What’s that noise? Tumbleweed!

And there we go. Quite magnificent. Brentford returned to three goal winning ways with as comprehensive a scoreline as one could hope for on the road following our 0-3 defeat of Wigan Athletic on Saturday. The horror show of the laboured Huddersfield Town game (something that should have seen both teams banned under the Geneva convention) was well and truly laid to rest after a victory that sees us climb to within two points of the play-off zone. Elsewhere, the aforementioned Terriers were trounced at Preston North End in a game of particular significance to look at shortly. Yet, as ever, we can only start with The Bees.

Official Twitter show the celebrations

What can you say? Well, in theory not much. There was no real chance of attending this one whilst for multiple reasons, Friday night saw sleep a rarer commodity than a Nick Proschwitz goal. As such, Saturday afternoon saw my time spent curled up on the sofa, drifting in and out of a light snooze with Jeff Stelling and WhatsApp. Not literally, I’m not for one second suggesting Jeff sleeps with viewers. It was more the case of dozing in front of the TV as random dreams of Paris, The Eiffel Tower and other such romantic notions were punctuated by the phone going off or an excited shriek from the Soccer Saturday studio. 

And there was a lot of vibrations and shrieking. WhatsApp didn’t stop buzzing from the moment the team were announced. If we’re being honest with ourselves, days gone by would have seen the selection of number 10 as something to fill supporters with a sense of disappointment. Of dread. Of midfield nothingness. Nowadays, 10 is the first number we look for on the team sheet. The fleet-footed Algerian Benrahma having inherited the shirt and filled it with a joie de vivre so clearly missing in previous seasons. 

Number 10 – popular with the fans !

So come 2pm, here was the team. Our group have several traditions. One Braemar Road observer will always send the line up around once official have published it at 2.01pm. Another will then remark that the bench looks weak. It’s as much part of football’s rich tapestry of supporter ritual as not shaving on a winning run, lucky shirts, magic pants et al. And this weekend’s message saw Benrahma awol. Noooooo. On a day where we’d only that morning noted the need to undo our own shackles, and those of the opposition, our skeleton key was missing. Hamstring, rather than agent. Thankfully.

Into his boots stepped Joel Valencia. The side, otherwise unchanged from the one which had trounced QPR before falling down agasint Huddersfield. Whatever Thomas Frank said prior to kick off, it worked. And then some. We were most definitely back in ‘attack mode’. 

Five minutes gone and the phone buzzed. ‘Bryan’ . Jeff and the team then confirmed Mbeumo had done it again. Get in. This was good. Too good. If anything, might we have scored too early? Oh ye of little faith. This is not the Brentford of days gone by (mostly). 0-1 up at half time then saw the game, and the phone, explode in a manner not seen since the commentary on ‘that’ Jota goal at Blackburn. #Burridgegasm  .

“Kamo !! “

“Need to see that magical goal celebration tomorrow”

“Wigan red”

“Still plenty of room for 3-2”

And 2 up thanks to the brilliance of Mokotjo became 3 up thanks to a quite wonderful strike from Josh Dasilva. He doesn’t do simple, that’s for sure. Do check out the video highlights for all three but, for me Clive, his was definitely the pick of anther very strong bunch. As much for the way we tore and stretched Wigan. They were left looking so thin, and the Bees creating so much space, that you’d have found better markers in a packet of Sharpies. It really was destructive from The Bees. 

The only sour note being a straight red for Jeanvier deep into injury time for his part in a scuffle. Whether the club take it on the chin or appeal remains to be seen but that’s a problem for another day. For now, it’s another case of saying hats off to Thomas Frank. Hats off to Brentford. 

What’s that noise? Silence? Tumbleweed? No, its the Social media keyboard warriors who had been calling for his head and slagging him off as clueless creeping back under their rocks.  Fairplay to Thomas for keeping on doing what he is doing. 12 points and 12 goals form the last five games does tend to suggest he has his game plan exactly on course!  

Thomas Frank – popular with the fans !

Next up is International break followed by the visit from Reading. They’ve hit a 10 out 12 point form run that makes this one an extremely interesting challenge. The table doesn’t lie but it is rebalancing itself. Nowhere more is this seen than at the top where West Brom (with Romaine Sawyers taking his game to the next level) and Preston occupy the top two slots.

North End destroyed Huddersfield yesterday to continue their inexorable climb upwards. Almost sneaking up the blindside to go past Leeds United into second place after their third win in a row. For me, the highlight of this one was Paul Gallagher’s second half penalty. It was on a par with Benrahma at QPR for the consummate lesson in how to finish from twelve yards. Power and precision very much the order of the day.

Benrahma at QPR. Gallgher did similar

Yet Preston are mentioned to note that, much like Brentford, put the wins together and the rest happens naturally. Don’t worry about other clubs and other results. Concentrate on your own game. With the top half of Championship table locked up tighter than Alcatraz, if you keep winning then the potential for ascension remains huge. Thomas Frank is proving it. Alex Neil at Preston is proving it. Keep getting those wins on the board and then when somebody falls apart or hits the skids – boom ! Move in and move up.

The Bees are now doing it and have gone up to 9th. We’ve overtaken QPR. We’ve overtaken Birmingham City. Who can we overtake next?

Roll on Saturday week when we can find out.

Nick Bruzon

Will Wigan be banging the same drum when Bees visit?

Wigan Athletic, here we come. Brentford have the chance to get things back on track this Saturday following the bloody nose administered by Huddersfield Town. Hats off to the brave five hundred or so making the trip through the fog for this one. Last season’s tedium (including the unspeakable horror of a drum) combined with last night’s trip to the good bit of Shepherds Bush, where popular music’s The Bluetones were playing, make this one a journey too far for yours truly. Those green cards aren’t going to earn themselves. But is it the right decision to swerve this?

The Bluetones – more fun than a trip to Wigan in the fog

From a musical perspective then, yes. The Bluetones were magnificent. It was the second trip to the end of the 237 in as many weeks and the result was just as satisfying. Moreso, given the number of Bees both in attendance and on stage.

