What a difference a day makes. Brentford finally got back to winning ways with as comprehensive a win as you could hope for at free falling Nottingham Forest. 3-0 and a second half performance that the subsequent highlights show was as one sided as the score suggests. And with Bolton Wanderers losing at home, Tuesday night could see the Bees all but secure safety whilst sending the doomed Trotters down to League One.
Much as I’d have love to have been at The City Ground, this was a game to far thanks to a family holiday. Fair play to those who made it up to Nottingham, if for no other reason than they had the pleasure of witnessing this first hand rather than struggling through Bees Player (more on that, later).
So where do we start? Well, as ever, this is all about ‘the other stuff’ rather than any serious match report. First and foremost, Brentford are now 9 points (effectively 10 with goal difference) clear of the relegation zone. In a season that has been haunted by sales, managerial crises (plural), pitch-gate and more injuries than the average episode of Holby City, to be all but safe is nothing short of, if not a miracle, due reward for the team and the fans
With Bolton Wanderers next up at Griffin Park, a win for The Bees will surely see us safe for another season. Let’s just be clear (and this has been said before but it’s worth repeating), Brentford are facing a third successive season in The Championship. Victory on Tuesday night should see us home whilst, combined with a win for Fulham, banging the final nail into the Bolton coffin.
And if ever you needed further incentive, results in the Premier League today left Aston Villa, Sunderland and Newcastle United four points adrift of safety. What a campaign already beckons in 2016/17 if we can see ourselves over the line.
Post match celebration on Social Media (specifically Twitter) provided all the expected exuberance from players and supporters alike. Not to mention some unusual posts.
Harlee Dean led the charge with the observation that the win was, “Like a total eclipse. A win and a clean sheet”.
Perhaps it’s just me but I’m struggling with that one . Still, I’ll forgive Harlee anything he wants if results like that keep coming.
Then it hit me. I’m sure we’ve been here before. I’m happy to stand corrected but the last time Harlee ended up involved in anything Eclipse related, I’m sure it was more a case of his full moon ?
From Full Moon to a total eclipse
Nico Yennaris summed up the mood perfectly. His Twitter quote focussing on the positive rather than the obligatory ‘going again.’ Of all the players he has had to endure the most unwarranted criticism this season. And unfairly in my opinion. How pleasing that it was he who grabbed the decisive second goal today, at the same time opening his account for the Bees.
As he noted afterwards, “Great to get back to winning ways. Excellent performance from the boys and delighted to get my first goal for the club” .
The other real point for those of us relying on the Internet for our match updates was the absence of Mark Burridge and Ciaran Brett on Beesplayer. I know Ciaran was present but his role seemed limited to a brief cameo rather than the excellent wingman position he’d made his own in recent weeks.
Instead, the returning Mark Chapman proved once more that being able to produce an award winning programme does not, by default, make you a pundit. And I’m sorry – I don’t want to sound critical on a day like today. But it just highlighted the fantastic service we’ve had this last month or so and Ciaran was sorely missed.
Likewise, instead of perhaps having an injured/ex player as part of the comms team and talking us through that ‘big match’ experience, we had Mark talking us through his miss at the Feltham Power League on Thursday night. Surely paying subscribers deserve better than this? Absolutely.
As for Mark Burridge, how do you replace perfection? With our commentator par-excellence now on holiday, Alan Denman had the unenviable job of filling in. Moreso, he was tasked with a first half that seemed to provide all the excitement of a pre-season friendly. That was no fault of his and, as we are all aware, the second 45 was certainly a different kettle of fish.
Actually, I thought Alan did well to keep it together. How do you make paint drying (first half, at least) sound exciting? But regardless of the action, or lack of, what was the reason behind the constant references to Yeneris rather than Yennaris; Lassa rather than Lasse ? I would never attempt commentary, or being a pundit, but is it really that hard to get the names of your team right?
As I say, it seems trite to be overly critical. The point is made more to demonstrate the symbiotic partnership we’ve been treated to from Mark B and Ciaran.
