Klopp: Brentford “Stretch the Rules”

Liverpool FC managed to put on a throwback performance of set-piece defending from the Brendan Rodgers years, looking rather terrible at corners in particular as Brentford dominated them in that area.

Manager Jürgen Klopp took issue with Brentford’s tactics at set-pieces throughout the game in his post-match interview:

“Brentford create chaos with set-pieces. When I say they stretch the rules, they do, in offensive set-pieces. Don’t get me wrong, it’s smart, but they do. If you could single out all the situations you would find five fouls but because it’s so chaotic no one sees it in the end. So that’s what they do and it’s really good.”

Brentford’s opener came via an Ibrahima Konate own goal after a corner kick, while Yoane Wissa had two goals from corners disallowed before he scored just before half-time. He also expressed frustration with the third goal, which saw Konaté go down before Bryan Mbeumo scored:

“The third goal should not be a goal, easy as that. If you’ve ever played football and been in a foot sprint and you get a slight push you go down because you cannot keep balance. That’s actually exactly the same as I’d talk to my microwave. You get no response really. It’s always the same. Before the season they give us advice that the players must be careful in these moments because the refs will have an eye on it and you see these games and pretty much everything is allowed. It’s always on the edge.”

Liverpool will travel to the AMEX Stadium on Saturday to take on Brighton.