The Paul Gorst verdict from the Gtech Community Stadium where defending champions Liverpool slipped to a 3-2 defeat to Brentford
Paul Gorst is the Liverpool ECHO's Liverpool FC correspondent and brings readers the inside track on all matters Anfield day in, day out. Now into his seventh season in the role, Paul follows the Reds home and away, wherever they play - including pre season. He brings you all the latest Liverpool news first each day, plus exclusive interviews and insightful, independent analysis. A journalist with over a decade's worth of experience, he has worked at the ECHO since 2016.
BRENTFORD, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 25: Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool looks on alongside teammates during the Premier League match between Brentford and Liverpool at Gtech Community Stadium on October 25, 2025 in Brentford, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
Virgil van Dijk and Liverpool team-mates look on dejectedly during their defeat to Brentford
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On the evening when the clocks officially went back, Arne Slot might have been tempted to set his own to April of this year. Back then, the world looked to have his Liverpool team's oyster as they were crowned Premier League champions with four games to spare on one of the most joyous of Anfield afternoons.
Since then, the tide has turned; a big-spending summer, to the tune of around £450m, has seen an enormous level of turnover in the playing staff and the changes have so far yielded little in return. Slot, whether he is inclined to agree or not, is now facing the biggest crisis of his reign as a result.
Forget talk of defending the title; that ship looks like it is setting sail before Halloween and the champions might find themselves 10 points behind Mikel Arteta's Arsenal by the time they next play, against Aston Villa at Anfield on Saturday evening.
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And perhaps the toughest thing to stomach for the away fans as they watched their team lose 3-2 here against Brentford was just how predictable this all was. Liverpool were found wanting horribly when challenged to stand up to the strengths of their hosts in west London.
Despite hammering Eintracht Frankfurt in their own backyard on Wednesday night, it was always going to be this trip to the Gtech Community Stadium that revealed whether or not they had made it out of the woods.
They were given their answer in emphatic fashion as Brentford's direct, physical approach worked a charm. The Reds allowed themselves to be bullied and out-fought and after calling an emergency team meeting to stop the rot after the 2-1 loss to Manchester United last week, captain Virgil van Dijk might want to do likewise next week. Some home truths need delivering to too many underperforming stars.
All the talk in the analysis meetings at the AXA Training Centre this week will have centred around Brentford's direct threat and how to effectively combat the long ball and the even longer throw.
Slot was so struck by the amount of long balls his team have had to deal with this season, in fact, that he was even moved to point it out pre-match as he gave a nod to the changing trends at the elite level this term.
Liverpool had faced 507 before kick-off, which accounted for over 20% of the passes made by the opposition this term. That is the highest percentage of any team in the league and it is clearly the blueprint to success now against them. It's a strategy they have to get better at working out or this season really will career off the rails.
It would have angered the head coach no end when Brentford launched a long throw into the area via Michael Kayode inside five minutes, which resulted in the first shot on target from the hosts ending in the back of the net, from Dango Ouattara.
Once more, the Reds slipped behind early on and the disturbing trend is how teams aren't having to do anything out of the ordinary to take the lead against a group of players who are supposed to be defending the Premier League title.
The early goal, like Man United last week at Anfield, allowed Liverpool's opponents to sit in and get men behind the ball.
And with Slot's side having real trouble breaking down those who defend in numbers and keep space at a premium, the rest of the half proved to be a slog.
The ineffective Florian Wirtz, who was too often outmuscled by the more powerful Brentford players, flashed one wide with his left foot, while Curtis Jones forced former team-mate Caoimhin Kelleher into a routine stop.
The early goal gave Keith Andrews's side the chance to operate on the counter and they worked it to perfection when Kevin Schade got a run on Ibrahima Konate inside the Brentford half to streak clear before keeping his composure when one-against-one withGiorgi Mamardashvili.
Liverpool looked like they were going into the half-time interval with thoughts of damage limitation for the second period before Milos Kerkez pounced on his fellow full-back Conor Bradley's cross to reduce the deficit.
The goal did not have the desired effect for the second period, however, and former Reds goalkeeper Kelleher was largely untroubled as the visitors licked their wounds and retreated in their shells.
Igor Thiago was given the chance to make it 3-1 from the penalty spot after substitute referee Tim Robinson changed the call that was initially given as a foul outside the box. It was harsh on Van Dijk, who didn't appear to touch Ouattara, but the Bees forward ensured he made the most of it and the spot kick was given.
Slot sent on Federico Chiesa, Alexis Mac Allister, Andy Robertson and Rio Ngumoha in an effort to change things but there was no impact.
Wirtz was replaced by Joe Gomez to the sound of the home fans crooning about him being "a waste of money", which came after they had also declared that Jordan Henderson "left 'cause you're s***".
Mohamed Salah struck a wonderful, instinctive effort to reduce the deficit and set up another grandstand finish but the rescue act has long since worn thin.
Liverpool are having to do that every week right now and once more they came up short. The sight of Mamardashvili venturing up for a corner in the 100th minute to try and rescue a point in October was simply desperate.
The cracks are now on full display and a dramatic rescaling of those summer ambitions are needed. The champions will be nowhere near the title in this form.
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