Liverpool's £400m attack finally clicks as Isak, Wirtz and Barcola shine against Brentford
Liverpool's expensively assembled forward line showed signs of clicking in their 2-1 win at Brentford, with Alexander Isak scoring his fifth Premier League goal of the season, Florian Wirtz creating nine chances and Bradley Barcola providing an assist. The trio cost close to £400m combined. Chelsea, meanwhile, kept their first league clean sheet in nine months under Xabi Alonso.
- Match: Brentford 1-2 Liverpool (Premier League)
- Liverpool's front three cost: Close to £400m on Isak, Wirtz and Barcola
- Isak's tally: Five Premier League goals this season, only Erling Haaland has more
- Wirtz's creativity: Nine chances created, joint-most by a Liverpool player in a single game since 2003/04
- Chelsea's milestone: First league clean sheet in nine months, first under Alonso, in 2-0 win at Everton
- Brentford's habit: Dropped 105 points from winning positions since promotion in 2021
Confirmed line-ups
No confirmed line-ups were provided in the source article.
What was said
"I love that he's having so many chances and being in those situations."
"serious" and "mature"
Iraola's comments highlight his satisfaction with Barcola's positioning and threat, despite the forward missing a golden first-half opportunity and hitting the bar after the break. The Liverpool boss is clearly more focused on the volume of chances his £400m attack is creating than the finishing.
Alonso's words after the Everton victory underline a shift in mentality. Chelsea had conceded more goals than any other Premier League side (13) after six matches, but the clean sheet at Goodison Park represents a step towards the seriousness Alonso demands.
The numbers
- £400m: Approximate combined cost of Isak, Wirtz and Barcola
- 16: Touches for Alexander Isak against Brentford, limited by the hosts
- 5: Premier League goals for Isak this season (only Erling Haaland has more)
- 9: Chances created by Florian Wirtz against Brentford (joint-most by a Liverpool player in a single game since Opta records began in 2003/04)
- 13: Goals conceded by Chelsea after six Premier League matches (most in the division at that point)
- 9 months: Time since Chelsea's previous league clean sheet before the Everton win
- 105: Points Brentford have dropped from winning positions since promotion in 2021
- 11: Points dropped from winning positions by Brentford this season (more than any other team)
Why Liverpool's expensive attack is finally justifying the outlay
Alexander Isak was on the fringes for long periods at the Gtech Community Stadium, limited to just 16 touches by Brentford's dogged defence. But his brilliantly taken goal, controlled and rifled home with dizzying speed in the second half, was a reminder of his deadly finishing. It took him to five goals for the season, second only to Erling Haaland in the Premier League scoring charts.
Florian Wirtz provided the assist for Victor Munoz with a perfectly weighted through-ball and created nine chances in total, a figure unmatched by any Liverpool player in a single game since Opta began collecting data in 2003/04. Bradley Barcola, who scored a hat-trick against LASK in midweek, could not find the net against Brentford but missed a golden first-half opportunity and hit the bar in the second. His assist for Isak's goal will have pleased Iraola, who praised the Frenchman's ability to get into dangerous positions.
The combination of Isak's clinical finishing, Wirtz's creativity and Barcola's direct running suggests Liverpool's front three is beginning to click after a difficult first season for the Swede. For a side that spent close to £400m on these three players, the signs of cohesion are crucial if they are to challenge for major honours.
Chelsea's defensive discipline under Alonso
Chelsea's 2-0 victory at Everton was remarkable not just for the result but for the clean sheet. It was Xabi Alonso's first league clean sheet since his appointment and Chelsea's first in the Premier League for nine months. Before the game, no team had conceded more goals than Chelsea's 13 after six matches, highlighting the defensive fragility that has plagued the club.
Alonso described the performance as "serious" and "mature", characteristics he believes will differentiate Chelsea from most of the chasing pack in a season where seriousness is sorely lacking among some of the so-called 'Big Six'. The win at Goodison Park was a step in the right direction for a manager who must fix the defence if Chelsea are to take the leap and challenge again.
With the best front three in the Premier League, Chelsea's attack has rarely been in question. But attack as the best form of defence was never going to be sustainable. The clean sheet at Everton suggests Alonso is beginning to address the imbalance.
Brentford's recurring habit of dropping points
Brentford's 2-1 defeat to Liverpool extended an unwanted record. Since their promotion to the top flight in 2021, the Bees have dropped more points from winning positions than any other Premier League side (105). On Saturday, they took the lead against the Reds but fell to defeat in a game they ended with nine men, after Yehor Yarmoliuk was sent off before half-time.
Without that first red card, the outcome might have been different. The reality is that Brentford have now dropped 11 points from winning positions this season, more than any other team in the division. It has become a horrible habit that Keith Andrews' men must kick if their European ambitions are to materialise.
Fulham's turning point under Arbeloa?
Alvaro Arbeloa needed a response after reports suggested he had two games to save his job, and his Fulham players delivered a 1-0 win over Hull. Fulham played with an intensity and attacking fluency that had been missing during their winless start to the season, registering 10 first-half shots and repeatedly exposing a Hull side who struggled to impose themselves.
Alex Iwobi's goal was deserved, and the hosts could easily have won by a greater margin. There were encouraging signs of an identity taking shape, prompting thoughts of 'Arbeloa-ball' at Craven Cottage. However, one result cannot erase the concerns of the opening weeks, and Fulham made the closing stages unnecessarily nervy before Ryan Sessegnon's stoppage-time red card. The win lifts them out of the relegation zone and gives Arbeloa breathing space.
Talking points
- Is Liverpool's £400m attack now worth the money, or is one game against nine-man Brentford too small a sample to judge?
- Chelsea's first clean sheet in nine months papered over cracks, or a genuine sign Alonso has fixed the defence?
- Brentford have dropped 105 points from winning positions since 2021; is it a mentality issue or simply the price of attacking football?
- Fulham's win over Hull was encouraging, but does Arbeloa need more than one result to save his job?
What happens next
Liverpool will look to build on the win at Brentford when they return to Premier League action, with Isak, Wirtz and Barcola beginning to gel. Chelsea face a test of their newfound defensive discipline in their next league fixture, while Brentford must address their habit of dropping points from winning positions. Fulham's next game will show whether the win over Hull was a true turning point for Arbeloa. The Premier League table remains tight, and these narratives will shift quickly.
Frequently asked questions
How much did Liverpool spend on Isak, Wirtz and Barcola?
Close to £400m combined, according to the source article.
How many goals has Alexander Isak scored this season?
Five Premier League goals, with only Erling Haaland scoring more.
When was Chelsea's last Premier League clean sheet before Everton?
Nine months prior to the 2-0 win at Everton, which was also Xabi Alonso's first league clean sheet since his appointment.
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