Is there anything this Brentford team can’t do? A quite wonderful season draws to a close on Sunday off the back of another stunning performance on the road.

Despite The Bees now missing Ivan Toney for the forseeable and the quite inexplicable decision to omit Thames Frank from the shortlist for manager of the season, the players put on a scintillating display as Spurs were thumped 3-1 in front of their own fans.

The game being touted as Harry Kane’s home swansong saw him open the scoring just 8 minutes in. A free kick in the heart of Saunders territory was put away with a technique one can only doff a hat to. A discreet lay off before being curled in to the top right corner. Raya no chance, Spurs 1-0 up and sensing blood in the water.

Again, they came. Wave after wave of attacking pressure. The Brentford midfield riddled with holes. Henry, Hickey and Mee (the defenders rather than the legal firm) taking it in turns to hold off the hard-pushing high line from the home side. Raya there when the defence was finally penetrated. The ball rarely making it’s way down that far end for us to have a go. Brentford could have had three Ivan Toneys up top and it would have made no difference, such was Spurs’ refusal to give away the ball or sit back.

That it stayed 1-0 at half-time was, perhaps, the only real plus point. Spurs should have been out of sight. Instead, despite all their effort, they led by the slenderest of margins. Then two things happened. Thomas Frank made an early substitution – Damsgaard coming on for Onyeka – and the home side went a bit Spursy. In fact, they went very, very Spursy.

Whatever Thomas did at half-time worked wonders. Whether it was a calming chat or tea cups thrown we’ll never know but, regardless, this was the Brentford we know and love. The genie released from the bottle and charging at the opposition.

Within five minutes The Bees were level. Damsgaard threading it through to Wissa who squared it across the face of the box to Bryan Mbeumo on the right. The ball controlled and then fired low and hard into the far corner for the equaliser. It was a goal to light up any occasion and moreso this one, with the Bees coming alive in front of our own fans. 1-1 and game on.

An hour gone and it was 2-1 Brentford. Aaron Hickey playing it down the line to Bryan. Once more he picked it up on the right and cut in to the box. Once more he fired it low into that far corner. Once more Fraser Forster in goal for the home side given no chance. The fans again erupting with that most delicious of noises as Bryan ran to them in celebration. The game flipped on its head and yet another demonstration that goals, not dominance, are what counts.

Back. Forth. Back. Forth. The ball switching between the teams but Spurs knackered. Burned out in the first half and offering nothing of any real intent. Harry Kane looking at the pitch after hoofing one over the best they could muster. No real chance for either team until, with the clock running down, Wissa put it out of sight.

This time it was Mbeumo who turned provider. Baptiste playing it through, Bryan releasing the ball to his strike partner and Forster once again left with no chance as the Tottenham defence were split as easily as a knife going through butter. Wissa with no mistake but full credit to Shandon whose tenacity and alertness saw him whip the ball away from the ponderous Oliver Skipp to start things off.

3-1 Brentford. Surely this was it. The mother of all fire drills taking place for those wearing white shirts. Then the board showed 9 minutes? Err, ok.

A final throwing of the kitchen sink from Spurs. A final chance from Brentford to demonstrate our defensive capabilities. My word, Ben Mee. My word, David Raya. A world class double stop from Richardson at point ball range stopping this from getting nervy in the final few seconds. Give that man whatever level of contract he wants.

With that, it was all over. For Brentford, as good an away day as we’ve had. What played out afterwards making things even better. Fulham being held by Crystal Palace means we are, officially, the best placed team in West London. The Bees four points ahead with only one to play. Chelsea so far out of sight they’re probably closer to the Loftus Road mob at present.

The European dream also on. Villa drawing at Liverpool and Spurs being Spursy means that 7th place is still open for Brentford. All we need to do to complete our part is beat the newly crowned league Champions next week. The way the Bees are playing, nothing would surprise me. If we could do it at their place then imagine what might happen at home…

All that’s to come, of course. For now there’s the regular post-match look at the top five from this game as well as continuing our season long quest to declare Brentford’s overall top performer. With Ivan Toney out of the running for now, could anyone catch him on the line?

