From one respect a 1-0 loss for Brentford at Manchester City May have been expected prior to kick off. Yet even now, the morning after the night before, to come away from The Ethiad empty handed feels incredibly frustrating.
Brentford ‘official’ share the full time score on Twitter
As ever at this point we look back to the game just played. Who was star player for Brentford? Who made the top five? Did any of those drafted in do sufficient to keep their place for the trip to West Ham on Monday night?
A 4-1 defeat for Brentford c/o Liverpool on Saturday afternoon was the Bees’ first ever home reverse against the Reds in the Premier League. It was a performance not without merit as the leaders strode further ahead of a Manchester City team that we now visit on Tuesday evening.
Plenty to unwrap from Saturday’s game in the post-match debrief (below)
As ever at this point, we look back at the game just gone. Who was star player? Who made the top five? Has anybody made a case from the bench to start the game with Manchester City?
Brentford welcome Liverpool to the Gtech on Saturday for a fixture which has always been both high intensity and high scoring. With the most recent run out seeing our 2-0 win at Wolves (and you can catch up on the post match debrief / player ratings from that one, here) confidence will be booming. No bad thing given this one is followed by the midweek trip to Manchester City.
Ivan and KLP are amongst those in recent great form
As ever at this point we focus on the forthcoming game. With Manchester City no doubt watching, the Bees will give zero regard to a title race at which we are front and centre this week. It’s all about winning this one.
Will Thomas Frank go for the same Brentford XI or mix it up? Who is missing for Liverpool? Could Neal, Ivan and co hit three goals past the Reds for the third, successive, home fixture?
Brentford 1 Manchester City 3. A win that moves the League Champions to within two points of Liverpool (following their wobble at Arsenal) and with a game in hand. That fixture, of course, our own trip to The Ethiad later this month. For The Bees, hope from Neal Maupay before the inevitable ending as Pep cranked it up to 11.
Neal – a work of art(or should that be the dark arts?)
For now, as ever, our own look back to the top five for Brentford. Who caused Manchester City problems? Who made the top five. Just what did Neal say to leave Kyle Walker so worked up?
Brentford welcome Manchester City on Monday night with the scent of goals hanging heavy in the air. Likewise, that of stats where we all know what happened last campaign when the two teams crossed paths. With the trip to Spurs about as exciting as they come (the post match debrief and top five is here) now we face the League Champions.
Could a repeat of our most famous home win over City be incoming?
As ever in the build up, our own preview piece is up and running. Who does Thomas Frank start? Will it be attack or defence? Does Haaland come off the bench or will Pep go for it from the off? What about the rest of his quite terrifying looking squad.
Sunday afternoon saw a game that is already being touted as one of the best eer in Premier League history. Not the match between Liverpool and Brentford (although you can find the post match debrief and player ratings for that one, here). Of course, we are talking about the 4-4 between Chelsea and Manchester City.
Events at Anfield were more exciting then than on Sunday
But did Chelsea – Manchester City make the top five of the best, ever? This week’s look into the broader world of top flight football looks at which are the ones on that list. Did we miss any out? Was it right to include the Loftus Road outfit? Who had the biggest choke? Which manager handled it best?
7(seven) games in and the Premier League is alive and kicking. Manchester City facing competition whilst the application of VAR is proving to be more controversial than ever. Something that Brentford and, in particular, Liverpool experienced to their detriment in the most recent round of fixtures. For the record – I’m still smarting over weekend and the knock on to The Bees / our top five player review.
It’s all going off
All of which has got me thinking for this week’s ‘Thursday top five’.
Namely, those moments where football has got it wrong. There are hundreds of these, for sure, and we’ll all have different opinions. Yet for me, the list includes a number one which is simply the greatest thing to ever happen in the beautiful game – at least, domestically.
If you hadn’t noticed the group stage of the Champions League began this week. Ratherthan focus on Brentford as we normally do onthese pages, Thursday gives a chance to look a bit broader and it would be fair to say that the teams in action didn’t let us down. Manchester City won, eventually. Celtic lost, heavily. Lazio did the best thing in football.
All of which got me thinking about this most famous tournament. It has had plenty of highlights over the years but out of them all, what are the top five moments? For what it’s worth, these are mine and you can catch up on them here.
The Premier League is underway. Finally. Brentford host Spurs on Sunday whilst Friday evening sae Manchester City do what, err, Manchester City do. Win to nil. This time at Burnley. A game that might have been a potato skin – who could forget what we did to Arsenal on our own top flight bow? – but in the end proved as inconsequential a challenge as just about any that went before them last time out (The Bees aside).
