Well then - the morning after the night before. Everyone who reads this will probably have their memory on re run and overload today, after an evening of pure adrenalin, it was like sky diving for football followers, some nervous of what was to come but most just excited and this fixture with Liverpool did not disappoint.
The BCS was in good voice pre match, Klopp studied our warm up, we are new kids on the block and Klopp from years back is interested in us and how we go about things. He still is. Liverpool appeared like a footballing version of the Harlem Globetrotters, household names, Salah, Mane and Jota up front to make us grimace at the team sheet with Van Dijk shirt stating to all it's Virgil, he's that cool. But Frank is our professor, he thinks and respects but cares little about reputation against us and swapped Baptiste for Frank the Tank as we went in with the same line up as the Arsenal game on Day 1.
Early on Salah, scooted away, quicker than he looks and a mane of hair, he poked the ball through the onrushing Rayas' legs for the ball to run towards the line, Ajer slid and cleared and our Norwegian finished in the back of the net but the ball did not. Stunning stuff. Next a Toney flick and Mbeumo was away, he flicked past Allisson and the ball trickled towards the line but Matip had time to steady and clear Ajer style. Toney headed wide and Frank volleyed over. This was a breathless 15 and a sign of things to come.
A free kick set piece next, Norgaard dinked one out to Sergi who had caught the 'Pool defence expecting a deeper cross and Sergi crossed along the six yard area, Toney a brilliant backheel, Pontus missed a side foot slide and Pinnock was at the back post to slide in. 1 nil and the roof rattled on the new stadium. Within 3 minutes Liverpool were level Pinnock hampered by his hip sliding in for the goal, let the ball bounce and Salah fed Henderson, a perfect cross alluded Ajer desperate leap and Jota headed home. 1-1 and we all buckled into our seats.
Every player was giving everything, Rico dispossessed Salah in front of the North stand turned and sprinted up the wing. 'Rico' we boomed. Norgaard was playing against balls fizzed through and was everywhere, his engine revved to the max, Janelt and him were superb, whilst Toney gave Matip a torrid afternoon and Mbeumo made Virgil or is VVD look even sterner, Van Dijk looked moodier by the minute and beads of sweat were forming, Liverpool were having to work against little old Brentford.
A shot by the impressive Curtis Jones took a flick off Pinnock and thumped the post and came invitingly out to Jota who went to pass home and Raya right gloved the ball away like swatting a mosquito. It was one of the finest saves made by a Brentford keeper in years only Buttons at Norwich and Preston come near. 1-1 half time and Klopp had things to think about as his baseball cap was pulled deeper over his tactical head.
Second half Liverpool pinged it about, Fabinho a lovely ball over Ricos head and Salah swept it under Raya who gloved it into the corner. Salah first time strike proved he is top notch as the linesman flagged. Phew we all thought, but VAR noticed Sergi spectating marginally in front of Salah over the other side. Atwell made a picture of a TV Lionel Blair style and it was 2-1 to Liverpool. This is where the usual and traditional stories end and Liverpool canter to a win, not so with our team. We were slugging it out with a heavyweight, more impressively than Anthony Joshua.
A ball from Sergi and we overloaded the back post Trent Alexander Arnold defended more like Terence Trent D'Arby and Pontus swiveled and blasted one to bounce of the upright and down, Janelt headed the rebound up like a performing seal and then decided to outjump Virgil who was more like his Thunderbird character with his leaden booted jump and Vitaly headed home whilst Jones tried to click. We all bounced as Vitaly slid and was mobbed and Hansi Flick the watching German Head Coach put a great big tick against Vitalys' name for a future international. 2-2 this wasn't in the script.
Within 4 minutes Curtis Jones cut in and unleashed a rocket that flew off Ajers knee and over the diving Raya, 2-3 the joy had lasted mere minutes and normal service was resumed. Jones who will be a super player left to be replaced by Firminho as the North Stand now had the dazzling lights and Robbie's bleached teeth to contend with. He is from the Klopp school of Persil type dentistry. A beautiful move from Jota to Mane slide ball to Salah who scooped it over Raya on to the roof of the net. Mo is human after all. Big chance. Next Frank pulls off a masterstroke as we all feel weary ourselves watching this high intensity duel. Norgaard off and Wissa on. 3 up front, the next goal is Thomas' mantra, here in all its glory.
A ball from Baptiste who had a brilliant cameo replacing a yellow carded Frank the Tank and Toney created mayhem on Trents shoulder again, Wissa gently danced through the prone bodies and clipped it over the Brazilian keeper. 3-3 and the place went nuts whilst Wissa celebrated cross-legged with a moment of Zen meditation. A perfect moment in amongst the bedlam that was around him with a capital B.
Another press and Toney off the shoulder smacks one in the corner on the run. 4-3 the feeling if bottled was life itself in a nutshell, for 10 seconds a better feeling you will never experience then the crashing reality of a raised linesman flag. Into added time and Sergi fed a marauding Toney stride to stride with Van Dijk this was a clash of the heavyweights as both went at it. Virgil leaned in and like two tall oaks they came crashing to the ground. Brilliant defending as Virgil scowled at Toney, VVDs script had been shredded by now. Up the other end and Bobby the Teeth Firminho blinded Raya with his smile as he pushed the chance away as the cool Zanka cleared the mayhem. 3-3 and the whistle blown. It was a cheer throatier than the Arsenal game. This was Premier League at its finest. The game of the season Sky yelled.
We celebrated to Ultra Nate 'Free' song as the whole ground bounced. We were free of the lower divisions and dipping our bread in the top tables gravy. This was just a fantastic game, our team of 14 complete heroes and warriors, we as the crowd knew it and played the 15th man. Liverpool trudged off heads down 2 points dropped and could have scored 8, ya di ya di yah..... In life sometimes the opposition are a bit better than you think and Van Dijk and Henderson will reflect this morning on their collective bruises that the Bus stop in Hounslow have something more about them than plucky underdogs. We have arrived if you were to single anyone out it would be Raya as his game since promotion is almost flawless and a Spanish cap awaits, but in truth Mbeumo and Toney hurt them and badly, Klopp knew it.
Today is a day of reflection, one of the best football matches anyone associated with Brentford have watched, the level our team is at times frightening, we traded with one of the best six teams in Europe, to say we are proud doesn't cover it. Football is the very best of things and whilst Petrol and Food supplies struggle to reach us, this Brentford team doesn't. Frank has this team where he wants them, competing, believing and entertaining, off to the Olympic stadium next week for a day out at West Ham. I for one can't bloody wait.
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