Close but no cigar. Brentford went down to Manchester City by the odd goal in three after Wissa’s opener, officially timed just 22 seconds in to the game, sparked dreams of another famous victory at the Etihad.
It was a fixture which had seen two portentous facts hanging over it before kick-off. Namely, The Bees as the last team to win a competitive fixture at the home of the Champions (back in November 2022) and Erling Haaland’s blistering start to the current campaign. The Norwegian goal-machine going in to the game with the opportunity to become the first player to score three successive top flight hat-tricks since 1946 (Liverpool’s Jack Balmer, for the record).
In the end he had to settle for just the two and Brentford were left empty-handed. There was to be no repeat of that famous win. Instead, dreams of what might have been following a blitzkrieg opening from Thomas Frank’s side that even Pep Guardiola would admit afterwards could have seen City 3-0 down within the opening quarter hour or so.
Wissa’s opener very much setting the tone. Brentford kicking off, playing it backwards and then building out. City lucky to get three, possibly, four touches, before the ball hit the back of the net. Damsgaard, Mbeumo and Ajer linking up to feed KLP on the left. His header in to the box causing a calamitous attempt to clear. It was less Ederson and John Stones, more the Chuckle Brothers. The England defender’s ‘To me. To you’ clearance floating straight in front of Wissa whose calm and control was the complete opposite to City’s panic.
No mistake made. The ball guided home. 1-0 Brentford and game very much on!
It could have been more. It should have been more. There was blood in the water and the Bees had the taste. Bryan Mbeumo set free by Damsgaard might feel, on reflection, he may well have doubled the advantage. Another chance presented itself but he couldn’t connect with the bicycle kick that would have been up there for goal of the season.
Even Nathan Collins getting in on the act amongst it all. A corner to Brentford saw his low drive, hit first time from the edge of the six yard box, evade the crowd of defenders before somehow being kept out by Ederson’s knees.
Attempts aplenty but that old adage about opportunity meaning nothing if it couldn’t be grasped was to serve up another brutal reminder of just how true it is.
Who else but that man Haaland? The first coming out of seeming nothingness. The ball playing around the crowded box and suddenly, he was there. Making space from nowhere. Carving out the chance where none was really available. Perhaps fortunate to hit the ball in to the ground so that it went through Pinnock’s legs en-route to the goal rather than being blocked.
It doesn’t matter how it happened, it happened. From 1-0 up and dominant to level pegging. Little over ten minutes later City were ahead. Ederson, as much sweeper as ‘keeper, going long to Haaland. The ball over the top as well-timed as the big man’s run to break clear. Pinnock shrugged off as though he wasn’t there and Flekken no realistic chance although was close to getting a hand to the ball. 2-1 City.
It could have been 3 just 30 seconds later but Norgaard charging to the rescue and cleared Grealish’s ball into the danger zone. Brentford then left to play out the remainder of the half and five additional minutes (Darren England giving City every chance to put it to bed) without Wissa, who had to be subbed out after being ploughed through by Kovačić.
The City midfielder perhaps lucky to get away with just a yellow. Here’s hoping there’s no longer term damage to a player who has been very much on fire this season.
The second-half was a much more low key affair for Brentford. If the opening period had seen chances for both teams, this time around City dominated. Heading in to the final five minutes, ten opportunities had been created compared to a big, fat zero for the visitors.
Haaland’s historic hat-trick denied by the woodwork and Mark Flekken. Brentford coming close to levelling up at the very end when Yehor Yarmolyuk saw his shot from the edge of the box bobble just wide of the far post and the diving Ederson.
In truth, though, the Wissa-less Bees did well just to try and keep the hosts at bay. The tactical rejig and step up in pressure from Pep’s team meaning everything possible was needed simply to keep them out. Creating chances in front of the travelling faithful an aspiration rather than anything with ongoing expectation.
The Bees had been given their opportunity in the opening period – nobody gets a second chance against this team of footballing behemoths. City fully deserving of the eventual result but knowing they had been given an almighty scare.
Coming up for Thomas Frank and the boys, another road trip. With the two toughest away days of the campaign already done, a visit to Spurs is next on the agenda. Until then, let’s look at our game by game review of Brentford’s ‘top five’ performers. Five points awarded for star player, four for second place, three for third etc with the totals added up game-by-game to find an overall winner.
