Could THE shirt happen? Plus (another) Kingsley fantasy and loan updates.

That’s the decks cleared just a little bit. Monday saw several Brentford first and B-team players heading out on loan. Reece Cole to Partick Thistle, Marcus Forss goes down the road to AFC Wimbledon whilst Ellery Balcombe (Viborg FF) and Emiliano Marcondes (Midtjylland) are both spending some time in Denmark. Elsewhere, the identify of the mysterious ‘Trialist 89’ has been revealed by the club with the latest acquisiton to the B-team and do we have a very special new away shirt in the offing? 

First up, the out door. The news about Reece was broken by none other than Partick Thistle’s enigmatic mascot, Kingsley. At least, that’s how yours truly found out. Is there nothing he can’t do?

@NickBruzon @yorkshireangbeehttps://t.co/k0OpW1tyKq

— Kingsley (@ThistleMascot) September 2, 2019

Presumably there was some sort of official story out there too but there’s no finer tweet than breaking transfer news being revealed by the pointy haired superstar. Forget Jim White and his own deadline day nonsense (and I wish we could after the shabby way they treated Bolton and Bury last week). 

If Sky are to persist with the yellow theme as transfer windows continue to ‘slam shut’, then who better than Kingsley to be at the forefront of that delivery? Well, Natalie Sawyer perhaps? Been there. Done that. Their and our loss. Sadly.

That said, one can only dream about what that partnership would look like come January should Sky elect to reverse their decision whilst also bin Jim for the true king of Yellow…  

Now THIS would be the Deadline Day dream team

The news about Marcus was somewhat expected. Mainly because he had updated his own Twitter account to follow AFC Wimbledon prior to the official announcement. The good news here being that he has preceeded the move by signing a long term contract at Griffin Park / Lionel Road . The four year extension which will see him remain a big part of our plans, with Director of football Phil Giles telling official that “We hope that he will do a fantastic job for Wimbledon and then be ready to return to compete for a place in our first team, still with many more years to look forward to at Brentford.” 

The story, which you can read in full on ‘official’ is as noteworthy for the spanking new biro being used to sign the contract extension at the Jersey Road portacabin. The memory of Pontus and his half-chewed BIC one which will neither be forgotten nor replicated. Sadly.

That said, both Marcus and Reece are players with the potential for big futures at Brentford. Partick Thistle and Wimbledon are very much the beneficiaries and it will be interesting to see how both players fill their boots in the short term. Just as long as Reece doesn’t have his head turned by Kinglsey. Don’t forget about Buzzette. There’s no scarier sight than a mascot scorned. Just ask Mrs. Growler at Huddersfield (long story)…

Nice pen

Elsewhere Ellery Balcombe, currently starved of first team opportunity with Luke Daniels keeping the bench warm, gets his chance in Denmark. Also joining him, although a step higher, is Emiliano Marcondes. The former, a player with so much potential and a current England U-21 whilst it would be fair to say that the later hasn’t, yet, delivered on the promise with which he arrived. A period at Brentford blighted by injury hasn’t given him the chance to show what we’ve been hoping for so here’s to some time away giving him the chance to demonstrate that promise.

Will any/ all four of these players return ? Who knows? Whilst one certainly hopes so, the sale of hot prospect Chiedozie Ogbene to Rotherham United proves there is no mercy. No room for passengers. The squads are being trimmed into a lean, mean football machine. Possibly. At the end of the day, Clive, I’m just the numpty on the terrace with more knowledge about kits than first team affairs.

And talking of which, with sledgehammer like unsubtly we make the short leap to the Brentford away shirt. Already a thing of beauty, it was further enhanced when Matthew Benham revealed the   Kurupt FM special variant. With the reaction to this reveal being universal popularity, rather than his people just doing nothing about this it seems that there is now the very real possibility of the kit becoming a reality. The GPG have announced on Twitter that, apparently, current sponsors Ecoworld have given their blessing for this new version to be released. Checks diary – not April 1st. 

BREAKING NEWS: The club are investigating releasing the super-famous "Kurupt FM" shirt (modeled below). The shirt sponsors have said that they are ok with it. 🤪😅🤣😇💿📀

[Thanks to @DanSuh_KF for the news]#BrentfordFC pic.twitter.com/4nDq1nrQzN

— GriffinParkGrapevine (@bfcgpg) September 2, 2019

One can only hope this is true. One can only hope we have the means to make this happen. Prepare to see these fly off the shelves if so. A masterpiece in the offing. Kitman Bob, if you are reading, you know what to do…….

The other shirt that is currently the hottest property in Griffin Park folklore is that belonging to the mysterious ‘Trialist 89’. He was announced to the world last week when scoring the second goal against the QPR U-23 team.

It was a strike which produced one of the greatest tweets used by Brentford official and a wonderful riposte to those standard goal scorer gif/meme things inflicted on us all by Bristol City. 

Now Trialist 89 has been revealed to the world as left sided defender Aubrel Koutismouka who has signed a two year contract with the B-team. As ever, ‘official’ have the full story. Good look Aubrel and welcome to Griffin Park, young man.