At the other end of the spectrum, the previous game and drum at Wigan were simply awful.  It was one described on these pages at the time as insipid a 0-0 draw as one could imagine ; as turgid as it comes. Wigan were determined to strangle any life out of the game. Brentford, unable to find a way through as any attacking intent was choked out of the game.

Well, for those going up today it can’t be as bad as that. Can it? Brentford had their own challenge with stubborn opponents against Huddersfield Town last weekend. One would hope that Thomas Frank., himself speaking very openly in the Beesotted podcast this week, won’t fall into the same trap again. A repeat of our previous away trip and the Brentford that went to Swansea City would do very finely, thank you. 

Yet if Huddersfield were the division’s form team when our paths crossed, Wigan very much aren’t. One point out of a possible nine was rounded off with injury time defeat at home to Swansea last time out. Paul Cook, architect of the aforementioned snoozefest, is still at the helm for our hosts. Hopefully his team’s precarious position, just two places above the relegation spots, will encourage them to play a more open game in the search for success. The Bees are always at their best when playing that wonderful brand of free-flowing football which had seen 9 points and 9 goals prior to the visit from the Terriers.

Injurywise, there aren’t expected to be any changes from the side that has featured in recent weeks. I can only assume it will be more of the same when our starting XI is announced at 2pm. In part due to available players but as much to right the wrongs from the Huddersfield game. It was one which saw Saïd Benrahma stifled. Strangled into submission and, when he did get the ball, perhaps guilty of trying too hard to do it on his own. Perhaps that was down to the frustration of our scrap or maybe it was just his mindset.

He is singled out because he is, by a country mile, our most creative player. When Saïd is on song there’s no sweeter sound. One man can’t do it all but one man can inspire others around them. Sometimes it’s hard to remember he is just 24 years old (see also: Sergi Canos – 22) such is the vision and ability he has. This is a player who is only going to get better and better. One we really need to savour whilst we can. One who could be the catalyst in pushing this team forward.

We all love Said

Whilst Brentford are mid-table at present, the play-off zone is a mere four points away. Had we picked up the win at Griffin Park the Bees would now been in eighth. It is something noted not to berate anybody for missing the opportunity but more to show how tight things remain in The Championship. Just four points separate Frank Lampard’s former club Derby County in 15th to Nottingham Forest in fifth. This is wide open for whoever wants it. At present, Hull City are the only side in the division to have won three games on the bounce. The form book is out of the window at the moment.

Checking with the bookies – purely for research purposes – not even they can call it. Brentford are very narrow favourites but the odds on offer suggest more than ever that any result is possible . Good luck with your accumulators. Personally, I wouldn’t go near this one with a barge pole. If nothing else, drums can be a largely unsettling factor.

The Bees are favourites. On paper

All of which is summed up to say that yours truly hasn’t a clue. Although anybody still reading will surely have established that already from a column that very much feels like ‘contractual obligation’ today. The mind is still very much focussed on the fun and games had last night. Can Brentford get things heading back in the right direction? Will Paul Cook conspire to frustrate us one more?  There’s only one place to find out – and it ’s not here this morning.

Roll on 3pm when, all being well, the normal course of events can resume.

Last time out – A drum is no substitute atmosphere

Nick Bruzon 

A dismal morning and a dank afternoon as the form team keep on rolling.

No goals. No points. No complaints. Huddersfield Town came to Griffin Park on Saturday to round off a disappointing day of sport in our house. A day that had begun so brightly with the prospect of the Rugby World Cup final ended with defeat for both England and Brentford. For the Bees, a 0-1 home reverse came at the end of a game in which chances were at a premium and, it would be fair to say, Danny Cowley and his Terriers did a well drilled job on us. Creativity was stifled, the clock run down and the chance taken. Fair play to them. The Championship’s form team keep on rolling.

It was a really odd one to sit through. A nothing of a game where The Bees struggled to get out of second gear. The cold and rain not helping matters but certainly no excuse for our somewhat out of character inability to shine. The mercurial touches and wonder goals of theist few weeks nothing but a distant memory. The game, definitely one for the purists where Huddersfield did exactly what they needed to.

View from the Braemar – a slippery pitch and tough conditions

Being honest, I’m struggling to remember much. Even having sat through the sub two minute highlight package. Something which, compared to the five or six minutes we sometimes get, tells you all you need to know about a turgid afternoon in dank conditions. Perhaps it was the early start to proceedings which saw pub breakfast taken in front of the rugby at 9am that left many of us feeling jaded. Nonchalant. Ambivalent even. And definitely nothing to do with the Guinness that washed down my sausages.

Besides, that early start time was perfectly legitimate. There are three social occasions breakfast alcohol is acceptable  – the last half hour before a wedding, as you wait with the groom in the pub across the road from the church. Crossing through passport control at an airport ; the exact split second that the laws of time are suspended and it’s five o’clock. Somewhere. Or the finals of a Southern hemisphere sporting event. Yesterday fitting into that last category where, perhaps, the result against a brutally strong team who out-thought their opponents could have been taken as some form of omen.

It was five o’clock. Somewhere

Yet whatever the trigger yesterday, and whether the two were in any way connected, it just never felt like it was going to happen on the pitch. A game where subs were desperately needed but even their arrival did little to alter the path of an encounter that, once the visitors had taken the lead via Karlan Grant, Brentford never looked like getting back into.

Even then, the winner was a soft one. Nobody picking up a player who now sits just one goal, behind Ollie Watkins, occupying third place in the Championship leading scorers table. Nobody then closing him down as he hit one low past David Raya and into the far corner on the hour. It was one of few real caches, for either team, and it was the one that mattered. From that point on there was huff, puff, endeavour and desperation but nothing happened. Brentford very much flaccid in their attack. Huddersfield, operating the clock with all the precision of a Swiss watchmaker. Parking the bus with all the finesse of Jose Mourinho. The Bees had no way through. It wasn’t to be.

