2026/27 Brentford Player Ratings – Matchday 4

That said, a third successive draw for Keith Andrews’ team was a result which he would admit afterwards came from a performance where his side, ‘Didn’t hit the levels we have set ourselves’. The head coach going on to add how his substitutes, “Didn’t impact the game as we would have wanted, which is disappointing’.

Honest words, perhaps, but frustrating to hear nonetheless. More so given that if you factor in the back end of last campaign, that’s just 2 wins in 14 league games for Keith.

Fortunately, that season’s final 10 fixtures go nowhere into determining how 26-27 will play out, but the ability to turn draws into wins, something Keith will be super keen to rediscover soon. Perhaps the visit of defensively shy Chelsea on Friday night will be the perfect opportunity to record another three-pointer.

Until then, the trip to Bournemouth. A game where the Bees had early chances (KLP and Thiago) although our hosts had even better. Adam Smith completely unmarked in the box headed wide from close in. The net should have been rippling for the hosts. Especially as Kevin Schade would eventually show how it should have been done.

Great work between Sangaré and then Yarmoliuk saw the Ukrainian offered all the time in the world to deliver a teasing cross into the box. Schade needing no second invitation on the receiving end and offered as much space as Smith had been given down the other end. His header powered past Đorđe Petrović in nets for 1-0 Brentford after 34 minutes. The packed-out away contingent celebrating with gusto. Here we go….

Here we don’t….. With four minutes it was all square. Justin Kluivert firing low through a crowd from just inside the box to make it 1-1. He’ll argue it was a precision thread through the eye of a needle. Brentford might think it could have gone anywhere. The fact is it found the back of the net and we were, instead, treated to the twin torments of conceding a goal and seeing the most twee of celebrations, goal music aside, ‘giant flags’.

Beyond exasperating for the Bees but no more than had been coming. Quite frankly, the equaliser could have arrived even sooner. A fine stop from Kelleher not long after Schade had got things underway falling kindly to Rayan. The Brazilian, perhaps under pressure from KLP, somehow firing over when he should have been the one to level up.

Lessons learned for Keith. The opposition with three big chances to put the game to bed. Only one taken. The closest Brentford coming to another being Ajer’s shout for handball against Truffert in time added on, but referee Mr Gillett declared ‘no penalty’. Of course he did.

Half-time came and went. More of the same from Bournemouth though. If anyone was in the ascendancy, it was the home side.

Kluivert’s hunt for a second goal concluding with Kelelher pushing his shot from distance over the bar. Antonio Silva next up after being given space but missed. The warning signs were there and eventually the pressure told. Evanilson laying one off to the unmarked Marcus Tavernier and this time there was no hope for Kelelher from close in. The shot fired past him into the far corner and celebrated with a golf swing. 2-1 Bournemouth and, you have to say Clive, it had been coming.

Yet just as it had taken the hosts a mere four minutes to equalise, the Bees responded in identical fashion. Petrović sold up the river by James Hill’s backpass but then the goalkeeper playing it straight to Schade. The German, clearly picking up the golfing vibe, playing the most delightful lofted chip straight back, over and past the hapless ‘keeper into the back of the net. One touch to slow the ball and let it roll up before a dinked finish and a goal that showed just how much his confidence is now flowing.

2-2 on 58 minutes. Parity restored and followed by Keith’s triple change on the hour mark. Now the time to turn the screw. Yet, as he admitted afterwards, it didn’t produce the desired results. Instead, it was the Cherries who took hold of the game once more. Rayan coming close. The hosts continuing to push. The Bees unable to dominate as they have done for huge periods this campaign. Ben Gannon-Doak almost snatching it for them at the death, only to see Jannik Schuster, in from the start for the absent Nathan Collins, deflect his shot onto the post.

There it finished. Brentford happy with a point and more so in a game where they would have had no complaints had it ended in defeat. A bit of spark missing in the middle where the return of Mathias Jensen could be a welcome one for Keith. Equally pleasing would be a goal for Igor Thiago. His team have had to dig in, but the simple fact remains that nobody can beat Brentford.

