A 0-0 at Leeds United saw Brentford heading back to West London with a point that, in truth, most supporters would likely have taken prior to kick off should such a possibility have existed.
Elland Road the usual cauldron of noise we’ve come to know and love in recent years. As always, the home fans making their presence felt. Something perhaps anticipated by Keith Andrews in his looking to nullify the fans and the opposition though defensive solidity. Stopping the home side form being able to do anything as his means of building attack through containment. With Mikkel Damsgaard’s much-anticipated absence confirmed, Ethan Pinnock was added as the third central defender with support from KLP and Michael Kayode in the wing-back roles.
It is a formation that hasn’t overly suited the Bees this season. I have to be honest that on seeing the team, there was an audible gasp of disappointment. Oh, me of little faith. For all the threat, pressure, and pushing exerted by the home side, there was just no way through for them.
Instead, it was Brentford who came out of the traps and flying. Eventually, though, seeing the early surge that had the ball down the Leeds’ end for the entire of the opening phases eventually petering away. Teasing crosses and pacy breaks coming to nought.
When the boot was on the other foot, the Brentford backline looked in complete control. Leeds resorting to nothing more than a series of penalty appeals that referee Jarred Gillet waved away with barely a second glance. It was desperate stuff from the home side, but you have to give them credit in proving as tough a nut to crack at the back as the Bees.
It was only in the final ten minutes where it felt much like the visitors may crumble. That the noise would finally tell. That perhaps Kelleher’s protracted treatment with 15 minutes to go may prove to be worse than it had looked, despite the concern shown by the home side’s official Twitter feed about these purported dark arts. Aww, bless them. You know when you’ve been rattled. I guess that any historically dirty, cheating side can only assume everybody else plays to their rules.
Bums squeaked. Changes were made by the home team. The momentum finally shifting the way of Leeds to mirror that initial ten minutes. Even Alanis might have found it ironic had it been Bees who fell apart. The game now feeling like a round of ‘Everest’ from TV’s Gladiators. The Vipers of Leeds pushing hard and down on Bees who were somehow able to dig in and hold back the white wall coming at them.
Had Daniel James been given an extra ten minutes, it might have been a different story, but that’s on Daniel Farke for being slow. Everything which came at the boys in red, white, and green was dealt with admirably.
Prior to this, it had all been very cagey. Lots of pushing. Lots of attempted breaks. Thiago working his socks off down both flanks but then not able to get on the end of the balls he was delivering in to the box. One player cannot be in two places at once.
Kayode and KLP likewise adding extra width. The directions form Keith Andrews, clear. The end product just not quite there. When Leeds did threaten, there were that trio of centre-backs to clear up. Ethan Pinnock in particular giving Keith more selection headaches for the final push that starts with back-to-back home games against Everton and Fulham – the sides directly below the Bees.
There just isn’t a huge amount to say about this one from an attacking perspective. The teams sharing a mere six shots on target the entire game. Yet with Chelsea and Liverpool both losing prior, a draw is perhaps worth way more than the point earned.
Brentford doing what neither of their more illustrious rivals could manage and coming away from tricky travels with something in the bag. The gap to those two sides ahead shrinking once more, with just three points separating fifth-placed Liverpool from The Bees in seventh. These next two games could be season-defining for Keith Andrews. The chance to propel himself into the ranks of Brentford legendary status. Not that he’d care one bit about that – as always, it’s about the team, not him.
Talking of which, perhaps now our regular look to who might end up being Brentford’s player of the season with the top five player ratings from this game. Five points awarded for star player, four for second, three for third etc etc. The overall winner determined after game 38 when the final tallies are confirmed.
Star player (5 points) Ethan Pinnock
My word, I don’t think anybody would have predicted seeing Ethan in the starting XI going into this one. Keith Andrews once more surprising everybody, and what a way to do it.