Let’s hope that, as we’ve seen today on the pitch, normal service is soon resumed off it once more.
Nick Bruzon
BrentfordFC 
Mark Chapman is on a fair amount isn’t he? I like his contributions.
Cheers Andy. Yes, until recent weeks he has been on the show a lot. Not sure where he has been but Ciaran really shone in his absence.
I’m a huge fan of Mark Burridge (and Billy Reeves) in the commentary seats whilst no issue whatsoever with our media team being used in the pundit seat – if up to it.
Personally – and it might just be me (although comments on social media suggested otherwise) I found Mark C’s style somewhat banal.
Just because somebody works for the club in one role does not, by default, make them ideally suited to carry out another.
As I say, its just my opinion but as somebody who pays for the ‘Player’ service (and live comms are the main bit I use) it just feels a bit lazy when we have really been spoiled in the past with the likes of Sam Saunders. Richard Lee, Kin Kev and even Natalie from Sky Sports.
I never thought I’d be saying this, but Yennaris has been one of our better players this season – so any flak handed out has been well wide of the mark. Of course, it was Carsley who reintegrated him into the first team when it had looked like a transfer to Wycombe was more likely.
So important we follow this up with a performance and result on Tuesday and hit those 50 points asap.
Absolutely agree with Yennaris. He has been an excellent understudy throughout the season. Exactly the type of squad player we need to compete in the Championship, particularly with the injury prone Colin.
Like Nick, I did despair hearing the pre-match comms from Mark C and i did shout at my computer speakers twice ‘Oh do shut up!’. I think Nick hit the nail on the head by describing his commentary style as banal. A perfect description. Although I cant say im as much a fan of Ciaran as Nick is! As for Alan Denman, I like Alan, a safe pair of hands, the John Helm of Bees Player. A very descriptive old skool style of radio comms. The good thing about Alan is that he describes so much he rarely lets Mark have a say. Although it did amuse me seeing Nick getting more frustrated on Twitter with the pronunciations. Reminding me of Motson calling Torstein Flo, Flew and David Pleat calling Havant as Ha-Vant rather than Havent. I agree, difficult to make the first half exciting when the crowd sounds like the first morning of a test match v Bangladesh at Chester-le-Street
So happy with the win, I genuinely didn’t see that coming. If anyone needed reminding as to why we have to stay up, the chance to return to special surroundings such as those at the city ground, and to take points off clubs such as these really hammered it home. Make no mistake forest were awful, but we grew into the game, confidence returned and finally their ineptitude was properly punished. In truth we should have scored 5 or 6 and at times our football pulled their immobile statues apart. Nevertheless we still had some iffy moments at the back, and a bizarre 5 on 1 let off from our own free kick just outside their box – crazy!
One bonus from all our problems is that the side more or less picks itself, we looked better for that. DS set them up properly and it was a very good day for him personally.
Everyone worked very hard and Colin, Yennaris, Woods, Dean were excellent, Canos used his power and pace to give us a huge life too – got to love this kid.
Good to see 800 bees fans all put their issues to one side and really get behind the team, the outpouring of joy/relief at the end was palpable. Get the job done Tuesday and we can put this season behind us and start fresh, with Brentford in the championship.
RebelBee, I absolutely agree with all your points, I’ve been a critic throughout the season, but it was good to see a real ‘shift’ put in by the team, with, as you say, Dean, Woods, Yennaris and Colin really shining.
My only concern, and I genuinely apologise for being a bore, is that we only really play well against teams who are having a really bad day – Forest, MK Dons, Wolves and Huddersfield spring to mind, and DS must review and rectify this.
Confidence is a great ‘thing’ in football and it’s a relief and reassuring to see it back within the team, but we must make sure this attitude prevails against Bolton, they are in trouble and anybody who thinks they, will turn up at GP to copitulate is mistaken, it will be a battle and we must be ‘Up For It’, then we can really relish another year in the Championship.