Even if you will be forever ’89 in my eyes.

Nick Bruzon

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Bees and Tigers share points in the proverbial game of two halves.

Brentford 1 Hull City 1. Whilst it wasn’t the 5-1 trashing of last season, the finish to this one was as exciting as the previous time these two teams had come together. Something all the more pleasing as it had started with all the excitement and enjoyability at a studio recording of Mrs. Brown’s Boys. Yet in the end, Ollie Watkins and Julian Jeanvier came within inches of giving Thomas Frank a second league win on the bounce following last Saturday’s despatch of Jonathan Woodgate’s Middlesbrough.  

There was good news from the off. Kamo and Said Benrahama named as available, albeit having to be content with a place on the bench. Bryan Mbuemo starting. As did Christian Nørgaard in the centre.  Yet if the announcement of the team had us salivating, the mood dipped with a first half performance that both teams may aswell have been dialled in from last Thursday. Chances were at a premium and that’s the polite version. The moment Mbuemo left his man for absolute dead and pointing the wrong way was a crown jewel atop an otherwise staid opening period. 

View from The Braemar… Mbuemo does his thing.

Yet as at Middlesbrough, the second half saw Brentford crank it up. Even if we did concede the opener. Jarod Bowen being given the freedom of the penalty box to fire home and give Hull City the lead on 52. It wasn’t pretty defending and looked worse on the highlights but at the same time proved the catalyst  for the Bees to wake up and start playing as we know they can.

Thomas Frank shuffled the pack and went for a Plan B. The defensive switch from three centre backs saw the midfield boosted. Josh Dasilva and that man Benrahma coming on to a heroes welcome in a seventieth minute double substitution. Little more than 60 seconds later and we were level. Sergi Canos performing wonders down the right hand side to place an inch perfect pass through to Ollie Watkins. The timing was magnificent. The calls for offside ignored. The goal stood as he swept home to joyful response from all around Griffin Park. 

Sergi has begun this season on fire. Ollie has his second goal in as many games. It could have been a third. Just moments later but for a quite wonderful save from Hull ‘keeper Long. Both teams pushed on and pushed up. Benrahma not quite fully fit but still had the crowd on their feet with every surging run. With every bit of trickery. The smile on his face returning although, if anything, he was perhaps guilty of trying to hard. His time will come and what a welcome return. Mbuemo grew into the game and it was great to see  Christian Nørgaard in action. 

But despite all the attacking intent on display as the game reached a gripping denouement, it was the post (officially, but looked like a fine save to me)  that kept Brentford in it following a fiercely fired free kick from Kamil Grosicki taken deep in the heart of Saunders territory (with thanks to the Middlesex Chronicle big book of 80’s alliteration). But the with the clock ticking onwards, we had our own chance. A beautiful cross onto the head of Julian Jeanvier with the goal gaping. Surely? Surely?? Surely??? Nooooooo!!!  If anything he headed it too well and angled his effort just past the post when straight into the back of the net would have produced the necessary outcome. 

It was an afternoon where football was played in a good spirit and even the players got in on the humour. There’s no-where to hide at Griffin Park, as Hull’s Kingsley discovered upon hearing the shout “You’re not Kingsley. There’s only one Kingsley….” He turned to confront the Braemar Road with an angry scowl on his face before the shout continued… “and he’s got spikey yellow hair”.  Cue the look of confusion turning into a smile of appreciation. At least, I hope that’s what it was. 

It was also an afternoon where I thought we were somewhat unlucky in the end, even if Hull manager Grant McCann did feel that “I think we deserved to win the game. I’ve seen it back and their goal is a yard offside. It’s really disappointing at this level to get a decision like that wrong.”. Hmmm. Perhaps upon review he may feel differently. Ollie’s goal WAS tight but it was onside.

Deserving to win is as false a concept as the possibility of a joke appearing in an episode of Mrs. Browns Boys. The Bees had their chances but couldn’t quite take them. There was no ill-will directed towards the team. This is still a group of players finding their feet together and adjusting to life after Maupay. Leeds United are next up and that one’s only going to be wonderful. Assuming you can afford the £37 away ticket prices. I have no doubt there’ll be plenty of scores to settle from the Elland Road side following the events of last season and, of course, the acquisition of our own new captain over the summer.

Enjoy that one. For now, time to regroup and reflect on the positives

Nick Bruzon

View from the Braemar. Captain Pontus cools down

Tigers mauled by the Bees as Saïd inspires mayhem.

It really doesn’t get much more enjoyable than that. If Aston Villa had been fun, this was next level excitement. The memory of Swansea City in the FA Cup well and truly exorcised by a rampant Brentford side, inspired by Saïd Benrahma. Three wonder goals and one assist for the Algerian put a huge dent in the scoreline that saw Hull City heading towards brackets and lucky to leave with just a 5-1 reverse to their name. Brentford were scintillating. Magnificent. Insatiable. Choose any positive adjective and it applies to this.  A second five goal haul in less than a month at Griffin Park (and our third this season) were the very least Thomas Frank and his team deserved after a performance that was very much men against boys.

