Time for lucky number 7(seven) ? And QPR now have LLLLLLLLLLL.

Stats, eh? With Brentford travelling to Middlesbrough today the Bees need no reminding of recent form against Boro’ since our ascension to the Championship. Over two seasons sharing a division (prior to this campaign) we’ve played 6 Lost 6, including the two-legged play-off semi final in May 2015. Indeed, our only victory against Boro’ away from Griffin Park takes us all the way back to March 1938. And as a warm up to the weekend’s Championship action, we had that footballing Scylla and Charybdis as QPR hosted Fulham in a Friday night fixture where the not so super hoops’ already unenviable statistical record took another turn for the worse.

First up, Brentford and Middlesbrough. With our first victory of the league season coming last weekend at Bolton, there were high hopes for a midweek repeat at home to Derby County. Instead, we had to be content with a point as a persistent Bees team kept going and going until Ollie Watkins finally levelled things up against turgid opponents with just minutes to go. It really was the archetypal demonstration of anti-football and double lane bus parking from Gary Rowett’s Rams who almost performed the ultimate ‘smash and grab’ until Ollie struck on 87. Aided and abetted by hapless referee Andy Davies, his call of full time as Watkins bore down on goal saw the game end in a chorus of boos for the man in black’s performance rather than any recognition of how Brentford had fared.

Ollie – head and shoulders above Derby County (and the ref)

I’m still in two minds about this one. A well , well earned point agasint an outfit who seemed content with strangling the game and reducing it to a tactical stalemate? Or perhaps an element of naivety as we were unable to adapt and, despite a staggering 76 % possession, couldn’t get past a cynical but well drilled side. Perhaps a bit of both, if we’re being honest.

Teams know how to play us but, at the same time, will struggle to get through us. It’s just one defeat in six for the Bees as the pre-weekend mailshot would so proudly announce . Although there are just as many other ways to spin our early season form if you really wanted to scratch beneath the surface.

Me? I’m going for the positive today. The goals against Bolton Wanderers were a masterclass in distance shooting. The levels to which Derby sunk to protect a slender lead show the lengths teams have to take against our battling Bees. Whilst I’d expect Middlesbrough to be far more positive than Derby could this be our time to make it lucky number 7 (seven) after LLLLLL?

Previous games with Boro’ haven’t been the best

They lost against Norwich at The Riverside during the week after a late, late equaliser spared their blushes at Fulham last Saturday. That same never say die spirit as the Bees? Or a team struggling to hit the fantastic heights they attained when our Championship paths have crossed before and now there for the taking? As much as anyone can take anything from Middlesbrough?

For Brentford, Andreas Bjelland looks doubtful following his midweek hamstring injury. That said, Chris Mepham was one of the real positives to emerge form the game against Derby as he replaced the Danish international for his league debut. He looked comfortable and assured alongside Yoann Barbet. Does Dean give him another start or return John Egan to the starting XI ? Sergio Canos is still a big no, sadly, whilst a question mark remains over Lasse Vibe. His experience will be an undoubted boost for a long Bees squad whenever he is fit to return.

Who is available? Who starts? Can Brentford finally take something from Middlesbrough? Nobody gives us a hope with the BBC reporting super Computer SAM as giving us just a 20% hope of victory. Club sponsor LeoVegas are slightly more generous, although its still all relative, offering us at 3-1. In a two horse race. Chuck in that historical record and we’ve nothing to lose. Instead, there’s everything to gain. With no pressure and no expectation on Dean Smith, can he inspire his team to greatness? Roll on 3pm when we find out.

We couldn’t leave without discussing yesterday’s distatesful news. Not UKIP appropriating the Premier League logo with their new graphic. Personally, I think they’ve missed trick if they are going to rip off a lion logo.

UKIP – morons

Yet even worse than that came last night with the game between Fulham and QPR. The aforementioned Scylla and Charybdis. Anything that puts you in mind of Police frontman Sting is never good and this was one of those instances where you could only pray that, somehow, it would be possible for both teams to lose.

Yet if there was a slight preference to sway opinion on this one it was in the statistical. Discussing the weekend football with a Crystal Palce fan (imagine our form against Boro’ condensed into a current season, only with less goals scored) and a Chelsea supporter, the latter mentioned QPR form. Or lack of. It would seem that the Loftus Road mob had lost their last ten games played on a Friday night. A run that would include the games on 28 October 2016 (2-0 to the Bees at Loftus Road) and 30 October 2015 (1-0 to Brentford at Griffin Park).

Well, much as it is distasteful to celebrate a Fulham win, we can at least take solace in the fact that their 2-1 victory in front of the TV cameras saw QPR extend their Friday night record to: LLLLLLLLLLL .

