Southampton 0 Brentford 2 The Bees back to winning ways at the first attempt after that monumental unbeaten streak hit the buffers at Goodison Park on Saturday. Thomas Frank’s team under the cosh at times but titanic at the back and exhilarating when given the chance to push up. Brentford now the best placed team in West London (with games in hand) and sniffing around those European places. Here’s to more when we entertain Leicester City this weekend.
The highest placed club in West London
As ever at this juncture, we look back at who shone for Brentford. Who gave Southampton nightmares and who is leading the top five in our season long quest find an overall star player (aswell, of course, as the game by game marks)? Will any of the subs have played themselves into contention for a starting berth for the game with Leicester City?
A 5-1 reverse for Brentford at Newcastle United. Like last season, another six goals at St. James’ Park but this time around there was to be no even split. The Bees thumped in a game where the scoreline does nothing to illustrate just how baffling some of the defensive decisions were. With Brighton up on Friday night, surely a reaction is incoming….?
Whilst the final scores may look brutal on paper, did anyone emerge with any credit for Brentford? Who shone for The Bees against a Newcastle United team who made light work of continuing their climb up the Premier League table in some style. Have any of the bench players done sufficient to make the starting XI for our next game, Brighton at home? Who, or was there, a star player? Who else made the top five in the season long quest to find the top Bees’ performer?
Saturday afternoon’s visit from Everton approaches at speed. Thank goodness. It only seems like five minutes ago Brentford were edged out at Fulham by the host’s late, late winner. It was a game that swung back and forth more often than the Drayton Manor Pirate Ship ride but, in the end, The Bees ended up victims to our own slow start. That was then. This is now. In between we’ve progressed to the third round of the League Cup at Colchester United and have been rewarded with the tantalising prospect of a visit from Gillingham. A tie that offers up a chance of progression / potato skin (delete as a you see fit), a further opportunity to stretch the squad and an extra bit of work for the team behind the Matchday programme. Enjoy. For now, though, it’s all about the battle between the former Burnley centre backs.
The other way, Mads….Move along. Nothing to see here in the FA Cup
Last season saw The Bees loving Premier League life with The Toffees beaten twice (we won’t talk about the FA Cup debacle). 1-0 at home and then 3-2 at Goodison Park. The first game was as turgid as the reverse fixture exciting. Richarlison doing what he does. Likewise Rico Henry. Amongst others. Everton ending it with 9 men and still deep in the relegation mire with only two games to go. In the end, they survived – despite being humped 5-1 at Arsenal in the final game. Midweek victory over Crystal Palace, combined with Burnley tripping up and our own huge, huge disappointment in letting Leeds United off the hook mean we get the chance to do it all again.
With the season three games old, it would be fair to say Brentford and Everton have had contrasting starts. The Bees squad has only got stronger with Aaron Hickey and Ben Mee settling straight in. Keane Lewis-Potter impressed at Fulham and Colchester although is an injury doubt. Then there’s Mikkel Damsgaard who made a first start in the same game and could well now make an appearance at Lionel Road.
For Everton, the sale of Richarlison must have been the most inevitable but gut-wrenching moment of the summer. Ben Godfrey then suffered serious injury in the opening day to defeat to Chelsea whilst the same club are now though to be in the box seat to sign Anthony Gordon ahead of Thursday evening’s transfer window slamming shut(tm).
On pitch, Brentford have twice had the ‘game of two halves’ on the road. Going 2-0 down at Leicester City in the season opener would eventually end in us ‘only’ managing a 2-2 draw. It could have been all three points. The same happened at Fulham where despite their early brace, The Cottagers were eventually pegged back before Aleksander Mitrovic did that thing in the 90th.
It was so good, for so long
In between, there was the game at home to Manchester United. There are no more words needed about what happened in that one. The net result (aside from our three points) being Monday evening’s TV game between United and Liverpool saw The Bees name checked virtually every minute. Woebtide anybody playing the ‘Brentford’ drinking game. Two fingers per mention? I’d have been under the table by the time Jason Sancho scored their first goal. Contrast that to the weekend prior when he’d been robbed by MOTM Mathias Jensen to set up that quite incredible fourth goal in the 34th minute.
Everton, meanwhile, lost the aforementioned visit from Chelsea and then achieved the same ‘nil points’ at Aston Villa. An 88th minute point was earned at home to Nottingham Forest last week but it is a campaign which would seem to have picked up where last season’s left off. Manager Frank Lampard, as well known for being the former boss of Frank Lampard’s Derby County, must be wondering when his luck will change.
