A glorious spring evening at the Gtech ended with Aston Villa edging past Brentford 1-0 in a Premier League game that was not without a share of controversy.
By all rights we should be opening with an observation of how the spoils were shared. Bryan Mbeumo’s penalty, after a blatant foul by Axel Disasi on Kevin Schade, levelling up Ollie Watkins’ opener just minutes in to the second half.
Instead, we are left to reflect on a game riddled with non-sensical decisions from referee Jared Gillett and his video assistant team.
Disasi getting away with murder on the grass floor not once but twice. The second, perhaps, softer than the first as clear penalty shouts were turned down in favour of the visitors.
Peter Bankes at Stockley Park not helping on these spot-kick decisions (quelle surprise) in a game where Gillett’s own decision making had been anything but razor sharp.
Gillett was infuriating. An attitude to time keeping – both in additional minutes and Villa’s own ball retention – that seemed based more on the roulette wheel strapped to his wrist rather than any form of actual watch.
A frustrating approach to his own notebook, with a flurry of seemingly random yellow cards. The one shown to John McGinn for flooring Wissa surely a ‘straight red’ if the ref had decided a foul of that nature had been committed.
Yet in truth The Bees were not at the races despite the good omens prior to kick off. Supporters went in to this one well aware about Villa’s own statistical curio following on from Champions’ League fixtures. The Villans hadn’t won in the last 7 (seven) games that followed on from their playing in a European game
Instead, we got 9 of those that had started midweek in Belgium and disciplined rigidity at the back, combined with the ability to break at speed when required. A souped up version of previous visitors Everton, if you will. Just without the European run.
The opening period was muted. That’s the polite word. The second beginning after what must have been the mother of all half-time rockets delivered by Unai Emery to his team. Villa suddenly flying.
Ollie Watkins opening the scoring on 49 minutes. Breaking clear down the left, cutting inside and shooting through Mark Flekken. The slightest deflection off of Nathan Collins perhaps catching the goalkeeper unsighted. Perhaps…
The Villa fans, whose non-stop chanting of ‘Unai Emery’s chav(?) army’ had been boisterously willing their team on, erupting en-masse as the ball hit the back of the net. It was a noise repeated just moments later as Watkins turned provider, feeding Morgan Rogers for 2-0 but then having the decision chalked off by VAR.
It was tight but correct. Albeit in the process, Bankes using up his one card as the Bees were denied any further help. Which was needed by the bucketload as Thomas Frank’s team suddenly sparked in to life and poured forward. Predominantly down the left, with Mbeumo shackled out of the game, but then finding the aforementioned obstructive tactics getting in the way.
Disasi’s scything of both Schade and his own team-mate Matty Cash looked about as nailed on as they come. His pushing over of Schade slightly softer but I’ve seen them given, Clive. That The Bees were offered zero assistance on either decision rankles even now.
Very much a case of Bankes robbery.
Outside of those, KLP came closest. Hitting the base of the post from distance but it was an evening of limited fortune or opportunity created. Robin Olsen, covering for Emi Martinez, solid between the sticks when called on and then taking full advantage of Gillett’s missing timepiece.
Sadly you get nothing in football for turning up so late. Had The Bees gone for it from the get go then things could well have been different. The post-Europe jinx may well have started playing on the minds of a team that, instead, were allowed to find their feet and ultimately all three points.
Thomas Frank and his team can reflect for 24 hours and then start preparing for Saturday’s trip to Bournemouth. We can look back on a difficult afternoon with the top five player ratings.
Five points being 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 for the season.
2024/25 Brentford Player Ratings from Matchweek 28 (vs Aston Villa)
1st (Star Player: 5 points) – Keane Lewis-Potter
On a night where chances and star quality contenders were at a premium, KLP excelled in both areas.
Villa did a job on Brentford but he did a job on them. Never afraid to shoot, even from distance, he worked tirelessly up and down the left. Looking to free Kevin or create chance himself, nobody can doubt the shift he put in.
Defensively KLP was as sound as ever. Top marks for effort and endeavour. Five points for Keane.
2nd (4 points) – Christian Norgaard
He was missed against Everton. His return for this game more than welcome.
I don’t recall him putting a foot wrong all game . The Captain, seemingly at the heart of everything and the player with the biggest part in nullifying Villa’s attacking threat.
It’s just a shame he couldn’t keep their fans as quiet as he did their players. Welcome back, Christian. (I’ve got a spare pen if you need one).
3rd (3 points) – Kevin Schade
Talking to fans after the game, opinions were divided.
For me, I thought Kevin looked one of our most dangerous players – once he and the team got going. Was at the heart of all the decisions and cannot be blamed for the referee’s impotence. Certainly, Schade only had eyes on goal.
Mopped up well at the back, too. There were a few times where the young fan sitting next to me said , ‘Ooh – that’s Schade’ as the Bees defended set pieces. Indeed it was.
4th (2 points) – Mikkel Damsgaard
On an evening where, like Bryan he had clearly been targeted Mikkel still did his best to swing the game back to Brentford.
We’ve said this before but things have got to the point where it feels an almost copy/paste inclusion of Damsgaard this season. Yet mulling this over afterwards, he still played well enough on a challenging evening to justifiably warrant inclusion.
In short, it was yet another of those where his own consistency shone through. His delightful chip over the top to free Schade should have won the first penalty that wasn’t given. From there, who knows?
If there is any copy/paste it’s because it is warranted. His performance remains that consistent.
5th (1 point) – Nathan Collins
Fine margins between most of the top five (KLP aside) on an evening where the exciting moments were perhaps conspicuous by their absence.
Yet it was Nathan who again looked assured at the back and continued to push forward down the other end in a bid to provide the Bees additional options.
The goal against was one of those things that happens but it’s not to point the finger. Quite the opposite, his own headed clearance of a ball curling in to the top corner early doors saved Brentford the need to start the fight back earlier.
2024/25 Brentford Player Ratings – Top 5 Overall (after Matchweek 28)
All of which means that the major change this week is KLP leap-frogging Bryan Mbeumo in to second place. His chipping away at the top five finally rewarded. Yet with Mikkel Damsgaard still scoring points up top, is there anything anyone can do to stop an almost Liverpool-like blitz to the title?
Bring on Bournemouth when we find out.
1st – Mikkel Damsgaard (85 points)
2nd – Keane Lewis-Potter (54 points)
3rd – Bryan Mbeumo (51 points)
4th – Mark Flekken (48 points)
5th – Christian Norgaard (44 points)
