Fair play to Dean Smith. Let’s start right there, pause, and then say it again. Fair play to Dean Smith. After the debacle at Chelsea on Saturday (and I still stand by what was said after that one) this was ‘good’ Brentford back again. Not even ‘good’ but more ‘magnificent’ as Aston Villa were sent packing on the wrong end of a 3-0 defeat. So outclassed were the Villans that new signing Scott Hogan will now be more concerned with playing in League One than the Premier League next season. It was as one sided a game as you could imagine.
What a night. From the unveiling of new signing Sergi Canos to an all round team performance that was as good as we’ve seen all season, if not longer. Brentford were simply stunning as they tore apart an Aston Villa side who looked like a bunch of strangers at a meeting of the Steve McClaren fan club. With torrential rain falling all night long, the Bees used the slick conditions to their advantage; Villa looked as though they’d forgotten to pack their golf umbrellas.
Who do you praise? All of them. Who do you single out? Lasse Vibe is the obvious candidate and scooped Sky’s man of the match aware for his two goals. The first coming as he was set free by Nico Yennaris and the third as he was played in by an absolutely exquisite through ball from Josh McEachran. This, the highlight of a wonderful night for the former Chelsea man. “Oh my actual life” gasped one Terrace wag as that move reached a net rippling denouement, with Lasse then launching himself across the pitch for a full on body slide.
Another wonderful set of pictures from another wonderful night
In between these , Nico had doubled the lead as a pin point cross from Jota out on the right wing landed perfectly for the midfielder to fire home off his studs. He had no right to score from there with three Villa defenders around him but the positioning of the cross and the timing of the execution made the outcome inevitable.
Jota was rampant. Oh, how good to have him back and starting. Florian Jozefzoon impressed on his debut whilst Ryan Woods was as tenacious as only he can be. The defence were virtually faultless with Harlee Dean, in particular, immense. And that was just going forward ! We could name them all – it was the consumate team performance.
View form The Braemar. Jota’s back – in the starting XI
Most of all though, we need to note how Dean Smith reacted. Changes were made – to personnel and formation. The defensive heavy set up seen against Chelsea was replaced by a formation that allowed us, no encouraged us, to go forward. With the Bees reverting to a traditional four man defence and given extra width on the flanks with more room in the middle, the response was as emphatic as one could have hoped for.
The key word for the season has been consistency. With Brighton next up on Sunday, and playing away on Thursday night at Huddersfield, the Bees have another tough fixture. No less than the League leaders. Yet, also, having shown what we can do against a supposedly ‘big’ team, can Dean and his troops offer up a repeat?
As for Scott Hogan, I’m just glad this sorry affair is now over. That’s no offence to the player but more a huge two fingers up to West Ham and the agents who tried to bully us but, instead, had it thrown back in their face.
Oh dear. A hashtag
We’ll miss his goals , for sure, but if the Bees can play with the same freedom of expression as they did last night then perhaps this is a return to a Brentford side not so reliant on one man. A Brentford side who can score goals from all over pitch.
There’s another huge test coming up on Sunday but we can go into it with a lot more optimism after last night.
Not bad, for a pub team.
Nick Bruzon
BrentfordFC 
Great summary Nick. A truely magnificent performance last night from all the players, the best I have seen in over a year. Fair play to Dean Smith, I have been very critical of him in recent weeks but last night he reacted after Saturday’s game and got it spot on. You could praise all the players on their efforts but what summed it up for me was Steve Bruce’s interview on Sky after the game – when he eventually came out of the dressing room. He was so shell shocked, he could hardly speak – brilliant!
We beat Aston Villa 3-0. Ill say that again, we beat Aston Villa 3-0!
In a week we have seen two eras of Brentford. Saturday saw the Brentford we all grew up with, tourists on the big occasion. Last night saw the freeflowing football of the Warburton era, something we have seen rarely since.The pass it around, pass it back and hoof it up the pitch had gone.
