Another away game, another win for Brentford. Saturday evening’s 2-1 defeat of Bournemouth at their Vitality stadium made it WWWWW on the road for The Bees in the Premier League.
This fifth successive win away from home stretching out an unbeaten record that was last blemished at Stamford Bridge in mid-December. With international break now upon us it means that the run will continue until at least early April and the game at Newcastle United. Not bad for a team who couldn’t buy a point on their travels in the first few months of the season.
It was looking in doubt at one point. Brentford with a strong starting XI but definitely lacking experience on the bench. Matthias Jensen the latest name back on the list of absentees despite only making a recent return. Bournemouth, taking early control and eventually breaking the deadlock with little more than a quarter hour gone. An unfortunate own goal c/o of Vitaly Janelt’s shoulder as a corner was played in to a crowded penalty box, giving the hosts early joy.
It looked remarkably similar to the one conceded to Tottenham at the Gtech last month. Same move. Same player. Same body part. Perhaps a coincidence but certainly something Thomas and the set-piece coach will want to avoid becoming a trend. Yet no matter how frustrating it felt (enough about the f’ing drum though), they dusted themselves down and took that age-old advice to push up, Brentford.
It was all level by the half hour. Norgaard playing a killer ball through to Damsgaard. With nobody there to meet the cross he still won a corner from which Wissa’s header found the back of the net. Mbeumo’s delivery met with inch perfect precision. Kepa in nets no chance and Brentford were back in it.
From there, the game opening up. Norgaard sliding in at one end to keep it clear. Vitaly blasting over at the other after Ajer had worked hard on the right hand touchline. Schade performing similar build up work but then playing it over a good five yards in front of Wissa as the Bees averted the danger they had created.
Half-time and 1-1. Game very much on but it was the hosts who picked up the pace once more. KLP blocking out Tavernier in style. Semenyo then spurning the most glorious opportunity. The ball in to the box headed against the bar from yards out when it should have been buried like a mafia corpse. Norgaard appearing to take a heavy blow just before the hour and visibly carrying a heavy limp.
Yet rather than sub out the skipper, Thomas elected to let him ‘run it off’. It was a decision that paid dividends as it was none other than the captain who fired home the winner. Getting on the ned of a long throw from Schade and burying it from inside the box. 70 minutes gone and Brentford ahead.
It was a lead which was played out with comparative ease. Bournemouth no choice but to chase the equaliser yet KLP, Collins and Flekken solid at the back. Anything played in to the final third or the box, cut out with comparative ease. Five minutes of additional time played out with minimal stress, in retrospect. It’s never easy sitting through it live but in the end, the clock simply ran out for Bournemouth.
The drums falling silent. The perennial song of ‘Get battered, everywhere they go’, for once true when applied to Southampton L. It will be little consolation for a Bournemouth team whose unlikely tilt at the European places is in danger of falling apart like a Leeds United tribute act.
Still, the opportunity remains but this win sees Brentford close in on them and those above. Fingers crossed that the Carabao Cup final with Liverpool will have provided distraction by the time the two teams meet at St. James’ Park next Wednesday. With it the potential to move the away win clichéometer up from ‘Fantastic four’ and today’s ‘Five alive’ to dreaming about ‘six of the best’. Until then, we can look back on another successful afternoon with the top five player ratings.
Five points being awarded for star player, four for second place, three for third etc with the totals added up game-by-game to find an overall winner for the season.
2024/25 Brentford Player Ratings from Matchweek 29 (vs Bournemouth)
1st (Star Player: 5 points) – Christian Norgaard
Second place last time out, the skipper wins this one hands down.
He was already well clear on my chart prior to scoring the goal. Wonderful though it was, the more telling moment on the second-half was the thought that he’d have to go off early. The Bees were that reliant on him.
Tackling in the box. Breaking up play as Bournemouth pushed past half-way. Taking the game to the Cherries – whether via releasing his team mates or carrying it forwards himself. The final stat count shows him as The Bees top tackler and passer.
Not to mention joint top scorer in this one!
A gargantuan performance from Christian. Somebody really should sign him up.
2nd (4 points) – Nathan Collins
Hands down our best defender on the night and actually scooped the ‘official’ MOTM award from our friends back in the Sky Sports Studios.
For me though, he is a very deserving second placed with barely a foot put wrong all evening. One opportunity through his legs early on had echoes of Ollie Watkins for Villa but Flekken was able to gather it up. From that point on, Nathan was untouchable.
Solid tackles. Perfectly timed interceptions. Throwing his body in front of everything to divert goal bound crosses and shots behind. Heading danger clear.
From start to finish he was instrumental in a game where Bournemouth had 17 shots and close to 60 percent possession. Yet Nathan made any danger seem nothing more than inconvenience rather than genuine threat.
Brentford have been blessed with quality central defenders in the Premier League. Pontus Jansson, Ben Mee and Ethan Pinnock have all done their thing but carry on like this and Nathan could end up being one of the very best.
3rd (3 points) – Keane Lewis-Potter
Ordinarily KLP scoops probably more praise for his attacking endeavours, given the length of run he has to set out on.
This was all there again, but it was also a game where we really saw his defensive side dominate. Which is a shame from respect of the fact that Schade was having somewhat of an off-day. The chance for KLP to push (or even start) higher, would have been nice.
Yet there he was mopping up. Stopping so much ball even getting in to the area where it needed Nathan Collins to step in to action. KLP still did his thing pushing up, of course, and very nice it was too.
It was a match where we were treated to seeing him have to face the ball coming in his direction way more than normal, but one in which he showed next-level maturity, experience and comfort in a position that he really has made his own.
4th (2 points) – Mark Flekken
Kept Brentford in it. No question. One point becoming three thanks to another rock solid Flekken display. He had no chance with the goal that did get past him. It was just one of those freak opportunities
Everything else that came even vaguely near him was sucked up with all the ease of a Gtech Air ram vacuum cleaner. The final ten minutes in particular seeing Bournemouth ramp up the pressure.
Brooks denied from close range. Semenyo seeing the big man get in the way of his late effort. Dives to the left and right to push it clear. Confident catches and safe hands.
There were no ‘Gordon Banks – Pele’ moments but what we did get was a consistent display over 90 minutes that was crucial in keeping this fine run of away wins going.
5th (1 point) – Yoane Wissa
On an afternoon where Schade and Mbeumo were relatively quiet by their standards, Wissa still put a shift in up top.
With chances at an absolute premium – something, something, something XG – he took his quite wonderfully when the moment arrived. Rising above his man and making the sweetest of connections to leave Kepa stranded.
Games turn on moments and his was enough to bring Brentford back in to this match. It was clearly his key contribution on the night but he still made enough of his presence to keep Bournemouth on their toes over the course of the game.
2024/25 Brentford Player Ratings – Top 5 Overall (after Matchweek 29)
All of which means that with Mikkel Damsgaard failing to trouble the top five for only the second time in the last thirteen games, the chasing pack have been able to make some ground. The gap to KLP less than thirty (!!) with both Flekken and Norgaard poised to overtake Bryan Mbeumo.
It’s all to play for at Newcastle United next Wednesday.
1st – Mikkel Damsgaard (85 points)
2nd – Keane Lewis-Potter (57 points)
3rd – Bryan Mbeumo (51 points)
T4th – Mark Flekken, Christian Norgaard (50 points)
