Hits & Misses: Liverpool clicking and Chelsea get serious

Is Liverpool's attack finally clicking?

Liverpool spent close to £400m on Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola. Against Brentford, there was evidence that expensively-assembled attack might finally be clicking.

Isak was on the fringes of the game for long periods, limited to only 16 touches by the dogged hosts. But his brilliantly-taken goal, controlled and rifled home with dizzying speed in the second half, was a reminder of just how deadly he can be at his best.

It took him to five goals for the season. Only Erling Haaland has scored more in the Premier League. He is putting a difficult first season behind him and Andoni Iraola will be encouraged that it was Barcola who provided the assist.

The France international came into the game off the back of scoring a hat-trick against LASK in midweek and while he couldn't find the net against Brentford, missing a golden opportunity in the first half and hitting the bar in the second, Iraola liked what he saw.

"I love that he's having so many chances and being in those situations," said the Liverpool boss.

Then there was Wirtz, who provided the assist for Victor Munoz with a perfectly-weighted through-ball.

It was one of nine chances created - the joint-most by any Liverpool player in a single game since Opta started taking records in 2003/04.
Nick Wright

• Live Premier League table | Watch FREE PL highlights
• Got Sky? Watch Premier League games LIVE on your phone📱
• Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW 📺

Alonso making Chelsea 'serious' again

Chelsea have the best front three in the Premier League but attack being the best form of defence for Xabi Alonso was never going to be sustainable. No team had conceded more goals than Chelsea's 13 after six Premier League matches.

But, in Saturday's 2-0 victory at Everton, they showed a different side to their game. Remarkably, this was not only Alonso's first clean sheet in the league since his appointment but also Chelsea's first clean sheet in the league for nine months.

• Report & highlights: Everton 0-2 Chelsea
• As it happened | Teams | Stats
• Live Premier League table | Watch FREE PL highlights

Defensively, Chelsea have been a liability for some time. Alonso must fix that if his team are to take the leap and challenge again. The win at Everton was a step in the right direction. In the manager's words, Chelsea produced a "serious" and "mature" performance.

These are the characteristics that will differentiate Chelsea from most of the chasing pack in a Premier League season where seriousness is sorely lacking among some of the so-called 'Big Six'. Alonso, clearly, is a serious manager.
Zinny Boswell

Brentford have a habit that needs kicking

An ominous stat was provided by Opta during the build-up to Brentford's clash with Liverpool at the Gtech.

"Since their promotion to the top flight in 2021, the Bees have dropped more points from winning positions than any other side in the Premier League (102)."

A surprise, perhaps, given the Bees have taken to the top flight so well and finished in the top half in three of their first five seasons. And one that poses the question: what could have been?

For Brentford fans, that will not bear thinking about.

But that figure increased to 105 on Saturday, as they took the lead against the Reds before falling to a 2-1 defeat in a game they ended with nine men on the pitch.

Without the first of those reds - shown to Yehor Yarmoliuk before half-time, it might have been different. The reality? It's 11 points dropped for the season now, more than any other team in the division.

It has become a horrible habit - and one that needs kicking in to touch by Keith Andrews' men if those European ambitions are to materialise.
Dan Long

A turning point? Arbeloa-ball in full effect

Could this be the turning point in Alvaro Arbeloa's Fulham reign?

It is certainly a start. With reports suggesting the Spaniard had two games to save his job, he needed a response and his players delivered one.

• Report and highlights: Fulham 1-0 Hull
• As it happened | Teams | Stats

Fulham played with an intensity and attacking fluency that had been missing during their winless start to the Premier League season.

They registered 10 first-half shots, moved the ball quickly and repeatedly exposed a Hull side who struggled to impose themselves. Alex Iwobi's goal was deserved, but the hosts could easily have won by a greater margin.

There were encouraging signs of an identity taking shape, with the performance even prompting thoughts of 'Arbeloa-ball' at Craven Cottage.

Yet 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.

Whether it proves a turning point depends on what follows. For now, he has bought himself time and shown what his Fulham side can be.
William Bitibiri