Next to have a crack are Reading in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, before Friday evening’s West London derby at home to Chelsea. Plenty to look at in the coming days but for now, the regular top five player ratings from this one. Five points awarded for star player, four for second, three for third etc 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

This was one of those games where the top five has less obvious candidates than some games but, in my opinion, star player is as nailed on as they come.

Let’s be honest, ask Brentford supporters which player they’d have binned off last season and it would have been Kevin. We mentioned many times how off his game he seemed compared to the previously hit heights. Thankfully, he’s got sugar on his cornflakes once again and is firing on all cylinders.

The first goal was all about being the right player in the right place at the right time. His header magnificent. His working the space to lose markers and make room equally so.

Yet it was the second we are all talking about this morning. One that should have the pundits purring and will be on the shortlist for September’s goal of the month. The technique and the vision were sublime. The finish exquisite. The positioning equally so.

Brentford may have come away with a draw, but Kevin was the real winner yesterday.

Second (4 points) Caoimhín Kelleher

Then there was Caoimhín. We’ve already said a few times this season how good it is to have a confident goalkeeper and this was perhaps the quintessential example.

This a ‘keeper who won’t be caught turning around to take a drink from his water bottle, oblivious to the opposition bearing down on him. Instead, he was as strong in the box as always, claiming anything that came his way with the safest of hands. Imposing himself when the pressure was on and pulling off a series of reassuring saves.

Quite frankly, whilst Kevin was doing the business down one end, it was Caoimhín who kept us competitive at the other

Third (3 points) Jannik Schuster

A first full 90 minutes in the Premier League for Jannik, and the player picking up where he left off against Sunderland.

If we’re being objective, the Brentford back line seemed, what’s the word, ‘patchy’ at times yesterday. As much due to the drive of the visitors as our own positioning. For me though, Jannick was pick of the bunch in a game where he was the least experienced at this level.

Like Caoimhín, he seems confident and calm. His reading of the game assured whilst without the Austrian’s timely interception at the death, it may well have been goodnight Vienna.

So far, he’s very much looking like a big one for the future. An experienced head on 20-year-old shoulders.

Fourth (2 points) Vitaly Janelt

He’s been great this season.

A player using all the years in red and white to keep on improving his game and, currently, hitting peak form. He’s the only player to make our top five in every game (spoiler alert), given KLP doesn’t quite squeeze in on this occasion.

Keith has been quite right to leverage his experience and hand over the captain’s armband in the absence of Nathan Collins. There are many, myself included, who feel this should be a permanent arrangement.

That’s a luxury problem for Keith to mull over. For now, it was another of those games where Vitaly – the midfield workhorse – put in another crucial 90-minute shift. With the added bonus of swerving a yellow card – this time.

Fifth (1 point) Yehor Yarmoliuk

Tough calls in the final slot. It wasn’t a vintage Brentford display by any stretch. The changes gave bench players a chance to play themselves into contention for a place in our top five (surely their number one thought when entering the fray) but nobody really grabbed it.

For me, Yarmo stood out as a strong candidate in the 60 minutes on field, before Keith switched him out for Mikkel Damsgaard. He worked hard during that opening period, with his reward being the setup for the opening goal. The player taking advantage of both strong work from Sangaré as well as the opportunity of space, but it still needed to be delivered to the right place.

Whether he would hold off a fit again Jensen remains to be seen but with Keith telling us that he doesn’t think the Dane will realistically be ready for Chelsea, the chance is there to be taken.…

All of which means that after matchweek four, our star-player table switches around a little in those chasing the still leader, Vitaly Janelt.

Next up, the visit of Chelsea for Friday night’s derby under lights. No other words needed….

Positions after matchweek 4

• 1st Vitaly Janelt 12 points
• 2nd Kevin Schade 11 points
• 3rd Caoimhín Kelleher 6 points
• 4th Mamadou Sangaré 6 points
• 5th Jannick Schuster 5 points