By Sam McGuire
The Bees misplaced supervisor Thomas Frank to Spurs and captain Christian Nørgaard to Arsenal. Beginning goalkeeper Mark Flekken left for Bayer Leverkusen whereas attacking duo Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa had been bought for a mixed £120million to Manchester United and Newcastle United, respectively.
Between them final season, Wissa and Mbeumo scored 39 targets within the Premier League, 60% of the crew’s whole. Add in assists and the forwards had a hand in 76% of the targets scored by the Bees.
Lots of people targeted on Bournemouth being raided following a profitable season however Brentford underwent a major rebuild throughout the identical summer season they appointed a brand new supervisor.
Many had tipped them to be concerned in a relegation battle following the appointment of former set piece coach Keith Andrews, however as we head into November, the Bees are thirteenth within the Premier League, simply three factors behind fifth positioned Manchester Metropolis, some extent behind free spending Chelsea and two being reigning champions Liverpool.
Brentford have had a difficult begin to the brand new season. Simply 9 video games into the marketing campaign and so they’ve already confronted off towards Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester Metropolis. Remarkably, the Bees have taken seven factors from these 4 clashes. They scored a late equaliser towards Chelsea to assert a 2-2 draw, beat Manchester United 3-1 after which dismantled the champions on the Gtech Neighborhood Stadium on their technique to a 3-2 victory final day out. Metropolis are the one crew from that group to beat Andrews’ aspect and that was solely a slender 1-0 loss.
The Bees have managed to mattress in gamers whereas additionally permitting others to step into the limelight following the departures of others.
For instance, Kevin Schade and Igor Thiago are actually the principle males in assault in a post-Mbeumo and Wissa world. Thiago leads the way in which with six targets this time period for Brentford whereas Schade has two. The pair are a handful for any opponent, as Andrews hinted at just lately.
“The one factor we’ve bought is particular person brilliance,” mentioned the 45-year-old.
“I feel we actually have that within the squad – gamers able to moments. That comes from the atmosphere, the help they get, the coaching mannequin as we’re massive on creating gamers’ particular person qualities.”
Dango Ouattara, a big-money signing from Bournemouth this summer season, has additionally impressed for the Bees. He scored towards Liverpool and was an actual handful towards West Ham United, having 5 pictures and created three probabilities in that recreation.
The system performs to the strengths of those people in assault. Brentford have embraced counter-attacking soccer. They rank nineteenth for possession within the English top-flight this time period however are seventh of Anticipated Targets and fifth for Large Probabilities. They may not have a lot of the ball however after they do, they make it depend.
Caoimhin Kelleher arrived from Liverpool and has settled shortly. Regardless of dropping Ben Mee this summer season, the Bees look resolute defensively with new skipper Nathan Collins and Sepp van den Berg bossing issues within the coronary heart of the defence. Forward of the centre-backs is one other new signing, Jordan Henderson. He arrived from Ajax on a free switch, reportedly rejecting a transfer to Porto. The one-time Liverpool captain changed Nørgaard within the center third and at the moment leads the way in which for assists with two. That’s trying like one of many shrewdest signings of the summer season.
The one different summer season arrival was Antoni Milambo from Feyenoord. The 20-year-old signed for a reported £16million however is being eased into life in England, making only one Premier League look and two Carabao Cup outings. Brentford have an excellent monitor document with creating younger, attacking expertise, so count on Milambo to make an impression with the Bees within the close to future.
Andrews, though that is his first job in administration, is aware of what it takes to achieve success within the Premier League. He’s assembled a bodily aspect, one with tempo in abundance, and he’s ensuring they profit from residence benefit.
Talking after the match towards Liverpool, he mentioned: “The crew’s rising, clearly: the relationships of the gamers, the rapport of the gamers; there’s belief within the group. I wouldn’t be capable to sleep at evening if I felt groups had been coming right here and having a snug recreation.”
And no crew has managed to have a snug recreation on the Gtech Neighborhood Stadium. The Bees have the joint-fourth finest residence document within the English top-flight and Man Metropolis, with the freescoring Erling Haaland inside their ranks, are the one crew to beat the Bees on residence turf this season.
Brentford have a squad to actually push for a top-half end this time period. They’ve a bunch of gamers with some extent to show and it’s the right storm for Andrews and his workers.
(Cowl picture from IMAGO)
You may comply with each Brentford recreation with FotMob this season – that includes deep stats protection, xG, and participant scores. Obtain the free app right here.