Just like the game with West Ham last time out, it’s another of those where so many players are in the running. Where opinions will be split – albeit the star man seems to me as easy a decision as they come. So without further ado…

Brentford Player Ratings from Matchweek 37 (vs Tottenham)

1st (Star Player: 5 points) – Bryan Mbeumo
As before, it had to be Bryan. Back-to-back star player performances but this one was his best of the season.

With Brentford staring down the barrel at half-time, he turned the game on its head with the most wonderful finishing technique. To run with the ball is one thing but to put it away so precisely is something else. Accuracy and power combined to guide it through the tightest of gaps and find that bottom corner.

As much kudos needs to go to him for setting up Wissa for our third. With full-time becoming, there must have been a moment’s thought that he could get the hat-trick. Certainly, he could have gone for goal but instead took the ultimate in unselfish decisions. Wissa was better placed and the timing of that pass guaranteed the goal.

He was inspirational on Saturday. Nobody came close. On a historic afternoon he was the man at the heart of it all.

2nd (4 points) – Ben Mee
Another huge performance from Ben.

The first half-saw him wrestling Harry Kane into quiet submission. Clearing the ball time and again with aplomb. Holding back the hordes and one quite incredible block from Son as the goal beckoned. It wasn’t just the legs of steel to block there all but the timing of the challenge in the penalty box that was as crucial.

The second half saw him with less to do but in that frenetic period of time added on he was there again and again and again to get in the way. To block and clear. To keep us safe.

3rd (3 points) – David Raya
What price on Raya? It is the question we keep asking and whilst it may not be answered until next season, the one thing you can say for sure is that he is all Brentford. You can see what this team means to him and vice versa. Saturday was about as good as it got on all fronts.

Whilst he had no chance with such a wonderfully struck free-kick, everything else was incredible. Save after save in the first half. That calm assuredness despite being the last line of defence. Absolutely rock solid.

There in the second when needed but it was that pair at the end which were absolutely top, top draw. How he got to the first, pushing it on to the post when the Spurs’ fans (those still there) were already celebrating a ‘goal’ I have no idea. The subsequent tip over the bar equally brilliant.

I don’t throw this around lightly but in all my time watching The Bees he is the best we’ve ever had. Saturday showed that once again.

4th (2 points) – Rico Henry
Just brilliant. To ‘only’ place him fourth feels really harsh after yet another episode of The Rico Show.

His header off the line in the first half from Emerson Royal’s header was game changing stuff yet before that he’d been in fine form. At one point interrupting the Mee/Kane tango to whip the ball off the Englan captain’s toes and guide it to safety.

He was everywhere in that opening period. Mopping up. Breaking down the Tottenham attacks. Breaking down the left wing in combination with Kevin Shade.

Bryan will get the headlines for the second half goals but for me, this game was won as much in the first half through the defence weathering the storm when a goal down. Rico was at the heart of it all.

5th (1 point) – Aaron Hickey
There was one moment in the first half where Son had a ten-yard start on Aaron and was bearing down on goal. By all rights it should have been 2-0 and a long way back. Instead, Hickey chased down his man and did sufficient to interrupt the shooting opportunity, allowing Raya to make yet another of his comfortable looking saves.

Like Rico, he was everywhere in the first half. Doing his level best to stop the opposition and stem the tide. Games turn on moments and if the Son challenge was his in the first half, the ball down the wing to Bryan was his key point in the second. It was as well executed a pass as one could hope to see and fell perfectly for Mbeumo to then do what he does. Cut in and score.

Aaron was eventually replaced by Mads Roerslev and went off to a heroes’ applause.

Brentford Player Ratings – Top 5 Players Overall (after Matchweek 37)

All of which means that with one game to go, our player of the season competition is still wide open. Top spot sees it going down to Ivan Toney v Ben Mee. Ethan and Rico are in contention for the bronze medal whilst David Raya (just outside the top five on 47) can still catch fifth placed Bryan.

Bring on Manchester City. There’s just the small matter of Europe to play for……

1st – Ivan Toney (69 points)
2nd – Ben Mee (66 points)
3rd – Ethan Pinnock (58 points)
4th – Rico Henry (55 points)
5th – Bryan Mbeumo (52 points)

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2022-23 Brentford Player Ratings – Matchweek 37 by Nick Bruzon