AEye Scouted: Can Liverpool Bounce Back Against Struggling West Ham? | OneFootball

Analysing Liverpool’s Premier League Prospects Against West Ham

Liverpool’s Recent Struggles and West Ham’s Form

In a recent podcast episode of AEye Scouted, Dave Hendrick and Karl Matchett discussed Liverpool’s disappointing performance against Everton and the upcoming challenge against West Ham. Hendrick expressed frustration, stating, “Liverpool bent over and allowed Dominic Calvert-Lewin to pummel them into oblivion… a two-nil win for the Ev, Liverpool not even a whimper.” This sentiment captures Liverpool’s recent struggles vividly.

West Ham, on the other hand, have had their own set of challenges. As Hendrick points out, “West Ham are not in particularly good form… they lost to Fulham 2-0 at home… they went to Crystal Palace and got absolutely battered 5-2.” Their season has been marred by inconsistency, winning only three of their last fifteen Premier League games.

West Ham’s Season in Review

Despite the recent poor form, Karl Matchett highlights some positive aspects of West Ham’s season. He argues that for a club like West Ham, “eighth and a run to the quarterfinals in European competition is a really good season.” This perspective acknowledges the relative successes West Ham has had, considering their historical performances and current capabilities.

Dave Hendrick further analyses West Ham’s position, noting their lack of consistency in finishing in the top half of the Premier League. He mentions, “They’ve had back-to-back top half finishes under Moyes in 2021 and 2022, which was the first since 15/16.” This points to some progress under manager David Moyes, despite the current season’s troubles.

Player Performances and Expectations

The podcast also delves into individual performances. Hendrick critically views some of West Ham’s players who have raised expectations, perhaps unrealistically. He cites Michail Antonio’s early-season comments about finishing above Liverpool as an example of setting potentially unachievable goals.

Photo by IMAGO

On Liverpool’s side, the focus was on the lack of firepower and overall team performance. “They deserved absolutely nothing from the game,” Hendrick remarked about the Everton match, highlighting the need for a significant improvement against West Ham.

A Crucial Match for Both Sides

As Liverpool and West Ham prepare to face off, both teams find themselves in a position where they need to salvage their seasons with a strong finish. For Liverpool, it’s about regaining form and finishing in a respectable position, while West Ham would aim to stabilise and possibly push for a higher finish than their current form suggests.