Brentford host Newcastle United this Sunday, looking to end the season in style and with the memory of Saturday at Bournemouth still strong. Ethan Pinnock has since been named supporter’s player of the year whilst there are also, perhaps, a few scores to settle from earlier in the season.
Gordon’s A-dive
As ever at this point, we look to what lies ahead in the big-match preview. Which is now online, here.
Enjoy
Nick Bruzon
Brentford returned from the South Coast with three more points in the back pocket. Bournemouth beaten and now looking forward to the visit from Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon. Most impressively, the Bees winning in Blue for the first tine in two years – at the final time of asking.
As ever at this point we look to the main talking points in the game. Who shone for Brentford? Who might make the starting XI against Newcastle. WAs anyone already on the beach – Bournemouth or otherwise?
And as ever, we look to all of this in the post match debrief and player ratings article which is online now.
Enjoy
Nick Bruzon
A 2-1 win for Brentford at Bournemouth one which was as notable for the fact it was done in ‘that’ shirt as it was 0-0 with just a few minutes of regulation time remaining. Next up, the campaign comes to a close with the visit of a Newcastle United side still chasing European places.
All that’s to come, of course. In the short term we look back to the Bournemouth game. Who was star player? Who could be in with a chance of starting against Newcastle? Is there any change to the top position in our game y game look at the overall player of the season?
As ever, we look to all of this in the post match debrief and player ratings article which is online now.
Enjoy.
Nick Bruzon
The weekend just gone had it all. Brentford doing that thing we’ll never talk of again, Manchester City winning again and Sheffield United being leap frogged at the bottom as a result of their 0-8 home defeat. Newcastle United inflicting a scoreline that went beyond those legendary brackets we love so much.
It got me thinking about brackets (and their correct usage) aswell as those other more unusual things that can happen in a game of football.
So much so that we’ve used the latest of our broader looks at the beautiful game to pick out the top five of the absurd. From Pat Jennings (kicking, not hair) to what happens when the weather goes rogue.
You can read the top five here in our weekly catch up…..
Oh, joy. As if the game at Newcastle United on Saturday couldn’t have been more frustrating for Brentford (you can catch up on the post match debrief and player ratings, here), it was confirmed yesterday that Rico Henry will be out from the Everton game this weekend until who knows when. Head of medical Neil Greig told ‘official’ yesterday that as a result of a serious knee injury “Rico will require surgery in the next week or so and, unfortunately, a prolonged period of recovery”.
The day before, the GPG (quick off the mark and on the money, as ever) had already published a post saying that it was an ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) injury. As we’ve seen so many times before, that’s not the sort of thing you can just jog off with five minutes on the anti-gravity treadmill. Their take being Rico is out all season and given the nature of these things, in conjunction with Neil’s subsequent update, don’t be hoping for any miracle cures. That’s for sure.
It is a huge blow for Rico. He’s been in the form of his life and only Gareth Southgate knows why he still hasn’t been called up for the England squad. Sadly, that’s an aspiration that will now need to wait until next season and, being realistic, a different manager at national level. Short of a remarkable performance at the Euros next summer, I’m sure there’ll be a change at the top by the time season 24/25 kicks off
England is another subject for another day. For now, the focus is all on Rico and The Bees. The entire Brentford family of course wishes him well. The outpouring of love and best wishes on social media has been a prodigious one. Now, we are in the hands of the medical experts and a lot of crossed fingers. One thing’s for sure, Rico will be determined as can be to get back to action as quickly as possible.
To a lesser extent, we’ve also had the return of the doom-mongers. It’s been a while since a good old-fashioned ‘Frank Out’ campaign and whilst that is, thankfully, a thing of the past if you were to believe what some of the experts amongst us are saying, we’re now closer to a return to the Championship than pushing for the top half of the table.
As usual, it’s bollocks. That’s the technical term. Only a fool would say we were stronger without Rico than with. I can’t deny that and wouldn’t attempt to patronise anybody by suggesting otherwise. He’s that rare breed of dynamic, pacy left sided player that is so hard to come by. We’ve been spoiled rotten in being able to hang on to somebody who has now become our longest serving player but now we have to do what we always do. We have to adapt.
Anybody watching Brentford for the last ten years or so will have seen the change . Seen threadbare squads slowly replaced to become sides brimming with talent, household names and international calibre. Sides capable of reaching the upper echelons of the Premier League rather than bumbling around the middle of League One (or lower).
