Eight games to go. Brentford host Birmingham City on Tuesday evening following the draw with Huddersfield at the weekend. A game we go into with the knowledge that, finally, the results around us have been favourable. Yesterday saw Watford held at Middlesbrough after leading for a large chunk of that one and Swansea City losing their fourth on the bounce. The Bees in third place. Ten points behind the Hornets but with two games in hand. The first of which takes place at 7.00pm this evening. A game where victory has to be at the top of our priorities if there is to be any hope of overhauling the team(s) in ‘automatic’. If not a mathematical ‘must win’ then psychologically, very much the time to return to winning ways. Over reliance on favours not a strong card for any head coach to play too often. All good in theory. The problem being Lee Bowyer and his Blues are very much in a battle of their own at the wrong end of the table and aren’t just going to hand over the points.
The plus point being the Bees are unbeaten since the 1-0 at Norwich City a month ago. All well and good but let’s not pretend the last three games have been anything but frustrating. Starting off at 100mph against Wayne Rooney’s Derby County but falling over the line to a 2-2 draw. See also: Nottingham Forest where chances aplenty were created but only one converted. The inevitable happened. Then Saturday saw us peg it back against Huddersfield Town for another draw. True, the point saw us clear Swansea City but Watford are the ones that, at present, we all have to catch up with. Indeed, the nature of the opening goal at the weekend a horror show to match anything Mrs. Browns Boys have inflicted on us over the years.
The net result of all this meaning that, really, only victory will be good enough this evening. Certainly if we have genuine aspirations to recapture that place in the top two we held for a tantalising moment. True, Watford have a tough run but they also have more than enough ability to win them. To beat opponents before they have even walked out of the tunnel. For Brentford, the free-scoring fun seems to have gone awol. The team predictable and , perhaps, weighed down by both expectation and the pressure of last season. If ever there was a time to put the shooting boots back on and bolster the defence it is now. To pray Rico Henry and Josh Dasilva are back soon. The lack of any talk about either player suggests that won’t be anytime in the next five minutes. Perhaps, though, Thomas is playing his cards close to his chest.
Regardless, we still should have enough in this team to win tonight. Ivan Toney knows thew way to goal. Norgaard is back. Fosu and Marcondes must be chomping at the bit to begin this one from the off. Can Thomas inspire his troops? Make the pieces of this most enigmatic jigsaw fit together?
I don’t buy into any of this “We should have strengthened the squad in January” nonsense, btw. How do you predict injuries? How do you pay for it? How do you keep the squad happy? Which players would you have actually brought in? Moreso, at a time when we were on fire and storming it? Genuine question. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but let’s not forget, either, we’re more than holding our own against teams that have parachuted down from the Premier League and been able to maintain their structure. Likewise, that a season lasts for 46 games. Swansea City currently proving that no team can win every game. Hitting a wobble that’s actually worse than the one we did in that unholy trinity of games that reached a brutal denouement at St. Andrews against Coventry City.
Here’s the thing. Laugh and sneer all you want. This isn’t misguided optimism but genuine belief. I’ve been saying it all season and I still stand by the fact of my own personal feeling being Brentford will go up. Even now when, at face value, the table is less than favourable to us with Norwich and Watford in the box seats. That doesn’t mean we can just continue to try and dial in performances. Saturday was a prime example of what happens when you do that. Yet with our rivals having a tough streak coming up and our own ability to turn it on should we get the on-pitch part right, this is still all to play for. It really needs to start tonight though. Two games in hand are more than handy but they need to be turned in to points. Both are at home to teams playing for their lives (see also: Rotherham in game 45).
This won’t be easy, of course. Birmingham City have got quality in that squad. I’ve seen teams finish fifth in this league and miss out on promotion by play offs. Their squad is ten times better than that. Its just about getting the balance right……
This could be huge. This might even be fun. It should be. What’s the point, otherwise? Kick off is at 7.00pm whilst before that you’ve got a ‘live’ edition of ‘The Warm Up’ . Stuart Wakeford, Marcus Gayle, Karleigh Osborne and special guest Natalie Sawyer will be hosting the show from Lionel Road at 6pm. You can catch that on YouTube with full details on ‘official’, here..
Until then, have a great day. See you there (metaphorically speaking). It’ll be another one on the sofa for us. All being well with a lot of cheering……
Nick Bruzon
BrentfordFC 
I really don’t see the problem. it is 46 games to play through, not just the last 7 or 8 when injuries, etc have conspired to test the mettle of Frank and his merry men. We all know that winning determines everything so why all the stressing. Brentford have 2 games in hand over Watford, then we play them in the penultimate game at hone. That’s another 3 points laving just 1 point to catch up in 5 games – perhaps 2 points to make sure goal difference is not an issue.
Brenrford have strung a few games together before and I have no doubt they will do so again.
I will sit back, relax and let the season unfold and lead us to the Promised Land.
Hurrah. Common sense rather than blind panic. A rare commodity these days
It’s not the position that we are in .it’s more the performances we have put in lately, too slow and predictable and nothing out wide so all up the middle .If we get our mojo back and play like we did earlier in the season then I have no doubt that we will go up .I would like to see fosu start tonight even if its at full back and just play a bit quicker with some energy, it should be fun at the top of the championship.
Good as ever. Minor point, it’s 7pm kick off. If you tune it at 745pm you’ll have missed our first two goals!
Thank you. And noted. D’oh!!
I would love to sit back and relax, and enjoy the show – so I hope you’re right.
But can we expect Thomas to to change the cast. Is it possible to start with Forsu, Macondes and Forss.
I would like us to start the game with the kind of tempo we finished the last match. And don’t forget , in Ivan we have a match winning ‘creator’. Give him the chance to create for Forss – who will certainly have more finishing ability than others are showing at the moment.
And Ivan? A top striker who is getting almost zero open play chances created for ‘him’.
Perhaps – just perhaps the pair of them could create the sort of penalty area pressure that would remind older supporters of Towers and Francis or Holdsworth and Blisset.
Come on Thomas work some magic here !
Agree with this ,just not so sure about forss at the moment looks bang out of form when he comes on as a sub
But we didn’t win – again. Sit back and enjoy the Summer Sale.
Look on the Bright side Nigel ,Sale now worth millions not the peanuts it used to be in the good old days.
It’s written in the stars. 10th time lucky. Playoffs will be ours.