With various headlines highlighting Gary Caldwell’s proclamation that “We deserved our point” and “we deserved our clean sheet” there’s the game in a nutshell. Brentford stretched their unbeaten home run to ten games following a 0-0 draw with a Wigan Athletic side for whom Blakey would have given 10/10 for their bus parking skills.
But as we’ve said many times, chances and possession count for nothing if you can’t find the back of the net. And on this occasion, despite 9 in our previous two games at Griffin Park, it was the Bees who couldn’t convert.
Dean Smith nailed it in his post match interview where he explained the reaction is one of disappointment really. This, despite the Bees being excellent in the first half. “The reaction is one of disappointment really,” said Dean. “We were excellent in the first half hour and should have punished them. We didn’t take our chances and they defended manfully.”
Whilst Wigan boss Gary Caldwell may not be Jose Mourinho – a fact that both are probably thankful for – teams will set up to do a job on us. Griffin Park is fast becoming a metaphorical fortress and so often the first tactic will be to shut out a team with a free scoring reputation .
As for he who must not be sung about, a Voldemort of footballers (dads, ask your kids. It’s. A. Children’s. Book), the former Bee and Northern Ireland International failed to find the back of the Griffin Park net. Plus ca change. Despite an early chorus for ‘that song’ (yawn, yawn, yawwwn), it was the home fans with their own “Will Grigg’s offside” who summed things up.
Forget Grigg. We have our own goal machine. For once, silenced
This is no match report. It never is. I’d direct you to reputable sites such as the BBC, Beesotted or ‘official’ if you want a blow by blow account of match detail. That said, I have to say well done to Dean Smith for sticking with the same team who thumped Reading on Tuesday night.
That, a line up which had seen both tactical and enforced changes for Brentford – Ryan Woods missing that one through his accrual of fifth yellow card at Wolves. Yet it was also a line up that performed wonderfully and despite our Ginger Pirlo being available once more, Dean kept one of the early contenders for ‘player of the year’ on the bench.
It was a brave decision but the absolute correct one. Tuesday night was wonderful and to reward that with anything but a chance to, erm, ‘go again’ would have been a dreadful message to send out to those players who had taken their own chance when it had been offered.
The flip side of the decision making process is around substitutes. In the past few seasons the players to make way and the timing (the 60-70 minute ‘zone’) had become choices so prescribed that they could have been written on the back of an envelope long before kick off.
This time around, it’s almost as though things have gone the other way. I’ve nothing against this – quite the opposite. Let’s react to the way the game is unfolding. That said, is there a case that he is holding on too long now? That tactics – or players who seem to be struggling with fitness – could be reacted to quicker?
Who’d be a manager? Get it right and you are a genius. Miscalculate and everybody thinks they know better.
Look. Another game unbeaten at home and another point aren’t anything to be sniffed at. Quite the opposite. We’re in 7(seventh) place in the Championship table after a quarter of the season with another clean sheet in the bag. It is arguably the best start we’ve had at this point in the three campaigns since leaving League One.
Next up is International break (well timed for Lasse Vibe, who left Griffin Park on crutches) followed by trips to Newcastle United and Derby County. Nobody said this year’s Championship would be any easier but it’s certainly proving to be fun.
See you at St.James’ Park in two weeks….
BrentfordFC 
I am going to disagree with you on this one Nick. I thought it was completely the wrong decision to drop Woods. We are in the Championship with very limited resources. Therefore you shouldnt leave your star players on the bench because of loyalty to your squad players. Yes, Macca & Nico did play well against Reading, but Woods is on a different level to either of them and he should of played. He may have made the difference yesterday in gaining 3 points instead of 1. You wouldnt leave Hogan on the bench if Hoff had replaced him and scored the previous game.
Strange thing to say from Caldwell. Clearly happy to come to us just to win a point. Have they got ambitions beyond 21st place? Complete contrast on Channel 5 with John Egan saying that we go out to win every match, even Newcastle.
I have seen and heard a lot of negativity about yesterday (even one of our über fans described one player’s performance as ‘crap’ – so ironic considering how he normally reacts towards others who display what he deems to be the slightest bit of negativity), and while we were a bit flat, it was not for want of trying. You’ve also got to hand it to Wigan, who defended for their lives and had a couple of dangerous subs who gave them a threat on the break in the final 20 minutes. We also kept a clean sheet which Brentford teams of the last two years failed to do very much.
For what it’s worth I would have subbed Alan Mac for Woods at half-time, as our enforcer seemed to be having a running disagreement with Mr Woolmer.
Standing in front of the keeper at free-kicks? All a bit pathetic really and I won’t be too sad if referees stamp it out. I’m not really sure it achieves much.
Finally, these moronic cries of ‘SHOOOOOT’ from the Ealing Road end have got to stop. Sometimes you hear it when our player is facing the wrong way, or even as happened yesterday when the player did not even have the ball!! I hope Egan and Kaikai’s woeful long-range efforts were the result of frustration rather than being influenced by certain members of the crowd who seem to think anything 40 yards or nearer the goal has got to be wellied at the goal whatever the situation.
i agree with the comments bout the effectiveness of lining up for free kicks but how can you tell players where they can stand,players stand in front of keepers at corners with nothing said. as for our performance I just think we were not as sharp as normal we seemed to play as if things were going to happen instead of making them happen our passing not as sharp as usual. bloddy dan burns always seem to play well against us. still wigan could have sneaked it at the end.
Burn plays well except when he deflects a last minute Jota shot into the net but take the point!!
I think the free-kick shenanigans is being seen as ungentlemanly conduct. You can argue either way. I’d just like us to put the bloody thing on target and ask questions of the keeper otherwise all that nonsense looks more than a little silly.
Totally agree about them sneaking it at the end – in which case it would have been the classic away performance for them. Anyone slagging them off for this forgets when we have done the same in the past as indeed do all teams at some stage every season. Franchise FC away in 2010 comes to a mind as an example and I am sure there are slightly more recent ones.
Regards
Gordon
Gordon
Thumped Preston on Tuesday night? Do we play them every week as the song goes?
Ha. Good spot. Thank you