Brentford manager Thomas Frank has hailed Liverpool after they thrashed his team 4-1 today.
The Reds had looked set for a tricky day in West London. Jurgen Klopp was yet to win in two visits to the Gtech Community Stadium and with injuries piling up, it seemed likely to be tough.
For half an hour or so, it was. Brentford started well and felt the most likely to score. But then came a sucker punch. With the Bees pushing up for a free-kick, Liverpool broke. Diogo Jota found Darwin Nunez who found the back of the net with a delicate chip. A deadly counter-attack. And speaking after the game to TNT Sports, Frank suggested that no other team in the world could have scored the Reds’ opener today.
“We make one mistake against the one team in the world – yeah, in the world probably, but definitely in the Premier League – there are 18 other teams that are not as good on the counter,” said the Dane. “For me they are for the best team on the counter, also from set-pieces.
“Of course, we knew that, we know we’re one of the best teams on offensive set-pieces. So, it’s a risk I will take. That was something that we normally do better. It’s the first goal we conceded on a counter from a set-piece in the past two years.
“In the end we can’t argue to much. We lost to the best team in the Premier League right now. That happens.”
Frank hails Liverpool counters
For that opening third of the game, you could really see why Frank has been suggested as a possible successor to Klopp.
The former Brondby boss has his team playing some lovely, lovely football. Well set-up, slick on the ball and with clear and oiled patterns of play, Brentford are a supremely coached team.
As Frank alludes to, they know their strengths and are willing to play to those, even if it leaves a door open for the opposition. They back themselves to be good enough to take their chances.
Unfortunately for the Bees though, today they came up against a Liverpool team who were also clicking nicely into gear.
Frank is absolutely right, there aren’t many teams in the world who can counter with the ferocity of the Reds.
The pace of Nunez is what perhaps makes them the most threatening. But Jota’s cleverness is what really made today’s goal. Combined together, you can’t stop them when it works so well.
That was all even without Mohamed Salah added to the mix. Now that Mo is back, Liverpool’s counter game could go up another level again.
As the Premier League table currently shows, there aren’t many teams who can live with the Reds right now. Onwards.
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