Saïd definitely enjoyed this one

Where do you even start with this? Benrahma will understandably grab the headlines. His goals and approach play dictate that. Peter Gilham losing himself on the public address system, prefacing the announcement for our second goal and Saïd’s first with a shocked “Wow!!”.

But it was stunning. Waltzing through a crowded penalty box. Dancing around the Hull City defence until the smallest of gaps opened up, he pinged it into the top corner.

It took the breath away. The crowd erupted. The Bees turned the screw.

Saïd had already set up our equaliser, opening up the Hull defence to free the General. Kamo made no mistake as he virtually passed it in from distance. Parity restored after the visitors had, to be fair, controlled the lion’s share in the early stages. Their goal had threatened and eventually came via the head of Fraizer Campbell as a rare slip from Yoann Barbet gave the Hull man all the room he needed and left Daniel Bentley with no chance. Yet from that moment it was game over. Albeit the Tigers has no idea what was about to be unleashed.

The third came just before half time. That man Benrahma firing home as 0-1 down after 25 minutes became a 3-1 lead when the players headed in for their half time cuppa. There was a serious danger of the supporters running out of ‘goal sweets’ at this rate (one Haribo Supermix every time the net ripples, being the tradition in our block). There was a serious danger that the brackets would need to be defrosted.

Moreso when Maupay made if four just after the break, guiding home from close range after top work from Ollie Watkins. Watching the build up on the highlights (available now via Sky’s match report), the work Neal does to even get in position is great. He delivers the pass that sets the move in motion before breaking up field through the middle to get on the end of the eventual finish. The finish may have been (relatively) simple but it was all about the approach play

Peter Gilham was practically self-combusting at this rate. Freestyling on the mic with all the panache of a man who knew how exquisite this performance was turning out to be. How wonderful the interplay across the team was. Sergi roasting his man time and again. Romaine having one of those beautiful games where the passes flowed as sweetly as honey off the back of a spoon. Liquid football. Ollie and Neal linking up the play as Moses continued to push up on the other side. 

The high-flying Bees were rampant

We said after the Aston Villa game how good this team can be when they get going. That time, they were only rewarded with one goal. This time out, it was carnage. The fifth and, ultimately, final strike being on a par with everything that had come before. Whilst the second took the breath away at the time, the hat-trick strike was just beautiful.

Romaine’s pass through was stopped dead, Saïd spun and curled it from the edge of the box into the top corner. One touch. Barely looking up as he hit it. Pure instinct and what a finish. What a celebration as he ran full tilt towards the dugouts to celebrate with Thomas.

You could see what this one meant to them both. Likewise at full time where the players did the lap of Griffin Park to rapturous applause. Every one of them enjoying the moment, talking to the fans and enjoying very well deserved acclaim. It really was a devastating afternoon and one had to feel for the visitors, now facing a long shlepp home.

Thomas celebrates with the fans at full time

Brentford remain 16th, with the prospect of a trip to Sheffield, Tuesday, and then the visit of “The team from West London” (as PG called them) next weekend. The table above us is really getting congested now with the gap to the top ten now just four points away and, for the dreamers amongst us, 10 points to Bristol City in sixth.

Whatever happens, if the Bees carry on playing like this there’s going to be a lot of fun between now and May. For all that the Hull fans like to sing about “Getting mauled by the Tigers“, this time around they were made to look as dangerous as a restaurant cat. Claws very much clipped as Brentford ran riot.

Tuesday is about as a huge an ask as they come but what momentum to go into the game with. And then there’s the small matter of Saturday. See you there. 

Now, let’s go and watch those highlights once more…

 

The only mauling on Saturday came from the Bees

Nick Bruzon 

Could Barnet serve up the final potato skin of a stunning fourth round?

Arsenal : out. West Ham : out. Everton : out. Tottenham : out. Wolves and Middlesbrough just about hanging in there. A weekend which has seen all manner of upsets and big names dumped on their backsides in the FA Cup comes to a frenzied denouement this evening as Brentford travel to Barnet for the final tie of the fourth round. Only Manchester City looked assured as they swept Burnley aside by five goals without reply. 

Tonight’s game is in equal measure just about as good a chance of progression as one could hope for (on paper) but also about as big a potato skin as could be lobbed under the feet of Thomas Frank. Just ask West Ham about that ! And please, stop sniggering. They did it win it back in 1980. A Trevor Brooking header, apparently. If only somebody had mentioned.

Barnet represent a potato skin of the highest order

THE big question of course being whether Thomas will follow the fate of his predecessor Dean Smith and slip up on it or will safe transit to the fifth round be achieved for the first time in what feels like a long time? Brentford will be in the unusual position of knowing who we might be playing and where (subject to replays) before the Barnet game kicks off, given the draw takes place prior to kick off. We’re number 13 in that one, for the record. Wimbledon are 2, Manchester City 12 (oh to play them again), Manchester United 15 and Spurs are…out. 

