Brentford v Chelsea FC - Premier League 2026/27
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Florian Wirtz runs with the ball as Rayan Cherki looks on during Liverpool's Premier League match against Manchester City at Anfield
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Linz, Austria – October 14: Bradley Barcola of Liverpool FC celebrates after scoring his teams fifth Goal during the UEFA Champions League 2026/2027 match between LASK and Liverpool at Oberösterreich Arena on October 14, 2026 in Linz, Austria.
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Chelsea’s Spanish Manager Xabi Alonso (C) reacts on the final whistle in the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge in London on October 10, 2026. Chelsea won the game 5-1. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP via Getty Images) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /
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Scotland v England - 150th Anniversary Heritage Match
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Andoni Iraola smiles while addressing his players during a Liverpool training sessions at the AXA Training Centre
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Phil Thompson thinks he knows what Andoni Iraola is saying to Trey Nyoni behind the scenes at Liverpool
Trey Nyoni pictured on the ball during Liverpool's UEFA Champions League match against LASK
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Liverpool’s Champions League player ratings vs LASK as Bradley Barcola runs riot in Linz](https://www.rousingthekop.com/2026/10/14/liverpools-champions-league-player-ratings-vs-lask-as-reds-run-riot-in-linz/)
@martywebb777 I've never been that bothered by Tsimikas to be honest. He's about as good as you can expect your back-up left-back to be in my opinion. Doesn't deserve the stick he gets
Are they defenders or strikers/midfielders? As a forner defender, at Sunday League level, myself, thecwoeful defending was a disgrace. Why we brought that idiot Tsimikas back, considering how consistently dire he was before, beggars belief.
@martywebb777 Both played well to be fair, although poor for the goals, especially Frimpong. Can't knock them too much on a night where they got four assists and a goal between them. Just thought the organisation completely went from the defence, and that is on Virgil really. Gomez took a stray because the drop off coincided with him coming on as well!
Iraola wants to see forward passes from Nyoni
Despite his youth, Nyoni offers Liverpool something that they do not really get from their other midfield options. He has some of Alexis Mac Allister and some of Ryan Gravenberch about him, but the teenager is arguably a more inventive passer than both.
This was seen on Wednesday, when Nyoni ran the show in midfield, playing through the lines accurately and with purpose. According to Thompson, this is not by accident, with Iraola asking the former Leicester prospect to play the ball forward whenever possible.
“We both think that he was the key man in that he was making things tick along,” the Scouser told The Official Liverpool FC Podcast alongside fellow former Reds midfielder David Thompson.
“Yes, there’s going to be tougher matches for him, but you can only play against the opposition when you’re there. He did all those things really good. The easy pass when it was on, but when he could that ball got fizzed in, in between the lines, that’s where you cause the most damage.”
READ MORE: PSG stars react to Bradley Barcola’s Liverpool hat-trick after dismantling Man City in the Champions League
“In the pre-season games, you could see that the manager has gone ‘look, I want you to play the ball forward, even if it’s 10 yards I’d rather it go there than come back because things will open up’. You could see he was getting the ball and thinking ‘I’ve got to go forward,’ like as though he could hear the manager’s voice in him ‘play forward, play forward’ at any given opportunity.
“That’s what you see and you’re seeing the fruits of that coming. Not that you have to take risks, but if that ball can and you do it quickly before they try and block the lines, that’s where the magic happens.”
“For such a young man he was pulling the strings,” Thompson added. “He was getting the ball and as it was getting played he’d do that, drop a shoulder and turn and go forward. Yes he passed it back every now and then but it was when people were marked. He knew his whereabouts and he was turning.
“You turn quickly and you’re almost cutting out three of their players, the two wide men and the centre-forward who are trying to press. There was so much to like about his game, but it was his passing, he was fizzing balls in. A couple of times he fizzed too much and the balls went out of play but some of them he turned and boomf, it was in.”
Whatever Iraola is saying behind the scenes to Nyoni, the No. 42 is carrying it out perfectly. This was the perfect way to warm up for a first ever Premier League start on Saturday. Brentford will be much more difficult opposition than LASK, but fans – and, crucially, Iraola – will back Nyoni to take it in his stride.
Bradley Barcola pictured after scoring for Liverpool during their UEFA Champions League match against LASK Linz
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