Did Swansea help Brentford? Who would you pick?

Brentford fans are waking up to a table that sees us back in third place prior to this afternoon’s game at Middlesbrough but with the door to ‘automatic’ opened that little bit wider following a 2-0  win for Swansea City over Norwich City last night. The current state of the table sees us sitting two points behind the Swans and four behind the Canaries, albeit with one and two games in hand respectively. The right results in those outstanding fixtures speak for themselves but before we get carried away and look to Wednesday’s visit to fourth placed Reading, focus has to be on the current state of play.

Cripes, last night was interesting. There was no real preference as to the result. Win, lose or draw  – any combination could have been construed to have a positive benefit for Brentford. Instead, it was simply a case of sitting back to see how Swansea would fare against another set of promotion seeking opponents. We all saw their WWE approach the other week as they salvaged a point against the Bees – last night was much more positive. Dominating possession and attempting to play football. A first goal that would have been embarrassing had it been conceded by a team of under 7(seven)s, let alone the Championship leaders. Norwich with half a dozen men between Andre Ayew and the goal line yet none able to get in the way of his effort following a butter fingers moment from Tim Krul. How nice to see Ayew doing what we all know he can rather than writhing around on the floor like a fish out of water. 

We got the ‘good’ Ayew last night

Conor Hourihane’s doubling of the lead a splendid second half effort that left Krul no chance and Norwich dead on their feet. If anybody in TW8 thinks Steve Cooper’s team are punching above their weight, or just punching, then think again. They were brutal. In the best sense. The win thoroughly deserved and one which never really felt in doubt. Certainly, to the casual onlooker.  

Whilst it is a victory that means Swansea have overtaken us, the psychological advantage of now having Norwich in genuine catching distance cannot be under estimated. Both in positives for us, should we win today (no small feat, of course) and negatives for them should we be able to heap even further pressure on a team who have looked so, so comfortable and in control of the table for so, so long this season. Just look at how, historically, Leeds United have fallen apart. Again and again. Three points for Brentford at the Riverside could be the catalyst for a similar level of stress to be applied.

Three points. It sounds so simple. In theory. This one is going to be about as tough as they come though. For Middlesbrough, their own chance to enter the play-off race is an opportunity sitting up and waiting to be taken. Bournemouth have hit the skids big time and a recent record of LLLL sees them now just two points ahead of Neil Warnock’s team. If we think we have incentive to get the win then let’s not be blind to that which is offered up to our hosts. Yet, for Brentford there is that own unbeaten run. The positivity coursing through the team immense. The bounce back against Bristol City midweek nothing short of magnificent. This, without Josh Dasilva whom one would imagine is match fit again for the afternoon game.

Tariqe Fosu was immense. Sergi Canos brilliant. Let’s not forget, either, only 13 players have scored more Championship goals this season than the Spaniard. Ivan Toney was, well, just Ivan Toney. A goal machine on legs. Finishing and confidence to match the very best we’ve ever had. A player who has not only filled the shoes of Ollie Watkins but, if anything, outgrown them already.

We’ve been blessed in recent years but you have to put this down to the directors of football and the vision of Matthew Benham. Honestly, if you could pick one out of Toney, Watkins or Maupay who would it be? There are no wrong answers here and I think we’d happily settle on any of them. Different personalities, different approaches but all able to find the back of the net with aplomb. If he carries on at this rate, Ivan has the potential to be the very best of the bunch.

Oh ambassador. With these strikers you are really spoiling us

For me, Clive, the return of Josh Dasilva will be huge. He really is one of those ‘first name on the team sheet’ type players. I still find it amazing we got him for nothing. How Arsenal must be regretting their decision to let him go as he has developed his own game and ability at a quite phenomenal pace. What price now on him? Then again you could say the same about Rico Henry. About Ethan Pinnock. About David Raya. About Vitaly Janelt who already feels like part of the furniture despite this only being his first season. No time needed to settle in – he’s hit the ground running. Henrik Dalsgaard, the World Cup’s Henrik Dalsgaard, getting on about his business. A phenomenal engine up the right and a rock solid presence at the back. Cripes, this team is ridiculously strong on their day. That’s before you even factor in the next generation coming off the bench.

I am confident. Not in expecting victory – nothing is guaranteed in this game – but in knowing just how immense this team is when everything fires. When our top, top players do their thing. A game with Middlesbrough used to be a thing for Brentford fans to fear. A guaranteed defeat as our start to Championship life saw them beat us again and again and again. Not even the threat of a draw.

