Another game unbeaten. Another game that Brentford fans may feel we should have won but, in the end, will be happy to have taken a point against a Blackburn Rovers team with their own promotion aspirations. A 2-2 draw played out in gale force conditions, alongside Fulham’s Friday night draw and a 0-0 for Nottingham Forest means we stay fourth. Leeds United won – fair play to them – as that once colossal gap to second place is still a very catchable six points. With the Bees next up before the teams directly above us play again (we’ve a visit to Luton Town on Tuesday before Fulham host Swansea and Leeds travel to Middlesbrough on Wednesday), the chance to apply further immediate pressure lies very much in our own hands.
It’s up there, somewhere. Conditions were tough at gusty Griffin Park.
It was an absolute corker of a Griffin Park. Despite Blackburn playing with that howling wind at their backs in the first half, Brentford were the ones applying the early pressure. Right up until the exact moment that Rovers’ goalkeeper Christian Walton played a long, long ball up pitch and as it caught the breeze, Ethan Pinnock lost it in the air. There was Adam Armstrong to drift it over David Raya with a perfectly placed lob. The ball seemed to float over him in almost slow-motion with nothing the Spaniard, or anybody watching, could do to stop it hitting the back of the net.
Noooooooooooooooooo. 0-1 and Blackburn most definitely not reading the script. With the wind now behind the visitors and very much taken out of our sails, the rest of the first-half meandered way into nothingness. I’m struggling to recall much more in terms of incident. Still, there was always the second period to come…..
Urghh. 0-2 Rovers. With less than an hour gone, referee Tim Robinson pointed to the spot after Raya won the ball but continued his movement into somebody. Gut feeling at the time was that it was soft but legitimate. We’ve all seen them given etc. That man Armstrong made no mistake and Blackburn were home. The play-offs beckoning.
Except, they weren’t. Just minutes later Ollie Watkins had halved the deficit with an absolute howitzer of a shot. This time it was Dalsgaard who used the conditions to our advantage as his own pass through the eye of the storm was perfectly judged by the free scoring front man. Playing the offside trap to perfection, he brought it down and then leathered one from distance that swerved into the top corner and sent the home fans wild. My word, what a strike. It was as much about the timing, control and preparation as it was the finish. Hats off, Ollie.
The crowd buoyant and Brentford inspired, we kicked on. Shandon Baptise and Mads Roerslev having come on from the bench both impressed. Should Mathias Jensen still be missing for the Luton game, I can only imagine it will be the new signing from Oxford who starts that one rather than Emiliano Marcondes. Yet it was Roerslev who was the real revelation down the right, as the Brentford player machine looks like it has spat out another winner from the B-team.
Boom. Felled in the box (apparently – move along, nothing to see here) it presented the opportunity for Benrahma to level things. There was no mistake from the spot and with 20 minutes left, there was only one team in it.
Saaaiiiiiiddddd!! 2-2 from the spot
Brentford pushed, poked, and tried. Benrahma’s legs a blur and Mbeumo coming close to making it another afternoon of the BMW doing their thing. At the other end David Raya keeping Arsmtrong at bay with a quite wonderful save after Dalsgaard’s back pass had dropped woefully short. It was the only realistic chance that Blackburn had between the equaliser and full time. How crucial could it prove?
Alas, it wasn’t to be for either team. Promotion hopes hit with the lightest of pauses rather than being derailed or ground made. For either team. With West Bromwich Albion also winning, and so themselves now four points clear of Leeds United, anybody hoping for ‘automatic’ is fighting out for one place. I can’t see the Baggies surrendering another double point lead having once more found their form. Albeit their visit to Griffin Park next month could be interesting…..
Instead, it looks like a straight shoot out between Brentford, Fulham, Leeds United, Preston and Nottingham Forest for second place. Statistically, Leeds have to be favourites. They’re the ones currently occupying that slot and with the lead over third place. Yet pressure does strong things and one thing’s for sure, nobody is going to give up on the chase. With Brentford missing Mathias Jensen, Pontus Jansson and Sergi Canos we’ve still got strength in depth to return.
So, it wasn’t to be this time. The race for the Premier League is still alive and kicking. The players doing their thing, even at full time, where they and Thomas once more put the family feel into our wonderful club.
Advice being given at full time….
We’ve a trip to Luton Town up next and then it’s off to Cardiff City on Saturday. The games are coming thick and fast as the excitement shows no sign of abating.
And finally, the (possible) return of the ever popular Terrace Talk video feature. Could it happen? It was a subject that was touched upon in yesterday’s programme feature and has already been picked up on by former host Sean Ridley.
As seen in the programme….
Going by yesterday’s Twitter talk, Sean’s willing to give it a go for one last hurrah – assuming, of course, that ‘official’ are.
Just tweet @BrentfordFC and use the hashtag #TerraceTalk if you’d like to see it back just once more. Hey, the club may even agree. And if you need a reminder of the feature’s brilliance, then here you go (from the 2016/17 visit of Nottingham Forest)…..
Nick Bruzon
BrentfordFC 
A good summary Nick. For me, it was a point rescued yesterday that keeps us in the mix. Going 2-0 down we made it difficult for ourselves but the never say die attitude from the players saw us get the draw we deserved. One thing that really worries me is the continued absence of Jansson. We have missed his inspiration, motivation and organisational skills and like a lot of supporters around me in the paddock, we are mystified by the Club’s lack of transparency over his injury and the prospects of him returning in the near future. Surprisingly, Neil Greggs player injury update during the week also did not include any comment of Jansson’s situation. Does anyone know anything different?
Hi all only update came via football league paper where Thomas said he suffered a setback in training last week. As for yesterday despite great play at times we seem reluctant to shoot successfully From the edge of the box preferring too many intricate passes it looks great when it comes off.but please vary it a little.
I was yet again confined to barracks for this game, with an unusually fair commentary for the game. I still havent worked out whether we were lucky or disappointed. I think both is true. A game we should have won on chances, but did our best to lose. But what must always be encouraging is the spirit in turning certain defeat into a point and hopefully momentum into Tuesday.
I am concerned about the knocks we took. Norgaard, Said & Jeanvier (?) all taking knocks. Pontus still missing, as well as Kamo & of course Sergi long term. Roerslev was outstanding when he came on, and an official call up to the first team squad is now overdue. It maybe we see Luca Racic on Tuesday, but after his performance against Leicester, he should step in with ease. My big concern is for Emiliano, after a couple of good performances he seemed to revert to the performances of last season yesterday, like you say Baptiste should get the nod on Tuesday.
Although my heart is always hopeful for automatic promotion, my head is telling me the dreaded Play Offs with one more game at GP, and what are the odds it will be Fulham!
Most frustrating thing about today is how poor we actually looked going forward against this average Man United side. Fantastic performance from krul though to keep the score down. Big game next weekend against Brighton #ncfc