Anything but a bore draw as feisty Rams held by Bees

Well wasn’t that the game that had it all?  Aside from, perhaps, a red card. Three times Frank Lampard’s Derby County (TM) led Brentford. Three times they were hauled back with neither team able to quite make the final breakthrough in a pulsating clash that finished 3-3. On an afternoon that started so brightly with the quite wonderful recognition of the Kick It Out campaign (something we’d been building up to all week) yet ended with the fetid whiff of racism after an individual sitting behind the dug outs was arrested for an aggravated offence against Duane Holmes, the 90 minutes in between were about as pulsating as they come. And as physical. That Derby in particular reached full time with 11 players is a mystery to rank up there alongside how Stonehenge was built or why would anyone chose to watch Mrs. Browns Boys. The answer to both questions presumably involve whips. Being subjected to the alleged comedy about everyone’s ‘favourite’ Irish ‘mammy’ (man, wig, cardigan) must surely by now have been declared as some form of corporal punishment.

The perfect message before kick off

Brentford did what Brentford do at Griffin Park. Namely, attack without fear of consequence in the knowledge that if we were found wanting at the back (another of our ad-hoc character traits) then there is more than enough presence up top to make ‘goals against’ nothing more irritating than turning on the TV too early for Match Of The Day and coming across the last knockings of Mrs Browns Boys. So to speak. With Said and Ollie pulling the strings out wide, supported by Sergi from the bench, the blistering form of Neal Maupay and our overlapping wingbacks in Henrik Dalsgaard  and the returning Rico Henry it was about as positive as it gets. That’s before you factor in Romaine Sawyers who was at his midfield string pulling best.

It was a very welcome return for Rico Henry, whose role in the second goal showed just how valuable a player he is to this team. On the other flank that rare, for Griffin Park, occasion of a battle between World Cup players  – one past and one present. Early substitute Ashley Cole found himself up against Denmark’s Dalsgaard  in a duel that saw the former Mr. Cheryl Tweedy very much second best. Not for the first time in his life, I’m sure.

Another player poleaxed

The first half started at 100mph with first Julian Jeanvier and then Neal Maupay levelling things for The Bees after what we could politely call some questionable defending allowed the visitors to nudge ahead. The second goal against us, one which will very much give our defensive coach sleepless nights. In between the game was punctuated by a level of physicality and rogue challenges from the visitors that we’ve not seen since erm, well the visit of West Brom last time out. I guess we should take this as a massive complement. That the only way to stop Brentford at Griffin Park is to foul us. Would that the referee had offered us more protection but with even the linesman failing in his primary duty, that of assistant to a referee who was clearly incapable of doing his job properly, it is no wonder Frank Lampard’s team took advantage.

Yet if County started the opening period taking the game to Brentford, the second half saw roles very much reversed. It was backs to the wall stuff as chance followed chance  and the pressure built.Ooooh. So close. Penalty!!? No. Denied. Great save. Another corner  (don’t take it short, they never f*&king work). Then Derby broke and with the first real attack it was 2-3 . Oh Brentford. You do it to yourself, you do. And that’s what really hurts. Thoughts that this is what you get when you mess with us (like in that film) from the visiting fans as the Derby Karma Police came calling.  But fear not. It was all to be OK. 

View from the Braemar – Brentford push up in the second half

Who else but Said Benrahma breaking through to fire home for 3-3 with just 7(seven) minutes on the clock. The eruption of joy that followed that one was about as emphatic as they come. And that was just Peter Gilham on the public address system who seemed to have ben set to ‘rogue’. His announcements all game being delivered with an exuberance and joie de vivre that only this most popular of announcers could get away with. Yet this seemed to be theme of the afternoon, with even ‘official’ twitter getting in on the act….

35' The booking points market might be the one to be on here!

Mokotjo is pole-axed in the midfield but we play on

When the ball is put out there's yet more pushing and shoving in the midfield – there's certainly no love lost at the moment

🐝 2-2 🐑#BREDER | #BrentfordFC

— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) April 6, 2019

As for those allegations afterwards, such a vile act as racism has no place at Brentford. Or anywhere. We all know what a wonderful place this is for football – it is a furrow that has been ploughed many, many times on these pages. I’ve never watched football at a place where everyone is made to feel welcome regardless of race, colour, creed or preference.