Whilst our philosophy has been one of shrewd recruitment and promotion from within, we are not at the stage where we have two world class players challenging for every spot. Far from it. We never have done. Instead, we remain dynamic. We adapt. We don’t attempt to spend our way out of trouble. Besides, with the window being closed we couldn’t do that. Even if we wanted to
The solution seems an obvious one. Aaron Hickey will occupy the left sided position he has filled so many times prior to joining Brentford. Mads Roerslev or Kris Ajer will play on the right.
Personally speaking, I’d go for Mads. He’s absolutely one of our unsung heroes and if there is any silver lining can be taken from this most heavy of dark clouds, it is that he may well get a prolonged run in the side rather than cameos from the bench. Assuming, of course, Thomas doesn’t prefer Kris. That first team announcement at 4.31pm on Saturday for the visit of Everton is going to be one of the most discussed in some time.
I’ve seen the moaners (and many of the old ‘Frank out’ brigade) saying that Aaron had a bad performance on the pre-season tour of the USA. That he was at fault for the penalty at Newcastle on Saturday. That Wissa couldn’t hit a barn door with a barn door. That Flekken has looked awful.
With complete respect, we all know that pre-season counts for naff all. That the tournament in the USA was a horror show on pitch all round, for most clubs. Did anybody come out of it looking better than last season for Brentford? No – nobody did. Nobody cared.
Overseas friendlies whilst players are covering from their hols and regaining full fitness are nothing more than glorified training run outs. Nothing else and nothing to take any realistic yardstick from.
Wissa isn’t England international Ivan Toney but who is? Aaron isn’t Rico Henry but who is? Mark Flekken isn’t David Raya – a player who had four seasons to grow and learn with his Brentford defence. To get used to each other. He’s played five games for us and is already shaping up to be a quite wonderful shot stopper from close range. He’s played the two games for the Netherlands in the most recent international break and will only get stronger and stronger. My word, I saw somebody calling for Alvaro Fernandez during the week. Not a typo.
These are all class players. These are all our players. Human nature is such that we’ll always miss those that have moved on. Certain people will always fall on the odd things that the ‘replacement’ does wrong so much easier than everything they do right.
Remember the absolute hounding that Mathias Jensen used to get from so many? Sergi Canos too. Look what they’ve both achieved under Thomas and his coaching staff.
We’re now in a trust exercise where we’ve lost arguably our three biggest players for a variety of reasons. Rico will be back. Ivan can play again in January. Mark Flekken has every potential to become a Brentford legend. Goalkeeper of all the positions is the hardest to fill whilst only Wojciech Szczęsny comes close to David Raya as our best ever.
Until then, it is as much as to how Brentford adapt to the latest blow. After so long in the lower leagues we are now suffering from true first world problems. The priority is Rico’s recovery. After that, anything else is BAU. Is our squad doing what it always does. Adapting and Winning. Players taking on new roles. If you haven’t worked this out about Thomas and the team yet, then get back under that rock.
For what it’s worth, we’ll be just fine.
Nick Bruzon
Newcastle United 1 Brentford 0. A game where the visitors created, arguably, the better chances but where the teams were eventually decided by a dubious penalty awarded after Anthony Gordon was ‘fouled’. Hmmmm. The former Everton man going down like a sack of spuds whilst making no attempt to play the ball. Instead, prefering to turn his back on Mark Flekken and leave a leg dangling before performing an homage to Tom Daley.
As ever at this point, we catch up on the main talking points and look at our top five. Likewise, examine what this may mean for the visit of Everton next week.
You can find it all here in the post match debrief and player review.
Nick Bruzon
Brentford travel to Newcastle United on Saturday evening for a game that is as big as it comes for The Bees. Then again, aren’t they always at this level?
With as much of the talk about the return of Neal Maupay to West London, could he put in an appearance? Will Thomas rejig his defence? Could the Bees maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign.
My take on this is in the big match preview, which can be found here.
For those who prefer their football looking at all things England, thoughts on the current situation are online here.
Whichever you go for, enjoy…
Saturday’s 2-2 draw between Brentford and Bournemouth, a result which sees The Bees sitting eighth in the Premier League table heading in to the international break. At the same time Thomas Frank’s unbeaten side must be wondering how they failed to put this one to bed after taking an early lead and then creating chance after chance. With the trip to Newcastle United next up, turning the screws when the opportunity presents will be crucial.
As ever, we use the post match period to look at who made our top five. Who was star performer and who might be in with a chance of making the team for that Newcastle game (whether any supporters will be able to get home from that one another story for another day……).
You can see it all here, in the Brentford – Bournemouth top five and post match debrief.