We all know what Ethan has achieved over the years, but it looked as though his time had finally come around. Barely given a look in this season, the one-time player of the season has had to be content with mostly keeping the bench warm in the league, at best.
Yet cometh the hour, cometh the man. He was immense. Like he’d never been away. Picking up where he left off to mop up anything that came near him. That late spree of Leeds pressure, in particular, seeing him head and shoulders above everybody. Literally and metaphorically speaking. It was Dominic Calvert-Lewin with the England call-up, but Ethan with the crucial challenges to deny him.
Brentford may not have scored themselves, but that they didn’t concede and made further gains on those above was in no small part down to Ethan’s colossal performance.
Second (4 points) Igor Thiago
What an absolute shift from Igor in this rejigged Brentford line-up.
He absolutely worked his socks off. Switching between flanks with ease, controlling the ball with skill that the casual observer wouldn’t expect form a man of his physique, and doing all he could to haul The Bees in to this one.
No goals. No shot on target (that I can recall). No tangible reward. Yet he never, ever gave up. Never stopped taking the game to Leeds and creating opportunity. Even if no one was able to convert. As importantly, of course, it meant that every time he was on the ball down their end, they weren’t on it down ours.
When they were, he was more than happy to muck in. Playing his part alongside the back three to block and clear the Leeds threat whenever asked to assist.
Third (3 points) Keane Lewis-Potter
He’s still only 25 years old but seems to have been around forever. Perhaps one of Brentford’s most under-valued players (outside of TW8), his versatility is second to none.
Something shown in abundance at Elland Road on Saturday night. A tireless performance of dogged determination, Ram-Man blocking, and real danger threat when on the front foot. Provided a whole series of hanging crosses into the box that, sadly, came to nothing. His interplay in the first half especially pleasing – moves involving Jensen and Thiago, then Kayode and Yarmo had me purring with contentment.
Did well to close out the dangerous-looking Dan James – by fair means or foul. Perhaps got away with one there, but in the end, it was The Brentford man who almost had the defining moment in the game.
A free-kick awarded in the last seconds after Dango Ouattara was chopped down in the heart of Saunders territory, seeing KLP take ownership. He struck it beautifully, but the wall timed their leap to perfection – no matter how painful the outcome.
Fourth (2 points) Michael Kayode
The problem Michael has – and the word is used in the loosest sense of the word – being he’s so good we just expect this level of performance as his default setting.
It was a close-run thing between him and KLP as to how took third and fourth respectively, but this ended up being one of those where he is a perhaps a victim of his own success.
That’s no criticism, of course. I though he was brilliant down the right. Defensively strong on the back foot. Breathtakingly fast on the front.
One moment on the hour mark saw him at his very best. Busting every sinew to reach an overhit ball from Schade before keeping in play, twice, as the ball threatened to cross the respective lines in the corner. His energy levels and determination just relentless.
Fifth (1 point) Caoimhín Kelleher
Tough calls for the last spot. Jensen tried his best. The other centre-backs could also be in with a strong shout.
I’m giving it to Caoimhín, though. He stopped everything which came at him and made it look so easy. One moment of pressure aside, where Kayode helped him clear up after Dominic Calvert-Lewin had gotten in the ‘keeper’s face, he was unflappable.
One can’t imagine the pressure in being the last line of defence when, for whatever reason, the attacking element of the team are unable to carve out those golden chances that they’ve made such a habit of. Moreso when the game is played in this sort of environment, in front of fans giving all manner of abuse when you’ve been injured.
Caoimhín wasn’t phased in the slightest. Hats off to that man.
All of which means that with only seven games left to play, things remain as tight as ever in our top five. That game with Everton could be crucial – for more than one reason…
- 1st Michael Kayode. 56 points
- 2nd Igor Thiago. 51 points
- 3rd= Mikkel Damsgaard. 38 points
- 3rd= Caoimhín Kelleher 38 points
- 5th Mathias Jensen 36 points
