Brentford continued the unbeaten start to the season with a 1-1 draw at Leeds United that, in truth, felt like the win that got away at full-time.
That’s meant with no disrespect to the team whatsoever. Either side, to be fair. It really was the proverbial game of two halves. Elland Road is always a brutal place to visit and a point still a more than creditable achievement. More so given the way the home support cranked up the atmosphere in the second half.
Waking up the morning after the night before, perhaps things are a little different. That said, one can’t ignore how Brentford bossed a one-sided first half so much so that, if we’re being equally honest, it could have been out of sight by the time the teams went in.
The fans left wondering how, despite all the pressure, only Kevin Schade’s wonder goal separated the sides. A sneaking sense of unease as to how this one may turn out hovering over the half-time cuppas. It’s Brentford, Innit? Sure enough, with little more than ten minutes remaining, Dominic Calvert-Lewin finally levelled it up, and that’s how things stayed.
Cliché alert : we’d have taken a point beforehand if offered.
True enough, but the manner of a line-up tweaked from last weekend’s defeat of Spurs (Dango benched for Jaidon Anthony and Mikkel Damsgaard replacing the totally absent Matthias Jensen) drawing this one is still a tad frustrating.
Brentford going hell for leather from the off. Schade with a very early chance that he probably should have done better with from close in. KLP leathering one from distance. Schade, again, set free but the impressive Rodon spoiling the moment. Damsgaard next up but a tame effort on the angle before Schade turned defence into attack with a sweeping move from end to end.
How was it still 0-0? Leeds barely getting a look in and their afternoon made worse by Rodon being forced off after pulling up in a foot race with Thiago. On pushed the Bees until, finally, the dam broke.
A move that began with neat interplay between Janelt and Sangaré again saw the ball travel the length of the pitch at feet before being worked wide. First one side, then the other, before KLP’s return into the box was met with the most elegant of touches by Schade. An exquisite, first-time contact with the outside of the foot sent the ball curling high into the far corner and leaving James Trafford in nets with no hope.
It truly was a wonder goal from Kevin. Morenso given the lack of space in a box that Leeds had crowded out all game. The fans erupting and rightly so. The pressure finally telling, and as half-time came, with it the hope that more would follow. That it was only 1-0 testament to the home side’s stonewall defence.
Out we came again. Daniel Farke clearly finding the magic words during the interval because this was a different version of Leeds he’d conjured up. The halfway line now something to be crossed rather than a no-entry sign. The home side pressing and Kelleher forced into a fine save from Justin. Yet it was Brentford with maybe the best chance. Not for the only time, a strong shout for a penalty waved away.
Bogle seeming to chop Schade just inside the box, sending him to the floor after Dango’s ball from the right had found him in space. ‘No foul’, declared referee Tony Harrington, much to the chagrin of the Brentford players and support. Why the player would deliberately go to ground from that position a mystery to rival the Marie Celeste. Enough about the home support in the first half though.
On pressed Leeds. Roared on by a crowd who had finally found their voice, the noise elevated up to 11 as the men in white drove forward. Brentford players in turn doing what they could to avert the pressure. Ouattara looking the man most likely to when the ball was able to be played forward by the Bees, but really it was the home side in the ascendancy. Then, with little more than ten minutes remaining, Dominic Calvert-Lewin poked home from close range after flirting with the offside flag. He was on, though, and the scores level.
It had been coming. Sadly, now the feeling was not so much one of Brentford winning but wondering if we could do enough to take home a point.
KLP, Ajer, KLP again. Kelleher with another great save, even though the flag was subsequently raised. All of them denying Leeds in turn. Thiago with the best chance but denied by Trafford and Callum Wilson, brought on alongside him later in the game, with another shout for a penalty as the game entered stoppage time. Again though, application denied.
A last scare as Harry Wilson chased Trafford’s late hoof upfield. Kelleher had seemed set to gather, but Nathan Collins had other ideas and unceremoniously shoved the former Fulham man off the ball. Yellow card and a free-kick in a dangerous area. Thankfully, the delivery was woeful and the moment moved from potential last-gasp heartache to relief as Mr. Harrington ended things there.
1-1 the final score. Both sides defending brilliantly in an exciting game. Each manager probably thinking his team had done enough to take all three points but that’s not how football works. The Bees ending the day fourth in the Premier League with four points from their opening two fixtures and looking ahead to the visit of Sunderland on Saturday.
