Blundering Karius finds consolation in Randolph
ANFIELD’S giant scoreboard had just hit 18:21 when Loris Karius and Darren Randolph met each other by the centre circle and shared a hug.
Moments before this interaction, Karius had been on his haunches in front of The Kop, looking solemnly at the floor. At the same time, up the other end, Randolph had pulled his jersey over his head, in an attempt to hide his desolation.
It had been one of those afternoons when the keepers knew their flaps and fumbles would command the headlines. Their embrace, then, was borne of empathy.
Former Motherwell No1 Randolph was man of the match when he last came to Anfield in January for a fourth-round FA Cup tie. This time he had cost West Ham two points. Karius has yet to be a man of the match for Liverpool. On this evidence, that will take some time.
Without Randolph’s error, when he spilled Sadio Mane’s cross to Divock Origi, West Ham would have had a priceless victory. This has been a horrid campaign for Slaven Bilic but here was a display full of character.
But what of Karius? In the moments Liverpool needed the German to be strong — when Dimitri Payet lined up a free-kick and Michail Antonio bore down on him — he was weak. Had he been decisive, Liverpool would most likely have atoned for last week’s capitulation at Bournemouth when the 23-year-old was at fault for two of the goals.
Liverpool needed a win as much as West Ham and it was telling in his debrief that Jurgen Klopp admitted they are finding it difficult to match strides with Chelsea.
His programme notes were revealing. Usually they whip up the atmosphere but this message was all about the Hammers’ threat.
‘They enjoyed some nice results against us last season,’ said Klopp in a nod to the fact West Ham won three of their four meetings in Bilic’s debut campaign. ‘They will not come to be our friends.’
In the fifth minute, Liverpool enjoyed a ‘wonderful start’ — Klopp’s words — after Mane scuttled down the left and crossed for Adam Lallana, who took full advantage of a slip from Angelo Ogbonna to thrash a left-foot half-volley beyond Randolph.
For a team that had not won in the league since October 22, it could have spelt doom but the hosts didn’t appear ready to push on, the crowd was quiet and slowly West Ham hauled themselves back into the contest.
They did, of course, receive a degree of assistance from the home team and one man in particular. When the visitors were awarded a free-kick in the 26th minute, there was a sense of foreboding. It had been conceded in prime Payet territory.
The Frenchman had his eye on the inviting opening Karius had left to his right but must have expected the keeper to move. When Karius failed to shuffle across, Payet needed no second invitation. Up, over, in: 1-1.
Karius sported the expression of a man who knew he should have done more. It was the same again in the 39th minute. Havard Nordtveit’s long ball did not look like it would cause trouble but the moment it took a nick off Jordan Henderson, the dynamic changed completely as Joel Matip was wrong footed and Antonio was through on goal.
Where was Karius? He froze, threatening to come but shuffling backwards, allowing Antonio to clip a shot over him that Nathaniel Clyne couldn’t reach despite his best efforts to stop it crossing the line.
Klopp buried his face deep into his jacket, glowering at Liverpool’s penalty area as if it were a crime scene.
‘We were unlucky, the pass was deflected,’ he noted afterwards in an attempt to defend his keeper. ‘Jordan played a fantastic game but couldn’t clear the ball and Loris was surprised like everybody and it was too late.’
It was a woeful goal to concede but West Ham deserved their advantage.
How long could they preserve it? Alas for Bilic, only until the 48th minute when Randolph flapped at another Mane cross and gave Origi a chance he could not miss.
West Ham fought for their reward and it said everything about their defending that Liverpool’s best chance was a stinging, 25-yard drive from Henderson that Randolph brilliantly pushed over.
Former Besiktas boss Bilic, meanwhile, dedicated West Ham’s point to those who died in the bomb blast in Istanbul on Saturday.
As for the less important matter of his keeper’s blunder, he said: ‘Darren made a mistake for their second goal, but before and after he showed great individual reaction.’
LIVERPOOL (4-4-2): Karius; Clyne, Matip, Lovren (Klavan 45), Milner; Lallana, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Mane; Origi, Firmino. Subs not used: Moreno, Lucas, Mignolet, Ejaria, Woodburn, Alexander-Arnold. Booked: Mane, Firmino. WEST HAM (4-4-2) Randolph; Nordtveit, Reid, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Noble, Obiang, Antonio, Lanzini (Fernandes 78); Payet, Ayew (Carroll 63). Subs not used: Adrian, Fletcher, Quina, Browne, Pike. Booked: None. Referee: Mark Clattenburg. Attendance: 53,068. Man of the match: Winston Reid.