Topic: Half time: Liverpool 1-0 Brentford

[HeartAndSoul]

Desperately missing Mane and Salah. No stand out performances from any of our players - fairly mediocre

Team badly lacks pace. Reminds me of the team that Klopp took over from where we had next to no pace in it. Not so sure why trent is playing so narrow either when they’re affording us all the space out wide

[Sarge]

These games are all about grinding out wins whilst AfCon is on, doesn't matter how we win, just that we do

Exactly yes.

[Fromola]

Unfortunately, Ox is done at this level.

The fact he's picked at all says a lot about Minamino. We really needed Origi this month.

[Mighty_Red]

Much better than Thursday though still a bit toothless. Glad we finally broke through, we've missed those game opening set piece goals for a while.

That run from Matip though, just needs to get that ball past the defender and its a goal of the season contender.

[redalways]

Unfortunately, Ox is done at this level.

Pity we can't sell him.

[McSquared]

Deserved lead. Need to sort out the sloppy passing around the back though

[chromed]

These games are all about grinding out wins whilst AfCon is on, doesn't matter how we win, just that we do

Couldn't agree more with this at the moment. However we shouldn't be in the position of having to grind out wins, had we invested a few quid we'd have adequate replacements, it's not like we didn't know the AFCON was coming.

[AndyMuller]

I mean he put one straight onto Firmino’s head in the middle of the goal but ok.

One good cross out of loads that didn't beat the first man.

[Sarge]

Good up to the final third …. Not sure what our idea is in the final third 

To score.

[Red Sky at Night]

Good in patches, incredibly sloppy in others. It's good to see our set pieces looking more dangerous today although Brentford's defending has certainly helped us in that regard.

Getting ourselves the goal will hopefully settle us down a bit and allow us to play with more confidence.

The late offside flags are doing my head in.

Can't agree more re the offside flags. There's no consistency with when that delay is applied by the linos. It makes for very poor entertainment and just wastes valuable seconds/minutes of a game 

[Schmarn]

That’ll do. Win any way we can.

Trent drifting in narrow is doing my head in. He’s a world class wing back masquerading as an average midfielder in that position.

[Jwils21]

Worst goalkeeper in the league making a superb save against Van Dijk, you’d have thought this was going the way of “one of those days” but up steps our new found midfield goal machine 

Get one early second half, calm the nerves and we’ll probably win by 3 or 4.

[kasperoff]

Don't mean to put a dampener on things, but it's just been confirmed Everton has sacked Rafa.

WAs always going to end in tears, unfortunately. Not really given enough time, but it was going to be the managerial equivalent of climbing Everest for him. Got to admire the ball of the man!

He'll be back at Newcastle next season. Still convinced if someone really backs him, he could create a very good side.

[Zlen]

Haven't looked good at all. Few flashes amplified by Brentford defending like clowns, but not much more. Both Bobby and Ox look so far behind the expected pace, even against such mediocre opposition. Let's hope we can keep a clean sheet and get the win.

[redhokie8]

Thank god they changed the corners to in-swingers. That is all.

[Butcher Knife Roberto]

I was dreading going in at half time level, because we really have created quite a lot but some of the sloppy passing has been concerning. It just takes one of those to go right for Brentford and we have a problem. The times we've worked fast you can see that they can't cope with it, so I don't understand the slow play that has crept in. Having said that, the goal will force the issue now so we should have plenty more space to play in. I can see us keeping the lead and extending it, but the hairy moments need to stop.

Oh and they've pulled the trigger on Rafa

[Libertine]

Who knew the answer to the question "Where are the goals going to come from without Salah and Mane?" would be Fabinho....

Definitely a better and more purposeful performance than Thursday. Though still quite a way from our best of course. Several players in poor form at the moment. Looking good for the 3 points though if we keep concentration levels up.

[Coolie High]

Team badly lacks pace. Reminds me of the team that Klopp took over from where we had next to no pace in it. Not so sure why trent is playing so narrow either when they’re affording us all the space out wide

Keita would have been perfect in this game, none of our other players like to dribble apart from Matip ironically.

[Fromola]

They are a championship side in my opinion, they will only get something if we give it which we've looked like doing a few times. Glad the goal came because we weren't really creating any big chances. Set piece always looked the most likely, they aren't defending them well. We are always a tough watch when we don't play with urgency, how I'd love 11 Joel Matips in that regard.

That's all they do though, they wait for us to turn the ball over and pounce. It was the same in the away game. We keep giving it away in stupid areas.