Brentford had no way through the rain or The Terriers

Off the field of play, things were as wonderful as ever.  The opportunity to catch up with friends and even some of our regular visitors from the away contingent – always a pleasure. Bumping into the wonderful Woody and his family for a chat as the players went through their warm up routine. What a fantastic young man he is.

Then, a chance encounter saw HB offered a trip to the dressing room pre-kick off to talk tactics with Thomas Frank. Only at Brentford does this sort of thing happen. Long may it continue. I am sure the result was totally unconnected. Besides, any input offered by Harry would likely have been limited to the words Sergi and Canos.

Instead, we go away from this one empty handed. Any solace taken being in the fact that the table is still ridiculously tight. Victory yesterday would have taken us to the fringes of the play of race. Instead, we remain a mere four points off of fifth place. The season is stil far too young  – little over a quarter of the way through – to determine which way it will go . With 93 points still to play for, you can be sure this one is going to have plenty of twists and turn before we finish up against Barnsley in May.

For now, it wasn’t to be. Well played Huddersfield Town. Roll on Saturday and our trip to Wigan Athletic where, all being well, normal goalscoring service will resume.

Pick Sergi. Then Canos. Sergi Canos. S Canos etc

Nick Bruzon

West London is OURS. Can Huddersfield stop the Bees?

It’ll be quite magnificent returning to Griffin Park this afternoon. Brentford are flush full of confidence following the trouncing of QPR on Monday night and are the division’s form team. Mind you, if the Bees are flying then so are Huddersfield Town. Don’t let their lowly position fool you. As Thomas Frank has noted in the build up “It’s a changed team – one that’s much more confident and with more belief and they’ve only conceded four goals in their past six games.” This will not be easy. But then again, the visitors have their own challenge – a Brentford side that is in fine spirit.

Monday evening was about as good as it gets. Even allowing for the emotion of the moment to have subsided, I’m still buzzing at how dominant the Bees were. QPR were second to everything. Played off the park and only kept on life support by their goalkeeper. Had it not been for the heroics of Liam Kelly the medical staff would have likely declared the time of death as being 8.31pm. Instead, we kept going against the one man team – the other ten in blue and white offering little more than tired thuggery and mis-hit passes – until Ollie Watkins grabbed our third late on.

The whining and bitching of the home fans on the way out was music to the ears. Try picking a troll in chief from that lot. Seemingly under the belief that West London was, somehow, theirs despite the latest shoeing administered in their direction by The Bees. It really was delicious. There’s nothing like winning in your neighbours’ back yard and that one was up there with the very best. Think 4-1 at Fulham levels of enjoyment. Not bad for a bus stop.

We all know who owns West London 

The trick now is to do this at home. Since the last game here – that wonderful win over Millwall – we’ve also picked up the points at Swansea City. The Bees ARE on fire. Our groove finally hit. Griffin Park is sure to be a cauldron of noise today and we’re going to need it. Yet, if anything, that can only inspire us further. Monday showed what playing in a morgue can do for the home team. 

It was embarrassing how quiet the stadium was, with the exception of the Brentford end.  

Mind you, one can sympathise given just how tired and pokey a ground it is. Thank goodness for unsafe standing because otherwise knees would have lost any circulation going had sitting been attempted. The main stand had more masts than the tall ships race (although at least the phone reception was first class) and there was what appeared to be Magneto’s prison cell at the end of the first X-men movie hanging from one part of the roof. Griffin Park may be at the end of it’s life but at least it has character. At least it has atmosphere. My word, we know it has plenty of faults but it is still home. And what a home.

Give me Griffin Park every time

Rather than the likes of Bryan, Pontus, Said or Ollie our man of the moment today will perhaps be none other than Peter Gilham. We all saw the celebration of the second goal as the players ran to celebrate as one with Mr. Brentford. We’ve seen the video from the changing rooms afterwards. I expect him to be in fine voice as the teams are welcomed out and roared on. His enthusiasm sure to be as infectious as ever. 

Making it four wins on the bounce is going to be a huge ask. Huddersfield have finally pulled themselves out of the Championship nose dive that followed on from their top flight nose dive. The nonsense of that fake kit has been consigned to the back locker and they’ve started to bank the points. They are unbeaten in the last 6 games and have taken more points from that period than they did in the previous 35  – a treat which boasted an incredible 28 defeats for Town L.

That was then. This is now. Anything can happened and, frankly, I can’t wait. A win could take us into the top six should other results go our way. That would be nice but I’d settle for the points and a few more goals. Watching Brentford has been nothing but fun in recent weeks. Some of the tricks on display would have shamed Paul Daniels. More of the same today would be just the ticket.

See you there.

🤤 We need to talk about this from @joshdasilva_ last night#BrentfordFC pic.twitter.com/RgGVlGgLuK

— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) October 29, 2019

Nick Bruzon

Bees smash QPR to secure bragging rights. Again.

You wait ages at the bus stop and then three come along all at once. Brentford trounced Queens Park Rangers in their own back yard, again, last night as a 1-3 victory made it 9 points out of 9. It was a performance that, if anything, the scoreline fails to do justice to. But for home goalkeeper Liam Kelly it could have been double that. Only a series of fine saves keeping things respectable for the hosts who had no answer to the irrepressible waves of black and yellow. With Huddersfield Town next up, the Bees will be looking to strengthen their position in a top half of the table that is becoming increasingly congested.

Players and fans alike celebrated this one

What a night. What a turn out. What a way to show our neighbours what this Brentford team can do. Three very much the magic number as our third successive victory saw Brentford hitting three goals. This following the 3-2 over Millwall and the 0-3 up at Swansea. Yet to so consistently outplay your neighbours, who missed their own chance to go second, in their own back yard takes special kudos. It was a game played out in a powder keg atmosphere, at least in the away end. The home fans barely mustering a squeak, barring one character with a sombrero, rattle and kazoo, until after the interval when Grant Hall’s equaliser gave them brief hope.