So why did it happen? Jota. In the team and he was still clearly the King we all love. With Jota’s addition there was a need to go back to wingers with a very assured debut from FloJo, without nail art, on the other wing. The team had width and the bullet for the gun. Hogan must have been watching and wishing this was the kind of service he had, he would have been on a par with Gayle if that was the case. I have always been a proponent of playing to your strengths, for a part of the season it was centre back, and the need for 3, now that strength has shifted to wingers, so there now should be no going back to a back 5.
A word for McEachran. I have been highly critical of him, yet last night he pulled out those stunning passes all through the match and I cannot remember him losing the ball once. Now we need him to do that consistently. Also a word for Bjelland, probably his best match in a Bees shirt. Finally, Lasse. I was one of the few who still had faith in him. His issue was his confidence, which had nothing to do with his Samson moment! Once I saw that beaming smile on his face half way through the first half, I knew we had our Lasse back.
Not bad for a pub team eh? Simon Hateley, Stan Collymore. Your boys took a hell of a beating
I echo what’s been said so far. Fair play to the team and management. Still not sure the formation change was deliberate; i heard Egan was out injured so the 3 centre half experiment had to be dropped, but he did put Florian in, played Jota from the start (who’s crossing and dribbling skills tore Villa apart) and some other players got a chance late on (Josh and KK). There was that hunger, passion and tempo back. We started doing our quick little triangle passes again, movement was good. So the question is, why can’t we ‘give it ago’ like this all the time? I appreciate we don’t play TIN POT sides like Villa all the time, but even so…..
As a Villa fan i have to agree that on the night we were out fought and out played but that was more down to us not functioning as a team with a completely new midfield trio of players who have not even trained together, two of which only joined the club in recent days.
A team are only as good as you allow them to play and we certainly allowed Brentford to look good on the night we sat back and allowed them to dictate the pace of the game. We didnt compete in vital areas of play and suffered the consequences of not playing.
Brentford raised their game on the night and played as if it was a cup final which is what you would expect against a Premiership team recently relegated and with their manager wanting to do well against his his childhood team, yes Deano is a Villa man at heart and like any player moving onto another club he wanted to do well against his favourite lifelong team and instilled that passion into his players. Villa were poor on the night and surely cant play that bad again whereas Brentford will not be allowed the time and space to control play against other teams.
“Not Bad For A Pub Team” with a ground to match.
Actually I don’t totally disagree with you. Villa were that bad that we are probably getting ahead of ourselves. But you can only play what is in front of you and the ‘team’ (Although the use of the word here almost doesn’t apply) on show were utterly clueless. I don’t know why Steve Bruce put in a whole new midfield because they had no feel for each other’s game; everyone was on a different wavelength. You’ve definitely got the players to do well, but it’ll take time for them to gel, so I’m pretty confident we’ll be playing each other again next year. Stick around a bit longer (wasting, sorry spending a few more £100m quid) and you can join us in our brand new stadium.
Really good post Nick – thanks!
What a joy to read,Nick. And the comments that followed.A great team performance all round including DS ! Two great goals from Lasse Vibe but the “stand out ” player for me was King Jota. Looking forward to see him link up with Serge Canos. Now for the “double” against Brighton on Sunday. COYBs .
Our club no longer being bullied in the transfer market (selling and buying) just as pleasing as last nights result, and long may it continue.Thank you Mr Benham
Bit of patronising straw clutching going on there Thomas Holte. It wasn’t Brentford raising their game but more a return to the type of performance we’ve come to expect over the past few years. BFC may not have played AV for 70 years (or won against them previously), but you’re going to have to start to getting used to this fixture I think. I appreciate that must be galling for you.
what a night, didn’t even mind getting wet in front row of the paddock. agree with all except villa fan and steve bruce, they didn’t play so bad, created a few chances but could not live with our pace and skill. sawyers has great skill but needs to improve his speed and commitment.