Brentford Player Ratings – Matchday 25

The Bees were magnificent from start to finish. Despite missing Kevin Schade through suspension and Mikkel Damsgaard only on the bench, they still went for it from the get-go. Keane Lewis-Potter winning a penalty with little more than a minute on the clock after Kieran Trippier tugged and tugged at his shirt with the Brentford man eventually stumbling when clean through.

Or, rather, he should have earned a penalty but referee Andy Madley and John Brooks on VAR both deciding there was no foul! Hmm….

Something all the more ironic given the later decision that went the way of the home side and allowed them to equalise deep into the second half. Bruno Guimarães went to ground under the slightest of touches from Michael Kayode, and Brooks had no hesitation in telling Andy Madley to take a look at the monitor.

It’s football. It happens. It made the eventual victory all the sweeter. Even if it was as gripping a rollercoaster ride as they come to get to the final whistle.

Sven Botman giving the Magpies the lead from a corner with 24 minutes played. Nobody moving in the box and his header finding the back of the net as the Bees backline barely flinched.

With the sense of injustice still strong after that early non-penalty call, it really felt like a body blow had been delivered. The only saving grace being that it wasn’t £55million Wissa who found the back of the net.

This Brentford team never say die though. With Wissa missing the opportunity to double the lead from a mere five yards out but instead having to see Vitaly Janelt’s cat-like reactions steer the ball wide, the balance started to swing the way of the visitors.

First up Vitaly. Dango Ouattara, whose early positional switch to cause the cumbersome Trippier nightmares was tactical genius from Keith Andrews, with an exquisite cross into the box. Janelt getting on the end of it and heading down past Nick Pope for the equaliser. England’s number four with no chance and the Bees faithful ecstatic.

It got better, though. With the game approaching the interval, more great work from Ouattara to line up captain Mathias Jensen. The Dane firing goalwards with Pope wrongfooted and the only way a goal was to be denied came via the arm of Jacob Murphy.

Mr Madley pointed to the spot immediately. Brooks did everything he could to overturn the decision but after an interminable wait was left with no choice but to concur. Up stepped Thiago and you know what happens next. 2-1 Brentford to conclude as enjoyable a half as we’ve had all season.

The second period saw Keith bring Yarmoliuk on for Henderson early doors. Still, the Bees pushed.

A special cheer for the exit of Wissa on 65 minutes. He endured a torrid afternoon. As much from the Bees’ support, and rightly so, as on pitch where he did naff all. Matthew Benham probably still laughing now after holding his nerve over the summer and then cashing in for absolute top dollar. Justice well and truly delivered after the player did the dirty in embarrassing style.

The game not over though. The atmosphere up there always electric, even if the home side were unable to respond to the ever increasing waves of noise rolling over St. James’ Park. Fair play to them, the home support can make their presence felt.

Eventually, it worked. Guimarães looked as though he had no chance of getting to the ball that came across the face of goal but with the touch made and the player falling, the penalty was awarded. There were to be no spot kick heroics from Kelleher this time and with 80 minutes gone, it was all square once more. Brutal for the Bees but the game not over.

Little more than five minutes later, they had the lead again. Jensen opening up the Newcastle backline with a killer ball across to Ouattara. Not for the first time, the space was there and he made no mistake.

The ball lashed home through the keeper’s legs as Pope abdicated all responsibility for securing Eddie Howe any points. Brentford 3-2 up and despite a colossal 9 minutes of time added on from somewhere (“until Newcastle score”, opined a fellow North stand observer), The Bees held firm.

What a win. What a performance. What a week for Brentford. Last weekend’s completing of a Premier League double over Aston Villa matched with the same combo earned against Newcastle. Eddie’s salty post-match tears about only one team wining it after Guimarães had equalised making victory taste all the better.

Only a red card for Wissa would have made things anymore complete but I’ll settle for his dejected trudge off after being replaced.

Sunday morning and fans woke up to see Brentford in seventh. Only goal difference keeping them behind Champions Liverpool and knowing that victory for Manchester City might even see them leapfrog the Anfield outfit.