That should be cracking, but until then, our top five player ratings from this one. Five points awarded for star player, four for second, three for third, etc. The overall winner of our player-of-the-season then determined after game 38 when the final tallies are confirmed.
Star player (5 points): Kevin Schade:
Whatever happened last season, Kevin seems to have undergone some sort of factory reset over the summer.
The German back to his very best, and following a fine display against Spurs last week, here he was on fire again. His goal was quite incredible and is the thing most people will be talking about. A touch that was beyond deft. A finish that left Trafford for dead. Kevin clearly brimming with confidence to even consider trying that. It was all instinct and shows just what a good place his game is in at the moment.
It was more than this, though. For me it was as much his running with the ball that impressed. His breaking into the box, his creativity and his perennial threat. Jayden Bogle waking up a relieved man this morning.
He probably should have had another goal, but on an afternoon where Leeds put the resolute into defence, Kevin never stopped looking to get amongst them.
Second (4 points) Vitaly Janelt:
Like Kevin, he was great last week and made the top five. Like Kevin, this time around he pushes higher up the chart.
I thought Vitaly was quite magnificent. Made his mark really early with a wonderfully timed tackle to break up a Leeds attack and then never looked back. Absolutely dominant in the middle. Turning defence into attack and, as we mentioned earlier, the link-up play with Sangaré like a work of art.
We’ve all seen what the man from Mali brings to this team, but as much as anything else, his taking Vitaly along for the ride is an equally pleasing benefit. Brentford fans know what the German can do, of course, but so far this season he’s looked the best he’s ever been.
Picked up his obligatory booking late on. Let’s just say that shows his relentlessness, his passion and his refusal to ever back down. Long may it continue.
Third (3 points) Mamadou Sangaré:
Star man last week. Third place this time around. Not a bad start to Premier League life.
At this rate we’re going to run out of superlatives very fast, but you can’t not include him. He was phenomenal again. Like Vitaly, an early tackle to set things up and then spent the afternoon intercepting, passing it around and running at Leeds for fun.
Mamadou’s skill, speed, precision and control are such that it feels like watching something out of a computer game. He’s almost too perfect. As much is his reading of the game with a footballing brain that sees the unseeable. To throw yourself into the Leeds cacophony and play like this takes some doing – The Bees have picked up an absolute world-class player.
Fourth (2 points) Caoimhín Kelleher:
Wow. What a ‘keeper. Although James Trafford down the other end is being touted as the next England number one, Caoimhín’s already there for Ireland. We saw why at Elland Road.
Calm. Confident, Dominant and Athletic. Pulled off a number of fine second-half saves that kept Brentford in the game. Made the ordinary look just that, ordinary. Catching and punching the ball under that pressure as Leeds hurled it in time and again is nowhere near as easy as he made it look. I’ve seen ‘keepers crumble up there before – who could forget Álvaro Fernández deep into time added on back in our first Prem campaign? The sight of a joyous Patrick Bamford was something nobody needs as three points became one.
Not Caoimhín, though. Had no chance on the goal but did more than enough to ensure Brentford remained unbeaten.
Fifth (1 point) Keane Lewis-Potter:
If KLP felt any pressure with the arrival of El Hadji Malick Diouf from West Ham, then it didn’t show. Quite the opposite – he’s in a fight for his place but went into it rolling out the haymakers. Metaphorically speaking, of course.
Like Caoimhín, his defining moments were standout. It was another of those afternoons where just anybody could have made a case for inclusion in the top five. Keane was unceasing in his defensive duties or overlapping when on the front foot.
He was the one that supplied the perfectly placed ball for Kev’s killer touch. He was the one who bust a gut when Daniel James was clean through and had to score, surely? KLP had other ideas, not only catching up but then forcing his man wide until the chance came to nothing.
Good luck, Keith Andrews, in keeping the left-backs happy
All of which means that after Matchweek two, our star-player table makes for an interesting, albeit brief, read. No runaway leader but several players all jockeying for position, with the first four all being selected both weeks running.
The game with Sunderland can’t come soon enough. If only to see if Thiago and Kayode can get back to where they made home last season.
Positions after matchweek 2
- 1st – Mamadou Sangaré – 8 points
- 2nd= Kevin Schade – 6 points
- 2nd= Vitaly Janelt – 6 points
- 4th – Keane Lewis-Potter – 5 points
- 5th – Mathias Jensen – 3 points
