Our reaction to Gameweek 2 continues with this Scout Notes write-up on Sunday’s three matches, including a Noni Madueke (£6.4m) hat-trick at Molineux.
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SLOT: “WE GAVE ALEXANDER-ARNOLD FREEDOM”
Liverpool made it two wins from two this season with another impressive performance on Sunday.
As usual, Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.0m) played some superb passes, with four chances created and two shots in all.
Arne Slot opted to play the 25-year-old as a traditional right-back, instead of using him in midfield, but the Dutch tactician later explained that his role will change depending on the match-up.
“I think Trent has many qualities, one of them is his crosses from the side. If we play him in the midfield, he can only pass the ball – which he can do quite well – but I want him in dangerous positions across the goal. He has to position himself and the rest has to react to it. And it depends on how the opposition lines up and where we can get the best out of him.
“We try to influence him as much as we can before the game – to say: ‘maybe here or there can open up gaps for you to come in’. But nine out of 10 times the opponent does something else to us compared to against other teams. At least it was in my Feyenoord period and in these last two games as well.
“So you try to adjust during half time to see where he could be the free player. Then he has the bodies to play everywhere. He can pass the ball as a No 6, he can cross as a right winger. And if he’s inside, he can also cross it from the inside and get shots on target over there. He has the freedom to go anywhere. He’s a difficult one to play against Trent.” – Arne Slot on Trent Alexander-Arnold
Liverpool completed 91.5% of their passes in this match against Brentford, their highest passing accuracy in a Premier League game on record.
It gives them control, with back-to-back clean sheets now secured and just one big chance conceded. From open play, it’s zero.
Further forward, Mohamed Salah (£12.5m) and Luis Diaz (£7.5m) got the goals either side of half-time.
The front trio combined for 10 shots, with Diogo Jota (£7.6m) setting up Diaz’s opener.
SLOT ON QUANSAH
Elsewhere in Slot’s line-up, Ibrahima Konate (£5.0m) replaced Jarell Quansah (£4.4m) at the back.
Defensively, the Frenchman was solid, winning his one aerial duel and all three tackles.
Slot was asked before the match if it was an easy decision to make, given the way Liverpool had controlled the second half at Ipswich Town last week.
“Yeah, but the decision wasn’t made by that. It was made by the fact that Jarell missed a few training sessions this week because of a little injury. But he’s there so he trained yesterday and I think he missed out on too many sessions.
“And combine that with the way Ibou came in last week. That made it maybe an easier decision but if Jarell would have been fit it would have been a more difficult one.” – Arne Slot on Jarell Quansah
Curtis Jones (£5.4m) missed out after picking up a “little injury during the week”.
As for Brentford, Thomas Frank tends to switch to a 5-3-2/3-5-2 when facing the big boys but he used a 4-4-2 here.
Bryan Mbeumo (£7.0m) and Yoane Wissa (£6.0m) were quieter than usual, but the Bees did carry a threat from set-pieces.
MADUEKE: “PALMER IS COLD; I AM FIRE”
A Noni Madueke hat-trick in the space of 14 second-half minutes was the highlight of an excellent away win for Chelsea.
Cole Palmer (£10.5m) assisted all three of his strikes and had earlier scored himself with an audacious chip.
Playing centrally, Palmer was electric, with four chances created and five shots.
Madueke, meanwhile, looked a threat every time he went forward, creating chaos throughout.
“It is unbelievable. He is cold and I am fire so it mixes well. He has the ability to always play a pass at the right time. I like to get the ball in space, beat people and make things happen, so luckily today it worked.” – Noni Madueke on Cole Palmer
Encouragingly, Enzo Maresca said that Madueke was his type of winger in his post-match interview, praising his all-round contribution.
“I can judge Noni’s performance, which was fantastic. Not only second half, even first half the first 10 or 15 minutes he was always one-v-one creating something. Since day one I said he’s the kind of winger I really like. He is working very good with us, but the best thing today from Noni was not the hat-trick, it was the way he defended for 90 minutes the counter-attacks.” – Enzo Maresca on Noni Madueke
It’s a concern for Christopher Nkunku (£6.5m), who dropped to the bench at Molineux having started both games so far in 2024/25.
He appeared as a late sub but owners now face week-to-week uncertainty, a far-from-ideal scenario.
Romeo Lavia (£4.5m) missed out with a minor hamstring issue, meanwhile.
WOLVES RIPPED APART
Chelsea were sensationally clinical on Sunday, scoring six times from 1.68 expected goals (xG).
Matheus Cunha (£6.5m) and Jorgen Strand Larsen (£5.5m) were able to score for the hosts, but Wolves had no answer to Chelsea’s free-scoring attack.
In fact, the defending was amateur at times, with Rayan Ait-Nouri (£4.5m) looking particularly shaky in a back four.
The Algerian was all over the place positionally, something Palmer and Madueke were able to exploit time and time again.
Next up for Wolves is Nottingham Forest and Newcastle, which should present opportunities for the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White (£6.5m), Anthony Gordon (£7.5m) and Alexander Isak (£8.5m).
“The mistakes were unacceptable from us. I am all for positivity and when the lads do well they know they have done well but from all of us as a group, to concede those three goals as we do is unacceptable.
“There was no left-back in place for the fourth and fifth goals. We allow them to pass straight through the middle of us from a free kick. A crazy way to go from the score being at 2-2.” – Gary O’Neil
GORDON/SEMENYO GOALS
Anthony Gordon’s far post finish wiped out Marcus Tavernier’s (£5.5m) opener on the south coast.
After a quiet first half, the England international got more involved and was later denied an assist when Dan Burn’s (£4.5m) header was saved.
The cross was one of Gordon’s four key passes on the day.
Elsewhere, Alexander Isak racked up five shots in the box and had an effort cleared off the line, while Harvey Barnes‘ (£6.4m) impact off the bench could potentially cause problems for Jacob Murphy‘s (£5.5m) owners.
Lewis Hall’s (£4.5m) 4.8% ownership will be concerned, too, after Lloyd Kelly (£4.5m) was preferred at left-back on Sunday.
“I think Lloyd [Kelly] has done really well in pre-season and I think he adds pace and height to our backline and they are traits we need today.” – Eddie Howe
For the most part, however, Newcastle were unable to cope with the Bournemouth press.
Antoine Semenyo (£5.5m) was the standout player for the Cherries, adding an assist to last week’s goal.
Drifting in from the right, he also rattled the crossbar with a fine effort, one of seven shots in Gameweek 2.
He’s now joint-top for goal attempts this season, tied with Eberechi Eze (£7.0m) on 12.
Semenyo supported new signing Evanilson (£6.5m) in attack, who made his debut up front.
He was fairly quiet but did show flashes of what he’s about, with three shots and one big chance in total.
3 months, 10 days agoThose on WC what plans for Foden, Watkins etc that have yet to make an impact ?