It’s a well-worn trope that watching your team play away from home is a great day out ruined by the 90+ minutes on pitch. Here was the quintessential example. As frustrating an afternoon as we’ve had on the road this season ending in a 2-1 reverse for Brentford at rain-lashed Brighton.
Despite Igor Thiago’s 29th-minute penalty giving the Bees a first-half lead, the hosts were allowed to work their way back into the game before eventually taking all three points. Brentford offering little in terms of attack in the opening period and even less in the second. The approach leaving Keith Andrews and his coaching team with only themselves to reflect. Even the lifeline of a second penalty kick, finally taken deep into stoppage time, spurned as goalkeeper Verbruggen was able to keep out Igor Thiago’s effort.
Keith would, understandably, complain afterwards about the amount of time the Brighton keeper was allowed to use up in disrupting the taking of the kick. Matthias Jensen holding on to the ball until the Seagulls’ stopper was shown the yellow card and play could resume.
The travelling support behind the goal as incensed as the coach. Rightly so, all round. Yet the disruption proved critical as the ball was hit in the same direction as the game’s opener and, this time around, Verbruggen guessed right. Quite literally.
It felt like Sunderland away all over. The Bees taking the lead. The Bees 20 minutes away from what would have been a hard-fought win. The Bees looking like they might still get a point. The Bees going down 2-1 when the referee called a halt. It was a fifth defeat out of six on the road – only the win at (then) rudderless West Ham bucking that trend.
Well played Brighton, their goalie aside. He can sub out Bryce Samba in the sh*thousery starting XI. Especially impressive was Yankuba Minteh, a player, along with Danny Wellbeck who levelled things up as the game approached the final quarter hour, that had been picked out as the danger man in our match preview.
What do I know? He caused havoc down the right all game and had a hand in both goals. Brentford, starting with right-footed Kris Ajer and eventually subbing him out for Aaron Hickey, unable to contain him.
Their first goal coming from an innocuous position. Ajer sticking out a foot as the player beat him to Dunk’s hoof forwards but still well, well outside the danger zone. The ball hoisted forwards and over. Wellbeck timing his run to perfection. Starting a yard behind Collins and Kayode (van den Berg having been forced to cover on the left) he split the pair to be a yard ahead by the time the ball reached him.
There was to be no escape for the Bees this time. Kelleher with no chance after already having had to pull off a number of smart stops from Wieffer, Rutter and Minteh among others, whilst also seeing Wellbeck blaze over. 1-1 and the pressure only growing on a team camped in their own half. The home support finding their voices and cranking things up to push their side on for the possible win.
Jack Hinshelwood, who had come on just minutes before the opener, hoisting one out to Minteh. The player in acres of space. The Bees’ inability to shut him down all afternoon again coming to the fore. Another of those huge cross-field balls was played back into box before eventually finding Hinshelwood once more. The ball hit from the edge of the area and into the ground, bouncing a second time en route to goal past Kelleher. Perhaps it might have taken a knock on the way through, or his vision was obscured, but it still looked soft.
Urghh. Brentford now going from that 26th-minute lead after the rampaging Ouattara had won the penalty to staring defeat in the face. There was no reprieve despite the award of that second spot kick in front of the travelling support. Collective breath held after Verbruggen’s theatrics. How much it put the Brazilian off we’ll never know. It was a chance there and a chance, sadly, lost
No complaints about Thiago who was – spoiler alert – our star player in the top five. It was perhaps more indicative of Keith Andrews’ tactics with the Bees looking to close the game out in the second half rather than actually attempt to cross the half-way line in search of a second goal. That’s just not going to work – especially in the face of well-made and well-timed substitutions combined with a desire to go out and win the game by scoring goals.
Still, had the team held on for 1-0 or even salvaged a late draw we’d perhaps be taking a different stance. Instead, it’s another notch in the L column with the next road trips being to league leaders Arsenal, followed by a visit to ‘the ex’ up at Spurs.
