I like what Jérémy Jacquet has said ahead of Liverpool’s trip to Brentford, because he understands exactly what this game is going to require.
No excuses. No talking about the Manchester City defeat for another week. No getting carried away after a good night in Europe.
Liverpool need to get back to winning ways in the Premier League.
And Jacquet knows it.
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s match at the Gtech Community Stadium, the Liverpool defender made it clear that Andoni Iraola has already warned his players what they are going to face.
“It’s going to be a big game for us,” Jacquet said. “The manager has already told us that it’s going to be a battle all over the field.”
That sounds about right to me.
Brentford are not going to make life easy for Liverpool, and we cannot afford to turn up expecting the result to take care of itself.
Jacquet knows what is coming
What I particularly liked about Jacquet’s comments was his acknowledgement that Liverpool have had limited time to prepare.
“We’ve been working hard in training, even though time has been a bit short. We will be ready for tomorrow,” he explained.
Liverpool have had a demanding schedule, with the Champions League trip to Austria followed by another Premier League fixture just a few days later.
There is no point pretending that is ideal. Recovery time is limited, and Iraola has already indicated that rotation will be important during this busy period.
But every club competing in Europe has to deal with these demands.
Liverpool have a squad full of talented players. Now they need to show they can handle the workload without allowing their league performances to suffer.
And Brentford will test them.
The Bees have made a strong start to the campaign and remain unbeaten in the league after their opening six matches. They also have several different goalscorers, which makes them difficult to prepare for.
This is not a team Liverpool can simply brush aside.
The LASK win was good, but the league is what matters now
Jacquet also pointed to Liverpool’s response in Austria after the disappointing defeat to Manchester City.
“I think that we’ve already shown how we can bounce back over in Austria but now it’s important to get back to winning ways, this time in the Premier League.”
I agree with him completely.
The 6-3 victory over LASK was entertaining, and it was encouraging to see Bradley Barcola score a hat-trick while Liverpool’s younger players also made their mark.
But European football and the Premier League are different challenges.
Liverpool cannot assume that the space they found in Austria will be available against Brentford. The home side have been difficult to beat, and they will be looking to make this an uncomfortable afternoon from the first whistle.
The 3-0 defeat to Manchester City was a reminder that Liverpool still have work to do. One excellent European performance does not suddenly solve every problem.
What I want to see now is consistency.
Can Liverpool carry that attacking confidence into the league? Can they defend properly when Brentford put them under pressure? And can they stay patient if the game becomes a physical battle rather than an open contest?
Those are the questions that matter.
Jacquet has become an important player already
There is also a personal side to this story that I find encouraging.
Jacquet has made an impressive start to life at Liverpool, featuring in all six of the club’s Premier League matches so far. He was also named Liverpool’s standout player for the opening weeks of the season and nominated for the league’s September Player of the Month award.
For a young defender adapting to English football, that is a terrific start.
He has looked composed, competitive and willing to take responsibility. His partnership with Virgil van Dijk is developing, and Liverpool look more settled defensively when the two play together.
I don’t want to put too much pressure on him, because he is still learning. But Jacquet has given supporters plenty of reasons to be excited.
His comments also suggest he understands that good performances only mean so much if the team gets the results.
That is the attitude Liverpool need throughout the squad.
Saturday is about more than a reaction
I don’t expect every Liverpool performance under Iraola to be perfect. This is a new team, a new system and a demanding season.
But there is a difference between accepting that the team needs time and accepting dropped points because the performance has not been good enough.
Liverpool have already shown what they can do. Now they need to show they can do it regularly.
Brentford will make them fight for every ball, and Jacquet has already made clear that the players have been warned about the challenge ahead.
I want Liverpool to match that intensity, win their individual battles and make better use of the ball when opportunities come.
Most importantly, I want the Reds to come away with three points.
The LASK win was a good response. Now Liverpool need to prove they can respond in the Premier League too.
Jacquet sounds ready for the battle.
Let’s hope the rest of the team is.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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