Brentford visit Brighton on Sunday for a game which could have significant impact on both clubs’ Champions League qualification hopes.
The Seagulls currently sit third in the table, two points behind Manchester City after beating them at the Etihad last time out in the league. For Brentford, a 2-0 home defeat of Nottingham Forest sees them trailing fourth-placed Chelsea by the same margin as Albion. The table is still so tight that Keith Andrews will be well aware a win takes The Bees two points behind Brighton should he be able to outmanoeuvre Fabian Hürzeler.
If that was incentivisation enough, the pack of clubs hot on the heels of Brentford should be sufficient to keep Keith and his team sharp. From Everton in seventh down to fourteenth-placed Ipswich Town, that gap is just three points. They’ll be alive as to the potential that comes from a win, as will the Bees. It really is the most bizarre table this time around with even once-bottom Tottenham now up to ninth.
That’s the context. In truth, the bottom line factor is whether Brentford, who have only been beaten in the league this season by Liverpool, can make it back-to-back wins. Thankfully, there are no new injury concerns to hamper this ambition with the added bonus of Yehor Yarmoliuk being once again available for selection following his red card.
Keith used Thursday’s press conference to confirm that Fábio Carvalho and Rico Henry remain out along with the longer-term absentees, before moving on to heap lavish praise on our opponents. “I think they’re playing really, really well… the way they’re organised in every facet of the game is very impressive”.
The Bees’ head coach going on to add that, “They’ve clearly got really good spirit, they’ve recruited well, they’ve got an honesty around the group and they’re clearly playing with a lot of confidence. We’ll need to bring our A game on Sunday to get the result that we want.”
He’s not wrong. Last night saw them win on the road in Europe (1-0 at Getafe). They took Man City to penalties in the League Cup before beating them in the Prem (both away). They are the only team to beat leaders Arsenal so far this campaign – that 3-0 tonking at the Amex – whilst they also put five past Crystal Palace a few weeks back. For every irreplaceable player that leaves for big money, they seem to recruit even better. Sounds familiar…
Keith is clearly alert to the enormous threat they pose, noting, “You have to be very understanding of what they’re capable of, what they’re doing consistently, how they can tweak, what they tweak and when they tweak it”. Likewise, and rightly so, praising his own team’s talents and take that, “We’re quite flexible and adaptable ourselves in terms of what we do and how we can do it”.
Fine talk, of course. Stay humble. Note the opposition’s imperious form. Lavish praise. Then hopefully strike with an iron fist in a velvet glove. But who will be the ones to do this?
I suspect it will be case of more of the same. Brutally harsh on Jaidon Anthony who seems to energise everybody when he comes off the bench. He worked wonders in that somewhat turgid game against Nottingham Forest. I’d be tempted to flip him with Schade for the start of this one. Then again, I said the same last week.
In midfield, Yarmo will need to be content with a place on the bench despite his early-season form. You aren’t walking back in past Jensen, Janelt and Sangaré. At least it gives Keith more options with the ability to also now consider Aaron Hickey in a dual role. That pass to open up Forest for our second was the stuff of dreams. A thing of absolute beauty and I’m still drooling over it now.
With the understanding that we’ll have a super strong bench, I suspect this one will see a starting XI of: Caoimhín Kelleher; Michael Kayode, Kris Ajer, Sepp van den Berg, Keane Lewis-Potter, Vitaly Janelt, Mathias Jensen, Mamadou Sangaré, Kevin Schade, Dango Ouattara, Igor Thiago.
As for Brighton, that game in Spain on Thursday evening may force Hürzeler’s hands. Trying to accurately predict his team feels somewhat of a lottery so instead we’ll have to be content with Keith’s own situational awareness as to their threat and our own knowledge that whomever they go with, that squad is on fire.
The officials have been named. First thoughts whenever these come out are which game is Stuart Attwell involved in? Thankfully, he’s in the middle at Everton this weekend for their game at home to Coventry City.
It’s not as if there aren’t enough available that one man has to be involved in two games in 48 hours at different ends of the country. You’d think.
Referee: Michael Oliver
Assistants: Stuart Burt, James Mainwaring
Fourth official: Steve Martin
VAR: Stuart Attwell
Assistant VAR: Will Finnie
It’ll be the same for both sides, I’m sure. No big club bias possible in either direction. Just two progressive teams and set-ups, free from dodgy dealings, overspending and consistently poor managerial appointments.
Two clubs who have played each other at all levels but have both fought their way up to compete at the very top of English football on their own two feet. Crikey, it doesn’t seem like five minutes ago we were playing them at the Withdean in League Two. Look at us all now. There’s a lot to be said for patience and shrewd investment.
Enough of the butt-kissing, though, there’s a game to be won. Sunday afternoon at 2pm is the time. Brighton’s Amex, the place.