It makes the prospect of Thursday night at home to Arsenal even more exciting. The 17-point gap to the top of the table probably a bit too much to overcome for Keith Andrews but the race for Europe very much alive and kicking. Even if the only talk on that subject he is allowing himself at present is the planning of the summer holidays.

So instead, let’s talk about something more exciting than the thought of Keith Andrews applying the factor 50 around the pool and instead continue our game-by-game search for Brentford’s 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 (five points) Vitaly Janelt.

I’m with Jordan Henderson on this one. We’ve all, I’m sure, seen his own post-match surprise about the German missing out on the ‘official’ man of the match award. Dango had a blinder, no question and (spoiler alert) takes our second place. However, my own take is that Vitaly was absolutely deserving of top slot. I thought he had an absolutely phenomenal game and remained involved in the key moments at each end.

Denying Wissa a goal-hanger’s opportunity with the hosts 1-0 up was absolutely pivotal to how the game turned out. Chasing a two-goal deficit would have been a totally different challenge. Instead, the cat got the rat before getting in the right place at the right time to level up minutes later. It felt almost personal.

It wasn’t just those pivotal points. There was his ceaseless energy in the middle of the park. Breaking it down on the back foot and then building the play on the front. Nobody made more passes than Vitaly as he pulled the strings in the build-up to so much.

Lasted another 90 minutes. Took another late hit for the team with a 90th-minute yellow. All part of the cause. He was everywhere for everything.

Superb.

2nd (four points) Dango Ouattara

Perhaps harsh not to give him top slot but Vitaly was truly omnipresent.

Followed up that blockbuster against The Villa with an equally stunning winner last night. The movement in the build-up as pleasing as the eventual finish. It was a goal that felt thoroughly deserved after his key roles in the first two for Brentford.

The cross for Vitaly’s opener was razor-sharp. The movement in the box during the passage of play that led to the penalty simply wonderful. He did so well to stay on his feet and in control before serving it up on a plate for Jensen.

Dango’s pace down the wing absolutely blistering in what was arguably his best game in a Brentford shirt. Coming off the back of that Villa game, he’s hit peak form at the perfect moment.

3rd (three points) Mathias Jensen

Keith’s faith in naming Mathias his captain drawing the sort of response the head-coach can only have dreamed of.

The Dane dancing through the middle with the ball tied to his foot. Played a key role in the second and third goals.

Denied one by Murphy’s law, breaking. Even if he did then have the pleasure of seeing the goal-bound effort rewarded with a penalty kick.

The set up for Dango’s winning strike was just perfect. The pass was there to be played but to do it with such calmness, confidence and nine-iron precision in this cauldron of noise is a skill that money just can’t buy.

4th (two points) Igor Thiago

One of those games where just about anybody could have made ‘top five’ . I’m giving it to Igor for a couple of reasons.

First up, the goal. Like Jensen’s pass, how you react in these pressure moments determines how you win games. Thiago takes penalties for fun and this was no exception.

I thought he did really well at the back, especially when the set plays were involved. The Brazilian is a big man and more than happy to get involved at both ends. You could see the Newcastle players getting properly irritated by his constant presence.

5th (one point) Keane Lewis-Potter

KLP takes the final slot. ‘That’ penalty decision aside, he remained involved in so much of the Brentford attacking play.

Whilst the Villa game was all about our defence, this one was way more about our drive forward. Our taking the game to the opposition. Despite some big names being absent, those that played more than held their own.

I thought he played really well and has left Keith with some tough decisions to make for Thursday’s game with Arsenal.

All of which means we have a new entrant to the top five. Vitaly Janelt has finally clawed his way in after weeks of stellar performance. Igor Thiago moves a little ahead of Michael Kayode at the top but all five places remain well up for grabs.

• 1st Igor Thiago. 45 points
• 2nd Michael Kayode. 42 points
• 3rd Caoimhín Kelleher. 33 points
• 4th Mikkel Damsgaard. 30 points
• 5th Vitaly Janelt. 29 points