Middlesbrough used to be untouchable back in the day

Yet with that monkey now well and truly despatched, we can look at this fixture as just another game. Albeit against a team with their own huge carrot being dangled. I’ve just got a feeling that Brentford, and Ivan’s, will be bigger. 

Kick off is at 3pm. Its on ifollow, as ever. See you there. In spirit if not body. The couch, and there lucky socks, await…..   

Nick Bruzon

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Away win? What’s the fuss about? Easy!

That’s one jinx well and truly laid to rest. Not just last season’s awful away record but, it would be fair to say, Middlesbrough have had the psychological advantage over Brentford since our paths crossed in the Championship. Of course, The Bees ended that one in some style, and a rare three points, with a 2-1 win at the Riverside a few months back. Fast forward and we’ve done it again. Three more points on the road against our one time nemesis in what was almost a mirror of last Saturday’s visit from Birmingham City. Domination from the home team that should have seen them out of sight before being caught out and then unable to get back in to the game. This time, though, the architect of victory was the the ever enthusiastic Sergi Canos who did magnificent work down the flank to serve it up Ollie Watkins, yards out from the goal. He needed no second chance and that was it. 1-0. Game over. And elsewhere, have you got anyone from Aston Vila or Brighton in your Fantasy Football team as yet?

Not my words etc….

Whilst we don’t do full-fat match reports on these pages anyway, I wasn’t at this one due to a prior family commitment in a gale on the South coast. However, what has become evident from the mid-match messages being received, intermittent Twitter updates when the 3G was in the right spot and a subsequent watch of the highlights is that Jonathan Woodgate’s Middlesbrough (TM) are likely to be fuming over their cornflakes this morning. Two disallowed first half (handball and offside) were marginal as David Raya was on hand, with the woodwork, to keep them out after the home team opened the game in rampant form. Sound familiar? As the shot count ranked up in their favour to our nil, it had the fetid whiff of Birmingham City all over it.

Even official would take to Twitter at half time to declare: “We’ll be happy to get into the break on level terms after a disjointed opening 45 minutes on Teeside.”  

Few could disagree but football is a game played out over 90 minutes. A game of taking the opportunities when you can. As Thomas Frank’s unchanged team started to find a way in to the game during the second half we did wonder if something might happen . And then it did…

WATKINS…. read the text message. This was either really delayed news coming through about his recent contract extension or something even better. The internet signal couldn’t be that bad? Could it?

We’d been following the game together in a cafe and when that one flashed up on the phone it was enough to make a bored 6 year old leap up from the swivel chair he’d been practicing his Blofeld ‘reveal’ in – albeit, I’d been unable to persuade him that uttering the words, “I’ve been expecting you” was a really cool thing to do – to see what the fuss was about.

Goal, was the answer. And from there followed as anxious a countdown for the final half hour, and five minutes of injury time, as has ever been squirmed through. It can be tense enough at a game but when you are out of touch with nothing but a flaky Phone reception and trusted friends to keep you abreast of proceedings, it’s tough. Yet by all accounts, like Birmingham the week before the Bees really snuffed out the hosts and made the denouement a comfortable one. Perhaps. I’ll never know but I’ll also take those three points all day long.

Ultimately, it was a conversation between Harry (6) and Mrs. Bruzon as we watched the highlights together later that evening which summed it all up:

Rachel: Blimey. It’s all Middlesbrough.

Harry: But mummy, WE got the only goal.

Captain Pontus Jansson had taken to Twitter before the game where he declared: Such an important decision. Will be really important for us the coming years! Let’s go Ollie.

Spot on, Pontus. It was a comment borne out during the game and cemented afterwards by Sergi:  “Who needs a striker? Myyyyyyy guy OLLIE WATKINS!!!! “

True enough, although hats off to Brighton who of course have signed the aforementioned missing striker. Their own 3-0 win on the road at Watford was rounded off with a goal from none other than Neal Maupay. What a start to his top flight career. Now our paths have gone in separate directions but we’ll survive. I’ll take the FPL points c/o Neal and, more importantly, the Championship points c/o Brentford.

For all that yesterday made me smile a lot on the footballing front, it was one comment just prior to the Spurs – Aston Villa game that really showed why it has been such a special few days,

OH Fuffuxake! On Twitter (aka @TheChauffeur) noting : They just announced the Vila team. Benrahma must be on the bench.