Yet let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Whilst we may know who the potential opposition are going to be for this one, we still need to get past the current team in our way. Barnet will no doubt make it about as tough as they can with a full house roaring them on in a bid to make The Hive as intimidating as possible. 

Cripes, didn’t it work well for Wimbledon on Saturday. Facing a West Ham team who looked anything but up for it and playing like a beginner on FIFA 19, the higher ranked team were torn apart time and again before the goals started to flow. It was a quintessential example of playing the position rather than the situation and the Hammers came unstuck in quite glorious style. 

Brentford will be doing very well to learn the lessons from that one. You can bet that the press, BT Sport (who are showing this one live) and any neutral fan watching on TV will be desperate for a home win. Even if it is a non-Martin Allen year at Barnet. As noted at the top end, this one has the potential to see us left with as much egg on our face as those illustrious names to have already fallen this year. Just look at how Newport County took Leicester City part in the previous round to know that there is nothing guaranteed in football. No matter how lowly the other team may appear to be.

Even Frank Lampard’s Derby County (TM) were left hanging on during Saturday lunchtime’s game. That one was a classic cup tie played out on the proverbial quagmire of a pitch. Only some last gasp fouls and a cracking save from visiting ‘keeper Kelle Roos kept the Rams in the hat as they snuck through 1-0.

The point being that no matter how easy this one looks, it won’t be. The only thing that counts will be progression. Nobody will remember an unlucky loser when the fifth round kicks off in anger. Eyes will only be looking forward.

The FA Cup is that most incredible of tournaments. That most unique of formats. Think of all those combatants who have done battle through the preliminary rounds to bring us to the position we are now in. Their roles, perhaps, forgotten but pivotal to the rich tapestry of a competition which is still watched the world over.  Clubs and broadcasters may try to tinker with the format and the spirit of the tournament but at the end of the day (Clive) it boils down to a one off game of 11 v 11.

And I really can’t wait for this one.       

Here’s hoping Brentford continue on the “Road to Wembley” .

Nick Bruzon

Is Kev a king in waiting? Video nasty or Oscar winner? Oh, and Hull City await.

Well that’s been a bit of a week for Brentford fans. We’ve had the post-mortem from the debacle against Swansea City which has included the promotion of Kevin O’Connor to Assistant First Team-Coach. The Aston Villa game in February has been selected for live TV coverage. Then there’s ‘that’ video with the first reveal of the Posh Seats. Something dubbed: hospitality.. but done in a Brentford way. All of which means you’d be forgiven for not realising there’s a game today with the Bees making the long trip to take on Hull City AFC. And so in no particular order…

The game against Hull City looms large. We all know our own recent form. Whether the 4 points out of a possible 27 since Thomas Frank has been at the wheel or the blip prior to that with Dean Smith registering 1 win from 6 before his inevitable departure for Aston Villa. There have been some horrific moments despite the odd patch of brilliance as we’ve chased games that have been handed on a plate to the opposition. Preston, QPR, Middlesbrough, Sheffield United and now Swansea have all been characterised by the team going gaga for short spells and gifting the opposition goals as though it’s already December 25^th. The net result of this has been desperate last gasp attempts to rescue games and pick up a point that the coaching staff may feel our consequent attacking play has deserved. Yet with games already given away, we’ve not quite been able to pull it off. The result of which is our sliding down the table from a place where we’d been named joint favourites for the league to our current 18^th. One position and one point above Hull.

The Swansea game started about as badly as it is possible to

So we’ve shot ourselves in the foot. Time and again. Something all the more frustrating given both the incredible start to the season and the way we’ve tried to escape the self-inflicted holes which we’ve dug ourselves into in those recent games. And..?

For me Swansea was the watershed moment. About as bad as it got. You can read thoughts on that here. It has happened and we have to move on. To move up. To arrest this slide. Starting now. We absolutely have the talent and the squad which, whilst something that has been said many times in the last few weeks, remains true. Thomas now HAS to get them firing back to the form they’ve shown previously. And do it for 90 minutes. And then another 90. And another. He’s got an almost fully fit squad (only Lewis Macleod and Emiliano Marcondes are out) to choose from. Although as key will be his tactics and motivational skills as his personnel.

To aid in that side of things he has a wonderful man alongside him in King Kev – somebody who has shown his form on the pitch as player and then subsequently as B-team coach. It’s a great appointment and one which had a certain inevitabilty about it. Indeed, it is one fans have been talking about for weeks – albeit suggesting Kev should have taken the throne itself. Something I have no doubt will happen at some point in the future. Nobody stays in charge for ever. Not even Arsene Wenger. Just as Thomas himself stepped up from alongside Dean, one can only assume this is a succession plan being lined up already. Albeit I hope one which doesn’t come to fruition for some time as, if nothing else, it will mean Brentford have started winning again. Have stopped leaking those car crash goals. Are just playing for fun once more. Roll on 3pm when we find out if the Bees are coming home with three points in the back pocket.

Last time out was anything but. Can Kev inspire us today?

