This was a very good recreation for Arne Slot. On a day when Liverpool had 35 photographs in 90 scoreless minutes, then received the sport with their final two in added time, and when these targets have been scored by Slot’s first substitute and created by his fourth, it was above all an excellent recreation for the concept of course of, management and calm intervention.
Admittedly these usually are not typically qualities related to a late match-winning, mane-tossing, nostril-snorting two-goal Darwin Núñez salvo. However this was the way it performed out on the Gtech beneath Slot’s hand. Núñez doubled his league objective tally for the season. He resembled, as ever, and in any respect moments, a footballer being chased across the pitch by a swarm of invisible bees. He additionally got here away trying on the metrics like a precision stealth weapon deployed at simply the appropriate second.
Half an hour performed, 10 touches, 4 photographs, two targets. In opposition to a Brentford group that by no means modified its deep counterattacking gameplan Núñez was deployed right here because the human equal of the Hammer, the ultimate bowl in a crown inexperienced bowling finish, the place you lastly get to roll up your sleeves and simply wang it down looking for artistic chaos.
It labored as a result of Liverpool didn’t alter their very own technique and method because the prospect of one other irritating afternoon started to loom. And it was fascinating watching Slot on his touchline by the complete 90 minutes, head gleaming beneath these low white lights, a little bit tender and uncovered to the freezing air.
These are the video games it’s a must to win to win a league. Are you able to do it on a chilly Saturday afternoon at an agreeable new-build floor ringed by the funding flats and delicatessens of suburban west London, confronted with an elite data-driven group, and a house crowd using a wave of being fairly happy with how issues are going?
Within the occasion this was a real check. Liverpool have been in a position to carry out beneath little or no stress to this point. So far they’ve solely ever been in a single emotional house, the unhurried frontrunner. Slot has been in a position to retain his personal air of calm, the look even mid-match of a affluent provincial butcher right here to choose up a civic award.
This was completely different. How do you reply when all of the sudden you’re half an hour, after which 20 minutes, after which added time away from six factors dropped in 13 days? The issue with easing away from the remainder of the sphere is the sensation when all of the sudden you’re not doing that any extra. What’s Slot like in these moments? It seems, kind of precisely the identical.
The Gtech was bitterly chilly at kick-off, the sky a thick soiled gray haze, like week-old pavement ice. For lengthy durations the sport was good, neat, slick, useful, and likewise unusually empty, a proper train in approach.
Brentford caught to their plan. They’ve loads of very neat well-mannered footballers who appear like Danish graphic designers. For lengthy durations right here they confirmed nice self-discipline, sticking with an attacking plan that was primarily simply Bryan Mbeumo operating actually quick over the midway line. Mbeumo performed very well right here. Brentford stored coming.
Slot’s refusal to be spooked, to overreact to an opponent executing its plan was fascinating in itself. There might be extra days like this. Mohamed Salah is clearly a little bit drained after enjoying 90 minutes each week each recreation. Trent Alexander-Arnold was quiet right here till his personal important intervention on the loss of life.
However nonetheless it didn’t come for Liverpool. And nonetheless Liverpool stored doing the identical issues. With 62 minutes gone, it was Darwin time, the primary intervention from Slot, Núñez approaching with Andy Robertson. Núñez’s first act was to rise majestically, wrench his neck muscle tissue and butt the ball weirdly vast of the objective. A bit later he spun into house and clumped a horrible shot excessive over the bar, a kind of moments the place he appears to have a heavy iron frying pan connected to his proper boot. Slot nonetheless seemed calm. He stored his gloves on and chewed some gum.
Seventy minutes handed with the identical patterns being run. Brentford had some assaults of their very own. Would Liverpool begin to really feel this? Eighty minutes got here and went. Liverpool have been as much as 32 photographs, six on track and 15 attacking corners. Nonetheless Slot stood palms in pockets.
He despatched on Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott, his third and fourth subs. And from there Elliott had a hand in each targets, the primary with a spin and move to Alexander-Arnold. His cross was spanked laborious into Núñez’s toes, so laborious that he couldn’t assume or transfer his toes or do something however rating, earlier than operating off to the followers in that nook, taking off his shirt to disclose a fantastic micro-fibre long-sleeve vest for which act he was booked.
A minute later it was two, Elliott with the ultimate move. The ball was leathered into the center of the objective by Núñez, with a way of all that managed stress lastly bursting by, of drama with out an excessive amount of drama, and a reward for Slot’s belief in merely repeating the method. Lots extra of this might be required from right here. The season is barely simply previous its mid-point, finish coming into the true slog. This was a reasonably first rate full gown rehearsal for these different emotional states to come back.
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