Christian Eriksen IS a Bee. Biggest, ever signing confirmed.

It’s official. My word!! Christian Eriksen is an actual Bee. Brentford official made the much anticipated announcement on Monday morning with the player signing a reported six-month contract. The Denmark international midfielder and former Ajax, Spurs and Inter Milan man goes into the squad and is now, in theory, available for Everton. For Manchester City. For the rest of our first Premier League campaign. If Pontus Jansson was a marquee signing then the acquisition of Eriksen is ten times better. What a way to start a Monday morning.

We’ve been reading the stories for the last fortnight or so. What seemed like the most ludicrous rumour slowly talking shape. Gathering substance. Early last week, a Danish film crew flew over to talk with fans in The Griffin about the possibility of the move coming to fruition. The feeling amongst those of us with an ear to the ground suggesting that, for once, this wasn’t click-bait but actually something with legs.

Then, Sunday evening, Sky Sports were amongst those running a story about how the deal was done. Extensive medical tests passed and personal terms with Brentford agreed. The signing expected to be made later in the week. Exciting news to fall asleep to and then even better to wake up with. At 8am this morning, it happened. The news confirmed. The most remarkable conclusion to the awful, awful events of Euro 2020 officially revealed. For Christian alone, let alone the supporters sure to welcome him with open arms.

The excitement around TW8 palpable. Its’ all anyone has been talking about over the winter break, that brief diversion over the weekend aside (Sergi’s new hairstyle, obv). A signing so contrary to our model that it almost defies belief. 109 caps for Denmark. 36 international goals. An attacking midfielder who is genuinely up there with the very best players in world football. And he’s coming to Brentford. That’s a fact which cannot be overstated enough. It’s simply incredible

One can’t help but think back to what happened over the summer. The raw emotion. The obvious connection. Let’s not pretend it won’t be close to everyone’s minds when he runs out with Brentford for the first time. It’s the instinctive reaction but, equally, we have to put trust in medical science. Not least Christian and his family. In the fact that this wouldn’t be allowed to happen if there was thought to be any chance of risk to the player.

If nothing else, we’ve that huge connection to CRY. Andy Scott retired early whilst we’ll never forget Rob Rowan and remain eternally thankful for his legacy. You can still donate here, btw.

For now, all we can do is look forward with excitement. With lips being licked. Let’s also remember that Christian hasn’t played since the Euros. Is it feasible to expect him to hit the ground running or will it be a cautious reintroduction to first team football? One can only assume the later. Whether Everton is too soon, who knows? Setting up the winner for Ivan at Manchester City, perhaps? Or even bagging it himself?

If nothing else, what does Thomas Frank now do with his midfield? With his entire team? The international power trio of Norgaard, Eriksen and Jensen is one the headline writers will be screaming out for. The core of the Danish midfield now at the centre of ours. Then what of Vitaly and Shandon? Of the imminent return for Josh Dasilva? From looking thinner than the laughs in an average episode of My Family (happy now, Mrs Browns Boys fan?) we’re now stuffed to the gunnels. Spoiled for choice with options that just can’t be met in full. What a lovely problem for Thomas to have. What a way to perhaps push Ivan higher up and focus on doing what he does best. To spare him from having to cover so much of that additional ground.

It was the GPG who nailed it in the build-up last night. All of a sudden, Bradley Walsh becomes only the second most famous person to sign for the Bees.

Sad times for @BradleyWalsh tomorrow when he becomes only the 2nd most famous person to sign for the Bees 😇@ChrisEriksen8 has still to host over 100 episodes to The Chase however🤫 pic.twitter.com/wq4qn4mPul

— Griffin Park Grapevine (Brentford FC) (@bfcgpg) January 30, 2022

Or the third depending on where you put Chris Kamara. One thing’s for sure, this news is unbelievable. Get used to it though. Things have just become very real. The only thing to perhaps eclispe Frank Lampard’s first game in charge of Everton at the weekend may have just happened. One thing’s for sure, the return to training could be fun today.