Next up, the visit of Aston Villa in February has been declared a TV game. It was always going to happen. Dean Smith has the Villans heading to the business end of the table whilst his return to Griffin Park was an obvious lure for Sky directors looking to tick the cliché box. There’s been no change to game time as the match still kicks off at 7.45pm on a Wednesday evening.

I’ll be there regardless. Surely we’ll all be there regardless? I can’t imagine many Brentford fans who would have been in a positon to come to this one now forgoing the opportunity. Choosing to sit in front of the TV instead. With no change to the date or time It’s about as uncontentious as they come in the always emotive field of TV games.  Even had it not been chosen for ‘full fat’ coverage, as an evening game it would still have been lurking behind the scenes on the red button. The gate figures may say otherwise of course but I’d still be expecting a bumper Griffin Park crowd. It already promises to be a cracking game for so many reasons – even just recent form between our two clubs which has seen Brentford very much in the driving seat. Long may that continue.

And finally, we’ve all seen the video for corporate hospitality at Lionel Road? Presumably. Below if not.

The first of, no doubt, many videos to promote Lionel Road hospitality

I’ve seen a whole ton of negativity out there. Personally, at the risk of trotting out a glib cliché, it is what it is. A video shot using CGI representation of something that’s not ready yet in order to start generating interest. We were only going to get this sort of stuff the second it was revealed the amount of premium seats that the club had elected to create.

Hospitality is a key part of modern football. Everybody does it. From Premier league to non-league. From Manchester United to Salisbury FC. It’s a revenue stream that every club looks to tap in to, no matter what individuals may think about it being evidence that the game’s gone or being a sell out to your roots. We already do it at Griffin Park – just not in the scale that the club would like to. What are we supposed to do now? Pretend its not happening and fail to market it? Of course not.

Now it’s true the video itself comes over as a bit naff. In part, that’s hindered by the fact that the product being promoted doesn’t actually exist. Being honest – it looks like something put together by one of the teams in TV’s ‘The Apprentice’. For me, the low point was where my subconscious translated the ‘seat’ line to genuinely read  “And watch the action from a nice padded cell’.

You don’t have to be mad to support Brentford, but it helps. Or whatever the phrase is.

Seat.Seat.Seat. Not cell.

Yet we have to start somewhere. And, frankly, nobody is going to care about a promo video that was about as cheesy as the delicious looking burger on display once our new home is built and once prices are announced. If I can afford it I’ll likely try it out on a special occasion. If I can’t, I won’t.

Either way, the most important thing for me on matchday is watching football with my mates. Having a beer together at half time. Being part of that communal experience. So unless Mr. Benham is prepared to offer me a box at a reasonable rates (yeah) so we can all sit together, it’ll be the regular seats for me. Regardless of how good or bad a video is. Regardless of how ‘unfootbally’ the names of the lounges seem to be – Orchard, Railway and Grand Union. An easy chance to honour our footballing past missed here.

Honestly, there are more important things to focus on in the short term than the first step in a promotional campaign that is only likely to crank-up as the Lionel Road project advances. Once we get information on the regular seats and the prices of all categories – from the top to the bottom – then we can all make an informed decision about what the club is doing and where we may want to position ourselves when STs are available for purchase. 

Until then, it’s all about getting back to winning ways. Starting in Hull.

Nick Bruzon

The good, the bad and the ugly. As Chelsea and Manchester United make the headlines, Brentford play their part in a week on social media

Brentford drew with (temporarily) revitalised Derby County before losing the much heralded ‘game 4000’ to Barnsley on Saturday. Newcastle United went top, followed by Brighton in second and Huddersfield third. This, after the Terriers returned to winning ways against aforementioned Derby. Aston Villa made it 2 wins in 5 days (NOT a typo) whilst the Bees are now 11th. That’s four points outside the play-off zone but still ahead of both Fulham and QPR going into Friday night’s TV game with the Loftus Road mob. At the bottom, it is still Blackburn, Wigan and Rotherham who make up the final three. The Millers already 8 points and -15GD off safety

That’s the latest Championship action in a nutshell after a busy two game week. Yet there has been so much more going on in the division and beyond (especially Old Trafford, where Manchester United seem to be making the news for some reason). In the latest edition of our regular, weekly feature we look back at those things you might have missed from the world of social media.

As ever, we’ll start with Brentford. Saturday saw the 0-2 loss at home to Barnsley, where the ‘cheering’ of Romaine Sawyers being substituted by a section of the Griffin Park crowd has come in for wide criticism.

Very unfair to single out Sawyers with cheering when he was subbed. Every single one of our players was crap today. #BrentfordFC

— Brentford Bob (@Brentford_Bob) October 22, 2016

That is not pleasant to hear fans cheering their own player being taken off.#BEESBFC

— Luis Melville (@LuisMelville) October 22, 2016

Last night, Romaine himself stepped in to acknowledge his perceived shortcomings and, all being well, put this behind us.

Hold my hands up regarding yesterday must be better,not the result anybody wanted what a better way to put it right with the next 2 games!!

