THAT is more like it.
After a record 34 unconverted shots at Anfield against Manchester United on Sunday, Liverpool finally got their reward for their scattergun approach to finding the net.
Seven more wayward attempts and 28 minutes into their Carabao Cup quarter final against West Ham, the net rippled at the eighth attempt with a 25-yard scorcher from Dominik Szoboslai.
With their shooting boots laced up, the hosts found their killer instinct at long last – Curtis Jones, Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah adding the extras after the break. This time, 28 shots, five goals.
Far from perfect, but the sort of shot-to-goal ratio that would have easily seen off Man Utd, and will definitely have title rivals Arsenal taking note ahead of their Saturday night visit.
A semi-final for Liverpool in a competition they are looking to win for a record 10th time is nothing to be scoffed at, even if they continue to search for their vibrant, brilliant, heavy-metal best.
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But boss Jurgen Klopp will hope these are signs his Reds are only just warming up this campaign, having told the Kop faithful in his pre-match programme notes to keep the faith.
Not that they were given any sort of contest by West Ham, and David Moyes left the red half of Merseyside without a win for the 21st time in his career – and counting – even with Jarrod Bowen’s consolation curling beauty.
With June’s Europa Conference League final victory firmly in the memory bank, the Hammers fans could have been afforded more silverware dreaming with another semi in sight.
But there is a reason the East Londoners have now won just once in their last 56 attempts away at Liverpool – an unwanted streak stretching back 60 years.
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It did not help that Moyes made half a dozen changes from their impressive 3-0 dismantling of Wolves at the weekend, including dropping Lucas Paqueta, James Ward-Prowse, Emerson and skipper Kurt Zouma.
Illness has been an unwelcome presence hampering the West Ham squad recently.
Regardless, this sort of performance is one of the reason Moyes remains on thin ice with some sections of the fanbase.
In the end, it was an embarrassing display.
Liverpool will not have an easier evening all season, ensuring they remain unbeaten at home, winning 13 out of 12. Ominous form with Mikel Arteta’s Gunners shortly in town.
Klopp also took this as a chance to rotate, leaving the likes of Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Luis Diaz and Ibrahima Konate among the substitutes.
Harvey Elliott – keen to prove he is more than a super sub having started just one Premier League match so far this season – produced a hat-trick of attempts inside the first 20 minutes with only one on target.
VAR was unplugged for this one, and Darwin Nunez looked to break West Ham’s offside trap with Vladimir Coufal seemingly too deep, but a debatable flag saved the Czech full-back’s blushes.
Liverpool were utterly dominant with plenty of chances but none forcing visiting keeper Alphonse Areola into a meaningful save.
Sound familiar? Anfield certainly felt so, the groans becoming louder.
Those groans were soon interrupted by a screamer.
Poor by Said Benrahma, a weak attempt at a counter attack giving Szoboslai the time and space to pick his spot, and then some.
It was a knuckleball technique by the Hungarian that sparked memories of Cristiano Ronaldo during his prime Man Utd years.
In response, Klopp clenched his knuckles with a cheesy grin.
How Liverpool would love Szoboslai to make that a trademark finish on a regular basis, adding to the four goals in a red shirt he has so far.
West Ham really were living off scraps, Bowen – on his 27th birthday – barely able to show the qualities he possesses that make him a player heavily admired by Klopp.
Gakpo’s header on the brink of half-time should have nestled in Areola’s bottom corner – a warning sign the visitors did not take heed of in the second half with some woeful defending.
Tomas Soucek decided to let Jones wander into the box unmarked in the 56th minute and was duly punished as the midfielder produced a neat finish from a tight angle through Areola’s legs.
Paqueta was brought on moments later, out of desperation more than anything, while Klopp threw on Salah, Alexander-Arnold and Konate.
West Ham’s night got worse in the 71st minute.
More Soucek dallying and another long range hit, this time by Gakpo with stunning precision, before an equally fine hit by Bowen at the other end eight minutes later.
Yet Liverpool were keen to make up for missed chances against United.
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After missing an open-goal sitter, Salah got in on the act thanks to an Alexander-Arnold tee-up in the 82nd minute.
Less than two minutes later, Jones had his second, and Liverpool’s last of a superb night, even if West Ham’s disastrous backline had all but given up at this point.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
