Carragher calls for replays as he laughs at ‘pure desperation’ by Tsimikas in Liverpool v West Ham United
Jamie Carragher couldn’t help but laugh at Kostas Tsimikas’ desperate attempt to stop Max Kilman scoring for West Ham against Liverpool on Wednesday night.
Julen Lopetegui’s side were eventually hammered 5-1 at Anfield and dumped out of the Carabao Cup but the scoreline could have been different had Kilman, 27, took an excellent chance to score when it was 2-1.
After a superb bit of play on the left by Michail Antonio and Crysencio Summerville, the ball dropped to Kilman’s feet but he was unable to get a proper shot off at goal.
Tsimikas was arguably at fault for the ball falling to Kilman but the Greece left-back, 28, tried his best to make up for it by sliding across the floor, head first, to try and make a block.
Speaking on Sky Sports Main Event on Wednesday night (25 September, 9:21pm), Carragher said: “How has that not gone in?
“It all started with brilliant play by Antonio, who’s been a real handful since he came on. He’s changed the game for West Ham, he’s really brought them into it. He passes the ball and it’s here – pinball machine.
“Tsimikas just completely misses it, he’s just got to go with a tackle at the back post and he’s lucky Kilman can’t sort his feet out.
“We’ve got to get a replay of that Tsimikas diving header.”
Commentator Seb Hutchinson then called it a “sliding header”.
Carragher added: “That’s just pure desperation when you know you’ve made a mistake and you just hope.”
Tsimikas showed more desire than West Ham United defenders at Liverpool
It’s fine to laugh at Tsimikas’ attempt to block a shot by Kilman. There’s no denying it’s always funny when you see a player doing that.
But the Liverpool ace’s “desperation” – as put by Carragher – showed miles more desire than anything the West Ham defence has shown in the last week.
What on earth was happening against Chelsea with the centre-halves splitting and Edson Alvarez marking Nicolas Jackson?
And then what happened late on against Liverpool when new signing Jean-Clair Todibo – who should be trying his best to make a good impression and get into Lopetegui’s Premier League starting line-up – shied away from a shot by Cody Gakpo, only for it to deflect off him and into the net?
West Ham’s defending has been embarrassing and we’d much rather see the likes of Todibo sliding across the floors to make blocks like Tsimikas’ instead of cowardly turning away from a Gakpo shot in stoppage time at the end of the game.
Lopetegui needs to leave it in no uncertain terms that this isn’t good enough and the Hammers fans will simply not accept it.