That goal, ironically coming from a corner earned off the back of a quite magnificent save from David Raya, briefly restored parity. Briefly. Ollie Watkins had already given us the lead, heading home a Mbuemo cross in front of the home fans. It was goal that had been threatening and was exquisitely taken. For once, Kelly left with no chance and after that it was only a matter of time and how many. Or so it felt.

Yet despite our domination, noise and attacking intent Brentford couldn’t quite squeeze through for the second. And with Hall rousing the snoozing home support from their own game of library simulator, one did have to wonder what would come next. Rise to the challenge or ‘do a Brentford’? The answer was emphatically the former. 

With little more than the next ten minutes played, the lead had been restored. Mbuemo was felled in the box and referee Andy Woolmer had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. It’s good enough for me.

That man Benrahma picked up the ball and smashed it high and hard into the top corner. Got to be honest that from where we were standing, it looked briefly as though he might have Barbet’d it, such was the height he got. Instead, it was all about technique with the speed and ferocity meaning it got no further than the back of the net.

View from the stand – there you go. A lead restored.

And what a way to celebrate. What a smile. What a charge, followed by the rest of the team, over to the dugouts where he celebrated with Peter Gilham. We noted yesterday the history lessons installed by our beloved man-with-the-mic. This is why. This is what it meant. To him. To Saïd. To the team. To us. Get in you beauties.

The game continued. So did the pressure. Benrahma playing like a man possessed. He and Ollie teaming up with another of those filthy moments to come ‘that’ close to another goal of the season contender. Pontus Jansson busting every sinew. Screaming at anybody that would listen. Regardless of whether they wanted to. Nørgaard pulling strings in the middle. Mbuemo working the opposite flank. QPR huffing, puffing but doing nothing more than instigate the obligatory fire drill.

Sure, the final ten minutes felt slightly more tense. Purely because the random nature of referees or a flukey deflection, after such a fine Bees performance, could have played havoc on the points front with the margins still so fine. At least, on goals scored. There was no danger though. The fresh impetus added by Jensen and Valencia from the bench giving Brentford that final burst of energy needed to wrap things up. 

Boom. Watkins was there at the death to get his second and our third as the hosts were caught out in their hunt for some reward. Jensen slipping it through to Ollie who made no mistake in his own personal hunt for the Championship’s golden boot. His close range finish takes him to ten for the season already, equalling his highest total for Brentford . And we aren’t even in November. Neal who now?

Brentford are up to 12th but, more importantly, it’s getting tight at the top. Very tight. We’re four points off second place. One more win, and other results going our way, could even see us into the play off zone. Huddersfield Town visit Griffin Park on Saturday in a game that is sure to have a few more people now looking for tickets. That one won’t be easy but that’s a column for another day.

For now, it’s all about the moment. All about going to that horrible, horrible stadium and coming away with yet another win. About laughing at the jealous jeers on social media. About knowing how proud Thomas Frank must be feeling as he has held his head high , despite the nonsense being directed his way in recent weeks, to see his team come out the other side in quite magnificent style. About knowing that we may be a bus stop but West London is OURS. 

Pete Doherty. Mike O’Callaghan. John Storm. Comedian Bill Bailey. Are you reading? Your team took one hell of a beating last night. And it was absolutely beautiful.           

A bus stop. Last night.

Nick Bruzon

Calling all agents. Let’s do this.

There’s not too much to say, today. Brentford travel to Queens Park Rangers with morale high after those epic victories over Millwall and then up at Swansea City. Thanks again, agent Bidwell. This time we’ve none other than Mark Warburton and Yoann Barnet filling the roles of Griffin Park legends who have taken the short journey by 237 to Shepherds Bush. With the hosts flying high, it promises to be tasty. The big question being which team continues with their recent form and which has their head coach searching through the kitbag for that envelope labelled ‘Plan B’ ?

All of this is, of course, before you factor in the small matter of a local derby. The history between our two clubs has been well documented and, if nothing else, Peter Gilham seems on a one man mission to ensure that neither fans nor players every forget the failed takeover. Whatever your thoughts on his refusal to even mention them by name, a crash course in local history seems as much a part of new players joining as the pre-season karaoke,  half-chewed biro and obligatory signing photo pose with choice of contract, scarf or new shirt.

We all know what happened. Almost. We all know that our recent record against our near neighbours is a good one. A very good one. Brentford have won 5 and drawn 1 of our last 7(seven) competitive fixtures. We’ll draw a discreet veil over the incident of the 4-6-0 formation which culminated in something called a ‘false 9’. Very much a Plan C that will hopefully never be repeated.

The not so good news for Brentford fans is that the injury glut that has already spannered Sergi Canos has now done for Nikos Karelis. ‘Official’ describe him as having suffered a serious knee injury against Millwall which will see him out for a significant period of time. The flip side of this being that both players were missing for the Swansea game and look how we went there. Benrahma and Mbuemo are on fire whilst Josh Dasilva must be one of the first names on the team sheet in the middle.

Swansea, last time out.

Chuck in a bit of revenge required for ‘that’ 2-2 capitulation (0-2 on 90+2 becoming 2-2 on 90+4 having an almost Millwallesque feel about it) and the hosts won’t have it easy. Then there’s the pressure of knowing that a point will be enough to take them into the play-off positions by virtue of goal difference.

Will Yoann Barnet add to his collection of penalties conceded this season? At least three at the last count. Will Ollie Watkins be able to keep himself at the business end of the Championship goal scorer chart? Can Brentford make it three wins on the bounce?

I can’t wait for the chance to find out. For those who can’t make it, there’s Sky and The Griffin are also showing the game.

Or how about ‘Our friends at radio’? How it’s going to work tonight is that BBC Radio London on DAB/Digital have comms with
Phil Parry, Paul Parker and the mellifluous Billy Reeves. Enjoy.