Whilst Neal did the Fantasy Football business for Brighton, Dean Smith didn’t use Ezri Konsa and Jota had to wait for a hour before getting on the pitch as a 1-0 lead turned into a 3-1 defeat at the death. For me, there was as much interest in the post match interviews in this one. Would Dean trot out the standard line about his team deserving to win after going down to the Champions League finalists ? Well, “The better team won on the day….” he noted before continuing with “in the second half”.

Oh Dean. You are great. I loved his tenure at Griffin Park and, like Neal, was sad to see him go. That’s football. Players and coaches move on. It’s how you adjust to it that’s important. As we saw yesterday.  

The view into Harry’s room this morning whilst he sleeps. That was him. Thanks Sergi & Ollie.

Nick Bruzon

And still they come. Double bonus ahead of the weekend action.

The transfer window that keeps on giving keeps on giving. Despite inward business having been officially concluded for the summer, Brentford fans were given a double bonus on Friday ahead of the trip to Middlesbrough. Ollie Watkins has signed a contract extension that will keep him at Lionel Road until 2023 whilst the heavily touted story in regards to Turkish youth international Halil Dervişoğlu coming in from Sparta Rotterdam was confirmed. He has signed a pre-contract and similar to Emiliano Marcondes before him, will join the club in January. These are stories that put paid to the Crystal Palace rumours whilst further strengthen the attacking options available to Thomas Frank.

These are both exciting and important bits of news for Brentford fans. Ollie, in particular, given how important and highly sought after the player has become. Aswell as the Crystal Palace stories there were those linking him to Spurs last season and, whilst we normally give rumours a wide berth on these pages, the fact that our players are being talked up is both a worry and a compliment. Now he is ours once more.

What a way to announce the news, too. With season ticket holders and club members being told to check their email accounts where we got the exclusive on the story first. I have to be honest, that when I saw the preview on Twitter, telling fans to check their in-boxes accompanied by the picture of a 2023 shirt, part of me did think it might be a delay to Lionel Road. But no. It was good news. Great news. Wonderful news. Off the back of Saïd Benrahma revealing his new number 10 shirt and accompanying hashtag the day before, Bees fans are really buzzing. Hats off to the club, too, for choosing this method to share a bot of extra joy with the supporters.

Then there’s the news about Halil. One thing our Directors of Football have got on lock down is talent acquisition. Nobody could deny that in recent seasons as the much derided (outside of Griffin Park)  ‘model’ has paid dividends time and again. Now we’ve made our latest swoop for an attacker who did the business helping Sparta win second tier promotion through the play-offs (not a typo). 

Beyond that, I’m in the dark. I’m not going to pretend that Halil is a player I’m overly familiar with. Then again, it was a case of Saïd who? Neal what now? And look at how that all turned out.Have the DoFs done it again? I can’t wait for January when we find out, although let’s not wish it away too soon. Brentford have the trip to Middlesbrough today where Thomas will surely be looking for three points after starting like a runaway train against Birmingham City last weekend yet somehow coming away with nothing. Curse that woodwork. Curse great goalkeeping. On another day we could have had a hatful.

Still, as B*Witched once sang, c’est la vie. Sometimes you just don’t get the breaks. As long as we don’t get sucked into the ‘deserved to win’ mentality then play like that opening period once more and we’ll be just fine. Jonathan Woodgate’s Middlesbrough (TM) had a tough opener in front of the TV cameras last Friday at Luton Town. That one finished 3-3 in a game marked by defensive lapses and a penalty miss from Britt Assombalonga to match some of our most glaring from the likes of Yoann Barbet or number 26 (ahh, who could forget that ill-fated dead ball experiment?).

There are now options available the likes of which we’ve not seen in a long time. Saïd is definitely not ready to play, sadly, whilst Thomas is sweating on international clearance for Bryan Mbeumo coming through. Not that I can imagine him overly stressing – at least in public. He’s calm, confident and in control. Never flustered. Perhaps a bit of directional clapping, exhorting his troops to do what they have practiced on the training ground but that’s about as far as he needs to go normally.

Don’t expect too many changes from last week, except perhaps on the bench. I have no doubt everybody will want a second bite of the cherry following a performance where there is nothing but incredulity at finishing the game empty handed.

But that’s how football works. Amazing play is great as long as the ball finds the back of the net. It didn’t last week but now we’ve got the chance to put things right. And I can’t wait.

Until then, here’s B*Witched….

 

Nick Bruzon

Sterile Boro’ beaten by Frank’s Jaffas. Matthew beats all comers on Twitter.