Football is never that simple of course. Those thinking this is a case of ‘home banker’ need to look again. If nothing else, there’s that little bit of Brazilian magic lurking in the Everton squad that can be summed up in one word: Allan. They’ve also got another name we are all well, well familiar with. Number 26. The battle of the former Burnley centre backs will likely see him and Ben Mee share the same pitch for the first time since the Clarets played their part in keeping Everton up. Burnley’s relegation being to both our clubs’s benefit with out of contract players electing to stay in The Premier League. For now.
Number 26
Which is what may well play to our advantage. Think Kurt Zouma when West Ham visited last season. Think Christian Eriksen for the Manchester United game. Harlee Dean with Birmingham City. His comments, of course, inspiring us to play ten times better. Certain players and situations engender certain responses. Let’s not even go down the Martin Rowlands wormhole.
I can only imagine the reception 26 will get every time he goes near the ball. The memory of his refusal to play against a Burnley team whom he would move to shortly after is one that lives on. Football fans are like elephants in that respect. Never forget. Moreso given the subsequent explanation – one to rank along side a dog eating the homework or Bristol City and the closed covid lab.
I’m sure the narrative will be that crowd reaction is part of the game. Players are well used to it and blank these things out. That we should be better than resorting to such an approach from the stands. Bollocks to all of it. He’s an opposition player and once that whistle goes, all bets are off. The crowd do what the crowd do. And they do it bloody well. Look at Zouma backing off (although that was also quite a large part Norgaard !!) . Look at Eriksen dithering in the first two goals (although that was also quite a large pard David de Gea). Look at Harlee Dean – that one was all him as his team were blown apart.
That Kurt Zouma thing – my suggestion for programme cover was politely declined
So come Saturday afternoon, we’ll absolutely be playing for all three points and doing whatever we have to do. Brentford are a win off second place in the nascent table. The thought of getting back in to the Champions League places is a tantalising one. For that, I do feel for the Everton team and their fans – of whom I know many. Some. Well two.
They generally seem like a decent bunch who love their club as passionately as we do ours. A club that, like ours, is made up with supporters from the heart of the community rather than the heart of a travel agency. Cripes, I still can’t get over how deadly, deadly dull the atmosphere at Anfield was last season. See also: Old Trafford (limp protest) and Stamford Bridge (fire drill in a library). At least Goodison Park was rocking.
Everton fans – including DJ Andy Bush – are always top value
Still, that’s been and gone. For now there’s only one topic under discussion. Can Brentford beat Everton? Bring on Saturday afternoon when we find out. I can’t wait. See you there.
Until then, if you want to read more the post-match debrief and top five player review for the Fulham game can be found here. If nothing else, I could really do with the hits so please do take a look. Enjoy.
Finally. We’re off. Trains, possibly planes and a few automobiles will be filled with Brentford fans making the trip to Leicester City for Sunday afternoon’s 2pm kick off. Of course, it should have happened already but all we can say is that hopefully everyone enjoyed the carnival that caused our second Premier League season to be pushed back a day. Instead, Saturday was spent enduring Fulham and their clappers at home to Liverpool aswell as watching Everton pick up where they left off last season when going down to Chelsea. Sitting on the sidelines watching the others enjoy (or not) their moment on TV wasn’t the start we were hoping for after but better late than never. Today is the day. The game is on.
Last season was immense. There aren’t the words to describe how much fun it was being a Brentford fan. How exciting. Although from all my summer reading, safe to say that Greville Waterman has given it his very best shot (available from all good booksellers now). How our wonderful Brentford team took the Prem by the scruff of the neck from that opening night defeat of Arsenal to sit top of the pack. How we kicked on from there and, but for the injury to David Raya, might well have ended up in the realms of Fantasy Football.
As it is, our final position of 13th was a huge achievement and above just about everybody’s predictions. A campaign where a wonderful start and finish bookended a downturn in results that, if nothing else, was a timely reminder that a season is played out over 38 games rather than a dozen. Where the trashing of Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, the destruction of West Ham (twice) and Kurt Zouma, Pontus at Vicarage Road, the craziness of the 3-3 with Liverpool and the League game at Everton were amongst so many memorable moments. So many dreams that somehow came true. Now, we have the chance to do it all over again.
Chelsea (a) up there with the very best moments of last season
We looked yesterday at the summer and personal plans for the season going forward – you can see that here. Today, it is all about the immediacy of the Leicester City game. About opponents who did the double over Brentford last season. Getting some payback would be extremely well received, that’s for sure.
Our hosts will, of course, be missing talismanic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel who has signed for Nice. Ricardo Pereira and Harvey Barnes are also absent with injury whilst the rumours surrounding James Maddison and Wesley Fofana haven’t stopped circulating.
The Bees, on the other hand, are about as set as we can be. The injury enforced absence of Ethan Pinnock and Kris Ajer will see new signings Ben Mee and Aaron Hickey start this one. Pontus and Rico completing the defence in front of David Raya. A midfield trio of Norgaard, Janelt and Jensen will provide the ammo for our front three of Wissa, Bryan and Ivan Toney.
