In the latest Blood Red column, Ian Doyle looks at the trip to Brentford and why Liverpool won't want a repeat of history
Andoni Iraola's Liverpool side face a test of their mettle at Brentford
Andoni Iraola's Liverpool side face a test of their mettle at Brentford
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Funny how history repeats. Almost exactly 12 months ago, Liverpool enjoyed a high-scoring Champions League victory on the road in midweek before heading to Brentford for a Premier League showdown three days later.
To further enhance the sense of deja vu, pre-match discussion ahead of the European game had centred around Florian Wirtz after a difficult start to the season with the Germany international responding with his best performance of the campaign.
For Eintracht Frankfurt last year, this time around it was LASK of Austria who were thumped as Wirtz was among several star performers in an enjoyable 6-3 romp.
Andoni Iraola, though, will hope the similarities stop there given how matters panned out for both the Germany international and Liverpool last year.
Wirtz started the game at the Gtech Community Stadium reasonably well but faded horribly after missing a big chance during the first half before being replaced during the final quarter to strains of "what a waste of money" from the delighted Brentford crowd as the home team overpowered the Reds to win 3-2.
It was a fourth straight Premier League defeat, a run that saw reigning champions Liverpool plummet from first to sixth and set in motion a series of events from which then head coach Arne Slot never fully recovered.
Now the Reds head back to Brentford not only as underdogs to win the game, but also behind a still unbeaten Bees in the embryonic top-flight table after last Sunday's sobering 3-0 reverse at home to Manchester City.
True, that defeat turned on the contentious dismissal of Ryan Gravenberch shortly after the hour with Liverpool having arguably been the better team beforehand.
But while the Reds were severely hampered by conceding twice in quick succession shortly after being reduced to 10 men, the seeming lack of fight shown by Iraola's side during the remainder of the match was a genuine concern.
Indeed, it was telling that Wirtz, who had performed poorly throughout, was deemed the first player to be sacrificed by Liverpool shortly after Erling Haaland had put City ahead.
Questions continue to be asked of this Reds squad over how they cope when having to deal with setbacks.
The 5-1 win at Frankfurt last October was one of only two times Liverpool came from behind to win last season, although they fought back to earn draws against Fulham and Sunderland.
There has been an improvement already in that regard this term, with comebacks in the opening two Premier League games to earn points against Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest, along with a win having conceded first in the Champions League opener against Atletico Madrid.
There is, though, a nagging doubt among Liverpool supporters the squad isn't properly equipped for the type of battle anticipated at Brentford this afternoon, when set-pieces and the midfield scrum are expected to prove decisive.
Individually, there should be a significant number of scrappers. Certainly, nobody could argue the likes of Milos Kerkez, Virgil van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister and on-loan Ronald Araujo aren't battle-hardened, while Jeremy Jacquet and Rio Ngumoha have already demonstrated signs of such an appetite.
Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo also don't shirk the physical stuff, but that they could again join two other willing fighters, Conor Bradley and Hugo Ekitike, on the sidelines increases the trepidation among Reds supporters.
Of course, big-money talents such as Wirtz, Bradley Barcola and injury doubt Alexander Isak weren't bought for their ability to mix it with the rough stuff. And it could be argued it is an expectation of their team-mates to provide the trio the platform on which to produce their attacking prowess.
But they have as yet not proven themselves scrappers in the mould of Sadio Mane, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and the much-missed Diogo Jota. There's a reason all four were hugely popular with the Liverpool fanbase and, ultimately, multiple trophy winners.
Having already destroyed Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea on their own patch this season, Brentford will be sensing another scalp today. It's up to Liverpool - Wirtz and all - to start changing the narrative. Time to roll the sleeves up.
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