One down, two to go. Brentford kicked off a potential season defining fortnight of games against promotion chasing sides with an emphatic 2-1 win over Middlesbrough. An own goal from Ryan Shotton (cheers) and a quite wonderful effort from man-of-the-moment Saïd Benrahma secured the points after Sergi Canos had also hit the crossbar aswell as having one chalked off by the officials. See also: Neal Maupay. All of a sudden the gap to ‘that’ zone in the table has closed to six points with an additional game on our rivals. Whilst points in the bag are better than games in hand, with the trip to Sheffield United and then the visit from now managerless West Bromwich Albion next up, destiny is very much in our control as the season builds to an intriguing denouement. 

Sky cameras capture the winning moment

Where to even start with this one, though? It seems to be the perennial question as Thomas Frank and Brentford continue to astound the critics. And the fans. Honestly, who amongst us thought a win was on the cards yesterday? As much given the miserly defence of our hosts, the previous record against Middlesbrough or simply the fact that we were turning out in our beloved brown /orange away kit?

For the record – and I am going milk this one given the general amount of p*ss poor punditry on these pages – yours truly did note prior to kick off that: “Firstly, past form counts for nothing. Brentford may not have beaten Boro’ since our paths have crossed in this division but that was then and this is now. Players change and the squad we have now is not the one it was then. Results from seasons gone by count for nothing more than statistical niceties / horror shows (delete as applicable). Believing they are anything more is akin to suggesting that the colour of our away kit dictates performance. Jinx shirts? Never heard such nonsense.”

Those fortunate enough to be present were witness to a game where, for once, the results were born out in the stats that showed the Bees ending this one with 63% possession.

It’s not a figure I generally hold any credence with. If for no other reason one then get’s drawn into the Dean Smith ’deserved to win’ mentality when results don’t go the way you think. Balls in the back of the net are what count but at the same time, it’s always great to see domination rewarded. Moreso with Julian Jeanvier having to be replaced during the warm up ( I think that’s the third time we’ve suffered a player being subbed pre kick-off  in 2018/19  – hmm…) and then having gone a goal down within minutes of kick off. That, after Ashley Fletcher had capitalised on a defensive faux-pas to make it seem as though normal service would be resuming.

But there was to be no laying down by the Riverside. Quite the opposite. That confidence at home became more and more evident on the road as Brentford attacked with flare and continued the neat pass and move game that has become synonymous with Thomas Frank’s team. Eventually, the pressure told.

First up, the World Cup’s Henrik Dalsgaard ™ of Brentford caught George Saville with his pants down and fired in a shot that the aforementioned Shotton could only steer home. It’s always nice to get one over the ex and with Saville caught short, it was 1-1 with 70 on the clock.

Yet things got better. That man Benrahma continued his current hot streak with a contender for the March goal of the month competition. He started the move that saw Romaine Sawyers play a  sublime ball through the hapless Saville and football Friend. The World Cup’s Henrik etc etc etc squaring it back from the touchline to find the onrushing Benrahma as the Algerian raced onto the ball to guide it home. What a strike! What a move. He’s already in the running for February’s award (and there is still time to vote) but could already have a contender for March. As my good friends at Beesotted put it so wonderfully…. 

What a fucking goal!!!!!!

— Beesotted Brentford (@Beesotted) March 9, 2019

This is Brentford though. We don’t do easy. And sure enough, the substitution of goalkeeper Daniel Bentley (shoulder) with just under a quarter hour to go saw Icelandic youth international Patrik Gunnarsson make his first team debut. What a time and place to do it. What pressure for the 18 year old. Moreso with a buttock clenching 7(seven) minutes of storage time added at the death. 

Yet this is also Brentford, where there is nothing but confidence in what we do. Where Thomas Frank brought on Marcondes for Canos late on rather than try to close out the game. It was a move akin to the one he did against QPR and helped bring about the same outcome – three more points for the Bees. It was a level of confidence shown in our entire set up that was rewarded most wonderful. For me, Lars Friis nailed it at full time, as he tweeted:

Today Rob would have been proud…not only for the away win…but also for a squad with four players with B Team history….long term thinking…love it🐝@BrentfordFC https://t.co/kOMAteBNnf

— Lars Friis (@larsfriis7) March 9, 2019

There was as much to be read in comments after the game to show you just what a job we’d done. There was a welcome return on social media for the phrase #TeamsLikeBrentford . That most magnificent of exclamations as alleged ‘big club’ come unstuck against ‘little’ Brentford. I guess it’s been a while coming from Boro’ given our singular inability to beat them since paths have crossed but, like proverbial revenge, a dish very much best served cold. 

