Brentford 0 Barnsley 0. On paper, not the best result. In practice, equally unsatisfying. Another game where The Bees huffed, puffed but failed to find either a Plan B or a way through a team set up to do a job on us. It started brightly and it ended with the home crowd roaring our boys on in a protracted five additional minutes. It was the 88 minutes in between that felt dreadfully flat.
View from the Braemar. High Flyers? Not yesterday
Brentford ‘official’ would later describe the visitors as both “Well drilled“ and “resolute“. The BBC use their match report to call this one “Hard Fought”. That’s diplomatic of them. Personally, I’d have used unimaginative or frustrating. The proverbial bad day at the office with little spark from the midfield, few chances created and Neal Maupay just not getting the run of the ball up front on his own.
Dean Smith commented at full time that, “We had a very good first half, made chances and created opportunities but didn’t take them because of poor decision making.”
Funnily enough, last season’s game at home to the same opposition ended with him noting that, ”Our decision-making was poor on the ball”. That one, the occasion of our 4000th league game, saw the Bees go down 0-2 whilst we were also robbed in the half time mascot race. So at least it was an improvement, even if poor decision making remained a consistent theme.
If you were there on Saturday then you’ll know that we were off our ‘A’ game. The recent demolition of Fulham nothing more than a wonderful memory. That Barnsley did their homework and that we lacked the wherewithal to bypass their bus.
That’s the downside. What one also needs to consider is that it was a game played out in atrocious conditions with biblical torrents of sheet rain falling in the second half. Likewise, this is still another point in the bag. A point acquired over what is sure to be a busy period of games.
If not buckets of goals, certainly buckets of rain
Norwich City are next up on Friday night and then it’s Aston Villa on Boxing Day. With Josh Clarke going off injured and straight down the tunnel, here’s hoping that was only a precaution. On the flip side, another appearance for Lewis Macleod can only be celebrated. Moreso given the treacherous and slippery conditions underfoot when he entered the field of play.
Ultimately, we didn’t lose. Besides, the bigger picture scenario in the Championship is intriguing. The post-match escape to the warming bosom of the pub was greeted with the sight of Birmingham City now sitting bottom of the pile. Forget ten times better, we’re now twelve points better off than our big spending divisional rivals. Even if the architects of their latest demise are a team we should probably gloss over.
To be honest, I’m just all a bit ‘meh’ about football today. With the long awaited trip to see the new Star Wars movie finally being enjoyed this morning, that really has been the big draw for yours truly. Unlike yesterday which was somewhat of a bland draw.
Still, as somebody bigger and cleverer than me said, “We go again”. Besides, to moan about not losing, in the Championship, seems somewhat trite. It wasn’t a good game. It wasn’t one that we’ll be rushing out to buy the video of. But with the Bees sitting 13th in the table and soon to start an FA Cup campaign with a third round tie at home to league 2 Notts County, the season still has plenty of potential.
And that’s before we even mention a certain Emiliano Marcondes…..
Nick Bruzon
BrentfordFC 
Wel,
Well said Nick. The conditions second half were dreadful and Barnsley triple parked the bus. One point is better than none and it’s a not unhelpful reminder (if any was needed, which I somehow doubt) that we’ve still got a way to go as a team – if you take Fulham alongside the QPR, Hull and Barnsley games that’s a 1 in 4 ratio of quality/perfection. We need to get to 1 in 3 or 1in 2 – and we will!
Spot on Nick. Yesterday as hugely disappointing and today I am flabbergasted that we have been linked again with Kai Kai from Crystal Palace – just what we need, another pretty midfield player! In my view, we are still missing a grizzled, seasoned professional in midfield who can take the game (and the opposition) by the scruff of the neck. Every team in this league has such a player, Sheffirld Wednesday have six of them at least. We are so close to having a team who can challenge the top sides but we must have the nouse to break down teams like Barnsley and Burton who come to play us with their spoiling and defensive tactics.
Surely our top priority has to be an out-and-out 6ftplus striker who we have been crying out for months now.. Someone who can score with his head as well as both feet to notch up 25 goals plus a season! Think of all those “wasted” corners on Saturday! and the number of times we have drawn games after scoring first.
Further to my comment above,according to Get West London, ChristianDoidge of Forest Green Rovers could fit the bill.