lucas or possibly Wilson, passes to Hitzlsperger who hits a lovely return round the corner and Parker's finish is an absolute peach, flicked with the outside of his right foot across Reina and into the right-hand corner of the Spaniard's net.
    24 min: Another strong ruin from Ba wins West Ham a corner when he tries to skin Carragher. Reina's punch sets up a quick counter attack, Suarez running forward and leaving the two West Ham markers for dust, passes to Kuyt who shoots into the side netting.
    27 min:West Ham come straight back at Liverpool with Noble dispossessing Meireles on halfway then storms forward and passes to O'Neil who fizzes a cross across the six-yard box and a lunging Ba can't reach it.
    29 min: Some news from James Dart on the West Ham co-owner David Gold: "David Gold was today in hospital being treated for cholangitis and septicaemia, the club have confirmed. Gold, 74, was first taken ill on Wednesday evening and was unable to attend the Hammers' Barclays Premier League game against Liverpool this afternoon. His daughter, Jacqueline, said: "I saw my dad this morning and he is very poorly with cholangitis (inflammation of the bile duct) and septicaemia. "He is on powerful antibiotics and we hope to see an improvement in the next few days. "He asked me to be at the Liverpool game today on his behalf and is absolutely devastated he could not be there himself."
    31 min: Suarez is limping after a challenge from Tomkins who threw the full weight of his body into the tackle. West Ham are pressing very adeptly and Hitzlsperger, in particular, looks like someone with energy to burn. It's been quite end-to-end but West Ham look comfortable in possession. The danger comes when they play the killer ball, or attempt to play the killer ball, rather, and Liverpool break with pace.
    33 min: Suarez seems to have run off his knock and he wins a free kick off Tomkins who slides in to tackle him then handles when on the grass. Now Meireles is clutching his knee after another firm tackle from Parker. Here's Andrew Booth with some tactical insights: "Liverpool are playing the wrong formation here. With three centre backs minding three strikers they lack the numerical advantage at the back that makes the formation effective against other sides. It means the fullbacks are having to stay back to give support, so that the man for man midfield is also not having the time on the ball they need. Wonder how long before Kuyt starts to drop deeper to help out the midfield, fully blunting the Liverpool attack."
    35 min: Piquionne is penalised for hand ball in the Liverpool area which allows Sky to show a couple of challenges in the West Ham area, one, where Tomkins just boots Suarez's standing leg, was inches inside the box and should have been a penalty.
    37 min: "Liverpool would be far more dangerous if they did not have to rely on breaking with pace and Dirk Kuyt," writes Ian Copestake. As predicted by Andrew Booth, below, Kuyt has dropped deeper which leaves Suarez the sole target of a brace of Gerrard ineffectual long balls, easily picked off by Upson and Jacobsen.
    39 min: Sky are eulogising "Matty Upson, the rock solid defender at the heart of West Ham". He's done well so far but not sure rock solid is the most apt description given his frailty. Kelly shoots from the right of the area, cutting in to hit it with his left but Green only has to go to ground to gather as it's a weak, bobbling scuffer.
    41min: West Ham free kick, 25 yards out to the left of Liverpool's goal after Skrtel fouls Hitzlsperger to stop him shooting. Taken by Noble with his right and curled wide.
    42min: Kelly goes down on a lung-burster of a dribble up the right wing when he grasps the back of his left thigh. That's a pinged hamstring.
    43min: Liverpool substitution Joe Cole on for Martin Kelly. Liverpool go 4-4-2 with Johnson at right-back and Wilson at left-back, Cole on the left of midfield, Meireles, for now, stuck in Hodgson exile on the right.
    GOAL!! West Ham 2-0 Liverpool (Ba) In the mixer! Green's goalkick on to Ba's head. He cushions header to Noble who rampages up the right wing, cuts back his cross to Ba by the penalty spot and he scores with a loopy diving header.
    45min +2: "Oh lord, Demba Ba" is the Boleyn chant of choice to the tune of Kumbaya.
    Half-time: A very assured performance from the Hammers going forward and though they've left themselves a little unmanned at the back after the first goal, they've been industrious and inventive. Liverpool are struggling to contain the thrusts down the left of their defence and were outnumbered in midfield. If Parker, O'Neil, Hitzlsperger and Noble have the stamina to keep pressing like they have, then it's a long road back for Liverpool. Back in ten minutes.