Middlesbrough legend Bernie Slaven was full of expectation going into this one but was brought down to earth with a bump at full time. His pre kick off tweet of: “Good Luck to Boro today against Brentford, No excuses  this lot have only had 1 away victory.” had to be considered somewhat at full time. On the plus side, he was magnanimous enough to admit “Majorly disappointing display + result from the Boro this afternoon – Brentford zipped the ball around with accuracy + intent and deserved  all 3 points.”

Unlike Tony Pulis – outplayed and somewhat out of he’s depth in the post match analysis where he moaned that, “We got off to a great start, then we should have had a penalty – one of three definite penalties…..Refs have to get those decisions right and how he’s got that wrong I don’t know. He has a clear view and that’s three definite penalties in a home game and we didn’t get any.”

Awww. It’s Leeds United all over again. Still, That’s Pulis’s issue to get over. Brentford showed the never say die style that has epitomised performances since Christmas. That freedom to play football without fear of defeat or making mistakes (albeit, we’ll pretend Sheffield Wednesday never happened). Of having a head coach who enthuses confidence, to the point of making attacking substitutions in the final few minutes rather than attempt to hang on to slender leads. Contrast that to Pulis who pulled off Assombalonga at 1-0 up, removed their threat and ended up paying the ultimate price.

Next up is Sheffield United away. John Egan, Jack O’Connell and Scott Hogan all started The Blades 2-0 defeat of Rotherham United yesterday. Simon Moore was on the bench. Better the devil you know or a game that will be as tough as they come? Who cares. After the Boro’ performance, I’d fancy us to beat anyone. Jaffa cake kit or otherwise.

The spirit in our camp is stunning. We’ve seen the smiles on the players faces after home games. Thomas embracing the crowd at full time. Now that has been translated to about as big an away performance as they come. The highlights are up on Sky and deserve to be enjoyed. Even Matthew Benham is in fine form, deploying the 🎣 emoji in fine style as the subject of seat colours joking with supporters about, amongst other things, the seat colours at Lionel Road….

I can’t top that. Roll on Tuesday…

Nick Bruzon

 

7(seven) and out. Bees keep flying as Blues and Eagles have wings clipped.

It was all about lucky number 7(seven) yesterday. Or not so lucky for some. Brentford finally laid that Middlesbrough hoodoo to rest, Birmingham City came oh-so close to being on the wrong end of a bracketing whilst as for Crystal Palace. Well… With Matthew Benham’s comments on Tuesday night about moaners still fresh in our ears, anybody not overly happy with the Bees may want to look towards Selhurst Park.

But we can only start at the Riverside where the Bees took a first ever Championship point off Middlesbrough after those well documented six, straight losses. Arguably, we could well have returned South with all three. Hats off to the 332 supporters who made the long shlep up to the Riverside. Oh to have had the opportunity to be amongst them. Instead, it was their social media updates, commentary and the Sky Sports scrolly thing for those all important goal scores.

What can you say? Wow. 2-2 and genuine disappointment not to have got the win seem to be the order of the day. Chris Mepham followed up his midweek appearance with a full 90 minutes alongside opening goal scorer Yoann Barbet. The common consensus was of another rock solid performance and a potential star in the making. If they’re good enough, they’re old enough (or whatever the phrase is). What could have been a baptism of fire has shown once more the talent pool bubbling away under the surface of the B-team. Get it wrong as we did against Norwich in the cup, and overloading a team with newbies can be a disaster. Do it right and we get a wonderful glimpse of the future.

A full league debut to remember for Chris

Twice Brentford took the lead. Twice Middlesbrough hauled it back to level things up. Ollie Watkins scored again, aswell as setting up the first. Yoann, Chris and captain (for the last quarter) Daniel Bentley were amongst those to later express their disappointment at not quite hanging on for the win. Perhaps, but just getting the psychological monkey of unbeatable Middlesbrough off the back can only be a wonderful thing. Putting in another performance that sees us creeping up the table with five points out of the last nine can only be a huge stride in the right direction for this season.

As ever, Sky Sports have the immediate highlights and you can catch them here. As ever, Mark Burridge will provide a much better flavour once the mid-day embargo is lifted.

Sadly, no comms but plenty of passion on pitch.

So great chances, great creation and more penalties denied. We certainly don’t get the run with the refs. Talking this morning to one terrace wag who had made the trip she noted, “I thought they looked better yesterday in terms of intention and actual likelihood to score. Rather than chances that aren’t chances.”

