Brentford and Leeds United ended Sunday afternoon’s game with a point apiece following a turgid draw that felt, at times, like watching a couple of ninety-year old playing FIFA for the first time. Whilst wearing boxing gloves.
Keith Andrews can perhaps take some satisfaction from another game unbeaten at home, but for those watching, it was heavy going. Perhaps as much due to the time of year, with fixture congestion upon us and a trip to Manchester City in the quarter-finals of the League Cup coming this week, but another changed staring XI (again, as at Arsenal, Damsgaard on the bench) felt so devoid of attacking ideas it was almost as if they’d forgotten what to do when the ball crossed the half-way line. It was part Marinus Dijkhuizen – part Dave Bassett. The ball either going backwards, sideways, upfield, then back again before starting the sequence once more, or hoofed high to almost pull off a Wimbledon tribute act.
Something all the more frustrating given Leeds United’s bang averageness. Whatever Keith may say about our opponents, it was nothing more than post-match banality. In truth, they were awful, and one could see why they’d started the day sitting just outside the bottom three of the Premier League. Set up to stifle, choke, and defend deep. Passing it in to touch rather than their own team with a technique you couldn’t even try to teach. Albeit the visitors still with the ability to cause the odd scare.
There’s no irony lost on the fact that Friday’s preview had included an observation from one North stand observer that, ‘They’re going to kill us with their 1970s football. Truly, they sucked us down to their level. Creativity something that other teams do with the personality and character that Keith is so fond of talking about, seemingly that of two pub bores.
Harsh? Perhaps. It’s another point, and let’s not forget that The Bees have claimed some high-profile scalps at home already this campaign. Yet perhaps that is more where the frustration lies. We’ve seen them do it. We’ve seen them able to break and hit the target. This, sadly, was nowhere close. Our cause not helped by referee John Brooks, but even without his complete non-involvement, the outcome would likely have been the same.
Brentford with only a couple of chances in the first half. KLP’s smart shot from close in and then the penalty the never was. Referee John Brooks pointing to the spot after Dango Ouattara was fouled in the box. It looked a dead cert for 1-0 Thiago, that is, until VAR decided the player had been offside by the most slender of margins as he was being fouled. A decision that was technically correct but further underlined most supporters’ utter frustration and despair at the system. It was that sort of afternoon, though.
The first-half highlight was perhaps as the teams walked in. Matthew Benham’s invoking Whamageddon on a scale not hither to seen. His choice of ‘Last Christmas’ for the walk-off music instantly took out another 17 000 participants in the seasonal game.
Whatever the managers said at half-time felt more damp squib than rocket up the backside. It was more of the same. Substitutions so premeditated you could have set your watch by them. Mikkel Damsgaard and Rico Henry entered the field of play as the clock hit the exact sixty-minute mark, yet not long after, The Bees were ahead.
The pair of them combining down the left flank. The ball played into the box, and there was prolific goal poacher, err, Jordan Henderson, to fire Brentford into the lead. Magnificent. You could see what it meant to him, with the player afterwards acknowledging that his first goal in four years at this level had been dedicated to the much-missed Diogo Jota.
A bizarre wait for another VAR review eventually confirmed the goal was valid, although the subsequent graphic shown on screen did beg the question as to why it took so long to confirm. Rico, having so much space to play with behind the last man he could have built a house in the gap.
Still, the correct outcome was reached. The Bees had played through the dross and finally taken the lead. The outpouring of relief was there for all to feel. Play ugly against uglier opponents yet still get our noses in front. Now, just push on to lock this one out.
That was one option. The other was to throw on an additional centre-back. Enter stage left, Kris Ajer. Moments later, it was 1-1 with just eight minutes to go. The Bees were unable to fully deal with Leeds’ pressure and the second ball back into the box falling for Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who got ahead of the extra defender and see his header beat Kelleher.
Urghh. Frustration beyond that which words can quantify. If ever there was a nail in the coffin of five at the back, then here it was. Or, at least, should be. See out a game against poor opponents by pushing up, Brentford. Not inviting them on. Then again, I’m not head coach, but as a fan, it just about summed up the afternoon.
A bad day at the office from start to finish, which, despite a couple of late half-chances, stayed as it was. The points shared.
Perhaps we’re being unduly negative this morning, but to me it felt like an opportunity lost. The chance to get back on the horse after those back-to-back defeats in North London instead saw The Bees strangely subdued. The post-match shots of the team in their dressing room, subsequently shared on Sky Sports, said it all. The team looking beyond miserable. We could have gone for it, but instead didn’t have the nous to out-think average opponents.
Again, let’s also acknowledge the December fixture carnage that we are currently negotiating our way through. It can’t be easy for Keith keeping the squad fit, fresh, and happy.
Still, whatever happened we can’t change it now. A point and unbeaten is still that. Instead, let’s take a look at our game-by-game search for the top five players of the season. As always, five points being awarded for the 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 (five points) Jordan Henderson. My word, he never stopped.
Brentford’s most dangerous player by a country mile. Most passes played – something as much telling about the system we were operating. Most balls into the box. Most goals scored. One out of one, that is.
He didn’t slip up once, that I saw. When others were getting the ball tangled up under their feet, he was brilliantly smooth. Wonderfully consistent. Restarting play time and again in an effort to try and get the ball moving forward.
The goal absolute reward for his efforts. If only the team had been able to get another.
2nd (four points) Caoimhín Kelleher Thank goodness for Caoimhín. This is his third appearance in as many games. His 14th point out of a possible 15 following those two ‘star-player’ awards in North London.
Again, when called upon, he did exactly what was needed. For Leeds weren’t great; they actually had the better chances when the ball got into one of the two penalty boxes. Yet every time it was released towards the goal, there was our number one to keep it out. Blocks, dives, stops, and clearances all spot on.
It was gutting, for so many reasons, that he was eventually beaten. On the plus side, he kept us alive and kicking when any other danger was present.
3rd (three points) Mathias Jensen. This was vintage Jensen. The tricks, flicks, and runs. The attempted shots from the edge of the area. The frustration when he lost the ball or gave it away (you’ll never please everybody).
I thought Mathias had a really good game in difficult circumstances. One box to box run early on was as stylish as he gets. It’s a shame that he and Mikkel didn’t get more time together, as they seemed the most likely to find a way through determined opponents.
4th (two points) Michael Kayode Did what he does. Out-tackled everybody. Mopped up brilliantly. Did that wonderful thing of breaking up play, then turning defence into (attempted) attack with consummate ease.
Even late on, he was outsprinting Nathan Collins in a desperate attempt to get back and cut out a Leeds break down the left. So, so fit. So, so strong. So, so good.
5th (one point) Mikkel Damsgaard. As mentioned above, such a shame he got so little time. I’ve no doubt Keith is wrapping him up for City and then Wolves at the weekend and I had thought that those who came in should have beaten Leeds. He’d have been right on that front, too.
Yet on an afternoon when everybody seemed strangely subdued, it was crying out for his particular set of skills. What a pity we only got to see them for half an hour.
Right. Enough of this. Let’s take a quick look at the star player table. Igor Thiago failed to score, but another Jordan Henderson masterclass sees him really breathing down the necks of our top two. As for Caoimhín, he’s creeping up the blind side.
Here’s to Wolves on Saturday. Could a trip to the divisional whipping boys see our fortune on the road change?
1st Michael Kayode – 37 points
2nd Igor Thiago – 29 points
3rd Jordan Henderson – 28 points
4th Mikkel Damsgaard – 23 points
5th Caoimhín Kelleher – 21 points
