Match Thread 16/01/22 Brentford

[Steveo]

He hasn’t been at his best at all. But we’d lose too much defensively with keita or Elliot in there imo.

Might have have beat Leicester and we might not have thrown away both goals v Chelsea without reply.

He has been very poor of late and without Gini to bail him out - I just don’t think he cuts the mustard.

We have needed better for long time and now it’s pressing. He did monumentally well to play way above his normal level - but it’s taken its toll.

[Steveo]

He was defo better today than of late BUT at home to Brentford should be a pretty good platform to do better than against the better sides.

My only real point here is - MOTM? Come off it. Watch first half and say it again.

We need more

I said the same yesterday about Ramsey for Villa who was even given MOTM.

He gave the ball away so much (especially first half) it was criminal. The fact United were not good enough to punish them is another story:

[eggy81]

I thought robbo was our man of the match so I’m probably due a visit to spec savers anyway😂

[Steveo]

Robbo was pretty decent I thought today. I doubt many would argue with that choice.

I guess most were focussed on the midfield and Fabinho was, to my eyes at least, clearly the pick of the bunch.

[huyrob]

If your eyesights that bad then best to get someone to take you there

[southernboy]

I think there was a collective hangover at Anfield today, on and off the pitch… the worst atmosphere for quite a while. It improved in the second half thanks to goals and the Rafa news, but Sunday lunchtime isn’t good for a football match.

Fab was very good today. We certainly need goals from midfield more than ever. Thrilled for Gordon. Hopefully a bright future ahead. Happy birthday Minamino and well done Bobby for the assist and the piggy back.

[Taksin]

BUT at home to Brentford should be a pretty good platform to do better than against the better sides.

:

This logic is a perennial red herring

The other cliche is that you can only beat what’s in front of you. This season we have seen plenty of very good defending against us, including by teams who park the bus, including against ten men. It changes the way we have to play and it changes what is possible. Man City don’t play against us in that manner, but Chelsea and Arsenal do as it happens. So who the ‘better teams’ are is one measure but how they play against us is another measure.

I watched a replay recently where Luton beat us at Anfield when we were at our absolute best. Kenny, Souness etc early eighties?

The mentality that we should just automatically beat all these teams is a new thing. It may apply to city - the unfairly constructed oil team. And it may apply to us in recent times - the greatest point accumulators ever for a period of time. But to just expect it is a bit rich

And Brentford are actually quite good. Respect goes to them

[Steveo]

Got smashed by Southampton 4:1 - lost 10 Games.

It’s not a very taxing game for the midfield to play Brentford.

They are physical and have caught teams out like us even when we were 2 goals ahead but they ain’t that good at all.

[Steveo]

Think I will stick to the belief that Brentford at Anfield is, on balance less of a hard task for Henderson, Jones and Fabinho or any midfield trio we put out - than it is away at The KIng Power Stadium or Stamford Bridge or even at Anfield against 10 Arsenal men.

Chelsea clearly didn’t park the bus against us either - the better side at Anfield first half 11v11 and the best chances overall including a second half with 10 men. They dominated the ball 11v11 at the bridge too. .

I remember being at the 88 cup final
V the Crazy Gang. Tragic day and we lost but we dominated them and had all sorts of chances. Aldo’s penalty miss Aarrgh!!

Obviously any side can beat any side that’s football but some teams are better than others, that isn’t really a debate .

[Taksin]

Got smashed by Southampton 4:1 - lost 10 Games.

It’s not a very taxing game for the midfield to play Brentford.

They are physical and have caught teams out like us even when we were 2 goals ahead but they ain’t that good at all.

This is the other way this logic doesn’t work.

We smashed Man United 5 nil away from home recently. You, funny enough, said it wasn’t a reflection of how good we are. We were, in the eyes of Steveo, not that good.

Football is so complex. Things change from one game to the next. If they didn’t, there wouldn’t be any surprises. You can’t just take a number like 4-1 and expect to run it through the computer in some kind of reliable manner.

Brentford have been genuinely admirable in so many ways this season. That’s not to say they are wall to wall invincible. Obviously they are operating on lesser resources than us but my belief is there is always the potential to exceed expectations and they’ve done that well this season.