We don't need to take risks now we have the lead.

[Wullie160975]

Thank god they changed the corners to in-swingers. That is all.

Never understood our insistence on outswingers.

[Gods_Left_Boot]

I've had some visits to the dentist that I've enjoyed more than this, but the three points are all that matter. Terribly sloppy builiding from the back, with poor movements by the midfielder to show up for the ball.

Curtis is a great talent, but the coaching staff should start giving him a fine every time he takes more than three touches on the ball or has more than one stepover. It's unreal how much he slows the play down.

[redalways]

Don't mean to put a dampener on things, but it's just been confirmed Everton has sacked Rafa.

Pity they can't sack Johnson.

[darragh85]

good to get the break but not great overall. Jota needs to step it up a bit.

[JovaJova]

Can't agree more re the offside flags. There's no consistency with when that delay is applied by the linos. It makes for very poor entertainment and just wastes valuable seconds/minutes of a game 

The worst thing about it is it risks injuries as well as the defenders have to sprint back to try to stop it anyway. Incredibly stupid.

[Caston]

Couldn’t care less how we play in these games until AFCON lads are back.. as long as we get the results

[redmark]

Decent, if not entirely fluent, in the middle of the half. Sloppiness at beginning and end of the half from Trent and Matip in particular causing our own problems. A little fortunate to score outside our better spells.

Ox has struggled to get into the game much, but provided two or three moments of clever play to open up space. Jones needs to be a touch more positive at times. Going forwards, if Trent is going to come central, he needs to recognise (as Henderson has for years, and has done on both flanks already this game) that he has to loop back out on the outside to give a teammate an option at times.

[scatman]

Just give Matip the ball, only one willing to take players on. Glad we got the goal because it did seem like one of those days we’ve had recently

[stockdam]

Well on top and dominating possession but once again we see the most dangerous run by Matip.
We have the whole of the right wing to ourselves and we should be using the ball better to get in behind.

Our corners have been poor.

We did score which is great but aimless balls from deep isn’t going to work………overload the right wing and get to the byline.

Our defence has panicked a bit at times and we need to tighten up.

Ox, Henderson and TAA are key to getting behind them down the right.

[Chakan]

Lots of pressure lots of possession 1 shot on target. We look completely devoid of ideas up front other than from corners and set pieces.

[Clint Eastwood]

This is how every team will set up against us now for the rest of the year, unfortunately. Tedious stuff.

We really need some unpredictability and ingenuity in midfield. In an open game Henderson is effective at breaking through the lines, but in a game like this you know every time he touches the ball he’s either going to do a one-two with the full-back or cross it. Curtis has been out for a while but I’d like to see him take a bit more responsibility.

I’d love a proper striker who we can aim these crosses at.

[lgvkarlos]

Our passing is so slow and predictable, playing with very little confidence.
Not sure whats happening with Alisson's kicking , Ox doing some good stuff but his decision making is non existent.
Big goal before half time, lets hope we kick on now.

[naYoRHa2b]

The fact it takes Matip to attempt to dribble at them is a bit of an embarrassment really. Great on Matip like but says alot about our attack and midfield that a centre half is the only one doing it.

[ScouserAtHeart]

Jota looks to have lost his goalscoring touch at the worst possible time

[Fromola]

Well at least we scored!

Shows you how reliant we are on Salah and Mane now, even just for Sadio's movement. They make all around them better by stretching teams.

We're just too easy to defend against without Mo and Mane. When you make that Arsenal back four look like the old Arsenal back four you know you're toothless.

It only takes a scrappy goal or set piece if the delivery is good enough as we've shown. It doesn't need to be the perfect move or the perfect goal.

[Dr. Beaker]

Thank god for the goal. Robbo's crossing is still shite.

Though he did stick a corner right on Hendo's head who should have scored from two yards but didn't head it at all for some reason.

[Butcher Knife Roberto]

Loving the Matip slaloms though, one day he's gonna bang in the goal of the season with one of those

[Funky_Gibbons]

Have we tried Matip on the right wing yet?

Would be nice to have someone who can dribble out there.

[jonnypb]

Would like to see Gordon come on for ox for the second half.

[Samie]

Our passing is so slow and predictable, playing with very little confidence.
Not sure whats happening with Alisson's kicking , Ox doing some good stuff but his decision making is non existent.
Big goal before half time, lets hope we kick on now.

Ali is playing like he's got Sadio and Mo still on the wings. 

[Sarge]

Plenty of possession and disappointing final third again. But we’re winning so can’t complain 

But you did