Wednesday evening’s trip to the South Coast saw Brentford go down 2-1 to Brighton in a game where the dreaded spectre of injury tapped Thomas Frank on the shoulder once more.
With Kris Ajer confirmed as being out for a few weeks after pulling out on the warm up for the defeat of Luton on Saturday, and Matthias Jensen still not back in time for this one, it was Bryan Mbeumo who has left us all now holding our collective breath. His ankle injury suffered on the 40th minute after earlier giving Brentford the lead from the penalty spot didn’t seem too bad on first glance. However, replays showed him going over it in really painful looking style after tussling with Pascal Gross.
There was no attempt to even carry on with Wissa immediately coming on his place and our leading goalscorer limping off the pitch, helped by two of the medical team.
With the trip to Sheffield United only a few days away, Thomas Frank’s post-match assessment was understandably guarded. He told the press that Bryan, “Twisted his ankle. We don’t know exactly bad it is; we will assess him tomorrow.” Adding that, “It’s another one on the list but that happens; another player may now need to step up.”
Stepping up has been the Brentford way this season. It could have been even worse, too, with Wissa lucky to only be shown a yellow card following a petulant flailing of the arm that caught Billy Gilmour in the face. Subsequent viewings suggesting fortune had been on The Bees’ side but at this stage in the player availability crisis, we’ll take anything offered.
That’s not to say it was all doom and gloom. The Bees sat deep and strangled our hosts in the early stages of the game before taking the lead just inside the first half-hour. A surging run through midfield from captain Vitaly Janelt saw him upended in the box.
Referee Mr. Bankes pointed immediately to the spot despite the usual protests from the opposition and, when play eventually restarted, up walked Bryan to roll it in to the bottom corner. Boom-oo, indeed.
Had The Bees been able to hold on then things may well have been different. Yet within just a few minutes it was all square again. Gross firing one hard and low past Flekken after solid work from Kaoru Mitoma. The finish was lethal but the scorer was given too much time and room to pick his spot as he cut in from the right hand side. Disappointing, to say the least.
1-1 at half-time and The Bees with the best chance of the second half soon after. Neal Maupay picked up the ball from Frank, only to see his shot bounce clear. It fell to Wissa who fired towards the bottom corner, only to see yet another Brentford shot cleared off the line by Jack Hinshelwood. It was Arsenal all over again with the goalkeeper Steele oblivious to what was happening. The frustration further compounded by the same player then planting a header past Flekken from relative close range just minutes later.
From there, there wasn’t really much more to write home about. Ben Mee’s last gasp overhead scissor kick coming relatively close to rescuing a point but that was the best of slim pickings going forwards. Brighton had already done enough to close The Bees out with genuine chances nothing more than an aspiration than a reality.
Well played by our hosts. No complaints about this one although the injury news obviously making the main headlines for Brentford. No doubt a lot of shredded nerves in the medical centre as we wait for the updates.
Until then, we have the top five performance review. The ongoing quest to find our overall player of the season with five points being awarded for every ‘Star Player’ award, four for second place, three for third etc and then the totals counted up over the course of the 38 games.
2023-24 Brentford Player Ratings from Matchweek 15 (vs Brighton)
1st (Star Player: 5 points) – Vitaly Janelt
Our captain for the night led by example. He’s done a wonderful job filling in at left wing-back in place of Rico Henry and Aaron Hickey but with Thomas shuffling his pack further, it meant a more traditional role for Vitaly.
He grasped the opportunity with most of Brentford’s attacking threat coming through the middle and he was at the heart of it. That powerful drive forward which earned the penalty was the obvious highlight but he did so much more than that. Vitaly wasn’t afraid to drop back and defend, either. One moment at the beginning of the second period being particularly impressive as he helped turn potential danger into slick defence.
Yet as much as anything else it was his overall presence and determination that wins it this time around. On an evening where there were plenty of chances for players to show they were worthy of a place in the starting XI, it was this regular who really grasped the mettle.
2nd (4 points) – Saman Ghoddos
Well, well, well. Saman is starting to become a regular face in our top five.
This time around, he was pulled across to the left back position in lieu of Vitaly and didn’t he do wonderfully? It was a performance that, at the very least, showed us that Thomas has some further option in this position should they be needed.
We took the TV option for this game and I’ve lost count of the times I shouted ‘Messi’ every time the commentary team mentioned, “The Iranian… World Cup player/international” etc. The point being more that it was a lot, with dead ball duties from either flank also falling under his remit.
3rd (3 points) – Ethan Pinnock
If Saman is starting to appear in our top five on a regular basis, Ethan is showing him the way. The current leader in our search for ‘Player of the Season’, he hasn’t missed a single minute of on-pitch action so far. You can see why.
Again, the glue that holds the back line together. Joint top of the tackle count for the Bees and that perennial calmness under pressure.
Gareth Southgate must be wringing his hands in frustration that Ethan represents Jamaica as he’d otherwise be shoe in for the England team. This one was yet another example why. Then again, Gareth would still pick Harry Maguire.
4th (2 points) – Frank Onyeka
Like Saman, Frank has also taken the opportunity afforded to him by that deep, deep swathe of injuries and absences cutting through the squad.
He and Vitaly ran the midfield with opportunity, such as it was, created and enforcing tackles applied. If we are being honest, it was a night where a few players went missing yet The Bees still came close.
Had everyone shown the same application and determination as Frank then it could well have been a different story
5th (1 point) – Mikkel Damsgaard
As much because he appeared on pitch. With the ‘I’ word front and centre of everything at the moment, how nice to have a player returning to action. Moreso, when he looked this hungry.
It was a twenty minute cameo but there was enough enthusiasm there to suggest we have more to come from Mikkel.
2023-24 Brentford Player Ratings – Top 5 Players Overall (after Matchweek 15)
All of which means that our top five once again has a clear leader
1st – Ethan Pinnock (34 points)
2nd – Bryan Mbeumo (31 points)
3rd – Christian Norgaard (25 points)
4th – Mathias Jensen (21 points)
5th – Nathan Collins (18 points)
Follow Nick Bruzon on Twitter @NickBruzon
