BRENTFORD 3 – 2 LIVERPOOL
Brentford – Ouattara 5’, Schade 45’, Thiago 60’ (pen)
Liverpool – Kerkez 45+5’, Salah 89’
Pre-Match
After breaking their four game losing streak in the Champions League midweek, Liverpool are back to the Premier
League to take on Jordan Henderson and Caoimhín Kelleher and Brentford. Interesting to see Curtis Jones ahead of Alexis Mac Allister. Also Mohamed Salah returns to the team as well.
First Half
It looked like a promising start, but that was quickly foiled as Liverpool once again conceded with the first shot on goal. A long throw-in wasn’t dealt with, and the Reds found themselves one down after less than five minutes of this game. Buckle up, buttercup.
Liverpool played mechanically through the first 20 minutes. No shots on target, no creativity. The closest they came to something was when Florian Wirtz nearly released Salah on the break. However, the play was blocked. Brentford seemed happy to sit back since they grabbed the lead. Makes sense, considering how poorly Liverpool have been at breaking them down at the back.
Wirtz shoots wide for what was probably the best chance of the half, but the ball goes wide, much to his frustration. Liverpool had a ton of possession, but were unable to make anything of it. And Brentford always looked dangerous on the break.
Liverpool want a penalty when Gakpo went down in the box, but the referee waved it away.
And as feared, Brentford took advantage of their luck on the breakaway, right before halftime. Another poor run of possession from Liverpool ending in a Brentford breakaway. Schade went one-v-one with the keeper, and easily slid it past time. I know this game has started much later than usual, but I’d still like to go back to sleep, please.
Hey! Liverpool got some salvation through Kerkez getting one back deep into extra time. A ball came in from the right, and Kerkez was in the perfect spot to put it home. That should have been a nice boost for Slot and the Reds as they headed into the locker room.
Second Half
The second half begins with the same team but a new referee, as Simon Hooper tweaked his hamstring. Brentford got some near chances at the start of the half, culminating in a diving save from Mamardashvili to keep out Damsgaard’s shot.
Things get even more fun when Virgil van Dijk gets charged with a foul in the box. After a VAR check, it’s deemed a penalty, and Igor Thiago scores from the spot. This is kind of embarrassing. It feels like Liverpool are playing with only 10 men here.
Triple change for Liverpool — one for every goal Brentford scored. Kerkez, Gakpo, and Bradley all off. In their places come Andy Robertson, Federico Chiesa, and Alexis Mac Allister. Please let me go home. I feel like I’m being held hostage watching this match to the end.
Salah had a shot blocked from a cross from Dominik Szoboszlai, a brief flicker of life in the team. It comes to nothing, and Rio Ngumoha came on for Curtis Jones. No offense to Ngumoha, but Slot bringing on a 17-year-old, no matter how talented, right now is honestly kind of wild to me.
Ekitike gets a shot deflected out wide. I begin to disassociate.
The last change on the docket for Slot is Joe Gomez going on for Wirtz.
Wait! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Mohamed Salah is the sun. Salah brought down Szoboszlai’s cross and scores a rare right-footed shot. The score is 3-2, with a minute left of added time.
Alas, the goal is only a consolation, despite like 12 minutes of added time at the end, and Liverpool lose again.
Final Thoughts
That was a game. And it happened. I certainly wish it hadn’t, and I don’t relish the discourse for the rest of the week. I just keep telling myself it’s still October, it’s still October, it’s still October. A lot of new players are being bedded in all at once, there were bound to be some hiccups.