Whilst this allegation seems as alien to me based on anything I’ve ever seen or felt at Griffin Park , if it is found to be true then let’s hope the book is thrown. Even if not, then following on from the recent England games and story at Wigan it has been a sobering reminder for all of us of how much good work is still to be done.

Until more is known, that’s a topic for another day. For now though, it simply remains to bask in the enjoyment of what was a quite wonderful game of football. On this form, I can’t wait for the visit of Ipswich on Wednesday.

Nick Bruzon

 

 

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Lots of goals. Lots of points. Lots of tickets.

What a Wednesday! Brentford fans were able to take stock of a stunning 4-1 victory over Huddersfield Town last night before then receiving great news from Fulham with the announcement of ticket allocation for next month’s derby game. We’ll get to Craven Cottage shortly but for those still in need of a recap from last night, Huddersfield were the latest to try their luck at Griffin Park against the free scoring Bees.

7 (seven) in the previous 2 home games (3-1 v Bournemouth and then 4-0 v Blackpool) have now become 11 in 3. A 4-1 victory was the least we deserved as Chris Long took just four minutes to get off the mark on his full Brentford debut.

His second, following fine work from Jota (how often has that phrase been used this season?) restored Brentford’s lead after Harry Bunn had given the Terriers brief hope. But if that goal reinstated Brentford’s supremacy in terms of goals, what was more amazing was how things remained level in terms of players.

Bunn and James Vaughan were both incredibly fortunate to avoid bookings after preening in front of the home supporters like a pair of coked up peacocks. The reaction from the Ealing Road was hardly surprising but justice was soon delivered.

Alex Pritchard made it three before midfield man of the moment, Jon Toral, followed up his hat trick from a week before with a smart strike from distance. Bunn, meanwhile, eventually found his way into the notebook although referee Kavanagh must have been suffering xanthophobia when it came to Vaughan. A number of cynical challenges were shown nothing more than an inconsequential talking to for the Town number 9.

The video highlights are now on YouTube

 

But a victory of magnitude does, in the cold light of day, make such anomalies almost an irrelevance. The key points to remember are another +3 in the GD column, a refreshing alternative up front and, most importantly, three more points as Brentford hit the play off spots once again.

And then the ticket news from Fulham was announced. An initial allocation of 4000 (with the option for a further thousand) means we’ll take up a fifth of the ground for the Bank Holiday game on April 3rd. As ever, full information is available on the club website and you can read that here.

As we saw last season at Leyton Orient, huge travelling support to a local derby can make a monumental difference.

Here’s hoping for a very Good Friday.

A day of strange, strange results keeps the table wide open.

Brentford’s 1-0 defeat at Birmingham City on Saturday was just one of many slip-ups from the teams in the Championship promotion mix. Only Watford could take advantage of defeats for Derby County and Middlesbrough (along with Bournemouth dropping two points at home to Blackburn Rovers) to make any progress up the table. And then there was Clem at Crewe Alexandra…

To read the rest of this article, season 2014/15 is now available to download onto Kindle (and other electronic reading device) in full. Containing additional material and even some (poor) editing, you can get it here for less than the cost of a Griffin Park matchday programme or Balti Pie.

Thanks for reading and all your comments over the course of the season. For now, I need to make more space on the site for any follow up. However, ‘close season’ will continue in full, further on.

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Clem predicts how many points he’ll earn for Crewe (or is that a crafty ‘pick’?)

Slow news day? Surely this can’t be true?

I love an unusual headline – whether it be on the internet or the local press. But the one which appeared about QPR boss Harry Redknapp yesterday (or, should that be, former QPR boss Harry Redknapp) had me performing a double take. And moreso because of the immediate knock on this could have for Brentford and our own manager, Mark Warburton.

