Liverpool hit by Mark Noble effort at West Ham

By John Ley

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West Ham United (0) 1 Liverpool (0) 0

Liverpool's problems continued at Upton Park where a penalty in the fourth minute of added time condemned them to another costly defeat. Any slender hopes Rafael Benitez had of gathering pace on the leaders disappeared into the east London night when local boy Mark Noble dispatched the spot-kick with remarkable coolness.

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It seemed that Liverpool were heading for their 11th Premier League draw when Freddie Ljungberg, in attempting to turn Jamie Carragher, had his feet taken away by the defender. Referee Alan Wiley gave the kick immediately and, after stalling tactics from goalkeeper Pepe Reina, Noble buried the ball into the bottom right-hand corner.

	Hammer-blow: Mark Noble's late winner will have hurt Liverpool

Liverpool made eight changes to the team who initially struggled against Havant & Waterlooville on Saturday, though they showed only two alterations from their previous Premier League outing, the 2-2 draw with Aston Villa. Javier Mascherano, once of West Ham and the possible subject of a full-time move to Anfield today, was left out altogether.

Liverpool included former West Ham winger Yossi Benayoun and Alan Curbishley, the home manager, admitted in his programme notes that he was disappointed the Israeli had preferred a move to Anfield rather than accept a new contract. Benayoun scored a hat-trick on Saturday but he soon received a negative reaction from his former fans.

West Ham, after their 1-1 draw at Manchester City in the Premier League, were unchanged, with Matthew Etherington, Nolberto Solano and Dean Ashton on the bench.

Unusually, the teams had yet to meet this season, but Liverpool had won on their previous three visits including last season's 2-1 victory a year ago to the day. Indeed, West Ham went into the game without a win over Liverpool in 14 League and cup games home and away.

That history may have offered Liverpool solace as they looked to claw back a deficit of 17 points behind the Premier League leaders, a cause not helped by four successive draws.

Yet in the opening minutes the 3,000 travelling fans were singing the name of their manager and, in a lively opening in which the visitors moved the ball around sharply, they were unfortunate not to take the lead.

West Ham's pedestrian defence laboured to clear an early Steven Gerrard free-kick and, after Robert Green had cleared sloppily, Benayoun attempted an audacious lob from a difficult angle, but the hosts survived.

Green, hoping to feature in Fabio Capello's first England squad today, had to react quickly when Dirk Kuyt threaded the ball to Fernando Torres, with the goalkeeper racing out to clear from the Spaniard's feet. And when, minutes later, Torres attempted to beat the defence on his own, Anton Ferdinand made a timely tackle.

West Ham finally responded in the 22nd minute when Liverpool's indecisiveness allowed Luis Boa Morte an opportunity close in but the Portuguese squandered the chance, sending it high over the target. And, five minutes later, West Ham's revival from an insipid start continued when Noble's free-kick took a headed deflection off Benayoun and bounced on to the Liverpool crossbar.

Now it was Liverpool who appeared anxious and before half-time Boa Morte offered Ljungberg a chance from a side position on the right, but the Swede lost control of the ball.

Boa Morte was guilty again of squandering a wonderful chance in the 57th minute. Noble's free-kick was headed out but only to Boa Morte and, to the annoyance of the home fans, the midfielder, from five yards, slashed at the ball and missed.

Curbishley made a double substitution with Etherington and Ashton introduced. That Boa Morte was one of the players to make way brought a collective cheer from an impatient Upton Park.

Liverpool then brought on Lucas, and within a minute he hit a shot just wide. Then he combined with Gerrard before sending an effort just over.

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Torres had a close-range attempt blocked and Lucas Neill drove another effort just off target.

Ljungberg, though, won the crucial penalty and the manner in which Noble calmly slotted the kick beyond Reina was admirable.

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John Ley,

Liverpool attacking; the visitors moved the ball around sharply, they were unfortunate not to take the lead, Benayoun attempted an audacious lob, Lucas.....hit a shot just wide, Gerrard .....sending an effort just over

West Ham attacking; ´deflection off Benayoun and bounced on to the Liverpool crossbar´

Liverpool negatives..... indecisiveness, appeared anxious

West Ham negatives, ‘pedestrian defence laboured’, ‘Robert Green had cleared sloppily’, ’Boa Morte.....squandered the chance’, ‘West Ham's revival from an insipid start’, ‘Ljungberg a chance .....but the Swede lost control’, ‘Boa Morte was guilty again of squandering a wonderful chance’.

Liverpool Fans; The 3,000 travelling fans were singing the name of their manager

West Ham Fans; Benayoun…received a negative reaction from his former fans, to the annoyance of the home fans, an impatient Upton Park

I’m just glad that it must have hurt you so much to write ‘the manner in which Noble calmly slotted the kick beyond Reina was admirable’.

Posted by Padz on January 31, 2008 8:05 AM
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Benitez, gone quicker than the lewis hamilton to switzerland. tinkering tacticians always end up in italy or spain
Posted by charlotte h on January 31, 2008 7:40 AM
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That penalty in the last minute of injury time provoked almost as big a roar at Old Trafford as Ronaldo's sublime free kick.
Never mind Liverpool. If you strike a rich vein of form between now and May you might still just squeeze in a UEFA Cup place.
Posted by xanadu on January 31, 2008 7:26 AM
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I respect the fans' support for Rafa and I'm glad Liverpool remain a club willing to back a faltering manager. However, Rafa surely wouldn't be getting the fans' backing were it not for the off field boardroom antics going on! Four draws and a defeat in a row, two conceeded against a team five divisions below the Reds and now a huge seventeen points behind the leaders and only seventh in the league. Sorry, but surely now it's time to wave Rafa on his way? This isn't good enough and frankly apart from three good games in the Champions League which has given our season some respectability Liverpool have been poor since we beat Derby at home and Paco left the club. Rafa clearly can't cut the mustard by himself. Please sack him sooner rather than later. We're not even exciting to watch.
Posted by TalkyChris on January 31, 2008 7:20 AM
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would dirk kuyt get in tranmere rovers team the
other side of the big 3 in merseyside /

disillusioned with rafa


Posted by keith knox on January 31, 2008 2:59 AM
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Pedestrian defence? What with a positive goal difference for the first time in our Premier League tenure and our seventh clean sheet this season? Ley, you're ridiculous.
Posted by Don Perretta on January 31, 2008 12:45 AM
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