Now, time to go to the back of the wardrobe and dig out those 96-98 shirts….

Time to get these out once again

Nick Bruzon

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Jamchester United. Bees miss out after storming performance.

What can you say? Brentford went down 3-1 at home to Manchester United in the proverbial game of two halves. The first seeing us utterly dominant. United, apparently the ‘biggest club in world football’ made to look like a bunch of Sunday league part-timers. The only one to emerge with any credit being David De Gea in nets who twice denied Matthias Jensen when it seemed odds on the Danish midfielder would score. The fans were on their feet in anticipation of him burying one of them but, yet again, Thomas Frank must be left wondering whose black cat he has run over. Like Chelsea, a blood and thunder performance saw us thwarted by a ‘keeper at the very top of his game. Christian Norgaard also with the best of the chances in an opening period that saw 6 decent efforts and the memory of our blank at Liverpool nothing more than that. A memory. This was a team reacting at the top of their game. A team breathing in the atmosphere at Lionel Road and then using it to super charge our drive forward.

Bryan was on fire. Matthias too, to be fair. The frustration of inconsistency rearing its head when the ball was lost or the chances spurned. The brilliance of him at his best coming through in patches. Perhaps that’s what the prospect of Josh Dasilva and Christian Eriksen breathing down your neck does. United left looking tattered and one of the worst teams to visit Lionel Road this season. We were that good. They were that bad. De Gea aside. The visitors not even testing Jonas Lössl who had replaced Alvaro Fernandez in goal.

Then , the second half happened. A sloppy first goal conceded with Lössl unsure whether to stick or twist as the ball was played forward and ended up doing neither. A despairing stretch was powerless to stop Elanga heading home. Ronaldo chesting it forward for Fernandes to give his only meaningful contribution of the evening in the build-up to the second. The ball then played through to Mason Greenwood who, despite a suspicion of offside, made no mistake. Marcus Rashford made it three late on.

The goals all well, well taken and the consummate lesson that chances can’t continue to be spurned. United weren’t even close in this game but rode their luck to the max. All we had to show for it was Ivan Toney’s late, late consolation goal. A long throw working for the second time this season. Brentford throwing everything and anything from the kitchen sink to Stephen Pressley’s socks at the United goal but nothing more followed.  

Look positive. This was Manchester Untied we were up against. It was miles improved on Liverpool. We didn’t concede form a corner either. Mads Bech coming in for Kris Ajer looked strong. Ivan is back on the score sheet whilst who didn’t enjoy the sight of Ronaldo’s hissy fit. Trudging off in what the BBC described afterwards as “a ridiculous show of petulance with a slow stroll off, some very obvious muttering and a burst of anger on the bench after he was substituted with 20 minutes left”?

In your own time, Cristiano

A case of ‘And this isn’t Ronaldo territory?’ Frankly, a two headed tortoise would have been quicker leaving the field. The chants of “winker, winker, winker” being directed towards the player showing that he hadn’t been forgiven for his World Cup shenanigans back in 2006. At least, I thank that’s what was being chanted.

Thomas would talk afterwards about how we absolutely destroyed them in the opening period. How he was hugely disappointed not to grab the win against a top team. All true. All true. Feelings felt by the majority of a fanbase who absolutely ripped the roof off Lionel Road. Kudos too, for the West stand breaking in to a chorus of: “Live round the corner. You only live round the corner.”

The deeper dive player review is now up and can be found here. Otherwise, it’s a case of waking up and wondering how we came away empty handed. Of being taught a lesson that opportunities need to be grabbed when they come along. Something Manchester United are still masters at and which they demonstrated three times last night.

So head held high and all that but, at the end of the day Clive, a blank on the points tally. That’s football. All we can do now is bottle if for Wolves and, err, go again.

See you there  

Nick Bruzon