Liverpool 2, Brentford 0 - Match Recap: No Place Like Home
A look back at the key moments in Liverpool’s fun victory over Brentford in Premier League action.
Liverpool 2 - 0 Brentford
Liverpool: Diaz 12’, Salah 70’
Pre-Match
We’re home! It’s officially the first home match of the season, Arne Slot’s first home match of the campaign, and we’re hosting Brentford with a similar squad to last week. The only outright change is that Ibrahima Konate comes straight into the starting XI as opposed to Jarell Quansah, and Curtis Jones is dealing with a groin injury. Otherwise, the rest of the squad will be ready to get a new campaign started at home and raring to impress the new manager in front of the home fans.
For Brentford, they’ve actually named both of their recently acquired former Reds to their bench, with Sepp Van Den Berg and Fabio Carvalho sitting on the away side bench for the first time.
First Half
We’ve kicked off! The pitch grass is green and splendid, and Liverpool take control quickly. A lot of the focus throughout the week was on making sure to win the one-on-one duals, and so we’ll get our first chance to see if any work was done through the week on that issue. In addition to sticking with Konate as his chosen centerback alongside Virgil van Dijk, Slot has stuck with Diogo Jota up front. Another one of the talking points from earlier in the week was focusing on a quicker start and they’ve certainly set themselves up for that, but Brentford is not without their fight, getting the first corner of the match around the 12 minute. It’s poorly delivered, and Liverpool quickly pick up for a counterattack, charging down the pitch for the first GOAL from Luis Diaz!
Play is moving quickly back and forth across the pitch, which is surely making for exciting watching but likely less exciting for a possession focused manager like Slot. Andy Roberston plays through a pass from Diaz that sets him up for a goal but Roberston’s shot ends up hitting the post but resulting in Liverpool’s first two corners of the day. Liverpool are unable to capitalize on that chance and play moves back to the middle of the park and looks to be settling down in this following ten minutes. Liverpool are pushing, with Mohamed Salah getting into the box but falling over.
Liverpool win a free kick in Trent Alexander-Arnold’s favorite area after Brentford’s captain takes down Diaz in the 27th minute. As they take their time setting up the wall, Trent steps up and sends it just over the bar. Ah yes, the season is back. Dominik Szoboszlai also gets the first yellow card of the day for pushing over a Brentford player, and Salah also giving away a free kick for the Bees. The shot goes well off target though and issues are dealt with handily.
Play has settled considerably in these last ten minutes of the half, moving once again back and forth with pace with a couple fouls here and there. Liverpool get another chance at goal around the 41st minute getting into the final third and Trent shooting it right at a Brentford defender to end in a corner kick. Robertson takes it this time and it doesn’t go much of anywhere. Salah tries his hand outside the box but it is caught by the Brentford keeper. Another goal before the break would be ideal, but doesn’t look like it’s going to happen.
Second Half
No changes were made at the half, so the same squad comes out to maintain and hopefully build on their lead at Anfield. Indeed they do, getting into the final third early and Jota goes ambitious with trying a bicycle kick that Robertson gets a head on, but ultimately misses the target. Brentford are able to push further up and threaten a couple of times at the start of the half but are also unable to find the target, with one shot being blocked well by Konate’s shoulder.
Alisson’s first real test of the day comes after Brentford take a short corner and someone swings in a lovely shot that another player is able to handle and shoot towards the Brazilian but he blocks the shot and then catches it before a rebound can punish the Reds. Liverpool get another chance at goal around the 60th minute with a silky smooth show of passing abilities between Mac Allister and Salah but Salah is unable to carry the ball to the goal.
It does feel like one of two outcomes could come to pass at this point - another goal will happen and maybe another, or we will be subjected to last season’s finishing problems and unable to build on the lead that we currently have. I’m not about to speak the worst case scenario into existence. The best thing to say, though, is that the lads look like they’re having fun moving the ball around a strong Brentford side.
AND THERE IT IS! An assist from Luis Diaz is picked up from Alexis Mac Allister to feed Salah after a sloppy pass from Brentford, and Salah scores our second of the day. A perfect time for Liverpool to make their first changes of the day, bringing on Darwin Núñez and Cody Gakpo for Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota, and Conor Bradley for Trent Alexander-Arnold. Another plan of likely saving legs for the busy season ahead, more than anything else. Slot makes another change around the 82nd minute, finally bringing on Harvey Elliott for Mohamed Salah.
Final Thoughts
Liverpool did the thing! This match was a pleasure to watch, with many defensive issues handled calmly and quickly. Brentford had a couple of sniffs at goal, but ultimately were kept from making anything real happen. A clean sheet, at home, for the second match of the season? Up the effing Reds.
Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com
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