— Romaine Sawyers (@RomaineSawyers) October 23, 2016

Besides, it wasn’t just current Brentford players having a bad day at the weekend. Our former favourites have been hit , too. Over at Fulham and Ipswich the following clips have been doing the rounds, c/o David Button and Jonathan Douglas respectively.

Jonathan Kodjia seals back-to-back @SkyBetChamp victories for @AVFCOfficial in style! 😎 pic.twitter.com/WMQ9Uj697E

— Football On 5 (@FootballOn5) October 22, 2016

#Ipswich number 22 looked like someone's Dad having a cameo today 🙈😂 #nufc pic.twitter.com/7p1rcHIPbF

— Rachel C (@RachelC_6) October 22, 2016

And whilst we’ve no video clip for this one, Saido Berahino may still want to look away.

West Brom put 'overweight' Saido Berahino on special training regime as future hangs in the balancehttps://t.co/KRmmQX17Mk

— Telegraph Football (@TeleFootball) October 18, 2016

Still, it wasn’t all bad for our former players. Hats off to Alfie Mawson who has come so far, so quickly….

Delighted to of made my premier league debut and with a clean sheet to top off a great day, thanks for all the messages 🤘🏻🤘🏻

— Alfie Mawson (@AlfieMawson) October 22, 2016

I saw a wonderful headline during the week. You might have seen this one too. Sadly/thankfully (delete as applicable) it seems to be false – Rantie blowing out South African manager Barney Kujane, by failing to show up at the airport,  rather than blowing off.

BRILLIANT: Former Bournemouth striker Tokelo Rantie has been removed from the South African squad for farting on the manager. 😂💩 pic.twitter.com/kfJAYzz4Nb

— TheFootballCommunity (@Footy_Community) October 21, 2016

Hull City AFC. If the clappers handed out to Fulham fans or the pleas put out by QPR on social media in an attempt to generate an atmosphere were bad, The Tigers have taken things to an awful new low. Even Chelsea isn’t this quiet that they have to do this…

Hull have started to put club chants on the advertising hoardings. Modern day football… pic.twitter.com/CfaR8lEVSo

— FourFourTweet (@FourFourTweet) October 23, 2016

But it is Manchester United who are this week’s star guests in the Twitter hall of shame.

How’s this for an entrant to the field of confusing waxworks?

Is this waxwork meant to be Wayne Rooney or Ron Howard/Alfred E Newman/Phil Spencer? https://t.co/ktQj6FfLZh #mufc pic.twitter.com/TV7Uh7cqUu

— Sabotage Times (@SabotageTimes) October 19, 2016

If people think Romaine was out of sorts at the weekend, then spare a thought for another new player – Paul Pogba at Manchester United. The record signing at Old Trafford has, to date, struggled to pay back his fee. So this analysis from the team at Sky as the Red Devils drew 0-0 with Liverpool is hardly going to do anything for his confidence.

Giggs: "Pogba can't defend"

Carragher: "he can't even attack either"

Whole studio: **bursts into laughter**

— Gottes Lieblings. (@Yemzine) October 17, 2016

Still, perhaps it was their ‘warm up’ technique which needs some refinement. Not for the first time this season they’ve been snapped preparing for a big game in a car park.

It's their biggest game of the season to date, so why not warm up in a decrepit Liverpool car park? pic.twitter.com/ftDqcAeJWL

— 888sport (@888sport) October 17, 2016

The only thing Pogba won at the weekend was yellow card as Chelsea hosted former boss Jose Mourinho. Whilst a situation where Manchester United and the so called ‘special one’ get thrashed would, for the neutral amongst us, be a wonderful thing it becomes a bit different when it is at the hands of the Blues.

Mourinho had promised before the kick-off to yesterday’s game at Stamford Bridge that he would not “celebrate like a crazy kid” if his new team scored. It was a promise he never came close to being able to keep as his team were thumped four nil. Four. Nil.

Yet to celebrate any Chelsea victory feels somewhat wrong so, instead, I’ll leave you with this. If nothing else, creative genius. And do hang around for the final seconds.

Chelsea couldn't have timed it any better! 🔵 pic.twitter.com/IeoJS2MRoz

— Chelsea News App (@CFCNewsApp) October 23, 2016

Enjoy.

Nick Bruzon

A great deadline day. And how often do we say that?

So that’s that. The transfer window has slammed shut (TM) and Brentford could, arguably, be said to be stronger coming out of it than we are going in to it (somebody should use that one). Winger Sullay Kaikai comes in on loan  from Crystal Palace whilst left back Rico Henry joins former Walsall team mate Romaine Sawyers, signing on a massive five year contract. Newcastle United, Leicester City and Hull remain disappointed (at least from a Bees perspective) as our out door barely even creaked

To read the rest of this article, season 2016/17 is now available for download on e-book in the retrospective: Welcome Home, King Jota (Brentford FC season review 2016/17)

Priced at just £1.99, all sales are being donated to the Brentford FC Community Sports Trust.

Likewise any sales from the previous titles – Celebrating like they’d won the FA Cup (2013/14), Tales from the football village (2014/15) and Ready. Steady. Go Again. (2015/16) – are also now going to the BFCCST.