However, you choose to follow let’s bring it on. See you there!!!

Off we go, again….

How do you top Saturday? Simple. Don’t repeat last season.

It’s an obvious question. The turnaround that saw Brentford go from 0-2 down with 84 minutes on the clock to end the game as 3-2 winners over Millwall was one of those ‘I was there moments’. See also: Burton away, Fulham away or the time somebody laughed at Mrs. Browns Boys. Oh well, as Meatloaf once sang… And the simple answer is that we go again. This time to Swansea City where an intense period of Championship action resumes this evening with the hope that we forget about 2018/19….

What a finish on Saturday

It would be fair to say that whilst it probably can’t get any better than Saturday for The Bees, it certainly can’t get any worse than last season. Swansea were the Mrs. Brown to our sanity. An undefeatable nemesis whose performance against us in the FA Cup fifth round at The Liberty stadium was a humbling experience only made worse by their performance against in the League  at The Liberty Stadium. 

The 4-1 trashing administered in the cup, one which was earned from an Ollie Watkins inspired 0-1 HT lead. The turnaround in the second period was immense. Swansea scoring four times as they earned a quarter final at home to Manchester City, Daniel James earned a transfer to Manchester United and Neal Maupay earned the wrath of the BBC and (probably) Ian Moose. That after firing over late in the game .

The league game in April saw Brentford on the wrong end of a 3-0 scoreline in an encounter that had it been the proverbial boxing match, would have been stopped within the first minute after Nathan Dyer gave Swansea the lead with what even the BBC described at the time as “One of the fastest goals scored at the Liberty stadium”. Don’t forget, either, how we’d also lost the early season league game 3-2 after shipping three goals in an opening half hour that had already included a close to ten minute delay for an injury break. It would be fair to say that we were all well glad to see the back of Swansea City last season.

Swansea in the FA Cup wasn’t good.

That was then. This is now. Swansea are riding high in the table. Currently sitting in third position and surely favourites for this one tonight. Surely? Well, having already buried last season’s away shirt ‘hoodoo’ (there wasn’t one, but if it makes the brown/orange haters, of which there were apparently a few, then all the better) with our form on the road this time out, Brentford had THAT morale boosting win at the weekend. Ollie Watkins is at the business end of the Championship leading goalscorer charts whilst Bryan Mbuemo is looking as though he could be our latest hidden gem, unearthed. Sergi may be injured but the likes of Pontus and Said lead the the charge of players with their hearts on the sleeve. Josh Dasilva has discovered his appetite for goalscoring and seems to enjoy the taste.

Hats off to those travelling. Long midweek journeys provide a very easy option these days via the medium of the Sky ‘red’ button. There’s also the lure of iFollow for those of you who like your coverage ‘old school’. The excitement of the team as Ollie did his thing on Saturday very much akin to the moment Mark Burridge exploded up at Blackburn after Jota went on that little sortie forward.

 I can’t call this tonight. The heart says Brentford. The table says Swansea. The Championship says anything can happen. All I’ll say for sure is that it can’t be as awful as last season. It can’t be exciting as Millwall. Can it…..?

🗣 WATKINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNS

Saturday's drama brought to you by @MarkBurridge1, @marcus11gayle and @luismelville#BrentfordFC pic.twitter.com/HfUsR5xhK3

— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) October 21, 2019

Nick Bruzon

It’s much more fun to win this way.

The greatest come back since Lazarus? Burton Albion away? Liverpool in the Champion’s League (take your pick of those – you may have heard mention of their particular ‘miracles’). The intensity of the turnaround at Griffin Park yesterday probably tops the lot. Whilst not a European trophy lifting moment or matching the relentlessness of our comeback against The Brewers, for Brentford to turn around a 2-0 deficit with 6 minutes left on the clock but end the game as 3-2 victors over Millwall was pretty, pretty good. Thomas Frank, unable to curb his own enthusiasm at full time, was quick to note that “It’s much more fun to win this way”. The boys in blue arresting a run in form that had only seen us win once since late August.

Brentford – unbeaten in anniversary blue

And he’s right. They were words uttered on a full time touchline stroll as fans gave the head coach and his team a standing ovation. There were hugs from Saïd. Even handshakes from Matthew Benham as everybody came together once more to enjoy one of those moments that makes Griffin Park SO, SO special. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – Imagine turning your back on all of this because it isn’t the set up of previous decades. Imagine not wanting to be part of this last hurrah. Imagine booing the head coach and demanding his head week in, week out. 

We aren’t Liverpool. We aren’t going to win every game every week. Sometimes we are a bit rubbish (Forest away last time out was tough viewing). Sometimes we are awful. That’s football. Yet when it all comes together there’s no place on earth I’d rather be. With my family . With my friends. With my team. A place where despite the many changes we’ve seen in recent years, on and off field, the heart of this football club is still there. Still beating strong. Still pulling us all together in a communal outpouring of joy the likes of which is still sending shivers running up the spine over 12 hours later.   Instead of joyless negativity then, personally speaking, my own preference is to focus on the positive and yesterday was about as positive as it gets.

A belated and very happy birthday to my good friend at full time

What a game. What a start. What pressure. Ollie was returned to the right side of the pitch as Niko Karelis got that first start which had been suggested in yesterday’s article might be coming. Every now and again we call one right – it can happen. The set up looked much more balanced than at the City Ground. Surely it was only a matter of time before the goal came. Pressure built as The Bees turned the screw. Millwall not getting a look in. Karelis hit the post early on before referee Stuart Attwell then pointed to the spot for what seems an innocuous incident at best  – at least on first viewing – but let’s not look a gift horse in the mouth. 

Urgh. We did. This is Brentford, innit. Ollie Watkins seeing his penalty well saved by visiting ‘keeper Bartosz Bialkowski. There was worse to come. Just before the half ended, Karelis went down with what looked like a sickening injury and was eventually stretchered off. The visiting fans showing their class, waving him off and singing cheerio as the rest of the ground gave the customary respectful applause reserved for such incidents – regardless of the team. 

