Brentford have played their first game under Marinus, Birmingham City (second up at Griffin Park this season) have launched a stunning new kit and Will Grigg has joined Wigan Athletic. Meanwhile, elsewhere in Europe Matthew Benham’s other team, FC Midtjylland, were in Champions League action against Lincoln Red Imps of Gibraltar.
First up, though, Portugal where two Brentford teams (the line up changed at half time) cruised to a 3-0 victory over SC Farense. With only Chris Wickham’s match report and Twitter to rely on, I’m not sure how much we can take from this. Likewise, in a game where 22 Brentford players were used.
Certainly, it seemed comfortable and, as Chairman Cliff Crown noted on twitter at half time, the only thing Jack Bonham caught was a tan – a reference to our dominance rather than his ability. Which, by that logic would then make Sam Saunders a world-class goalkeeper.
Chairman Crown brought comms and match action via Twiter
Despite us changing the line up at half time, notable absentees included Andreas Bjelland, Josh McEachran and David Button (read what you will into any of that) but good to see Marcos Tebar get a run out. As interesting was the description of our line up in the aforementioned report as a 4-3-3 throughout with two deeper lying midfield players but their wide attackers pushed high up the pitch.
Sunday at Boreham Wood and then the following Saturday at home to Stoke City give Bees fans, barring a small hardcore who made it over to the Algarve, their first chance to see this in action. I can’t wait.
One player who won’t be there is Northern Ireland International Will Grigg, who has joined Wigan Athletic for a fee rumoured to be GBP1,000,000. Club owner Matthew Benham took to Twitter to offer him his best wishes, saying: “v unlucky in 13/14 with intl call ups, niggling injuries and the form of Marcello, still scored vital goals for us though. Then had a great season at MK last year”
Will seemed an excellent signing, on paper, for Brentford and got off to a flying start with a brace, and a missed penalty, on his home debut against Sheffield United. Sadly, things went downhill from there and a record of 5 goals in 34 games tells its own story.
View from the terrace – Will was denied a home debut hat trick
That said, as he has proven with both Walsall and MK Dons, he can certainly find the net at that level and so who knows just how well he’ll do in future. Good luck, Will.
From our own perspective, it does present an interesting problem as it leaves Brentford with Andre Gray as the only recognised striker on our books (although you could have said the same last season given the way things worked out for Nick Proschwitz). Will Matthew be flexing the chequebook, scouring the European lower leagues of even promoting from within?
The youth team are chomping at the bit whilst we’ve more midfielders than you could shake a stick at. Could Jonathan Douglas or even Harlee Dean (who has been pressed into emergency action before) prove a statistical enigma that nobody had considered previously? Whilst it would mean they were pulled from their traditional positions, competition in those slots is already sure to be tough with some quality players joining the club.
Whilst the Dougie/Harlee suggestion is, perhaps, too far a flight of fancy, stranger things have happened. With four weeks until the big kick off (™), expect more news on that soon. One thing’s for sure, Andre was desperately crying out for some support last time out and I don’t expect us to make the same mistake this time around.
Although we won’t be seeing Will at Griffin Park in league action this season, barring an 11th hour transfer then Clayton Donaldson will be back with Birmingham City. And, it has to be said, he’ll be looking good.
The St. Andrews outfit launched their new kit last night and it is a stunning effort. Whilst the club were keen to point out it harked back to their 1875 incarnation as Small Heath Alliance, the universal reaction was – Thunderbirds. Let’s hope Clayton isn’t pulling the strings for them when they visit.
5 4 3 2 1. Birmingham City are go!
Finally, the Champions League. David certainly met Goliath last night as Lincoln Red Imps of Gibraltar travelled to Danish Champions FC Midtjylland for the first leg of their their second qualifying round. There can’t be (m)any Brentford fans unaware that Matthew Benham owns FCM whilst, on a personal note, my own Gibraltarian roots do mean this column is often peppered with references to football life in UEFA newest member.
Indeed, the build up to last night’s game saw the local Gibraltar Chronicle offering Matthew’s Bees a promotion and Premiership place we haven’t, yet, earned.
If only
The final score saw the Danes run out to a narrow 1-0 win, as both Kyle and Lee Casciaro came close for the visitors in the final few minutes. With the return leg to come next week on the Rock, this is anything that the foregone conclusion it looked like when the draw was made.
Could the Gibraltarians cause the shock of the season before league action begins? We’ll keep you posted.
Lincoln Red Imps prepare for kick off
Nick Bruzon
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As ever, should you want to read more about Brentford (through the eyes of a supporter) then the amalgamated Last Word compendiums from the last two seasons are available for your kindle. Celebrating like they’d won the FA Cup (2013/14) and Tales from the football village (2014/15) tell the full stories of our promotion and subsequent life in the Championship, through the eyes of a supporter.
Featuring the best of the not so bad columns and some additional, previously unseen material, they’re just another way to get through a few days over the summer as we wait for any more transfer news to be confirmed and the season to start.
BrentfordFC 
Good luck to Will Grigg, decent deal all round and best to start fresh – I never felt it would work although in the right set up and in L1 he’ll do fine. I fancy us to sign someone up front as near to proven as we’ll find, plus an interesting loan similar to Long last season.
Reports from my lot in Portugal were decent, as you say the notable absences of Button and wee Lewis are mildly concerning different reasons. Hopefully nothing in either.
Maybe Button’s omission maybe more to do with the level of opposition and perceived inactivity, and the ability to give the back up keepers a run out with the first team.
So that’s both Hartlepool & Birmingham now who have gone all Tracy Island. Dont the CEO’s ever notice these things? There must have been someone around who would have said ‘er that looks like Thunderbirds’. Still that gives us a wonderful opportunity to mock the Brum when they come down (although most of the side have probably never heard of Thunderbirds).
As for Grigg, I cant say I was ever a fan. Remember the Sheffield game well, thought he could have scored 4 or 5 that day. He often seemed just short of the pace and not willing to throw himself at low crosses into the box. In the meantime, im certain that the club will bring in 2 more strikers before 8 August. It was the one major criticism of Warburton last season, im sure whoever it is signing players wont make the same mistake.
In fairness Warburton signed 3 strikers in the summer window, plus we had Grigg. Admittedly Nick turned out to be plop, Hogan got a bad one Grigg went out on loan and Andre flourished.
It shouldn’t be forgotten that fans fave Clayton slipped away a bit craftily and late in the day, despite being offered a good long term contract.
Any perceived criticism of MW should be restricted to the inability to then go and get someone decent in, or to use Chris Long more.
Agree on Grigg, he got a couple on debut and should have cleaned up against a shocking United defence.