What a Sunday. Brentford were magnificent, simply magnificent, in a 3-2 defeat of 9 man Everton. Burnley robbed by the most dubious of penalties at Spurs. Leeds United leaving it to 90+2 to salvage a draw that keeps them one point above The Clarets, albeit with a game more played. Next weekend is going to be huge. The Bees still with a very realistic chance of a top ten finish. As interestingly, that final relegation spot is going to go to the wire. The dream really is on. Should Burnley pick up a point in either of their final two games, then Brentford will have the final say in who goes down. Could it be Leeds? Could it….?
Let’s start at Goodison Park though. We’ve likely all caught up with it by now. Either live at the ground, on Sky as events unfolded or perhaps later on MOTD2. The tale of the tape being goals for Wissa, Rico and an o.g. to give Brentford the points.
Everton ending the game with 9 men after straight reds for both Jarrad Branthwaite and Salomon Rondon. The master outsmarting the apprentice on the other bench as Thomas Frank played his substitution cards with all the insight of a man reading the game as a scholar would the Encyclopædia Britannica. Lampard, meanwhile, was stuck on Page 2 of Topsy and Tim Play Football with no clue which way to turn.
Even the undoubted king of shithousery Richarlison, a man who makes Neal Maupay look like Mother Theresa, unable to salvage the game for the Toffees.
The post-match debrief is up here with all the info on who did what. For now, we need to reflect on the bigger picture. On the fact that Brentford are not only closing in on the top ten but we played a ferocious atmosphere and shut it down. We survived the desperation of a 3.30am firework laden wake up call to deliver a few rockets of our own. Our supporters immense. Our players, equally so. Thomas shuffling his pack before the decision was taken out of his hands on an afternoon when you were never quite sure what colour card would come next.
Most of all though, it means that Sunday is going to be massive. Regardless of the midweek results when Burnley and Everton play their games in hand, that final relegation spot will be open. Leeds United still have matters outside their own control – my word, Thursday night at Villa Park is going to be some game – and Brentford are the ones now in position to potentially send them back to the Championship.
Of course, we’ll be playing for league position. A win absolutely vital for Brentford if the dream of top ten in the Premier League is to become a reality. Anything else that may transpire off the back of that, nothing more than a consequence of our actions and our ambition. Not to mention our opponents’s season long bad form with only five clean sheets and their breaking the all time Premier League record for yellow cards in a campaign.
That said, the one thing you can bank on is that Bees’ fans would, universally, love that scenario to play out. Any Everton supporters worried about being overtaken should they somehow fail to pick up another point can rest assured that the Bees will be going for it.
Which sticks in the craw somewhat given the racial abuse dished out on social media and to the families of both Rico Henry and Ivan Toney by some of the home fans. It has all been reported to the Police but the fact this is still happening is utterly sickening. Utterly baffling. Let’s see what the club do in relation to this. It’s 2022 for crying out loud. Not the 70s.
For that alone I’d love not doing them any sort of favour but, sadly, needs must and the bigger picture potential of the Bees recording our own victory is just too huge to contemplate. With 7(seven) wins from the last 10 games and the only real negative being the off-key evening at Old Trafford, Brentford are on fire. Oh to make it an eighth on Sunday.
Rest assured, if Leeds United think that Brentford are going to be on their summer holidays nothing could be further from the truth. I tell you this now. I’d love it if we can get the win. Absolutely love it. Leeds United went down in my estimation when they published that video, despite subsequently removing it. I’ve got a feeling that despite his diplomatic persona, Thomas Frank is thinking much the same.
Mind the gap…
Nick Bruzon
BrentfordFC 
Good stuff Nick. It was a brilliant day yesterday. The fireworks overnight and again as the Bees team bus arrived only served to galvanise our team. We bumped into a few Everton supporters in our hotel last night who were very complimentary about Brentford and were realistic enough to admit that on the day we deserved to win. Pontus was immense again yesterday a true leader of his men and Rico had one of his best ever games for the Bees. Onwards and upwards to next week. COYBs!!!
Oh my, what a day! By far the best stadium I’ve been to in terms of atmosphere, and such a contrast from the lacklustre Anfield. After the first goal I thought “This is going to be a long afternoon” but then the tide turned! I’m a person of colour and I am always very conscious of visiting, shall we say, less diverse clubs. At Elland Road I was so acutely aware of not a single black or brown face being among the home supporters. Luckily at Everton I met nothing but delightful people and I am so sad that some of our players have not had the same experience online.
“Mind the Crap” Leeds … with racial abuse, bad sportsmanship, rubbish football and dangerous, petulant tackles I wish both Leeds and Everton could be relegated …. so they could spend the next season (s) taking a long, hard look in the mirror at themselves and grow up! I even think the Champioship is too good for them both.
For Brentford Football Club to conduct themselves in that environment was nothing short of sheer class. There were some unnecessary tackles against us that could have resulted in bad injuries. Justice was done though. Everyone is (or should be) passionate about their club but nowhere is it written that history, big followings, success get you a free ride.
Some fans of some clubs need constantly reminding of this. ‘Cos while they’re giving it large are they also taking on board excessive players wages that are pricing out the common man because of a false sense of expected success, misconduct resulting in bans, continued racism and why some people have no time for football because of these actions. Football in general is very very slow in getting to grips with and sorting out its problems. And I acknowledge it’s lumped with societies problems. There’s stuff people get away with in football that won’t be tolerated in the workplace or society in general but football seems to get you a “free ticket”!
Theres no such thing as a perfect club/system but that’s the target. Some sections of some clubs have beaten science and developed time travel whereby in decades past inexcusable behaviour was the norm …. and these knuckle draggers play it out every Saturday … grab hold of them by the scruff of the neck and get them filling potholes on matchdays …. something useful in their little pathetic lives.
…… and breathe …
As always Up the Bees …. the marque of class in all things football! 😉😊
An excellent performance masterminded by Thomas Frank who ‘saved’ Mads Bech from a below par performance. Mads had done well in recent games – but here he was definitely off the pace.
Perhaps the fireworks deprived him of a good nights sleep .
The togetherness of Brentford – including Mads – was there for all to see. Jenson quite magnificent on the day. And the subs Janelt and Josh DS driving forward will purpose.
Christian Erikson pulling all the strings for the full 90 minutes was immense.
Is it a coincidence that since Christian E came to the club that Jenson has started to express himself in a way that I have not seen before.
Working with a master like Erikson on the training ground, and leading by example, seems to have rubbed off on Jenson who now looks like a top class player prepared to express himself.
There’s good news and bad news.
What a fantastic performance that was and great support from Bees fans even when we went 2-1 down and you have to say the Everton noise was immense.
Now for the bad news….when Everton we’re at full strength in the first 20 minutes we were in trouble and could have been 3-0 down quite easily. We lack speed and technical quality in several key areas and it showed in that period. I was also at the Man U match and that result was a true reflection of where we are.
This is not a negative moan just a reality check that we need to add some real quality over the summer and not get carried away with our own hype. I think we have also uncovered another forward in playing Josh up front… when he came on his class showed where he can do damage nearer the opposition goal.
Having said that we have beaten a lot of top sides and should have beaten Liverpool at home so credit where it’s due to the super Bees.
For the team to keep its composure and play winning football in that stadium is nothing short of a triumph.