Containing the least bad of the blogs from May 16 to May 17, you can pick it up, here. Its all for a great cause and,hey, you may even enjoy it…..

Sullay Kaikai on ‘official’ – now THAT’s a signing photo

 

Ryan Woods signs his extension – is that really a contract?

 

Nick Bruzon 

Mark Chapman gives strip tease as Bees prepare for Blackburn

I’ve had Will Smith stuck in my head for the last 24 hours and it’s not a good thing. Whilst most sane Brentford supporters will be getting ready for the trip to Blackburn Rovers and wondering if we can bounce back after the midweek defeat to Hull City, my mind has been elsewhere.

I blame deputy head of Media and Communications, Mark Chapman. In a good way, mind you. He published a story on the official site yesterday announcing that we’ll be in a new third kit and one which, for the Blackburn game, will have the additional detailing of the Royal British Legion poppy.

And so instead of looking at those normal pre-match points – of which there are many – I’ve been focused on trying to oust, “Here come the men in black” from its unholy place as the current ‘earworm’. And, at 6.45 am on Saturday morning, it is a challenge that still shows no sign of being successful.

Here come the men in black etc etc etc

All of which is providing somewhat of a distraction. Then again, the regular reader of this site or the matchday programme (where ‘the last word’ may have been dumped by powers outside of my control but I still get to annoy you with ‘kit obsessive’) will know about my fascination with all things ‘kit’ related.

This brief teaser we’ve been offered as to the latest effort has certainly piqued my curiosity. Moreso, because it won’t, officially, be for sale to the general public or fanatics. That said, anybody feeling particularly generous will be able to bid on the Blackburn matchday shirts to raise money for the aforementioned British Legion. It is a wonderful cause but at this time of year it may, sadly, be a gap that remains in my collection.

I’m not, generally, a huge fan of black shirts. Specifically because the Bees should play in blue as our away colour. Then again this is a third shirt. Moreso, from the glimpse given, is looking like one that could be really quite special. With a hint of the silver last seen in our special shirt to celebrate the 25^th anniversary of the Brentford FC Community Sports Trust, it looks like it could be something to potentially break into our top five ‘away’ kits of all time.

Brentford – unbeaten in silver

And enough with the shirt.

Getting back to all matters Blackburn related, the main question that Brentford fans will be wondering is whether Alan Judge will put in an appearance against his former club.

From what I’ve read, it would seem unlikely that October’s Championship player of the month will appear but one can live in hope. Besides, if the team can match the same heights and intensity as seen on Tuesday against Hull (at least, until the Tigers turned it up to 11) then we have every chance.

Hull, somehow, raised their performance one better than the maximum 10

Moreso if we get the chance to look at Sam Saunders. He was on the bench during the week and I’m itching to see Sam involved at some point. If nothing else, our much-touted dead ball coach hasn’t had too much success from free kicks so far this campaign. As one terrace wag is forever noting, “I hope he’s not being paid on commission”.

Then again, if the man who elicits that most favourite of phrases whenever the referee whips out his can of shaving cream – “And this is Saunders territory” – is playing then there could be food on the table once more, Chez free kick coach.

One man who won’t is Lewis Macleod. As Kevin O’Connor’s development squad recorded their fifth successive victory on Friday, Lewis lasted just thirteen minutes before being replaced by Josh Laurent. The article on the club site includes the explanation from Kev that, “It was just precautionary really….He said he felt a tiny twinge; we’re not taking any chances with him, so we took him off.”

And as a final thought, I was going to stick up the Will Smith video but, frankly, I’m not that cruel. And besides, thinking about Sam Sunders for the last 15 minutes (in a footballing sense) has proven somewhat of a pleasant distraction. So instead, I’ll take you back to last season’s game and Jota’s wonder goal in our 3-2 victory at Ewood Park.

The phrase ‘Burridgegasm’ was one coined that day and which has stuck ever sense. Then again, when you see the video and hear the comms, we can understand why.

Let’s hope they’ve finished mopping up in the Blackburn press box.

With club hero Ben Burgess and the aforementioned Mark Chapman joining Mark Burridge in the Beesplayer commentary box, I know where I’ll be at 2.30 today.

Enjoy the game.

Nick Bruzon

And the winner is….announced very early but fully deserved

Brentford fans have woken up to the news that Saturday’s game against Blackburn Rovers has just been made all that harder. This, after Lee Carsley pipped Steve Bruce of Hull City, amongst others, to the much coveted ‘Manager of the Month’ award for October. And whilst, of course, Lee deserves nothing but the hugest congratulations, the associated ‘jinx’ that comes with it (scoop the award, lose your next game) will be something he needs all his powers to overcome.

Spoiler alert – its a Bees double for October

Considering Lee’s long-term reluctance to take on this sort of role, one can‘t deny the impact he has had although, equally, he is quick to recognise the help provided by his assistant, Paul Williams. In an article that went live on the official site in the small hours of Friday morning (somebody may have been reading at 1.35am ) he said, “If I could cut the award in half, he would get the other half. I see this as a reward for a great team effort over the month.”