A rare home defeat for Brentford. Newcastle United 2-1 winners in a game dominated by VAR and dark arts. Lucky mascot ‘Grandad’ (see last column) unable to inspire The Bees.
As ever at this juncture, we look to see who shone for Brentford. Who was star player and who made up the rest of our top five. Has there ben any change in the season long race to find our top performer etc etc.
And as ever, you can find the answers here in our post match debrief and top five player ratings article….
Brentford host Newcastle United on Saturday afternoon with the sole aim of getting back to winning ways after the midweek reverse at Manchester United. A cautious opening at Old Trafford saw The Bees on the back foot and, despite our cranking things somewhat with a procession of second-half substitutes, there way no way through. Anybody wanting the deeper dive on that one (and, if nothing else, the race to find our season long ’top five’ is becoming tighter than ever) can do so here.
So, to today’s business. The game at Manchester United has been and gone. There’s no further dwelling on it. Instead, Newcastle United present the next barrier to Brentford and possible European qualification. The Champions’ League is now 10 points away and whilst I’m very much the glass half-full type, short term focus rather than longer term dreaming is probably the way to go. Focus on the task immediately at hand and let the points do their own thing.
It’s going to be a fascinating battle, that’s for sure. Newcastle are even higher up the table than Brentford and after four wins on the bounce will be looking to nail down a top three place. The’ve only conceded 20 goals all campaign whilst at the other end who could forget how they stuck five past us in the earlier season reverse at St. James’ Park?
£63m striker Aleksander Isak is on fire. Leading the line in a team Thomas Frank described in the build up as “Energetic, pressing, physical and dynamic.” Who said money can’t buy you happiness? Regular readers can, at least, take comfort in the fact that yours truly – the Jonah of Fantasy Football – has picked him in my online team.
Ivan and Bryan leading the charge against the divisions’ stingiest defence. Their challenge to find a way though what Thomas called. “A very well drilled and well picked back five,“ adding that “It looks like they’ve played together forever; they are always in the right positions and they are very good in the duels”.
All true, of course. A record that speaks for itself. Yet, at the same time, what a line up to prove yourself against. What a personal challenge for Ivan Toney who, if nothing else, once got five minutes of Premier League action for Newcastle United back in 2015 after coming on for Aleksander Mitrovic against Chelsea. What price would he worth to them now? Toney, not Mitrovic. The Serbian, of course, currently serving an 8 match ban.
Still, Ivan’s not for sale. Nor is David Raya (although picking up the signing pen wouldn’t go amiss, one can dream…..). If Newcastle’s defence is stingy then ours isn’t too shabby. Only 7(seven) clubs have conceded less this season and if it hadn’t been for the aforementioned reverse fixture, that record would be even better. Wednesday night’s reverse was only our second in 17 games. Ethan Pinnock and Ben Mee have been as colossal a centre back pairing as we have ever had the luxury of enjoying. Captain Pontus Jansson now fit again and returning alongside them to a 3 man defence accompanied by the flying wing backs.
Will there be changes in midfield? Vitaly Janelt is reportedly in contention although whether he will have to make do with a place on the bench remains to be seen. The only thing we can say for sure is that this game is about as big is it comes for both sides at this point in the season. With places in Europe up for grabs and a Premier League table that is as fluid as any I can recall in living memory, every point counts. Every win something to be appreciated for all its worth.
Looking a bit further afield, in the Championship it was a very Good Friday from some respects. The Loftus Road mob lost, again, and are falling apart in a style that makes Leeds United look like amateurs. From looking like they were on track for the Premier League back in October, now they are one place and one point above the relegation trapdoor. The prospect of all four West London clubs playing top flight football seems as far apart as ever.
Whilst we wouldn’t normally look at the Championship in these pages, there was other significant news on Friday. Namely, Burnley making an immediate return to the Premier League. Congratulations, of course, are the first order of the day. If to nobody else, then their own commentary team after that quite wonderful meltdown in our first top flight campaign. Here’s to more of the same next season.
Finally, if anybody is in The Griffin prior to kick off then please come along and say hello to Grandad, who will be coming to his first Premier league football match. He’s recovering from major surgery after takin a recent fall but the glue is holding well.
Grandad, for those who listen to Absolute Radio, not being a flesh and blood relative but, rather, the official mascot of Bush and Richie on their Hometime Show. For reasons too convoluted to share in one paragraph, he’s now in our care for the Bank Holiday weekend and being photographed in all the best places, and with the best people, that West London has to offer.
Until then, here’s to kick off. This game’s going to be huge and I can’t wait. See you there.
Nick Bruzon
BrentfordFC 