It is as strong and exciting as one could hope for. Especially given the injuries and Christian Eriksen’s decision to sit on the Old Trafford bench. Ahh, money. One can’t knock an individual for their decision but the emotional investment made, and now left lying on the vomitary floor, still feels far too raw to be able to ignore.
It’s over – but we’ll always have the green jacket
On the flip side, from our likely starting XI Wissa in particular is my man to watch. He had a storming end to the last season as he made the transition from squad player to first team regular. He really does provide a wonderful outlet, breaking forward with pace and desperate to perform his trademark goal celebration. The passion is there for all to see. The enthusiasm and the ability to match. More of that would be incredible.
Those Martin Damsgaard rumours are also kicking around and, if you believe what you read, a deal is imminent. Could he be here in time for the Manchester United game? Amazing though it would be, that’s for then. For now it is all about how Brentford go. Knowing that one result will not define a season but, as with Arsenal last time out, starting on the front foot.
Also, am I alone in wondering what colours we will be playing in. Could there be a shock reveal for what Kitman Bob has described as a ‘marmite’ third shirt? He tweeted on Thursday to say that we’d see “Incoming of the marmite kit within a day or 2” .
Just imagine the reaction as the team unzip their tracksuits at 1.59 to unleash…. who knows what???
I can’t wait for any of it. Roll on 2pm. Roll on Leicester City. Let’s do this. ENJOY !!!
The season is upon us. Brentford travel to Leicester City on Saturday Sunday (keep forgetting about that carnival – it’s so easily done, I suppose) looking to pick up where we left off last time out. A storming start and finish saw the Bees finish 13th in our inaugural Premier League campaign and then spend the summer waiting.. and waiting.. and waiting to see if Christian Eriksen would return the faith shown in him. Alas, Manchester United was the eventual decision made but one has to sympathise with the lure of those reported financials being offered, even if it is somewhat of a rarity to see a rat jumping on to a sinking ship.
For Brentford, the summer has still seen a huge influx of activity. Ben Mee and Aaron Hickey providing welcome choice at the back with Thomas Strakosha offering an alternative in nets. The goalkeeper’s decision to Lionel Road after his time at Lazio very much an exciting one. Especially as it had been anticipated his move would be to Manchester United. Still, you never learn anything from fanzines or clickbait sites and Old Trafford’s loss is very much our gain. You don’t need to be in possession of Emma Hayes or Gary Neville levels of punditry to see where we struggled last time out.
Then there’s Keane Lewis-Potter. The former Hull City starlet is an England U-21 and was one of the most sought after players in the Championship. His signing is very much one with the future in mind and builds further on our young but exciting squad With Josh Dasilva back to fitness aswell it would be fair to say that despite missing out on Christian Eriksen, we go into the game with Leicester looking very strong. Get Kris Ajer and Ethan Pinnock back to fitness (the former expected this month) and the Brentford squad is looking well set for what I am calling a top 12 finish. Hey, with a fair wind maybe even 10th.
Perhaps the most exciting news of the summer was the return of the castle badge on our recently launched ‘away’ shirt’. I’ve not seen a bad word about this one. My word, it’s incredible. Absolutely love it.
Personally speaking, I’ve always felt it was awful how this was ditched for the cluttered clipart of the Middlesex montage that wasn’t designed by Russell Grant. Having this back again has only proven to be a popular decision if you believe what you reason Social media. I wonder if the same will be the case when our third shirt is revealed – something that could be imminent, per Kitman Bob. Oh Christian Eriksen, look at what you could have worn…
Absolutely loving the new away shirt
OK – I’ve been contacted by literally some of you given the relative dearth of material on these pages since the end of the last campaign, asking about any plans for 2022-23. How it’s going to work this season is as follows…
Brentford FC Match day programme : the two articles per edition from last season are no more. I’m sure the club and the programme team have some big new ideas but it would seem that after contributing since 2009, mine are no longer required. To be fair, something would have had to give anyway and from my side it would have been at least one if not both of those features. Certainly, the kit stuff couldn’t be regurgitated again and not even I’m dumb enough to miss out on taking the hint of radio silence until turning the dial myself. Thanks for all the kind words last season though.
The Last Word blog: It’ll carry on ; albeit stripped right back in terms of how often this goes online. Time is tight and with plenty of other pressing priorities outside of football, this also needs to be refreshed given we’ve been there and done that for many years now.
Post-match player review: This will continue. I really enjoyed writing these last season and so will continue to do this on the Hollywood Bets blog page (albeit links will always be here and on the socials).
And as if by magic, the first of those pieces is here. Ah, the crowbar like subtly remains as in force as ever. So here you go. Enjoy.
BrentfordFC 