What is your focus today ? Brentford v Aston Villa in the battle for three points or Brentford v West Ham in the battle for Scott Hogan’s transfer fee. Yes, it’s match day AND transfer deadline day in a bizarre crossing of the streams that can only end badly for everybody. Moreso, with yesterday’s rumour of the day being an apparent bid for Hogan from none other than Villa themselves.
Don’t cross the streams…
That’s not happening, fact. And when I say fact, I mean more opinion. I’ve no inside knowledge but let’s look at the situation a little bit. The Villans are locked firmly in middle table, a mere three points above our own Bees. Despite a brief resurgence when Steve Bruce took over the reins early in the season, they’ve hardly set the world alight. 12 draws (usually 1-1) from their 27 games sees them hard to beat but hardly the sort of team that will have anybody rushing out to watch them. The football I’ve seen has been of a turgid, industrial nature as the draw specialists (they’ve had the most ‘single point’ games in the division), grind their way through the Championship.
Given Scott’s avowed intent to be playing Premier League football, any move to Aston Villa would be a bizarre one. A return to that top flight is a long way off and certainly won’t happen this campaign. The very soonest they’ll be scrapping to avoid relegation to the Championship would be August 2018. Is he really going to wait that long when, along with West Ham, Crystal Palace and Watford are amongst those reportedly touting for his signature.
I believe those two as much as I believe the Aston Villa rumour but, if there’s even a chance of playing in the top flight why would he tie himself to the Championship? Villa have a wonderful history and a magnificent stadium – nobody can deny that. But they aren’t a Premier League team. Not any more.
Aston Villa hardly threatening the top flight at present
This smells of Tarkowski all over again. The day we were due to play Burnley, with the club looking to sign him up, he refused to play. I’m not suggesting for one second that Scott will attempt to pull the same stunt (assuming West Ham haven’t stumped up the requisite cash by that point) but is this enough just to put our danger man off his game? Is this enough just to keep him out of the squad as ‘negotiations’ take place? Is this enough to make an agent pick up the phone and comment how the hamstring looked a little stretched at Stamford Bridge on Saturday?
In my opinion, and that’s all it is, discount all the other nonsense. It’ll be West Ham or nowhere . I still hope it is nowhere, just so as we can demonstrate we are no longer the sort of club to be bullied in transfer negotiations. Scott will go at some point but let it be on our terms and moreso as, unless the master of surprise Matthew Benham has more than few hidden cards up his sleeve, there can’t surely be any time to bring in new blood.
Instead, this is just another game where preparation is disrupted by outside influence. I still can’t get my head around the craziness of the transfer window. Let alone holding a programme of Premier League and Championship fixtures as it ‘slams’ shut(TM).
Whilst most people will be looking to see Harry Redknapp eating out of a car window – surely something that he still has an obligation to perform, despite not managing a club since he bailed on doomed QPR two years ago because of a knee problem – in TW8 we’ll be left wondering who will even start tonight and who will be in the squad this time tomorrow.
Focus should be on the game. It should be on picking ourselves up and putting in a performance to prove the naysayers wrong after Chelsea.And it wasn’t just me on that front. For a very considered read then Billy Grant’s latest Beesotted column on the subject is well worth a look.
Dean has a lot to prove tonight and he has a lot to do to restore some confidence and cheer to the Brentford fans. He can do it, no question. He has the players to do it. But it would be a lot easier if we didn’t have any transfer related distractions hanging around.
See you at Griffin Park where, given my prediction skills, Scott will likely be on the opposition bench.
Will this be all that happens today?
Nick Bruzon
BrentfordFC 
Maybe not so wide of the mark about Villa Nick:- have been reading on one of their websites what a ‘master-stroke’ of timing it is to suggest to Scotty that Villa are coming in for him before tonight’s game.
Maybe (apart from the financial effect on poor old Rochdale) it’ll be a case of ‘what we’ve never had we’ll never miss’ by tonight inasmuch Scotty will stay with us and link up with Judgey, Jota, Tom Field, Josh Clarke, Sergei Canos, Florian Jozefzoon et al.
WHAT a delicious thought…just a shame it wasn’t in place before we all trekked up to Stamford Bridge!
Mind you, I’m not sure Dean wouldn’t have left them all on the bench …then OR now!
Interested to hear your comments now Nick! 😉
Is it a huge surprise? Villa are a big club they play in front of 30+k at home. They’re not doing great but are assembling a formidable side and “may” put a run together (probably starting tonight against a team with no fire power). He’s quadrupled his wages. Hes earnt himself well over £500k and hes closer to his northern routes. And although Bees fans would probably have welcomed him back he did tarnish his reputation a little (IMHO). It’s not all bad though…we now have 4 right wingers / midfielders! (Clarke / Jota / Dutch guy / Canos) where before we had one. And now we only need to get another 2 strikers (i think we need two Omar? Matt Taylor for 300k?) and a skillful DM who can ping a decent pass…DoF’s do your thang
Being a supporter of team like Brentford, Transfer Deadline Days are a painful experience. Always on the verge of losing our best player and wondering who on Earth is going to replace them. Seems to happen every time.
As things go, nothing has officially happened yet, but stories are coming out that Villa have got him well short of the £15m fee. If true, I have to be disappointed that we caved in to a lower amount. As things stand there is no sign of a replacement, and we will have to finish the season with Lasse & Hoff. One thing is clear, Lasse is not Hogan, but I do have faith in Lasse, he just needs to regain the confidence he had for parts of last season & needs our support as we dont have anyone else. Of course, hopefully by tonight we ill have a replacement.
As for tonight, im so gutted im missing my first home league match of the season. Finishing work at 6 in Dorset has put paid to that! Mind you the dreadful driving conditions and the game being on Sky is a small consolation. Already looking forward to Sunday.
Also anyone spot the error made earlier after the signing of Jan Novak?
He posed on a site with a Bees shirt with ‘9 Novak’ on it. Hogan’s number. Hmmmm. Cat out the bag? Or unauthorised merchandise? Once it was spotted on Twitter, the picture mysteriously disappeared!