    Email musings: Here's Richard Johnson: "This match highlights why it is so exciting to be a West Ham supporter. One never knows what the game might be like …
    I'm watching a Danish feed – that's an Internet broadcast from Denmark, not and eating contest – and they refer to Mr. Dalglish as 'King Kenny' as well. My Danish isn't that good, but is Stevie M$E playing? Also, regarding Tomkins at 35 minutes, could one not say he Carraghered Suarez?" He absolutely Carraghered him, Richard. Graeme Neill is from the other camp: "If Liverpool are to pull this back, Kenny needs to stick Gerrard on the right and play Meireles in his best position as he is clearly the better central midfielder. Either that or Gerrard will play a blinder from the centre in the second half just to spite me." And David Goldstone sees a cloud in the claret and blue sky: "Will be interesting to see the effect in the second half of one of Avram's famous half time team talks." Maybe he'll just let Parker do the honours again, David.
    46min: Perhaps they'd be better putting Kuyt on the right and let Meireles play off Suarez instead of sticking either the Portuguese fella or Gerrard out there. They're off and Cole is free on the left and chips a cross across goal and Kuyt can't get there.
    48min: Piquionne misplaces a clearance straight to Kuyt who plays it out to the right where Meireles hits a deep, dangerous cross after Bridge failed to close him down. Tomkins is paying attention, though, and dives to head over.
    49min: Meireles limps off after his first-half injury. Ngog comes on for him.
    49min: Ba, as the ex-professionals always put it, "looks a player", good feet and really fine control on his rangy dribbling bursts. Joe Cole cleans him out in a tackle, which looks a foul, but Liverpool get the benefit of the doubt and regain the initiative.
    51min: Bridge plays an almost perfect hospital pass across from the left to Tomkins that Suarez is a toe-clipping away from nicking and the centre-half has to belt it into touch under pressure from Kuyt. From the throw West Ham win it back and Parker threads a pass to Ba, who runs across goal and clips his shot just wide.
    53min:v West Ham corner after another Parker inspired attack. Short to Noble whose cross is headed clear by Carragher.
    54min: Liverpool are all over the place positionally and keep giving the ball away. Parker whacks a pass forward that comes to Hitzlsperger who shapes to shoot with his left but is closed down and his right-foot shot is deflected for a corner. The German takes it and whips it in menacingly but Liverpool clear by sheer number of bodies.
    56min: No signs of a Liverpool comeback or any coherence this last five minutes. They can't get any time on the ball … until now when Gerrard bombs forward on the right but Upson reads his intentions and belts the cross away.
    59min: West Ham's workrate would have Mick McCarthy talking about 10 shifts being put in. They're absolutely hounding Liverpool's midfield who can't get the space to play.
    60min: Glorious 40 yard diagonal pass from Hitzlsperger to Piquionne who saunters past Wilson then changes the ball on to his left and rolls it to the German. Lucas does well to hassle him out of shooting with his left s0 he hits it with his swinger instead and it sails over the bar.
    63min: Excellent Liverpool move at last, started by Lucas's clipped pass to Gerrard in a central position with his back to goal and he turns it round the corner to Suarez who tries to curl it in at the far post but Green dives to his left and saves well. Two Liverpool corners get the crowd going but are snuffed out by West Ham who bomb up the other end and O'Neil fools Wilson by shaping right and cutting in on his left to shoot. Reina clears for a corner that is looped back to the keeper.
    65min: "Demba Ba could have gone home after his diving header and I would have been pleased with his performance," writes Andrew Stricker. "But now he's spinning and twisting and doing dribbling tricks – I would also like to add how much I love diving headers." If you're tired of diving headers, Andrew, you're tired of life. Gary Naylor, an Evertonian, has a theory: "The way this match is going and the performance Wolves yesterday makes me think Blackpool are going down, but will Blackburn join them? It could be a Lancashire trio with Liverpool … sorry, Wigan, joining them."
    67min: Some worries over Parker's fitness before a West Ham corner, taken by Noble after he inadvertently knocked the ball out first time with his toe and picked the ball up. It should have been a Liverpool free-kick but wasn't. He gets a second chance with his corner and puts it on Piquionne's head. Should have scored as it was essentially a free header and he glances it wide.
    69min: Cole takes up a more central position and turns a pass to Gerrard on the right of the Hammers' box. He shoots first time but Parker's there with a block.
    71min: Suarez's neat feet almost got him a shooting chance in the box from the edge of the D, dribbling it past two but then being crowded out. From the breakdown Ngog runs forward and Suarez crosses to the back post, invitingly but to no one.
    73min: Gerrard free from a West Ham throw in that came straight off Bridge's face and should have gone Liverpool's way. The ball bounces high in front of him but he gets his leg above the perpendicular to hit a dipping volley that Green tips over. From the corner West Ham break and Ba races on to Hitzlsperger's pass into Liverpool's box but Reina is sharp and gets there first. "West Ham certainly don't appear to be a team in the relegation zone today. Has Hitzlsperger made that much of a difference? From what I've seen, they appear to be winning this game in the middle of the park," writes Nick White. He certainly has, Nick, and the underrated O'Neil whose also played very well. Both players are very comfortable on the ball and keep possession in a way West Ham's other midfield alternatives don't always manage.