The real challenge now is turning these performances into wins. There can’t be many amongst us who wouldn’t have taken five points if offered them at 2.59 last Saturday before we kicked off against Bolton. I would have. That win, followed by the draw with Derby and yesterday’s result all well and good. The one word of caution being that the Bees are very much the divisional draw specialists . Only Fulham and Bristol City (5) come close to our 6 from 11. Even looking further afield in the Football league we are still top of the draw table.

Yoann – thought we should have got more

Next up, International break. Hopefully a chance for Andreas, Sergi and Lasse to get back to fitness. A hope that the injury which saw Rico Henry leave the field of play early isn’t as bad as feared. Whilst Josh Clarke filled in ably at left back, Tom Field is now tied in at Bradford until Christmas. Could we be dipping back into that B-team once more?

And then, back to back home games. Visits from Millwall and Sunderland are, on paper, a chance for Brentford to further continue that climb up the table. Of locking down that Championship status for a fifth season. For all our improving form we are still just a point above Birmingham City who still reside in the basement zone. Turning form and performance into clear air will only be a good thing.

As for Birmingham, well we’ve had a bit more of an interest in them than normal on these pages in recent weeks. For obvious reasons. And yesterday saw their brave new world further hit the skids as Hull City put six goals past the hapless Blues defence. I won’t deny bristling with anticipation as, at 6-0 down, another goal was reported for the KC stadium. Sadly, it wasn’t the bracket busting 7(seven) for Hull but, instead, a proverbial consolation. But it does show what a difference GD could make with the Blues (-12) Burton (-17) and Bolton (-18) effectively another point behind the Bees (-2).

Will the Bees compete at this level for a fifth season? Could Birmingham avoid a slide into League One. Will Crystal Palace be joining us in the Championship next campaign? Should the Bees keep on heading up the table then we are likely to be joined by the Eagles. Despite a change of manager, yesterday’s 4-0 loss at Manchester United sees their Premier League record for the 2017/18 campaign read:

P7 W0 D0 L7 Goals For 0 Goals Against 17 GD -17.

A record of 0-0-7(seven) with no goals scored is the stuff of nightmares. And James Bond puns. Next up, a visit from Chelsea. Should the Eagles mange to make the net ripple, I can only assume it will be very much a Victor Tourjansky moment.

However bad Brentford fans think we may have it at times, there’s always somebody worse off.

And then some…

And Palace have scored…. Victor Tourjansky does his thing

Nick Bruzon

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

Hurt pride and injured team but no need to panic

Brentford fell to their fifth defeat against Middlesbrough in little over a calendar year, as a 3-1 reverse at the Riverside saw the Bees slip to fourth bottom in the table. On a night where injuries meant Marinus was unable to even field a full substitute’s bench (and those he did name included two goalkeepers) it was a result predicted by many but, actually, it was a game that sounded a lot closer than the scoreline suggests.

Let’s be clear. I wasn’t amongst the 149 Brentford supporters who made that hellish journey on a Tuesday night. Middlesbrough is hard enough to get to from West London as it is, let alone for a game with a 7.45pm kick off that meant many of those who travelled only got in as the rest of us were starting to wake up.

Hats off to those who braved it. Twitter updates from the likes of Beesotted and BIAS very much helped supplement the dulcet tones of Billy Reeves on Beesplayer and the subsequent goal highlights on Sky Sports News.

Hats off to the hardy 149

From all these accounts it was an end-to-end game, with Brentford desperately unlucky not to make it 2-2. Lasse Vibe lifted a Marco Djuricin cross over the bar from yards out, immediately after Uruguayan international Christian Stuani had restored the home side’s lead. Likewise, Marinus used his post match interviews to note, “We created a lot of big chances”.

That said, all the possession in the world (according to the Beesplayer panel, Brentford are the divisional leaders for ball retention) and chances (4 on target per team) count for nothing if you can’t put them away. Ultimately, the only stat that really counts is balls in the back of the net and that’s where Middlesbrough, despite all our positivity, remained market leaders. As Marinus himself acknowledged, “the quality of their finishing was the difference.”

Injuries didn’t help, of course. The likes of Sam Saunders, Andy Gogia, James Tarkowski and Philipp Hofmann being added to the already lengthy sick list. Nobody on the bench had started a league game for the Bees before and, whilst the first XI that Marinus named gave a cracking account of themselves, there was nowhere else really to go when a change was needed.

