Andy Robertson Tears Liverpool Apart In Three-minute Tirade

Liverpool vice-captain Andy Robertson claimed his broadside had “no structure,” grounded to travel Arne Slot’s crippled scheme and simply “didn’t do enough” against Brentford during a withering rant.

Robertson watched connected from nan chair arsenic nan reigning Premier League champions were consigned to a fourth consecutive top-flight nonaccomplishment connected Saturday night. Brentford had nan amended of Liverpool from nan opening exchanges, taking a 5th infinitesimal lead done Dango Ouattara which Kevin Schade doubled connected nan cusp of half-time.

Milos Kerkez pulled 1 backmost for nan visitors but nan Bees were good deserving of a two-goal cushion by nan clip Igor Thiago converted a 60th-minute penalty. Mohamed Salah’s precocious consolation caused immoderate consternation among nan bitterly acold area of westbound London, yet Robertson could not begrudge Brentford their 3–2 triumph.

As nan furious Scottish fullback told LFC TV during a three-minute debrief, Liverpool conscionable were “not bully enough.”

Brentford’s opening extremity came done nan astir acquainted avenue for nan Bees: a Michael Kayode agelong throw. It has go a worryingly communal occurrence for nan Reds arsenic well, pinch Ouattara’s swipe nan sixth set-piece extremity Liverpool person shipped this season. Only crisis-stricken West Ham United person conceded more.

“We didn’t do capable disconnected nan ball,” Robertson fumed. “They’re ever going to beryllium fresh to put bodies successful nan container erstwhile it comes to group pieces, put nan balls successful behind, prime up 2nd balls. You cognize what you’re going to travel to, here. They’re ever nan aforesaid and they’re truthful bully astatine it.

“It felt to maine for illustration we were conscionable a gait disconnected it successful position of that. They picked up truthful galore 2nd balls, and past nan balls successful behind.”

As Slot would constituent retired himself, preparing for Brentford’s agelong throws was “the only point we did yesterday connected nan training pitch.”

“It’s not bully enough,” Robertson concluded, “you play into their hands and person sewage an uphill conflict from there.”

Abandoned Gameplan

Liverpool were condemned to a 4th consecutive Premier League defeat. / Alex Pantling/Getty Images

After falling behind, Liverpool concisely assumed power during nan opening half-hour. Yet, bad boy touches from Florian Wirtz and Mohamed Salah allowed that power to seep distant arsenic Brentford grew backmost into nan contest.

“You person to conflict for nan control,” Robertson moaned. “No squad successful nan Premier League, nobody’s going to go, ‘On you go, you return nan ball, we’ll effort and defend.’ Nobody does that.

“They ever person a crippled plan, against america and each team. All nan managers successful nan Premier League are truthful talented, particularly nan teams that person sewage a afloat week to prepare. They would person had a clear gameplan and I deliberation they played theirs perfectly.

“We didn’t play ours astatine all. That makes it truthful difficult. If you conscionable deliberation you’re going to show up and each of a abrupt they’re going to driblet off, we’re going to person power and we’ll conscionable hold until we score. It never, ever happens.

“This is my ninth season, I deliberation possibly it’s only happened erstwhile aliases twice. If we expect that, past we’re successful large bother.”

Beyond nan tactical abandonment, Robertson besides pointed to a deficiency of grit. “You person to conflict for that control, you person to conflict first of all,” he warned. “You person to conflict for nan 2nd balls, conflict for nan first balls, and effort and consciousness your measurement into nan game. And past nan value will travel through.”

Arne Slot tried to get Liverpool’s caller statement crossed to his players. / Catherine Ivill/AMA/Getty Images

Robertson admitted that Liverpool “probably didn’t deserve” to only beryllium trailing 2–1 astatine half-time. They sooned remedied that pinch an oddly listless commencement to nan 2nd 45 minutes, failing to flight their ain half arsenic Brentford yet forced done their 3rd extremity of nan game.

“We didn’t push connected from that. You conscionable effort and they get a penalty,” Robertson sighed, swatting distant nan statement of that peculiar spot kick, “whether it’s connected nan line, disconnected nan line, whatever.”

Trailing 3–1, Slot made 4 changes wrong nan abstraction of 8 minutes, leaving himself pinch a horribly top-heavy 4-1-5 that caused Brentford fewer issues.

“It’s conscionable astir throwing bodies guardant and it becomes chaotic,” Robertson shrugged. “There’s nary building to it which is ne'er good.”

How Liverpool Can Turn It Around

Milos Kerkez (left) and Virgil van Dijk formed an unconvincing business astatine nan back. / Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Image

Robertson’s connection to his underperforming teammates was simple: “We’ve sewage to activity harder.

“In training, successful games, recovering better. When you’re astatine this shot club, group request results. In a difficult moment, nan only measurement to get retired of it is to activity moreover harder, tally that spot much and look aft yourself that spot better. And that’s what we’ve sewage to do.”

Given nan packed schedule, location isn’t overmuch clip to activity connected nan training pitch. Liverpool are backmost astatine Anfield connected Wednesday for a Carabao Cup necktie against a Crystal Palace broadside which has already beaten them doubly this season.

“There’s nary clip to re-group,” nan fullback fretted. “We’ve sewage games, games, games. Sometimes it tin beryllium a bully point that you’ve sewage specified a speedy turnaround and we tin spell again.

“But we request to commencement playing amended and we request to commencement showing a batch much consistency successful our game.”

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