And as the team readjusted, the Lions pounced. They’d not been in the hunt yet a rare foray into the Brentford box saw Raya unable to fully clear Molumby’s effort and Tom Bradshaw stabbed home from close in to leave the half time cuppas with a very bitter after taste. Typical Brentford. Dominate. Come close. So close. Slip up in a rare moment of defensive absenteeism. Stats and possession count for nothing if you can’t finish. Millwall giving the consummate demonstration as they took their one chance with aplomb. And their second. 

Mr. Attwell pointing to the spot once more after the teams had emerged. This time, Ollie Watkins adjudged to have wrestled his man to the ground. Raya unable to equal the save pulled off by his counterpart between the sticks and Jed Wallce doubled the visitor’s lead.  Painful stuff. Familiar stuff. Brentford dominant but somehow on the wrong end of the scoreline. “Where’s the midfield?“, shouted one supporter. “Up there with Natalie” replied another.

Dougie was back for this one

Just as goals scored rather than possession and stats being the only true indicator of whether a team deserve to win is one mantra I live by, so is staying and playing until the end. So often we’ve ‘done a Brentford’ and spannered ourselves late on. See: Bristol City just last time out. Even more often we’ve taken it to the wire and pushed on. See: just about any goal Jota ever scored or Thomas and his own brand of attacking substitutions – last season in particular seeing him opt to go big rather than bringing on defensive subs in order to close out a match. And what a way to do it.

First up, Josh Dasilva. The midfielder coming off the bench to fire home from just outside the box with 84 minutes on the clock. It was a strike of precision – just as he had done against Bristol City – and gave hope for a barnstorming finish as we looked to pick up a point. Four minutes later, it was all level. Bryan Mbueno the man as his beautifully place shot from Dasilva territory seemed to drift over the defence, past Bialkowski and in to the far corner of the net. 

It all felt very slo-mo ; all very surreal. A split second wait for the random officials to wave a flag – it had happened early on in the half with Ollie called ‘offside’ as he found the net – but no. Nothing. Except an eruption of joy from fans and players alike. Get!! In!! We’d done it. Saïd Benrahma with the assist, along with an apparent deflection too, and a point all but assured. 2-2 from the unlikeliest of situations. Just please don’t cock it up from here. Please don’t ‘do a Brentford’. 

Fans and players celebrate

You could see from the looks on the player’s faces what this one meant. How hard a level that they, and we, knew this battle had been fought at. But wait, like a  4am infomercial for the greatest hits of Country or a butcher’s knife kit, there was more. If Josh and Bryan had provided the ten CD set, it was none other than leading scorer Ollie Watkins who weighed in with the bonus extra. And what an extra. So much better than a 12 track disc of County duets.

With four additional minutes shown on the board, there WAS still time. Time for huge handbags in front of the Millwall fans as Attwell once more lost control. Time for passions to rise to even more intense levels than had already been seen. And when it came, with Ollie guiding home in the last of those additional minutes, Griffin Park exploded. The noise incredible. The relief, palpable. The joy unconfined. The noise intense. The smiles broad. The Lions silenced. The perfect payback for Karelis. The perfect reward for Thomas Frank who has come in for all levels of dog’s abuse so early in to a season in which his new squad is taking shape. Is readjusting to life without Maupay. The reaction from captain Pontus said it all. The grins from Ollie and Saïd, beautiful. Brentford up to 13th and now six points off the play-off zone. 

Yesssssss. 3-2. 

With little over a quarter of the season gone, both ends of the table are still a long way off. We’ll play well and lose. We’ll pick up some jammy points along the way. I’m still not sure which way this campaign is going to go but it’s going to be fun getting there. As has been seen this season with the likes of Derby County, Barnsley and Middlesbrough, when we get it right we are simply wonderful. To that list you can now add Millwall. 

What a performance. What a result. What a moment. What a game that, you know what, we deserved to win.

Nick Bruzon     

Here’s hoping a change in garb sees a change in form.

Phew. We’re back. International break has been and gone in a cloud of mixed results (England going down to Czech Republic and Gibraltar almost pulling off the mother of all come backs against Georgia) aswell as those awful ‘off-field’ scenes in Bulgaria. Domestically, Brentford have officially launched the special shirt that will be worn today at home to Millwall whilst Leeds United have followed suit with their centenary effort for the visit of Birmingham City. Something that is as stylish as it is impressive – mainly because it sees them kicking off at 3pm on a Saturday afternoon rather than at a time dictated by their Sky Sports overlords.

Today is the day

First up, Griffin Park. Obviously. It seems an eternity since the 1-0 loss at Nottingham Forest. Thank goodness. Primarily because it was about as turgid a performance as it is possible to see. From both sides. The teams were set up to cancel each other out and boy did they do that. A defensive glitch seeing the hosts take their chance when it came in an encounter that really put the stale into stalemate. 

The only lasting memory to take from that one being the long-term knee injury suffered by Sergi Canos. Boooo. That’ll happen though when the man-in-the-middle offers no protection to anybody and leaves his cards back in the Forest changing room. Urghh. Referees. Still, at least with Stuart Attwell at the helm today, we can be sure of quality decision making and consistency from the man in black. 

Man in black, assuming he runs out in the traditional grab of course. Who could forget that it is Brentford rather than Millwall who are the ones who will be in blue today? The reason for that being to mark our first-ever victory at Griffin Park, back in October 1904. The 2-0 win agasit Millwall Athletic being the first time the Bees had genuinely deserved to win a home game and the shirt being worn today is designed to pay homage to that occassion. Let’s hope its not the last time we win a home game prior to leaving for Lionel Road at the end of the season.

Whatever your thoughts on this one (and I DO love it), it seems to have made rapid progress off the shelves. The limited edition boxes that came with the initial orders have already cleared out as fans pick up this uber-smart, and sponsor free, variant on our home colours.

