Brentford 1 Liverpool 4 (Feb 18 2024)

[tlw content]

Massive win, potential banana skin avoided and we extended our lead over City by two points. That’s the good news. The bad news is we may have lost two key players for the foreseeable future, but we have to cross our fingers and hope for the best on that.

 

This was a great win and while maybe the scoreline flattered us a little, it was a comfortable, deserved win in a fixture that has given us problems in recent years. I think we were assisted by how shit they were at the back but I also think we spotted things in their game that we could exploit, and we did. It wasn’t a co-incidence how we created so many chances by knocking the ball forward early and turning them around, or the way we countered them on their set-pieces.

 

That was a big weakness of theirs and we exploited it. It was quite strange to see really. In open play they had a compact shape, five across the back, three sat in front and Maupay dropping off to get turned and start counter attacks. It was tough to break down, as we thought they would be. But then they’d get a set-piece and turn into Keegan’s Newcastle, throwing everyone forward and having all of their players in our final third.

 

They started well and although I didn’t think we were playing badly, they were the better side in the early stages. They were quite slick on the counter attack and had a few chances. One counter attack they had ended with a Toney shot that Kelleher saved comfortably, but it was lovely football. Konate did well to put Toney off in the end but that was proper incisive stuff from them.

 

Toney had another chance that he dragged wide after being found by Maupay, and those two were really lively early on. I felt as though we were looking decent enough though and had some good situations ourselves. Unfortunately we lost one of our better players when Curtis went down after an innocuous looking challenge. It’s a good tackle by their lad and it’s not reckless or overly physical, Curtis just landed awkwardly. He was in agony and it’s a big worry.

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[Anubis]

Disgrace that they made us play Brentford and Burnley at the same time. Good job Burnley we’re so passive.

 

 

There was definitely an element of the lads thinking it was over, but Burnley had been so passive in that second half I can understand why.

[Arnaud]

I was 100% sure He would miss, but that’s a terrific finish for Darwin.

[Kevin D]

Van Dijk’s man of the match performance was mentioned twice, Nunez’s goal got eight full paragraphs.

 

I really should have taken that offer from RAWK.

[halewood pete]

Nunez /jota

Toshack/keegan

For those old enough to have seen both pairings.

Great report Dave, thanks 

[Fallen Angel]

6 hours ago, Arnaud said:

I was 100% sure He would miss, but that’s a terrific finish for Darwin.

It really was and lovely lay-off from Jota 

[Barnesey]

I felt he must get lucky sometime and was confident he’d score. 
 

Shame Burnley we’re so passive later that afternoon.

 

I feel Arsenal are playing gooseberry in this title race; it’s supposed to be just us and Citeh. But I don’t think they’re going away anytime soon. 

 

 

[Carra_is_legend]

I watched the game with my son and as soon as Jota won the header which fell brilliantly onto the path of Darwin, his immediate reaction was "oh my god" with a smile....before going speechless after he scored. 

[dave u]

14 hours ago, Anubis said:

Disgrace that they made us play Brentford and Burnley at the same time. Good job Burnley we’re so passive.

 

 

There was definitely an element of the lads thinking it was over, but Burnley had been so passive in that second half I can understand why.

 

Fucking hell, one of the lads in the chat did that before the game and I ripped him for it and there was a pile on from everyone else.

 

Life comes at you fast.

[dave u]

12 hours ago, Kevin D said:

Van Dijk’s man of the match performance was mentioned twice, Nunez’s goal got eight full paragraphs.

 

I really should have taken that offer from RAWK.

 

It's Liverpool FC, not Van Dijk FC.

[Anubis]

56 minutes ago, dave u said:

 

Fucking hell, one of the lads in the chat did that before the game and I ripped him for it and there was a pile on from everyone else.

 

Life comes at you fast.

 

Blame it on the group chat as it was on your mind when you writing!

[Arnaud]

2 hours ago, Carra_is_legend said:

I watched the game with my son and as soon as Jota won the header which fell brilliantly onto the path of Darwin, his immediate reaction was "oh my god" with a smile....before going speechless after he scored. 

Same action in my place !

[Total Longo]

I'm happy that there seems to be the directive of going with the onfield decision now with a lot of decisions. If VAR are only going to intervene when its horrifically clear that the ref has missed something, then fine, as we all assumed that was the intention with VAR originally, instead of poring over miniscule offsides and everything being "by the book". I can take all three of those pen incidents not being given, because a) the ref has made the decision on the pitch so let's abide by it, as long as it remains consistent and b) we won and none of them really affected the outcome.    

[Jordy Brouwer]

Hopefully Harvey, who has been cruelly overlooked gets some more games during this crisis. He can play in the forward line if needs be. 

 

Also if there are any "hail Mary" medical treatments to try on Bajetic and Thiago now is the time. 

[aws]

Horse placenta it is. 

[Nunavut Patrick]

2 hours ago, aws said:

Horse placenta it is. 

Not sure van Nistelrooy would allow us access being a Manc and all. 

[King Kenny 86]

Defo thought he would roll it to Jota for a tap in.

 

[beejay]

17 hours ago, halewood pete said:

Nunez /jota

Toshack/keegan

For those old enough to have seen both pairings.

Great report Dave, thanks 

Hmm, I might give you the Jota-Keegan comparison at a push but Toshack and Nunez no way. Tosh was awesome in the air which was needed against huge grock defenders back then and had a good touch for a big man but no pace at all. Nunez is decent in the air but his strength is his mobility. 

[aws]

1 hour ago, Nunavut Patrick said:

Not sure van Nistelrooy would allow us access being a Manc and all. 

Just a fleeting visit or back to stay? Good to see you posting either way. 

[Razoray]

To be fair to Brentford on the 3rd goal, they had taken off the wing-back at that stage and Collins was playing right-back in a 4 at the back. Still, no excuse for the gaps between defenders, but a bit less comical.

 

Thomas Frank said in a post-match interview that Darwin's goal was the first goal they have conceded on the break, from one of their set-pieces, since they joined the premier league 2.5 years ago. That's 101 games. A mad stat, considering we could have got 3 in the one game. 

[Fowlers God]

The Darwin finish was even better because being out of form; you could understand him passing to Jota for a tap in. But he just doesnt feel it the pressure; does he?

 

And even though; I back Nunez and think he is a menace of a player; I wasnt convinced he would score. But was mighty glad that he did. 

[CrownPaints]

On 19/02/2024 at 13:52, Total Longo said:

I'm happy that there seems to be the directive of going with the onfield decision now with a lot of decisions. If VAR are only going to intervene when its horrifically clear that the ref has missed something, then fine, as we all assumed that was the intention with VAR originally, instead of poring over miniscule offsides and everything being "by the book". I can take all three of those pen incidents not being given, because a) the ref has made the decision on the pitch so let's abide by it, as long as it remains consistent and b) we won and none of them really affected the outcome.    

Who do we have as a fitness coach? Darren Anderton?