Harry Redknapp is no more (at QPR)

I can only wish Harry well although the whole thing does seem to smack of, what we could politely call, unfortunate timing. He waits until immediately after the transfer window has slammed shut, having failed to spend any money (a feat as rare as three points on the road for the Loftus Road mob), before deciding he has to walk away – although I apologise if that’s probably not the best choice of phrase in the circumstance.

And the Brentford spin off? Well, checking the shortlist for his successor, the bookmakers have Warbs at fourth favourite to be leaning out of a car window in the next transfer window.

However, before anybody gets overly concerned, Tim Sherwood is streets ahead at 1/10. ON. Indeed £18,269 of the first £18,763 was on the former Tottenham boss taking over at Loftus Road. Indeed, given the talk at the Brentford fans’ forum I think it safe to say that Warbs isn’t going anywhere for a while.

That said, it is always flattering to be associated with a top flight club and symptomatic of the success our manager (who you may not be aware is a former city trader) has had since taking over from Uwe.

So rather than worrying further about whether Warbs will be heading down the road, we’ll end this article here. Instead, here are a few comedy headlines. Whilst they may not have the same impact as the Redknapp knee, who doesn’t like a bit of ‘cow chaos’ ?

From our first away game of the season

Disturbing news from the world of theatre, via the BBC

The first of two entries from the Argus

Life imitating art

The Argus strikes again

But our winner is…

Premiership stadium plans updated at fans’ forum

This is the week that just keeps on giving. Brentford face the newly Forshawed Middlesbrough tomorrow lunchtime in a game which will see the winner go top of the Championship table if Watford do us the proverbial favour at Bournemouth tonight. But before we even get there, I need to offer up a big vote of thanks for all those who gave up their time to attend the Brentford fans’ forum last night.

Always a popular event, last night’s was one that showed just how well things are going on and off the field. More importantly, it was yet another example of how open our club are with the panel of Mark Devlin, Cliff Crown, Mark Warburton, Frank McParland and David Weir being very honest with questions on any number of Bees related subjects.

To read the rest of this article, season 2014/15 is now available to download onto Kindle (and other electronic reading device) in full. Containing additional material and even some (poor) editing, you can get it here for less than the cost of a Griffin Park matchday programme or Balti Pie.

Thanks for reading and all your comments over the course of the season. For now, I need to make more space on the site for any follow up. However, ‘close season’ will continue in full, further on.

Our chief executive and chairman were part of a strong line up

F

The big Forshaw question(s)

Only at Brentford ! With Saturday’s game against Middlesbrough already taking the expectation levels to fever pitch, things went through the roof yesterday with Adam Forshaw making a much anticipated transfer to our opponents following what they describe as “a brief stint at Championship rivals Wigan”.

A mere 17 games (that’s approximately a quarter of one, million, pounds per appearance) followed by a reported cut price sale, suggest that things didn’t work out too well .

To read the rest of this article, season 2014/15 is now available to download onto Kindle (and other electronic reading device) in full. Containing additional material and even some (poor) editing, you can get it here for less than the cost of a Griffin Park matchday programme or Balti Pie.

Thanks for reading and all your comments over the course of the season. For now, I need to make more space on the site for any follow up. However, ‘close season’ will continue in full, further on.

Saturday just got even tastier with a transfer shock

You couldn’t make it up. Just 17 games after making a transfer to Wigan Athletic (for a rumoured £4million), former Brentford star Adam Forshaw is reportedly on the verge of signing for Middlesbrough. The fee, almost half what Athletic paid for him, was being reported in numerous sources on Tuesday evening although, at the time of writing (6.30am) had yet to be officially confirmed.

However, with Wigan heading for League One faster than you can say “second relegation”, it marks a terrible investment (cash wise) from Dave Whelan who was, of course, made to wait by Brentford until the price was right.

To read the rest of this article, season 2014/15 is now available to download onto Kindle (and other electronic reading device) in full. Containing additional material and even some (poor) editing, you can get it here for less than the cost of a Griffin Park matchday programme or Balti Pie.

Thanks for reading and all your comments over the course of the season. For now, I need to make more space on the site for any follow up. However, ‘close season’ will continue in full, further on.