Form so bad I’ve now run out of fingers to count that losing streak.

Friday nights are never good for QPR. Please. Stop sniggering….

Nick Bruzon

Bonus for Bees as Liverpool and Andy Murray need new balls, please

The top of the Championship table locked up that bit closer last night after Bournemouth (whose Eddie Howe was named manager of the month for December) slipped to their second defeat in three January games, this time to Leeds United. All this means that a win for Brentford at Norwich City on Saturday, whilst a big ask, will take us to within two points of the top.

With the Cherries hitting the crossbar with a late penalty (hmm) it was a perhaps unexpected result, being Leeds’ first win in eight games. But whatever the circumstance, even those who blame the Clem like jinx of manager of the month, a Bournemouth defeat only makes the trip to Carrow Road even more interesting than it already was.

The BBC shows how the top eight are pulling away. But can Brentford capitalise ?

It is a trip that will see the Bees bolstered by even more strike power with the news announced yesterday that England under-20 Chris Long has signed on a month’s loan from Everton. Despite not, yet, featuring for their first team this can only be a good thing. Don’t forget, this is the same Everton youth system that has already seen the likes of Jake Bidwell, Adam Forshaw and Conor McAleny make the journey South to Griffin Park.

Chris adds another option up front. Presumably at first, the diminutive striker (5ft6 to 5ft9 depending on where you read) will be used as a change over for Andre Gray. However, being a traditionalist I’m not averse to seeing two men up top and so it is nice to have another chance to mix things up, if needed.

Not only does Chris offer goals but, like Alan Judge, he comes a gift wrapped headline writers dream. I’m already looking forward to Brentford scoring with “A Long shot from two yards out”. Although we’ll happily take one from any distance.

Chris Long – the signing shirt was in evidence yesterday

And being the traditionalist that I am, I was somewhat upset at a missed opportunity last night. Not Sky’s decision to show Everton’s neighbours, Liverpool, in Capital One Cup action against Chelsea rather than the Bournemouth game but, instead, their review of the action in the 10pm newsreel on Sky Sports News.

Don’t get me wrong, I generally love this service although my patience has been tested in recent weeks by the oversize ‘on demand’ logo that continually flashes away on the giant screens behind our hosts’ shoulder. Something as unsightly and distracting as a Steve Evans touchline rant.

However, the show began last night with the Liverpool highlights and an observation that, “The yellow ball was used because of light snow”.

Yellow? Because of snow? Surely it is the universal law of football that snowy conditions = orange ball?

And, whilst the neon yellow monstrosity seems to have become the de facto ball of choice in the winter months, surely it wouldn’t be that hard to honour one football staple that seems to have all but died a death?

Still, one place where yellow balls are to be expected is on the tennis court. So we finish today with a look at a feature being run on the website of the The Guardian newspaper, encouraging readers to design a new logo for Andy Murray. Specifically to honour the 77 years between his Wimbledon victory and the previous British winner.

It isn’t too late to enter and if you’d like “to capture his energy and spirit whilst subtly referencing his affinity with the number 77” (their words) you’ve got a week left to do it here. However, I’d suggest this is one design that, much like British tennis players, probably won’t be appearing on centre court any time soon.

Liverpool may have dropped their balls last night but at least The Guardian readers are grabbing them with relish.

Not appearing on centre court any time soon?

Verdict on the new Brentford shirt

After months of waiting, the new Brentford kit has finally been revealed to an expectant support. The clubsite has the full story and front/back shots, which you can see here.

My own thoughts are that the shirt is a winner. Thick red/white stripes (and on the reverse, too) offset with that traditional black trim. Being honest, the red shoulders looked a little bizarre on the ‘official’ picture but the subsequent ‘email flyer’ I received put those in a much better light and, dare I say it, I quite like them.

The shirt as seen on the promotional email

My only real disappointment is the lack of any 125^th anniversary badge, which I was sure we had been promised earlier in the year. In retrospect, the article from the time (Feb 16^th, to be precise) said : “A variation of the first badge will be on Brentford FC shirts next season, subject to Football League approval.”

I can only guess that approval was never granted. A shame, and moreso given our former chairman Greg Dyke is the head of the FA. Surely he could have exerted some influence? The 100 years were marked by use of the ‘funky bee’ so I had high hopes our original badge may have appeared this time around

It is a pity but I won’t let it ruin what is still a great Bees shirt. I’ll certainly be emptying the piggy bank to line up at the club shop when these go on general sale.

Now, who’s got the news on the away shirt….?

As the ‘Funky Bee’ was good enough for 100 years, I had hopes we’d go one better for 125