Ivan Toney you absolute goal scoring machine. Thomas Frank, you tactical genius. Brentford you beauties. Hey, even Keith Stroud. A 5-2 tonking of Leeds United at Lionel Road was a performance to rival that 4-0 win the other week. To make Frank Lampard realise how much of a bullet his Everton team may have dodged in the 1-1 last Saturday. As Manchester United discovered, when Brentford hit the back of the net there’s nobody going to stop us. Yet even then, what happened yesterday was beyond even the wildest of anyone’s pre-match predictions.
Brentford are up to 7th (seventh) in the Premier League table. The performance one of our greatest. Leeds blown away like an empty crisp packet caught on the breeze. Ivan Toney banging in a hat-trick of such quality it needs to be seen to be believed. The first, an ice-cool penalty of the like we’ve seen so many times yet which still induces that gut wrenching nausea. How can anybody be so calm from the spot? That two step approach to the ball at almost stumbling speed? Yet still bury it with all the speed of a hitman disposing of a still warm corpse?
Then, the free kick to make it 2-0 just prior to half time. Shandon Baptiste being fouled out side the box and Ivan scoring with a world class curling ball into the top corner that left Meslier in nets able to do nothing beyond watch it go over the wall and beyond him.
Yet it was the calmness of finish and presence of mind to stay cool for his hat-trick goal that had fans in raptures. Meslier rushing out of the box to prevent KLP from bearing down on goal was only able to find Ivan. Instead of hitting it first time he dribbled and waited until the time was right. Despite the plethora of Leeds defenders still in and around the box, his chip from outside the area cleared them all to make it 3-1 Brentford. Game over Leeds United. A hat trick of rare quality from a man whose stock continues to rise. With a World Cup approaching, he couldn’t have picked a better time.
Yet if Ivan’s goals gave the final result an air of inevitability, nothing could have been further from the truth. Patrick Bamford was then the right man in the right place to make wonderful goal line clearance when the ball was played over and the goalkeeper left stranded. That Leeds United were attacking at the time only goes to show just what a sweet, sweet afternoon it was turning out to be. How he steered it away from goal rather than in to the unguarded net I still have no idea. Still, that’s their concern.
Besides, a moment or two later they did manage to pull one back. A mess up in a crowded box or, as Mrs Bruzon so succinctly put things, ”A bit of a sorry shambles.” (or words to that effect). Urghh. The lead pegged back to 3-2 and ten minutes to go. It could, maybe should, have been a long and painful limp to the line. It’s Brentford, innit? Instead, the polar opposite was the case.
Within ten seconds of the restart, Bryan Mbeumo had double our lead once more. The desperate pleas for offside from Leeds not factoring in that it has been their own Koch who played him through. After you, Claude…. Meslier left with no chance. The game as good as over.
Then, who else but Wissa to round it off? Another cool finish as he stole the ball to run in on goal and fire it past Meslier. The moment underlined by Peter Gilham bursting into ‘Happy Birthday’ to Wissa as he announced the scorer. Only at Brentford.
It might have been six soon after that but let’s not be greedy. A wonderful afternoon with a wonderful scoreline. Captain Pontus letting everyone – home and away – how he felt about things. About how much a Brentford man he is.
Despite all the goals perhaps the biggest cheer was one reserved for our old friend Keith Stroud getting in on the act as only he can do. Jesse Marsch may have a little back book chock full of former players he can sign up, but his lack of experience at this level was shown by his courting the wrath of Keith.
Woebetide anybody messing around when the card happy official is on duty, let alone in the fourth official role. It takes brave, or naive, man to do that at any time. Let alone with Mr. Stroud having been seen a back door to potential Premier League officialdom opening.
Marsch may well have been incensed by the lack of penalty awarded to Leeds United. Personally, I’m not quite sure how we dodged it but, for once, VAR has gone our way. Move along, nothing to see here.
Yet his constant excursions outside the technical area and harassment of the officials would eventually be his undoing. Mr Stroud bringing the attention of referee Robert Jones to March’s transgressions and a red card was shown. Match of The Day helpfully capturing the moment, with Keith also pointing to the back of the stand from where Marsch had to watch the rest of the game.
The post match debrief and player review is up shortly. Ivan has, of course, grabbed all the headlines but this was such a wonderful team performance that, if anything, only being able to choose another four players from the sixteen used by Thomas was a real challenge. From defence through midfield and infant of goal the tea were magnificent. The first holf hour suggesting a game that really could have gone either way. The Bees twice pulled back to a single goal lead until the advantage was eventually sledge hammered home.
In the end though, despite the heroics from everyone . Despite the cameo from Keith. Despite our own five goals all the headlines will be about one man. Ivan Toney. We know how good he is. Perhaps, finally, Gareth Southgate will be forced to sit up and take notice.
As one final note, huge thanks to all at the club. Our own visit to the South Stand for this one culminated in yet another display of how chilled our own squad is. How down to earth they remain. How much of a family club we still are at heart.
The excitement from our H when he met Wissa and Ben Mee, only matched by his chatting with Bryan at full time.
Likewise, this game even saw another jinx busted. ‘Bring somebody new. Lose the game’ . It has long been a mantra in our group that goes back to League Two days. We always want newcomers to come along for but, at the time, there seemed to be an almost predetermined outcome to what would happen in that situation. Taking the hit for the team and our friends.
Times are different now, of course, but coming from somebody who as recently as last season was luxuriating in the point pulling power of the green jacket, these habits die heard. Especially given my own choice of attire for this one was the equally lucky ‘Gary Blissett Hummel’. As such, to be told pre kickoff by part of the group from Hollywood Bets that, “This is my first Brentford game” the smile on my face was anything but reciprocated internally.
Full time, of course, would turn out to be totally different. A 5-2 win proving that even the most ancient of taboos are no longer, necessarily, relevant in these days of Premier League football *.
That’s it for this one. Sometimes, words aren’t enough. You just have to revel in the moment. Enjoy the memories. Perhaps go and watch Match Of The Day just one more time……
Now bring on Southampton.
* Please note: I still reserve the right to wear the green jacket later this season.
Nick Bruzon
BrentfordFC 