No room for Marcos Tebar in the injured outfield side

It does beg the question of just how we have been so unfortunate on this front? Selling those key players was always a risk but moreso when those brought in to help replace them then get crocked. If this is nothing more than bad luck then I feel desperately sorry for Marinus. Every attempt to build a side seems to be spannered by factors outside of his, and our, control.

No excuses. You can’t deny a team who create, and take, their chances anything but the win so fairplay to Middlesbrough on that front. On the flipside, I’m not going to fall into the same panic mode that seems to be gripping many supporters just yet.

We’re only 6 games into the season and have already played the sides in 2nd, 3^rd and 5^th places. We’re a game behind the vast majority of our rivals, thanks to ‘pitchgate’ and now have a run of four home games out of the next five fixtures to try and consolidate.

We’ve already played several of the sides showing early form

Only when we reach the ten game point that (subject to postponements) comes at Derby in early October, will we have a true idea of what this season will bring. Who are the makeweights? Who is in with a chance of promotion? Who will be hoping for mid table security? Who is already plugging the likes of Scunthorpe United and Fleetwood Town into their tripometer for next year?

This campaign has a hell of a long way to run and, like last season, I’m predicting us to really get going come October/November time. The likes of Maxime Colin and Marco Djuricin are already looking like very decent acquisitions whilst the promise of Jota returning, and Josh McEachran starting, is one to look forward to.

Until then, roll on Saturday and Preston North End.

Nick Bruzon

Bees have nothing to lose and everything to gain at Middlesbrough

Brentford complete their mini-break away from West London, with the game against Middlesbrough following hot on the heels of Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Leeds United. But will it be a case of ‘Grim Up North’ or coming back home with some more positive news after last season’s footballing lesson at the hands of the Smoggies?

Brentford, of course, surprised most observers in reaching the Play-Offs last season. Those of us present saw a team punching well above their weight as household names and, so called, ‘big clubs’ were dispatched with all the ease of a supporter polishing off a balti pie i.e. easily. The Bees trounced the likes of Wolves, Fulham, Blackburn Rovers and Leeds United as we came dangerously close to emulating Bournemouth and reaching the Premiership.

But Middlesbrough were a different kettle of fish. Over four games, including the two-legged Play-Off semi, Brentford ended up on the wrong end of a 10-1 aggregate scoreline. Middlesbrough won all four games, including a 4-0 league victory at the Riverside that Mark Warburton would later say “wasn’t acceptable, especially after the break when we weren’t good enough”.

View from the terrace – Middlesbrough proved tough opponents last time out

For all that Warbs was a hero to many and did some wonderful things with his team, when it came to Middlesbrough we were most definitely second place. But can Marinus do any better?

Well, that was then and this is now. Whilst it is nice to recognise previous results when they go your way, they are nothing more than a statistical nicety used purely (and there’s nothing wrong with that) to remind the opposition of previous dominance.

But when it comes down to it, current form is the only thing of particular relevance. Whatever happened last season is done. Middlesbrough and Brentford find themselves both locked in the Championship hoping for another crack at promotion.

There wasn’t much, beyond this, to smile about last season

Boro’ are in third place already, behind runaway leaders Brighton and Cardiff City (Hmmm. That’ll last). They’ve picked up 11 points from 6 games, including 3 wins. Interestingly, their solitary defeat was at home to Bristol City. That’ll be the same team Brentford recorded their first win of the season against, with the 4-1 hammering at Ashton Gate. Mind you, that was also our only win of the season as the other four games have seen two draws and two losses.

Nobody gives us a chance. Certainly, outside of TW8. But then that’s the way I like it. Even my online bookmaker (who I use purely for reference purposes), has the Bees as 9/2 to pick up all three points. It wasn’t going to be easy, let alone midweek when there’ll be only a handful of the super loyal present (at one point, it was touch and go as to whether a coach would even be running).

Full marks to them for making this most torturous of trips. Especially off the back of the weekend when we’d have been denied the luxury of being able to stay in the region. It’s been a while since the odds and situation have been so heavily stacked against us, yet the optimistic part of me thinks this could be the night. And simply because nobody gives us a prayer.

There’s nothing like home support, expecting a massacre, to get frustrated when it fails to materialise. And as we know, that can transmit to the players. I expect Marinus to have the defensive handbrake on full lock today and then look to catch Middlesbrough on the break.

Then again, that’s what most people expect. Could he shock us all and go for all out attack? Looking to create chances at Leeds United on Saturday certainly worked, even if we weren’t quite able to finish them all off.