For those baulking at the price (£60 for an adult shirt) look positive – at least it isn’t the £149 that Leeds United have charged supporters for their own centenary effort to be worn in today’s game against Birmingham City. My word, it IS lovely but that’s a sum of money even yours truly would have had to say no to. HOW can they justify it? How can fans afford it? I couldn’t. You could buy three or four away tickets at Elland Road for that price. Yet, the limited run of 1919 sold out in minutes and is now retailing on eBay for anything between £400-£2000. Not that they have any bids but at some point somebody will crack. Possibly.  

Good luck with that…

Still, we digress. Back in West London, we’ll be facing a Millwall side who no longer have Neil Harris in charge following the manager’s shock resignation at the beginning of the month. He is a man as linked with the Lions as Harchester United and that toe-curling ‘run out’ song / goal music about jellied eels i.e. intrinsically. 

Harchester United – did ‘The Den’ proud.

As such, his departure was news that caught everybody cold. The club moved quickly to put Adam Barrett, who had initially joined as a first team development coach, into the caretaker’s hot seat.

True to form in such situations, he immediately recorded a win – against Leeds United of all teams. Yet with the ‘caretaker first game victory’ out of the way (a result as predictable as Brentford in the play-offs or the curse of  ‘manager-of-the-month) , does this now open things up for us?

Whilst we are missing our talismanic Spaniard, the Lions have their own headaches. The first of which being the absence of goalkeeper Frank Fielding, injured in the aforementioned game with Leeds. As a Bees fan, I’m shedding no tears here – he’s quality. Except, perhaps, in that it means we’ve one less chance to pull the Big Book of Middlesex Chronicle 80’s alliteration from the shelf. Fielding foiling us from a free kick being one  line that can’t be used today.

The big question being who is going to be pulling the trigger today? If not from dead balls then certainly open play? 7(seven) goal Ollie Watkins, pressed into a role as emergency front man but filling his boots in the Championship goal scorer charts? Or more traditional striker Nikos Karelis? Nick the Greek yet to start a game since joining the Bees but now starting to put in the appearances from the bench as he picks up fitness. 

We love Ollie in our house. Almost as much as Sergi and Pontus. Personally speaking, I’m well happy if he continues in this position and I fully expect he will. However, it is genuinely intriguing to see what Nikos might do when given a bit more than a fifteen minute cameo to chase a game. Is he the next Neal Maupay? Might he be another Nick Proschwitz ? (yes, that DID happen). Or is he just emergency cover until Halil Dervisoglu rocks up in January? Whichever way he goes, there’s only one way to find out and that’s not by getting splinters in your arse. Roll on that moment of returning to full fitness so he can have a decent stab at seeing which way this one will transpire.

Here’s to a few more of these later today

Elsewhere, the time away from these pages has seen Euro 2020 qualifiers dominate the headlines. England went down in the Czech Republic but put matters right against Bulgaria a few days later, coming one short of administering the brackets that go with a 7(seven) goal scoreline. As we are all well aware however, the result is the last thing anybody will remember from this game. The stomach turning sight and sounds of fascism and racism from the home support being images that are indelibly engrained on the memory.

Nobody needs a lecture from me on this – and you aren’t going to get one. We ALL know how vile this is whilst the way English conducted themselves does need to be applauded. Next stop, UEFA. And FIFA. Will the authorities have the balls to actually do something credible for once? Or will it be yet another pointless slap on the wrist? I pray for the former and fear the latter. Let’s see what happens…

On a more positive finish, Gibraltar lost in their qualifying group. Again. However, much as in the narrow 1-0 defeat to Republic of Ireland, it was a game that saw them playing out of their skin to come ‘oh so close’ against higher ranked opponents. This time, the visitors were Georgia who despite racing in to a 2-0 first half lead, saw parity restored before snatching a late, late winner at the Runway end of the Victoria Stadium. 

Yet rather than heartbreak for the boys for The Rock, it was a performance that should be viewed with immense positivity. Primarily because it was one of the most attacking displays I’ve seen them put in . Rather than ten men behind the ball and a series of stat building sideways/backwards passes, they pushed forward. With intent. The second period in particular seeing them put in a shift that caused even Mrs. Bruzon to note ‘They’re faster than Brentford’. I’m taking that as a compliment . Even at 3-2 down, they kept going and almost rescued a Euro 2020 Group D qualifying point.

It wasn’t to be, this time. It’s coming though. From small acorns…..

Two Chipolinas. There’s only two Chipolinas. (and two Casciaros, two Hernandez’…)

Nick Bruzon

The BIG questions answered by a very special guest as Brentford travel to Nottingham Forest…

Friday was an odd one. It was a day where all the weighty issues of the world were bouncing around my head. And that’s not a good place to be. For example… If one asteroid wiped out the dinosuars, why did the plethora of city-sized spaceships falling to earth at the end of the film Independence Day have no more inconvenient an effect than providing an invaluable cache of alien technology which was able to be reclaimed in time for the (unspeakable) sequel?  Whose version of a song entitled C’est La Vie is the best? With all due respect to The Stereophonics, and bypassing the suggestion of Robbie Neville from a fan of Frank Lampard’s Chelsea that I work with, this can only be won by the best band to wear double denim since Status Quo. Of course, I mean B*Witched. Most telling of all though, was the question of who carries off smart-casual knitwear the best? Nottingham Forest manager Sabri Lamouchi or Brentford head coach Thomas Frank. It is a question we may well be able to answer at the City Ground on Saturday afternoon.

Great dress sense AND great music

The reason this particular thought had been turning over was c/o of today’s guest, Nottingham Forest fan and Absolute Radio DJ Matt Dyson.

Regular readers – should such a concept exist – will be aware that we’ve got the radio on in our kitchen. A lot. Combined with the unsocial hours kept by yours truly to churn this nonsense out, the radio is tuned to Absolute pretty much permanently.