Whoever gets the kudos, to be recognised in such a fashion just five weeks after taking over from Marinus is an incredible achievement. The transformation has been a stunning one whilst, whatever else happens this season, Lee has guided us to victory over our fiercest rivals.

Whilst the jinx worthy amongst us may now be worried about what comes next on Saturday, the oft-quoted stat regarding the post-award defeat is one that has, to be fair, bypassed Brentford in recent years. Both Uwe and Warbs (twice) have managed to dodge it. Could Lee continue that trend at Blackburn?

Well, Brentford supporters will be hoping that October’s player of the month is available to help him with this challenge.

Alan Judge made it a Brentford double, picking up the onfield prize. And if Steve Bruce thought he might have had a shout for the managerial top spot after Hull City had stormed to the top of the Championship table, nobody could have disputed Alan’s reward.

Three goals and four assists have seen the Bees firing on all cylinders and the opposition left very much in his wake. His absence was definitely felt in Tuesday night’s game against Hull, such is the impact he has had. The club’s YouTube video, whilst ending on a precautionary note about his potential availability for this weekend, sees the Judge in enthusiastic form talking about the month just gone.

Congratulations due to Alan.

Whatever happens this weekend and this month, the season has a long way to go. Lee Carsley and his back room team have done a stunning job in reversing our fortunes. Regardless of results, it is as much the way we are playing football.

With the likes of Josh McEachran, Jota and Lewis Macleod due to return to first team fitness soon, that style of football is one we could be set to enjoy even more.

Nick Bruzon

Will Judge be on the bench? Will Brentford be #Novemberkings again?

We’ve spoken a lot about Hull City AFC over the years on these pages. Primarily the ongoing attempts of owner Dr. Assem Allam to rebrand the club as Hull Tigers. Likewise, for a kit nerd such as myself, the infamous ‘tiger stripe’ shirt is one that has frequently drawn gasps of admiration. This summer we saw more transfer rumours than even our local press could cope with / generate (delete as applicable) as Steve Bruce attempted one of their beloved ‘double transfer swoops’ – eventually netting Moses Odubajo. But now, with the victory against QPR still at the forefront of our minds, Brentford return to action with the chance to finally talk about Hull City from a footballing perspective.

The best football shirt of all time

Friday night was special, no question. But, if we are being honest, it was a win we fully deserved. Moreso, QPR just weren’t actually that good. Aside from the two efforts from Massimo Luongo late in the first half, they offered nothing. It was as much a victory for Brentford over the event and the expectation as it was over the opposition.

Not that I’m complaining, of course. Three points are always welcome and never more so than in this fixture. Even Arsenal buffoon Richie Firth, sidekick to Absolute Radio breakfast show DJ Christian O’Connell, failed to pour cold water on the win when talking about it on Monday morning’s programme.

Firth (right) with O’Connell. Can’t tell his Arsenal from his elbow

One thing he did get right was the need to be vigilant tonight. Moreseo, I’d go one further and say to forget about QPR. Specifically, Friday’s win rather than the club in general. It was brilliant but it has happened. Hull City are a different prospect altogether.

They’ve only lost twice all season, one of those being against Brighton – the only team now separating them from the top of the Championship table. Indeed, an away win tonight could even see them climb to the top should the Seagulls stuff it up at Sheffield Wednesday.

In Uruguayan striker Abel Hernández they have a player at the business end of the divisional goal scoring charts, whilst Allan McGregor is that rare example of a Scottish goalkeeper who can catch. And then there’s Moses Odubajo – Brentford fans need no reminder of what he can do. It’ll be very interesting to see who comes out on top of that one this evening.

The BBC are reporting this morning that Hernández may be rested but, equally, that our own ‘man of the moment’, Alan Judge, is down as being an injury doubt. He went straight to the tunnel after being subbed on Friday night and Bees’ fans will be sweating on his availability.

Alan Judge – will we see him tonight?

It is no coincidence that one of the on pitch highlights of our return to form has been the performance of the Irishman. Three goals and four assists have been pivotal in helping us make it maximum points from the last twelve. With the Bees now, potentially, just one point away from the play-off zone should results go our way tonight it would be a killer time to be missing our star man.

Then again, it will be a fascinating test of just how well the rest of the squad can cope without him. Moreso, given as I’m not so naïve to think that the January transfer window won’t be the usual tense occasion it always is.

Don’t get me wrong. I’d rather Alan starts than doesn’t. But if we need to bench the Judge, just for one night, it would be preferable to his doing himself long term harm.

Hull City are going to be incredibly tough opponents. The hardest team to come to Griffin Park so far this season. If the victory against QPR was a historic one for personal reasons, this could be the one to really make the rest of the footballing world sit up and take proper notice of the Bees once more.

In 2015 we were pronouncing ourselves #Novemberkings (please note: this column does not endorse the use of the hashtag, #Novemberkings). Tonight we find out if The Bees are in line for a repeat.

See you there.

Can we match Friday night ?

Nick Bruzon