With a win over West Ham in the books, we dig a little deeper
into what it means for Liverpool.

Another week, another 2-1 victory for Liverpool. This time they beat David Moyes’ West Ham United. Liverpool’s players and manager,
Jurgen Klopp, talk a lot about how they take the season one game at
a time. You know, the classic sports mantra and stuff that’s
probably just said for the cameras. I’m sure on some level they
mean it, but the 90 minutes against West Ham had everything to do
about what’s on the horizon as it did about securing the three
points. Endurance is the key to the season and, with missing seven
first team players due to injury, Liverpool endured West Ham. And
that’s what matters most.

The common conclusion people reached during today’s match was
that Liverpool weren’t at their best. You just need to see how West
Ham were able to score to be of that opinion. While people focus on
Joe Gomez’s poor clearance, there’s about five
or six different actions before that goof that could’ve done
better. Klopp’s Liverpool accepts this reality of not being their
best. They may actually be the best team in the world with
accepting reality but not bending to it. They pushed and pulled and
endured and fought and made sure that they went top of the
table.

It probably doesn’t need to be said, but none of us are at our
best. That seems to be the central thesis of 2020. None of this is
normal and everything is awful and is going to be awful for some
time. The backdrop of this game is an empty Anfield, which used to
be the host of a symphony of supporters but now is just a cavernous
shell of its former self. It’s got to be a jarring experience to
actually play on that pitch. I don’t really have a point I’m trying
to make here, other than we expect normal things of Liverpool
during the most abnormal of circumstances. It’s understable they
can’t be at their best, but it needs to be applauded that they
continue to deliver.

With all of that on the forefront of our minds, let’s dig deeper
into how Liverpool defeated West Ham United.

Winners and Losers

Winners

Nat Phillips

It’s got to be weird to be Nat Phillips this week and just, you
know, in general. The manager does a press conference and basically
says that the club had planned on transferring Phillips away during
the summer transfer
window. When everything’s normal, Phillips is probably the 7th
choice central defender at Liverpool. He’s not even registered for
every competition the team plays in. All of this is true and on
October 31st, 2020 he’s starting for the Premier League Champions
against West Ham.

His performance was fine. It was not spectacular but it didn’t
need to be with the situation Liverpool finds themselves in. With
that said I’d really love to read some news this week about how
Joel Matip is fit and ready to play next week against Manchester City

Super Subs: Diogo Jota and Xherdan Shaqiri

So, I was sitting there as the game clock hit about 68:00 and
realized nothing had happened in the second half. Just the way
David Moyes probably wanted it to go. He’s a self declared football
genius, you know. Anyways, I couldn’t remember anything that had
happened and began contemplating the meaning of life. As I
fantasized about what I wanted to be when I grow up, the clock hit
70:00 and two men changed my life—oh, and the match too, I
suppose.

Shaqiri and Jota provided the spark that Liverpool needed in the
second half. They made everyone better and they combined for the
winner. They continue to be in top form and are giving the manager
good problems to have about attacking options.

Sadio Mané

Mané wasn’t very good today but he’s also very good. There’s
always chatter about when a player isn’t playing well that maybe
they’re overthinking their performance. Sadio is incapable of doing
that, I think. I would’ve probably subbed him off because his first
touch was awful all match, but then the second goal doesn’t happen
without his ridiculous ability. There’s a reason he’s wearing #10
for Liverpool and there’s a reason why I’m blogging on my
couch.

Losers

VAR, Refereeing, and the State of Humanity

[insert tirade about life not being fair, include bits about how
VAR always screws Liverpool, etc. etc.]

Anyways, it was the right call.

David Moyes

With tonight’s defeat, Moyes has been to Anfield 16 times while
managing four different teams. He’s now lost 12 of those matches.
In a world where everything is changing all of the time, I love and
appreciate his consistency. What a man. I hope he manages in the
Premier League forever.

What Happens Next?

As I said at the top this win over West Ham was more about
what’s coming up than anything else. Their toughest Champions League group game is on Tuesday, away to
Atalanta (Who also won their match today 2-1). They might have a
few injured players coming back for that one, but will still have a
puzzle to solve at centerback. Should they get through that match
with a draw or a win, qualification for the knockout stages of the
Champions League is all but secured.

And then. The big one next Sunday. It’s Manchester City at the Etihad. The main rivals for the
title. In 8 days we could be in a position where Liverpool are in
the driver’s seat to repeat as champions. This week in the world
could potentially be years worth of history. But just for a moment,
allow yourself to feel what it’s like to beat Manchester City.
After that, get ready to endure. Because it certainly won’t be
easy.

Up the forever enduring Reds.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed has
condemned the recent attack on some media houses.

Mohammed who spoke in Lagos on Saturday when he paid a visit to
the media organisations that were attacked in the aftermath of the
EndSARS protest and the Lekki shooting, said any attack on media
houses was an affront on democracy in the country.

“Whoever attacks free press is also attacking democracy because
there can no democracy without a robust and vibrant free press,” he
said.

“That is why this attack must be condemned without any
reservation. Closely those who came here came with a purpose. It
was to shut down the voice of reasoning.

He also reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to
regulating the social media, stressing that the move was to protect
the rights of other Nigerians.

The minister noted that he wasn’t going back on his earlier
assertion that the government would control the media.

“A few people will say look at the minister who just few days
ago was speaking about regulating the social media. What kind of
double speech? He is coming here again to talk about protecting the
media.

“Of course, I don’t see any contradictions in those positions.
Yes, we would protect the free press; we would protect democracy
and the rights of other Nigerians to express themselves. At the
same time, we must protect the rights of others,” he added.

The minister’s remarks come 10 days after the headquarters of
Television Continental (TVC) among other media houses were attacked
by a mob in Lagos.