The transfer window has ‘slammed shut’ and with it Brentford fans can breathe a sigh of relief. After a summer that has seen several big name departures and as many other rumours, we now know the make up of the squad. There was no David Button to Aston Villa (one of those heavily touted at various points in pre-season) or James Tarkowski to Fulham. Instead, we have only strengthened further, with the addition of Ryan Woods from Shrewsbury Town.
Joining Brentford for an undisclosed fee (although one believed to be in the £1million ball park) Ryan is described as a versatile player who has played right back, right midfield and even left back. He helped Shrewsbury gain promotion to League One last season and, on the way, was named in the PFA divisional team of the year. Such is his stature, even West Ham put in a couple of bids during the previous window although the Bees have been the ultimate beneficiaries.
Ryan – welcome to Griffin Park. Just take care on the training ground. After that previous business with twigs, more woods are the last thing we need !
Ryan Woods adopts that all too familiar pose
We all know the deadline day routine by now. Jim White getting over excited in the Sky Sports studio, roving reporters doing their thing at stadia and training grounds all over the land, Natalie Sawyer helping see us over the line and Brentford fans sitting on the edge of their seats long into the night in the hope that nobody leaves.
Jim didn’t let us down and even seemed be channeling the spirit of Wolf out of the Gladiators as the window eventually came to a close. However, that was about it for familiarity.
Natalie was again missing for the final bow whilst the absence of WKD fuelled youths, banned after the dildogate affair 12 months previous, gave an almost ethereal quality to the reports flying in from empty stadiums. Thankfully, we were saved five hours of nail chewing with the decision made to stop proceedings at 6pm rather than nearer 11pm as is usual. And even better, nobody left Griffin Park.
Jim White had a new co-host as the window ‘slammed shut’
Given some of the other rumours that had been circulating pre-season, it would have come as no surprise had anybody else joined the likes of Andre Gray, Stuart Dallas or Moses Odubajo in leaving. For me, the fact that we have retained David Button is only excellent news. He has already had a standout start to the season following on from an excellent campaign last time out.
Likewise, with Andreas Bjelland already ruled out, hanging on to the likes of James Tarkowski and Harlee Dean was essential. We’ve done this and with the addition of Ryan, along with Marco Djuricin and Sergi Canos, there are suddenly a host of additional options going forward. Now it’s over to Marinus to see how he can use these to best effect.
The jury remains out for now on whether selling Moses, Stuart and Andre for around £12m will remain shrewd business or a fatal mistake. The fact of the matter is that they have gone and, much as I was desperate to hang on to Andre especially, there’s nothing we can do about it.
Indeed, the ‘in’ door has been a lot busier at Griffin Park over the summer with 12 players joining Brentford compared to the 6 (see also: Tony Craig, Jonathan Douglas and Will Grigg) who have been released or sold.
Have the club ‘over tinkered’ with a settled team? Has the ‘so called’ statistical model played much of a role (good or bad)? Will the new look squad gel to become even better than ever before? Most importantly, will supporters now give Marinus and the new system a bit of breathing space?
At 4 points from 4 games, we are only one ‘worse’ off than last season, when Warbs had us on 5 at this juncture. My main hope is that Marinus has us try to play football. Win or lose, Warbs certainly knew the way to goal.
I’ve got no major worries about the recruitment policy if it gets results. But I’d love to see the Bees start to find the back of the net. And you can only do that by going forward.
Still. The tools are now in place. We await what happens next with extreme interest.
Nick Bruzon
BrentfordFC 
“Most importantly, will supporters now give Marinus and the new system a bit of breathing space?”
Preach it, Nick! I always thought Brentford fans were a reasonable, patient lot compared to a lot of other clubs, but some of the stuff being said on social media in recent weeks has left me stunned. A lot of knee-jerking, a lot of hand-wringing, and a massive lack of patience. As you’ve pointed out, we started last season slowly and didn’t hit our stride until November. I’m certain that we’ll click soon enough and enjoy another excellent season.
Many feel that as it wasn’t broken , indeed it was running very well , so why change it .
Perhaps Matthew Benham has broken one of his own rules by changing a winning system, only time will tell .
That said we must now get behind the team and I agree with Lewis and give Marinus some breathing space .
Too right. Thanks LadyBee and Lewis. The pieces are now in position – let’s just see what happens from here.
You are sadly mistaken; we have an ineffective manager, overseeing a ragbag team; ergo relegation
Yet another doom and gloomer.
“It wasn’t broken, indeed it was running very well, so why change it?”
Would you be commenting on the pitch or the player/management side of things when you say this?
Only four league games in for gods sake give them a chance.
Indeed !!!
Indeed. I agree.
It was an absolutely stupid, knee-jerk decision to rip up the pitch after three games instead of allowing it to bed in. Typical of modern-day football where people expect instant results. I can’t help thinking the decision was influenced by all those moaners who preach their doom and gloom on Brentford-related social media.
OK, I accept it wasn’t playing very well and it was a touch disappointing that our most important signing of the summer had his season ended by it, but there were still 21 first-team games to be played on it and it was still far too early doors to be making ruthless decisions like that instead of giving it a fair chance to improve.