    76min: Gerrard goes down in the box but doesn't appeal for a penalty but he still takes stick from West Ham's fans. Green kicks it up and Piquionne takes the long ball, turns, shoots and the ball slides under Reina but he's done enough to take the pace off and he twists and regains the ball a yard from the goalline.
    78min: Sean D writes: "Stevie G's legs have completely gone. I wonder if there's a club on the continent that will still buy him for big(gish) money in the summer based on his reputation alone." Is it his legs, lack of an established role or positional discipline?
    80min: Getting very bitty now as Parker tires a little and Liverpool start to get more ball but can't find a way through West Ham's defence who have been able to read the game very well thus far and pop out to intervene at crucial times, which always helps if you're attacked primarily and somewhat predictably through the middle.
    82min: West Ham substitution. Piquionne off, Spector on.
    83min: Liverpool start to push West Ham back for the past two minutes but penalty box pinball plays into West Ham's hands when Upson and Tomkins are reading the game as well as this, getting first to the knockdowns.
    GOAL!! West Ham 2-1 Liverpool (Johnson) Just as I wrote that West Ham were defending well they blow about six opportunities to clear as the ball pings around the box and a sumptuous turn and cross from Suarez on the left flies across the six-yard line and Johnson bursts in to tap the ball into the net.
    86min: Chris Coleman is pondering how good a partnership Suarez could make with "Big Carroll". There's something about the way he says it in that Swansea accent that makes Big Carroll sound like the queen of Mumbles nightlife.
    88min: Gerrard free kick 30 yards out, fairly central but curled to the far post. It's overhit and West Ham have a goalkick. Off goes Ba and on comes Carlton Cole.
    89min: Peter Ranger writes: "Has Steven Gerrard ever had any positional awareness to lose? Also Lucas is slowly becoming quite a good player, which I think is partly down to being used more than just as a Makelele-esque holding player, he's certainly not worse than Arsenal's step-over less Denilson." I think you may be on to something there, Peter. Noble is now on the right and gets a shooting chance he puts to Reina's left. Reina dives to catch.
    GOAL!! West Ham 3-1 Liverpool (Carlton Cole) When Reina tried to clear after saving, Cole came too close to block his clearance and Liverpool got a free kick that Reina kicks straight to Bridge, I think. The ball is played to Cole in the inside left channel, he spins Skrtle and leaves him on the floor, looks up and hits a fine low shot past Reina.
    90min+2: The Hammers almost went to sleep straight after scoring and Suarez was left free to shoot, wide as it turned out.
    Final whistle: West Ham 3-1 Liverpool. Wigan go bottom, the Hammers up to 18th and that was a deserved victory, full of commitment, good passing, energy and some intelligent movement from Ba. That midfield, if it can play the next 10 games, will give them a fine chance of avoiding relegation. Noble, Parker, O'Neil and Hitzlsperger were all outstanding as were Upson and Tomkins at the back, Jacobsen looked tidy, and Ba is a handful. As for Liverpool, they were woeful. The five at the back, three at the back, whatever, didn't work after the first 15 minutes when the Hammers four v three in midfield took the game away from them. A really enjoyable match, not for the Liverpool fans, of course, but better than most. Thanks for your emails. Please join Jacob Steinberg for the League Cup final now where I expect he'll be happy to talk about West Ham for a few minutes. For happy, read ecstatic. Bye
 
Carling Cup Final

Arsenal 1
  • van Persie 39
Birmingham City 1
  • Zigic 28


  • Jacob Steinberg
  • guardian.co.uk, Sunday 27 February 2011 15.00 GMT <li class="history">Article history To receive updated content, refresh the page (F5 for a web browser).
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    Jack-Wilshere-in-action-a-007.jpg
    Jack Wilshere does running. Photograph: Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images 56 min: This match is fascinatingly poised. If Ashley Cole pointed an air rifle at my head and made me choose, I'd probably go for Arsenal, but Birmingham carry a real threat, especially with Zigic playing so well. Here is again, nodding down for Bowyer, who shanks a volley miles over the top from 30 yards, to jeers from the Arsenal fans.
    55 min: Carr chips the ball over Arsenal's high line, but Zigic is roughly 457 yards offside.
    54 min: Great defending from Koscielny who heads Larsson's devillish, pacy free-kick over his own bar in the six-yard box. Another chance for Birmingham though, Larsson trotting over to the left to take it. His corner is cleared as far as Ferguson, who sprays the ball out to Fahey on the right. His cross is poor though and Djourou heads away.

 
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