One of those games where we got the points but the performance was rather flat.
The line up picked itself really. The only difference I’d have made was taking Jones out for minamino. Putting minamino on the left, jota down the middle with Bobby in behind.
First half we were poor. We played at a painfully slow pace and looked out of ideas after ten minutes. Brentford were sh*te and offered zero threat but we still kept making silly mistakes and the crowd were getting a bit restless. As the half went on, I began to think it was going to be one of those days where we can’t create anything or find a goal and they’d nick one from a corner or something. It really had that feeling to it.
Curtis Jones wasn’t in the game at all proving once again he isn’t this level, but Bobby wasn’t either and Ox was having a stinker. Everything he touched went to sh*t.
Fabinhos goal came at the perfect time right before the break and you could feel the relief around the ground which then showed in the players because the second half was much better. I wouldn’t exactly say we upped the tempo, but it was a solid, professional job. We were relaxed and cut all the silly mistakes out with there being less pressure on us to find the goal, then we created some better chances. Jota could (and probably should) have had a brace. He hit the post and their keeper made a good save for his other chance to be fair. We did get the goals in the end though with a great ball by Robbo for ox to head home and then a complete F**k up by their keeper to gift us our third.
After a poor first half by all three of them, Ox got his goal which will hopefully give him a boost and some confidence if his injury isn’t a serious one and he comes back in the team, and Jones and Bobby grew into the game too.
Not the best performance by any means but job done. 3 points. I’ve got to say though Brentford were shockingly bad, probably the worst I’ve seen at anfield so far this season. They’re a completely different side at their place when they have their home support behind them.
Palace away next. It’ll be another tough game trying to break down their low block without salah and mane. The first goal is so important.
Logged