It is something that has already reaped benefits, of sorts, when Christian O’Connell was able to finally put the question – Is Cameron Diaz a Brentford fan? – direct to the horse’s mouth. The result was categoric. Some might say catastrophic. Albeit one loaded with potential (you can find that here) although Cameron, if you are reading (you aren’t) or your legal people get hold of this,  I’m not for one second suggesting you look like a horse. That said, the clock IS ticking on your chance to visit Griffin Park. Get yourself over. I have it on good authority there is a permanent seat reserved for you.

We digress. As ever.  The co-host of the Dave Berry Breakfast show on 105.8 FM and DAB digital (apparently) is a long-time fan and very vocal supporter of The Tricky Trees. The highs and lows at The City Ground are a regular topic of discussion in the morning, aswell as on the weekend’s Rock N Roll Football along with fellow Forest fan Matt Forde.

Matt Dyson – right. Co-host at breakfast wit Dave Berry

As such, who better to ask for his opinion on today’s opponents for a Brentford side very much looking to bounce back from what we will diplomatically describe as our ‘tactical meltdown’ in the last few minutes on Wednesday night? With his team flying high and his talk of Lamouchi playing havoc with my thought process, here’s our Q&A with Matt…..

Ten games in and the fledgling table is now deemed to have ’taken shape’. Nottingham Forest are two points off the top in fourth place (effectively third given Leeds United will start their annual choke at some point).  What’s happened at The City Ground?  Well, having changed our manager (and then the entire squad come the transfer window) every six months for what seems like the past decade, we’ve finally stumbled upon a good one! Sabri Lamouchi has effortlessly adapted to the Championship and he has instilled a great sense of confidence into the squad and an ability to play attractive attacking football.  Happy days.

Recent seasons have told us to expect mid-table at best. Can you hold your position? Until our incredibly brief stint at the top of the table towards the end of last month, we hadn’t reached the summit for 5 years.  That was when the legend Stuart Pearce was in charge. And while, at the time, we expected that form to tip (as tended to happen with Psycho’s teams after the honeymoon period ended) I’m not getting the same feeling this time around. I don’t want to curse us, but we look like ‘the real deal’ this season. We’re grinding out away draws even when we don’t deserve them. The players seem super confident.

What price Lewis Grabban? Brentford infamously game him away on a free a few season back , only to see his value increase with just about every subsequent move. What is he worth to you now ? He’s invaluable – the only thing that could seriously derail our season at this point is Lewis getting injured. He’s a wispy bearded behemoth of a striker. Grabbing goals left, right and centre. Brentford’s crazy loss was eventually our gain.

Who are the Nottingham Forest danger men? The aforementioned Grabban, the excellent left footed wing wizard, Joe Lolley (there literally ain’t no body like him) and the tiny Portuguese prince, Joao Carvalho.  But, in my opinion, our new sense of confidence stems from the back. The partnership of Michael Dawson (Forest past) and Joe Worrall (Forest future) had been an option for previous managers but they had other ideas. This blend of youth and experience is the backbone of Sabri’s red and white army.

Ahh, yes. Sabri Lamouchi. Is there a more wonderfully named manager in English football? What does he bring to Nottingham Forest that previous incumbents of the City Ground hot seat have struggled to do? Like I’ve said, he’s instilled confidence, made good signings and seems like our coolest manager since Cloughie. He rocks turtleneck knitwear in an effortlessly stylish way.

Who will win today’s battle of C&A?

Tottenham got thumped 7(seven)- 2 during the week in the UCL. What is the correct use of brackets to reflect this. 7 (seven), 7 (Seven) or 7(SEVEN)? (SEVEN)

Author’s note: one can only presume Matt has not fully understood the question. As we all know, the correct answer should be 7(seven). Shouldn’t it? Can’t just be me….

The League Cup. You slipped up by the odd-ish goal in five at Arsenal, a similar fate to the one we suffered last season. Is there any point in this anymore, though? The League Cup, rather than Arsenal. Or should we just put it out of its misery?  We’ve done very well in the competition in the past, so I don’t want to ditch it. Those glorious trips to Wembley in my youth, for a cup final sponsored by a catalogue shop or an electrical goods rental store, were priceless. But if teams are going to play their reserves in the early rounds they should tell fans in advance. Going straight to pens after a draw is a step in the right direction, but a reserve team tournament is of no interest to anyone.

The big game….

I’m heading up by train and fancy downloading a movie. Which is the greatest football film ever made? Escape to Victory – John Wark’s inexplicable time to shine on the silver screen.

We can win this….. Stallone and Wark stand shoulder to shoulder. Amazing !

Curses. My Netflix subscription has run out. I’ll make do with a podcast. Which episode of the Dave Berry breakfast show from 2019 should I listen to? Just subscribe and get all of them. Or listen live on Absolute Radio and pick which decade’s music you want to go with it. It’s ground breaking technology, so take advantage of it. Or listen to the Gameweek fantasy football podcast (which I do with my old mate Dan Prior) if you indulge in the anti-football stat-based weight around your neck that is the Fantasy Premier League. The Rock N Roll Football podcast with me and Matt Forde is also worth a listen.

Are you a Hooters man? Or is there another pub you can recommend to us travelling fans?  I used to frequent it occasionally. It’s just a family restaurant with a slightly saucy mystique. If you like being served chicken wings by women in Lycra head there.   But I think all away fans should be forced to drink in that soulless crappy looking pub at Meadow Lane (home of Notts County).  The Broken Wheelbarrow is built into the ground and looks like a hideous new build social club. Please try it and give it a rating on trip adviser

Finally, who’s going to win this one and what’s the score going to be? We should edge it 3-1. Sorry.

Thank you Matt. Very much appreciated, even if you are wrong about brackets. Regardless, this has all the elements of a cracker today. With man-to-watch Dawson, missing through injury does this give Brentford hope or will Grabban come back to haunt us? Roll on 3pm when we find out.

I can’t wait for this one. See you there. Perhaps in The Broken Wheelbarrow….

Nick Bruzon