Sometimes, there’s nothing you can do but stand back and gasp in awe. There’s Good Friday and then there’s this. Bloody Marvellous Friday. Brentford swept Derby County aside by 4-0. It was a scoreline which, if anything, underplays just how complete a team performance this was. Barnsley should be quaking in their boots if we can even half replicate this one on Monday.
Three hours after full time and I’m still staggered by just how beautiful that was. We’ve spoken all season about what would happen if the Bees could play a full 90 minutes at full tempo. Well, here was the answer. And boy, wasn’t it a joy to behold?
“A game of two halves. And Derby weren’t in either” . Not my words but those of one New Road observer. Top comment from a top cat. He really couldn’t have summarised it in a more poetic or appropriate fashion. Sentiments shared at the bar of The Griffin post game, where the first comment I heard was one of , “4-0? 4. 0. To Brentford? Just what’s that all about?”
Ah. The tale of the unfancied and underestimated underdog being played out yet again. Derby committing the fatal mistake of playing the reputation (a traditional mid tier three outfit) rather than the team in front of them (a free scoring XI with the tastiest wings this side of Colonel Sanders).
Oh, Jota. Could we love this man any more? Every time you think he’s reached his peak he then goes one better. Or, in this case, two. His opening goal, to double Lasse Vibe’s first half opener (one that the Spaniard himself had provided the assist for) was beautifully taken. But the second, to hammer home the four goal advantage, was up there with the best of them.
View from the Braemar. Jota points the way
The King of Spain let the ball slide one way past the hapless Richard Keogh, the player himself going the other, before reuniting with the ball. It was a moment to take the breath away and as close to Pele in 1970 or Maradona against England in 1986 as one could hope to see in West London.
But then, with supporters gasping for air, he completed the stranglehold. On Derby, that is . From a seemingly impossible angle he fired home from the corner of the six yard box, through three defenders, past the ‘keeper, across the goal and into the net at the back stick.
How the crowd roared. How the king, arms aloft, soared. Grown men gasped. The director’s box, to a man (and woman) stood as one. Acknowledging a moment that truly was the crown jewel in a consumate performance.
The Bees line up to celebrate with the man of the moment
Between Jota’s pair, Lasse Vibe had made it 3-0. His shot from outside the box already wrapping things up and leaving the Great Dane on the cusp of what would, possibly should, have been a well deserved hat-trick. Scott who? With the greatest of respect to the former Bee, Lasse has well and truly proven what he can do and what a great piece of business that Matthew and the team pulled off back in January.
But just as against Leeds United, to overly single out any one payer would be unfair. It was one of those performances where we saw just how good Dean Smith’s team is. The difference being that, whilst both games saw great Bees’ performances, this time we kept it going for the full 90. Indeed, if anything, we actually accelerated.
Marcus Gayle summed things up nicely at full time . His twitter analysis encapsulated it in succinct fashion. “That was the most complete 90 min team performance by @BrentfordFC this season – full of confidence,creativeness and goals at Grifffin Park”
If you were there, you know what happened. If you weren’t, then my condolences. It really was THAT good. As ever, the BBC, Brentford ‘official’ or Beesotted are amongst the sources to get your full fat match report.
The next game can’t come soon enough. The trip to Barnsley may be a long one but if Brentford put in even half the shift they did today, then three points are the least we’ll come home with.
That’s for Monday, though. For now, it’s a chance to maybe play those goals once more. Sky sports have the video up now on their internet page, with Bees Player to follow tomorrow.
I can’t wait to hear what Mark Burridge made of this one.
Derby were yards behind us, in both halves
Nick Bruzon
BrentfordFC 
Watched the game with my two sons and two of my grandsons,the younger one just 7 years old. Could not believe our luck at seeing such a wonderful performance with every player “man of the match” None more so than Josh Clarke who I have rated a great prospect for some time.Also delighted with the sublime skills of King Yota who put two rather indifferent performances behind him.Now for QPR and Fulham to set us up for next season.What a mouth watering prospect!!
Sorry for a “senior moment”. King Jota NOT Yota!
9 points where r ur sparring partners Hoops and Isle of wight qpr now?
Dear All
Little more to be said about the attacking aspect of,our play yesterday, which looked every bit as good on the highlights.
However, we’ve also become more resilient. I thought Dean and Barbet were outstanding yesterday, as were Clarkey and Henry. I am convinced that we have now found our best combination at centre-back. Rico Henry has been a terrific addition at left-back (not that Tom Field let anyone down) and Clarkey is looking like the new Odubajo.
The last three home games have been every bit as good as what we saw under “he who shall not be mentioned”.
Credit where it’s due. To our owner, whose financial commitment to the club has been huge, to the DOFs who have been questioned but hit the jackpot in January and to DS, whose low-key approach seems to be working. I am amazed by the transformation since the dark days of January.
Regards
Gordon
Spot on Gordon!
Im a so called uber ,never doubted them?
thanks for the last three years in the championship, really looking forward to the forth.Nuff said.
Dear Bill
Always a pleasure to hear from you.
Your everlasting faith in positive outcomes is very uplifting. I can imagine you were doing the same in 1993, even after we signed Kenny Sansom. You can’t win ’em all I guess.
However, I suspect that in many ways we agree more than we differ. As you say, this will be our fourth year in the Championship, hence a golden era. And isn’t it so entertaining to give all those fans who continue to underestimate us a bloody nose time after time?
Regards
Gordon
Sorry Gordon,Im not Bill(Benn maybe?)have another guess.
Think weve all needed the uber factor supporting the Bees over the years, including yourself and even Boru?
Always loved supporting the underdogs in London( or Middx as Jay prefers) and giving the so called big boys a bloody nose now and then.
Long may it continue. UP THE BEES.
Dear Mr Hobo
I only remember calling two people überfans and it seems you are not one of them. I’m confused…
Can I also politely request that I am never mentioned again in the same sentence as Boru, especially after his monumentally stupid rant on Beesotted recently. I’m all for constructive criticism, but refusing to give anyone the slightest bit of credit for the way we’ve played since the Chelsea match (leading scorers in the top five divisions during this period I think) is something I really object to.
So as I said before, I suspect we agree on a lot more than maybe it appears.
Regards
Gordon