Yet if anybody is feeling too despondent, then remember we’re still well mid-table and this is, ultimately, one that feels as much like an opportunity that has slipped through our own fingers. Brentford’s home form is phenomenal and we’re back there next time out, against bottom of the table Burnley…..
Besides, we could be Liverpool. Please, stop sniggering at the back.
Before all that time for our usual game-by-game search for the top five players of the season. As always, five points being awarded for star player, four for second place, three for third etc with the totals added up game-by-game to see who ends up the eventual winner after game 38.
1st (5 points) Igor Thiago. If last game’s top five battle was brutally tough – especially between Thiago and Kayode – then so is this one. Perhaps though, for different reasons, given how many had a 6 out of 10 day.
I’m giving it to Igor though. We’ll deal with the elephant in the room first. The second penalty.
Blame Verbruggen’s dive. Blame the ref. Blame the gamesmanship. The ‘keeper’s spoiling tactics and a lucky guess did for this one. Yes, Igor might have blasted it but he went for precision. I’ve seen them hit better but at least it was still on target.
Besides, he’d done his job down the other end and given Brentford the lead. Igor’s penalty, hit low to Verbruggen’s right, was won after his own delightful touch to release Ouattara saw Dango chopped down in full flow.
At least Igor tried to do more and worked his socks off for little support. He gave Boscagli in particular a torrid afternoon. The Brighton player booked once in the first half and lucky to avoid a second after impeding the Brazilian on several occasions.
On another day, it would have ended differently but at least Igor takes home the ‘star player’ award. He’ll be thrilled. Possibly.
2nd (4 points) Dango Ouattara. He’s fast. We’ve used his pace aplenty this season to try and spring the offside trap. This time around, his primary contribution being the penalty win.
As noted above, it came after wonderful interplay between him and Thiago. Dango then breaking clear before being scythed down in the box. Mr Kavanagh with no hesitation and VAR deciding to stick with referee’s call.
He still worked hard for little but, in my opinion, it was shame he had to go off so early . KLP replacing him just after the hour but no real change in play made.
With the Bees struggling to cross the halfway line, he at least tried and still ended up getting most balls into the danger zone. His five crosses the most by any Brentford player and responsible for over a third of the team’s total. Had others been as proficient, then perhaps it might have been a different story.
3rd (3 points) Sepp van den Berg. We’re fast approaching ‘car keys in the bowl’ at this point.
I’m giving it to Sepp because, as much as anything else, he gave a confident and assured display at the back in treacherous conditions. Of the two centre backs, he was the one who stood out for me on Saturday, particularly at the set pieces and seemed reliable in the clearances. Whether from the corner kicks or other threats on goal.
With the home side ending the game on almost two-thirds possession and spending more time in our box than theirs, he needed to be strong. He was.
4th (2 points) Michael Kayode. Terrier-like. Enthusiastic. Trying his hardest to create something. It shouldn’t have been down to him, per se, but at least he gave it a go. Neither goal down to him and he got behind the ball as much as SvdB did.
5th (1 point) Mikkel Damsgaard. It looked oh-so promising at one point.
Early on he set off one of those glorious galloping runs from within his own half that he specialises in, and whilst the ball was eventually lost, it suggested so much more to come.
Alas, it was a false dawn but at least Mikkel kept on trying to help build on that first-half goal. Trying to find support but either snuffed out or those you’d expect to be going wide not doing so promising so much more to come.
A quick glance at the overall table shows Michael Kayode still clear at the top, although Igor Thiago leapfrogs the chasing pack to sit just ten points behind him now.
Now onwards and upwards to Burnley…
1st Michael Kayode – 32 points
2nd Igor Thiago – 22 points
3rd Jordan Henderson – 20 points
4th Mikkel Damsgaard – 18 points
5th Yehor Yarmoliuk – 17 points
