Brentford head coach Keith Andrews will be a very happy man going in to Sunday afternoon’s game at Leeds United. Here’s Nick Bruzon’s preview.
A week into the campaign, his team have followed up the eleven goals scored in the pre-season defeats of Rennes and Eintracht Frankfurt with a further nine whilst hammering Spurs (3-0, Premier League) and Birmingham City (6-1, League Cup).
On top of this, new signing Mamadou Sangaré has hit the ground running and already looks beyond comfortable in what is, otherwise, last season’s side. The man from Mali impressing the broader football community so much so that, aside from earning the pundits’ plaudits, has already become the second most popular signing in gameweek 2 of Fantasy Premier League.
Of course, promising starts and a happy head coach are nothing if they can’t be maintained. As we all know, complacency is the mother of all, err, mess-ups, but Keith, Damien Duff and the coaching staff will be well alive to this. More so given the bear pit atmosphere they’ll be stepping into at Elland Road.
The ferocious passion of the home support is a world away from the silence of the Spurs’ contingent last time out. Perhaps their whining was at a frequency only audible to dogs, but I was almost embarrassed for them. The only noise coming out of their corner the sound of teeth being gnashed and arms being lofted skywards in an exasperated display of performative huffing.
Still, that was their problem, not ours. All Brentford could do was keep it loud off-field and exciting on. Fair to say that they did both by the bucketload. Wave after wave of attack was the order of the day for the Bees. Spurs powerless to stop them and, in the end, lucky to ‘only’ lose it 3-0. Igor Thiago hitting the bar and seeing a second-half penalty denied by the upright after wrong-footing Antonín Kinský in the nets.
Yet a final tally of 26 shots spoke volumes about an irrepressible performance in which there was no let-up in the pressure and Tottenham barely given a chance to get involved. The Bees utterly dominant. The game as one-sided as they come.
Despite the impressive strength of depth shown in the midweek thrashing of Birmingham City, for which the reward is a third round trip to Reading, I just can’t see any changes being made to the starting XI. Whilst Vitaly and Nathan Collins both got another 90 minutes under their belts, Keith well knows their fitness levels. Besides, both will be crucial in a game of this nature. As such, it will surely be more of the same, namely:
Caoimhín Kelleher, Michael Kayode, Kris Ajer, Nathan Collins, Keane Lewis-Potter; Vitaly Janelt, Mamadou Sangaré, Mathias Jensen, Dango Ouattara, Igor Thiago, Kevin Schade
One player missing will be Ethan Pinnock. The long-serving centre-back this week completing a move to Coventry City for a figure reckoned to be around £6m. There was nothing but praise and good wishes for a player who has been an integral part of Brentford reaching, and staying in, the top-flight. With Nathan, Sepp and Kris Ajer now Keith’s first-choice, it was perhaps an inevitable exit, but you can be sure he’ll be welcomed back with open arms when our paths cross once more.
With or without Ethan, this game will be a very different affair to last week. If nothing else, Leeds United have one of the best goalkeepers in the country. James Trafford is undoubtedly going to be England’s number one when Jordan Pickford eventually hangs up his gloves, if not before. Bravo to Daniel Farke in securing his signature from Manchester City over the summer – even if he did cost £45m. That would have hurt the chequebook, although at least the board had the consolation of picking up the ever-popular Harry Wilson on a free from Fulham when his contract expired.
We all know how key the goalkeeper is, for obvious reasons. It doesn’t matter how expensive or threat-filled a team’s attack is if the man between the sticks couldn’t catch a bus, let alone a football. Just look at how Robert Sanchez did everything possible to help his Chelsea side turn three points into one on Monday night. That’s one problem Leeds shouldn’t have, although you can be sure the Bees will be doing everything possible to test him.
They’ve also won their opening fixtures, winning at Nottingham Forest in both the League and the Cup. However, the style in that opening-day victory seemed very different to that demonstrated by the Bees. Forest hitting the woodwork twice, and Anton Stach’s 88th-minute winner for the visitors one of only three shots on target all game.
Presumably they’ll be a different prospect at home. That said, one would still expect a relatively rigid set-up designed around being tough to penetrate rather than playing the sort of open, expansive football so enjoyed by the Bees. Whilst I don’t think Keith will revert to the three centre-backs he selected for last season’s excruciating 0-0 draw, he’ll find it a challenge where all his tactical nous will be required.
The teams don’t have any reported injuries, albeit neither manager has had the chance to lay out their smokescreens and clichés in front of the press as yet, so it would seem likely they’ll also be unchanged. Expect a starting XI of:
James Trafford, Tarik Muharemović, Jaka Bijol, Joe Rodon, James Justin, Ethan Ampadu, Anton Stach, Jayden Bogle, Brenden Aaronson, Harry Wilson, Dominic Calvert-Lewin
As for the men in the middle? Well, we’re not shy to call out the officials on this page, but bravo to Michael Oliver and co last week. The refereeing team doing a great job. As much in getting the big calls right as keeping the game flowing. Can lightning strike twice? Hoping to prove it can are:
- Referee: Tony Harrington.
- Assistants: Scott Ledger, Akil Howson.
- Fourth official: Farai Hallam.
- VAR: Neil Davies.
- Assistant VAR: Steve Meredith
This one’s a 2pm kick-off, with coverage on Sky in the UK. For those fans running the gauntlet of train chaos then travel safe for a game that really could see Keith Andrews add to the markers he has already laid down for the season.
