Manager Joe Cole delivered a harsh verdict on Liverpool’s three star players after the defeat to Brentford, calling their performance “terrible”.
Liverpool suffered a fourth successive Premier League defeat against Brentford on Saturday night.
The Reds lost 3-2 against Keith Andrews’ team. Problems abound for Liverpool and manager Arne Slott, who is struggling to find solutions to his team’s problems after a strong start to the season.
Things just keep getting worse for Liverpool.
The defeat against Brentford left Liverpool in 6th place in the league, below Manchester United and Bournemouth.
Cole pointed to three of Liverpool’s star players who suffered a slump in the Brentford defeat.
In his half-time analysis on TNT Sports, Cole named Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Milos Kerkes as attackers as Liverpool’s defense pulled no punches as they lost 3-2.
Cole’s criticism came after Brentford’s opening goal, which he described as a symptom of Liverpool’s wider defensive malaise.
“Van Dijk and Konate’s defense is terrible” He said so, highlighting the centre-back pair’s vulnerability under pressure, as reported by Metro.
He also spoke about Kerkes’ contribution, saying the young full-back is vulnerable to the current heat.
“I thought Kerkes was a poor man.” He also specifically cited what he felt were defensive lapses that were uncharacteristic of the Reds.
Joe Cole praises Brentford after statement win
Brentford, led by Andrews, were praised by Cole for their fearless approach, with the former England international saying the hosts were “I have just picked up the baton… and am pushing this football club higher up the table.”
Slott mentioned how his team will adopt a certain style of play when facing the Reds.
After the defeat, he said:
“Each team has a certain style of play against us, which will be a very good strategy against us. And we haven’t found the answer yet.”
It is up to the manager to find a solution now, before the team falls further behind in the Premier League title race.
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