Ultimately, I haven’t a clue. I’m just the numpty on the terrace but you can be sure I’ll be glued to Beesplayer this evening to follow all the action. It might not be pretty. It certainly won’t be easy. But after last season’s 4 defeats, could it be different?

At 7.45, we find out…..

Nick Bruzon

Leeds Untied as Brentford keep them at bay. Again

Happy with that? Brentford picked up another point at Leeds United in a game (1-1) they could, arguably, have emerged triumphant from. Mind you, whilst Marinus gave a post match interview with BBC Billy in which he praised the Bees and seemed disappointed by ‘only’ a draw, I’m sure Uwe Rösler would have felt the same. The former Brentford boss reflecting, “The last 25-30 minutes we battered them in a football sense and could have won the game.”

Uwe . Once a Bee, now at Leeds

Well Uwe, you could have but you didn’t. And not for the first time. I saw an interesting stat on the BBC that noted Leeds United have only scored two goals against us in five matches, failing to win any of them in a run that stretches back to the 2009-10 season and League One.

Indeed, it is 7(seven) points out of a possible 9 in less than 12 months for the Bees, following our 2-0 win at Griffin Park in late September 2014 and the 1-0 triumph at Elland Road back in February. Not bad for a team that have been frequently referred to in the past, by certain elements of the opposition support, as some sort of tinpot outfit.

Our tinpot holds 9 points out of the last 15 against Leeds

As ever, if you want the full match report then the BBC, Beesotted, the official site or Sky Sports (who also had first crack at the video highlights) are the places to go. Otherwise, the official site now has their own version up on YouTube. The ever wonderful Mark Burridge providing comms and excitement, with Mark Chapman the club’s deputy head of media and communications (rather than a shock transfer from 5live) on ‘sidekick’ duties.

Mark Burridge – could make paint drying sound exciting

What we do need to note here is that it’s the first time this season that Brentford have scored the opener rather than having to come from behind (as happened against Ipswich Town, Bristol City, Burnley and Reading).

Of course, this was no different to last season where we seemed to have a knack of conceding the first goal, rather than scoring it. The Bees had an identical record then before finally ending that hoodoo fifth time around, against Rotherham.

On Saturday, Marco Djuricin was the man to break the deadlock, scoring on his Brentford debut after great work and a delightful ball from Alan Judge. He almost made it two, denied only by the post after Lasse Vibe picked up a somewhat wayward clearance from Leeds ‘keeper Marco Silvestri. But it wasn’t just these two efforts.

After the somewhat lacklustre and shot shy performance on our previous away trip, to Burnley, this was a team who have remembered the way to goal. Even if they did only find it the once.

As for Leeds, their equaliser was one we have seen before. A clearance out from the goalkeeper combined with midfield faffery.

Debutant Ryan Woods, only on the pitch for two minutes, has taken full ownership, and had the finger pointed at him. Fair enough, it happens. That said, with a player bearing down on the new boy, was this really the best ball out to him from the goalkeeper? Or is the midfielder solely responsible?

Ryan Woods holds up his hands

I hate to sound critical. David Button is an absolutely a fantastic ‘keeper and I wouldn’t swap him for anybody in the division. Indeed, at just 26 could the national side still beckon? It’s just a tad frustrating given it’s not as though we haven’t been caught like this several times before.

This is small complaint though. And as has been noted, Leeds were only the width of a post away from similar at the other end. Instead, what I really take from this game is a goal conceded by an unfortunate mistake rather than players going awol or huge holes being carved through our defence. Likewise, a much more positive performance in front of the opposition goal.

Next for the Bees are a few days together up North before heading over to Middlesbrough for Tuesday night’s game at the Riverside. Nobody said Championship life would get any easier second time around. I’m just loving the fact we have the chance to really test ourselves.

Marinus has his new look squad together and learning more about themselves on – and off – the pitch. Fingers crossed we can pick up against Middlesbrough from where we left off here.

Nick Bruzon

Congratulations Middlesbrough as Bees bow out

Brentford bowed out of the play offs on Friday evening as a 3-0 win for Middlesbrough gave them a 5-1 aggregate victory. And before we go any further it is only right and proper to offer them congratulations on both their season so far and a blistering performance at the Riverside. Likewise, we should probably offer the very best of luck to whoever emerges triumphant from Saturday’s game between Norwich City and Ipswich Town. If Middlesbrough play like they did then we are in for one hell of a final on Monday week.

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.