Brentford bounced back from Saturday’s loss to Newcastle with what sounds like a hard fought 0-0 draw at Derby County. And that was just for the spectators.
Official would later describe it on Twitter as “A resolute defensive performance” ; Dean Smith told the BBC that,” I thought our performance was very good, very disciplined and the intensity of pressing in our half was very good”.
Three shots on target each tells its own story but all of this is no bad thing. Would you have taken a point prior to kickoff?
Absolutely I would have. If 0-0 was the price then fair enough. Football is as much about defending as it is attacking. Indeed, the Bees remain just outside the play-off zone going into our 4,000th league game on Saturday against Barnsley.
I wasn’t there for this one. I didn’t even have the luxury of Beesplayer or even Sky Sports news this time around. So don’t expect any form of match report . As ever, Beesotted, the BBC or official are your places. The latter using their first paragraph (yes, we have them this season) to set the tone in describing the game as “a fine defensive display”.
I’m not complaining. Newly revitalised Derby was always going to be a tough place to visit. Moreso, coming off the back of the weekend’s exertions. And it was nice to see things mixed up in midfield – Sam Saunders and Sullay Kaikai both starting this one in an attempt to break down an opposition defence that had only conceded once in the previous three games. Make that four now.
Yet the same goes for us despite enforced changes. With skipper Harlee Dean suspended, the combination of left back Yoann Barbet, John Egan, Andreas Bjelland and Maxime Colin shut out the Rams. Daniel Bentley reads as though he was up to his usual high standards as Brentford made it a second clean sheet (and 0-0) in three games
All of which presents Dean with a selection poser going in to the Derby game. Does Harlee walk straight back into the side? Does he give the pairing of Bjelland and Egan another run out together? Personally, I’m all for rewarding form and if the new partnership coped as well as we are reading, then why not give it another go?
Certainly that was the attitude Dean showed after the 4-1 tonking of Reading. Ryan Woods missed that one following his yellow card at Aston Villa yet so well did the team play despite his absence that the Ginger Pirlo then had to sit out his next available game, Wigan, on the bench.
Then again I’m not the manager, head coach, whatever. I’m just the numpty on the terrace. What goes in midfield may not translate to the defence. Could we deny the skipper the opportunity to start on such an auspicious occasion? Indeed, should we given the performance against Derby?
What would you do?
Will Harlee be leading the team out on Saturday?
Nick Bruzon
BrentfordFC 
Pleased with the point and felt it was important to get a good reaction after Saturday. I looked at the starting 11’s and after seeing Derby’s I feared for us. Something solid to build on as we go into game 4.000 and beyond.
Saturday is huge, both for the occasion and the chance to move into the play off places. It’s another tough game and we need to fill GP and give the same vocal support we’ve seen on the road this past few days. Please give it the coverage it deserves and push all your readers to get down to GP (£10 deal still available).
I missed the whole Geordie experience even on BeesPlayer, but managed to tune into this one. First things first. Are Mark Burridge & Mick Cabble the dream team when it comes to commentary teams? Superb performance by the pair ably assisted by sidekick Sean. The quality is only ever this good when Big Ben Burgess is in the comms box. Surpasses any of the rubbish coverage Sky or BBC put on.
For me you cant compare the Woods & Dean suspensions. Ryan is a league above anyone else we have in centre midfield and should have been recalled immediately. For Harlee things are a little different, even though he is having a superb season he is up against 3 other outstanding centre backs in a fight for two spots. It was great to finally have Bjelland in the spot we originally intended him to take on and paid a record fee for, so if he put in a pretty good performance, then I see no reason to drop him. Sorry Harlee, but its a place on the bench for me.
interesting choice to make deans battling qualities against bjelland class or even barbet with his great cross field passing although his short passes sometimes gets the opposition on the front foot. who’d be a manager!!. 1 point from six on paper doesn’t look good but considering Newcastle are still virtually a premier league outfit and Derby a very useful championship side maybe to be expected but not to be downhearted about.