There was to be no fairy tale for Burnley. No apprentice becoming the master cliche to trot out about Vincent Kompany. Instead, Erling Haaland got two goals in the opening period – and a half time tongue lashing – before City ran out 3-0 winners. Burnley having a few half-chances but struggling at the hands (or should that be feet?) of football’s equivalent to the Harlem Globetrotters. As just about anybody would. On this sort of form they could pick Mr. Tumble and would still romp past most sides.
Tumble – on stand by to replace Haaland
Ping. Ping. Ping. The ball zipped around with impunity despite the tight pressing and attention of the hosts. Passes threaded through the eye of a needle and Manchester City looking like the summer break has only invigorated them further. Only inspired them more to continue their steamroller like momentum.
Thankfully for Brentford, they won’t be our concern for some time. We weren’t due to play City until 23 December and that game has now been P-P due to their involvement in the FIFA Club World Cup. Pep’s chance to inflict any revenge for our doing the double over them last season will, at least, have to wait for Ivan Toney’s return.
Instead, we can focus on the more immediate tasks. My preview for the Spurs game is here– please do take a look if you can. If only for the laboured ‘dad’ joke. The throwback to 1980’s pop culture bypassing both our Harry (10) and Mrs B.
I’m properly excited about the Spurs game. The Prem free summer has felt a long one for many reasons – a month out of work (and counting)not adding well to the mix but at least we’re just back from a long-planned first proper overseas holiday in a few years. The weather was just about spot on, the food and drink wonderful. The water was warm – sea and pool – and there’s even the glimmerings of a tan peering out from below the layers of factor 50.
Granted, there were a couple of niggles.
Wasps appearing at the merest scent of food. What genuine purpose do they serve? That’s not a trick question – I’d love to know. Also, not just the common or garden variety but a strain that seemed to be the size of a small jumbo jet. Humungous beasts that I’d love to say I took a picture of but, frankly, I was out the lounger and in the water whenever any of those things got within 10 yards.
Wannabe muscle-men strutting around the pool. Arms permanently locked in a C-3P0 pose, butts clenched as though a broom stick was being balanced between the cheeks and that slightly over compensating stomach suck. Come on, let it go. You’re impressing nobody. I did – although have little choice these days.
Worst of all, no football. The hotel was brilliant but their sports channel options somewhat, err, limited. The closest I got to a game was when waiting in the bar before dinner for Mrs B and H. There was the TV showing a game. Alas, it was nothing more than a repeat of the Belgian Jupiler League clash between Standard and Union Saint-Gilloise. Even if it did feature an angry looking Brian Riemer being shown the yellow card.
The life of Brian – rock and roll not high on the agenda
On the plus side, it meant more time to tinker with the Fantasy Football team in a bid to get the fix. Hours and hours of juggling rewarded with the ultimate set up. The perfect side. My chance to finally beat both Harry and Mrs B – who have, say this quietly, finished above me in the last two campaigns.
“Boom. Here we go. Read this and weep“, my announcement at 6.30pm last night when the free transfer period closed out.
“Err, dad. Haaland’s not your captain“, being H’s immediate and somewhat confused response….
Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Again
As ever, the boy is right.
Half-time, Manchester City on fire and that brace for the Norwegian behemoth suggest it could be another painful FPL campaign. On the plus side, there’s no Harry Kane to line up for Spurs against Brentford on Sunday. Plus, I still think my overall balance is good. A focus on the attacking strengths of The Bees although, given yours truly’s usual jinx potential, perhaps picking James Maddison in the starting XI rather than leaving him to rot on the bench may, on reflection, have been a shrewd move.
Either way, we’ll find out at 2pm on Sunday in an all being well for my sanity, wasp free GTech. Bring it on and see you there.
Another game against Manchester City. Another win for Brentford. Can we play you every week ringing around the GTech as last week’s B-team game and the earlier season triumph at the Ethiad were followed with three more points for The Bees. The only side to do the double over them this campaign and a season where we have ended it as the best team in West London. Fulham trailing in our wake. Chelsea closer to the relegation spots than Brentford. Don’t @me – the table doesn’t lie.
Ethan’s goal is celebrated in the stands (with apologies for self-indulgence.)
As ever, and for the last time this season, we look back at who shone for Brentford. Who made up the top five against City and who is our overall star player of the season. The person who has ranked up the most ‘top five’ points over the 38 games just gone.
And as ever, you can find the answers here, in the post match debrief and player ratings article. One with as much ‘other stuff’ in it this time around, reflecting on what has played out this time around, as those final standings. Enjoy…..
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