2024/25 Brentford Player Ratings from Matchweek 4 (vs Manchester City)
1st (Star player: 5 points) – Mark Flekken
Brilliant. Absolutely, brilliant. No chance with either of the goals which, to be fair, even the likes of Peter Schmeichel or Gordon Banks would have done well to get.
The second-half, in particular, saw him pull off a whole procession of saves to deny Grealish, Savinho and Haaland on more than one occasion. The spoilsport shot-stopper upsetting neutrals and home fans by tipping it wide, over or just smothering the ball to stand in the face of history. Preserving not only his own goal but Jack Balmer’s longstanding record.
As much as anything, this game was a wonderful example of just how he has progressed. One observer in the Brentford end opining, “Something very clear from this match is that the defenders trust Flekken far more than last season”.
It’s true. Despite the ominous threat in front of him, time and again the ball was played across the face of goal between ‘keeper and backline. Picking out that perfect opening. Looking to suck City in to create a hole that could be exploited.
Mark’s work with his feet this season, much like his diving, something that has shown why the backroom staff saw him as the replacement for David Raya. This game was another perfect example.
2nd (4 points) – Mikkel Damsgaard
A second appearance in the top two in as many games for Mikkel. Both, thoroughly deserved. With Mathias Jensen missing this one (and likely Spurs) with injury, he picked up the baton offered against Southampton last time out and kept running with it.
The opening goal coming from his kick-off and then bursting through the middle to pick up the return. From this, starting the move that ended in Wissa exploding after just 22 seconds. It was all so fast and whilst he won’t get any ‘assist points’ in Fantasy Football, make no mistake that he was the architect. Something he could have been again had Bryan been able to take advantage of that wonderfully weighted through ball.
It was in line with his game though. A ball playing midfielder more than matching the best side in world football. Forcing their manager to mix it up in order to keep pace. Mikkel really is showing, like so many before, that once settled in to the Brentford mindset he really has all the ability to be a game changer.
3rd (3 points) – Christian Norgaard
Christian, on the other hand, is somebody we know all about. A player so settled and so reliable. A captain the team and fans really do depend on and who rarely puts a foot wrong. This was yet another of those games.
The clearance from Grealish undoubtedly kept it competitive. He wasn’t alone in game saving blocks but the timing of his, so close to Haaland’s second goal, was an absolute defining moment.
Only Ethan Pinnock got more tackles in than the skipper who, once again, was key to stopping City in their tracks as they looked to open up the Brentford backline. That he was the only member of the midfield core to stay on pitch for the entire game underlines just how critical his work-horse like effort was.
4th (2 points) – Nathan Collins
Tough calls now incoming. 4 and 5 could well have been switched whilst others miss out altogether. However, Nathan comes in next as much for his work in front of goal as defending it.
Had Ederson’s knees not got in the way he’d have been a club legend. As it happens, that moment came later on in the first-half when he gave the quintessential example of ‘taking one for the team’. The ball thundered into his groin area from close on but the defender not shirking. Standing firm in the face of an inevitable coming together between ball and tender spot.
It didn’t affect his game. The tackles, challenges and presence in the face of any danger aside, he flung himself in front of that second bite of the cherry as Haaland’s hat-trick hunting effort crashed back off the bar.
Nathan was, perhaps, hard done by in missing out on the top-five against Southampton. Make no mistake that he fully deserves to be back now.
5th (1 point) – Sepp van den Berg
A proverbial baptism of fire for Sepp. His first league start for the Bees and nowhere tougher to make it. It didn’t phase him though – quite the opposite.
Playing alongside Nathan and Ethan Pinnock, the backline looked as comfortable as any we have had. Like Nathan, throwing himself in front of anything and everything but, equally, looking at ease when receiving the ball or playing it out.
Based on this performance, there are going to be tough choices ahead for Thomas when (or if) he decides to revert to two at the back.
2024/25 Brentford Player Ratings – Top 5 Overall (after Matchweek 4)
All of which means that after four games Nathan Collins still tops the pile with a score of 12. Mark Flekken and Mikkel Damsgaard are level in second on 9, followed by Bryan Mbeumo and Christian Norgaard.
With the trip to Spurs next up, there’s everything to play for…
1st – Nathan Collins (12 points)
T2nd – Mikkel Damsgaard, Mark Flekken (9 points)
4th – Bryan Mbeumo (8 points)
5th – Christian Norgaard (7 points)
