A frustrating weekend for Brentford saw a 3-2 home defeat in the West London derby and the chance of qualifying for Europe now reliant on huge favours from other teams.
With spirits high on Saturday morning, 48 hours later that famous (and let’s be clear, well deserved) triumph for Crystal Palace over abject Manchester City in the FA Cup final had already left next season’s prospects hanging in the balance. The Eagles now taking the qualification slot that most observers had assumed would be going to the eighth placed team in the Premier League once Pep Guardiola’s team won the cup.
Nobody read the script though. Football fairytales still come true. Palace played out of their skins and showed that you can’t just turn up. Victories have to be earned. City with all the arrogance of the hare vs the tortoise, were unable to break through a resilient backline. Bravo Palace. Bravo David. Perhaps a bit of that disappointment crept in to the vibe for Sunday’s game at the Gtech.
That tried and tested Brentford side that had made it four successive wins was named once more. Sadly, referee (sorry, ‘referee’) Jarred Gillett, who had such a shocker on VAR at Portman Road last time out and then again at Wembley yesterday, was once more our man in charge (sorry ‘in charge’).
This time around it was a series of fouls ignored when a free kick or booking was needed combined with profligate use of the yellow card when it wasn’t. Tete for the visitors lucky to stay on having gone in to the book within the opening quarter hour. He wasn’t alone on an afternoon that eventually saw eight players have their name taken.
Perhaps Gillett just needs a bit of a break. He’s clearly lacking in confidence and authority. Maybe those recent high profile calls have left him shaken but when the game is controlled by somebody with the decision making power of a roulette wheel then, for the sake of everybody, perhaps its time to go back to refereeing school.
If that’s overlong mention of the man in the middle rather than the game, its because it felt like he had such a huge impact on what was something of such enormous significance.
Ok. So the football. Nathan Collins was outjumped by Raul Jimenez (you can count the fingers on one finger for the amount of times that has happened this season) to give the visitors first blood just after the quarter hour mark. Back came the Bees in style.
First Mbeumo. A smart one-two with Wissa saw him level up just six minutes later. Burnt Lemon in goal given no chance from a fine finish. It could have been more. At least, before it was.
Kevin Schade racing though the box towards the touchline for the inevitable cutback was clipped and sent tumbling. Mr Gillett pointing to the spot. Mbeumo stepping up to do what he does. Except, this time, he didn’t.
The ball hit low and Leno guessing the right way to dive, pushed it clear. On a weekend of penalty saves wrecking dreams, he joined Palace’s Dean Henderson in making the right sort of headlines.
In truth, it had felt soft. The polar opposite of Ipswich where he had used the power of VAR to decree Alex Tuanzebe’s rugby tackle on Nathan Collins ‘mutual holding’ rather than a spot kick. Perhaps it was just his subconscious attempt to redress the balance but having been given, the expectation was that a gift horse would not be looked in the mouth. Alas, it was.
It happens. On pushed The Bees. Half-time approaching. Another of those deadly throws from Kayode hoisted in to the box. Sepp van den Berg and Christian Norgaard heading it past Leno in to the back of the net or, rather, towards the back of the net. There was Wissa on the line to help it home!!! Get in. 2-1 Brentford. The ball crossing the line the only thing that counts.
With Nottingham Forest also completing their side of the European bargain by leading at West Ham, things were still looking up. Big screen birthday announcements came and went. Somebody won a lawnmower, as you do. Then onwards and upwards to complete formalities.
Except, it didn’t happen like it was supposed to. The second half just never got going. Gillett’s stop-start take on affairs to brandish his cards not helping but with the 70 minute mark approaching, two goals in as many minutes scuppered the Bees. First Tom Cairney’s header and then moments later Harry Wilson’s curler from distance.
The later leaving Mark Flekken in shock. Standing stock still on the edge of his box in the aftermath, palms spread open to say, ‘What the actual?’ (or words to that effect). It was a decent strike but the outcome was the same – Brentford behind.
After that, it was game over. So much timewasting that even Leno was eventually booked at the death. Wissa might have won a penalty after the fortunate Tete shoved him in the box. Norgaard producing a fine save from the visiting ‘keeper late on.
Either the way, the score stayed the same. A first defeat since Newcastle away at the start of April and now needing snookers to reach Europe. The most direct route requiring Chelsea to finish seventh and win the Conference League final combined with the Bees holding on to eighth. The first step on that journey beginning a Brighton on Monday evening where everybody will have fingers crossed for a Liverpool win.
That’s out of our hands so, instead, let’s focus on our game by game search for the top five players of the season. As always, five points being awarded for star player, four for second place, three for third etc with the totals added up game-by-game to see who places best behind this season’s winner Mikkel Damsgaard after game 38.
2024/25 Brentford Player Ratings from Matchweek 37 (vs Fulham)
1st (Star Player: 5 points) – Yehor Yarmoliuk
Star man last time out and same again here.
If the game at Portman Road saw three players with a claim to top spot, this time around Yehor was stand out by a country mile. He really was that dominant in the midfield. First- half especially.
Whatever else happens this campaign – and let’s just pause for a second to note that with just one game left to play, Brentford are eighth in the Premier League. An absolutely gargantuan achievement – Yehor’s coming of age has been revelatory.
He’s nailed on to start as many games as fitness will allow next season if this is the sort of performance we’re going to get.
2nd (4 points) – Christian Norgaard
Ah, Christian. The captain doing once more what he does so well.
Bossing the midfield. Putting himself about. Setting up goals and pushing higher up this time around to almost get on the scoresheet twice.
Firstly, Wissa taking the glory as the ball was about to cross the line. Christian won’t care though. Then, Leno with that wonder save in the last few minutes. I’m still not sure how Christian’s header didn’t go in.
Regardless, on an afternoon where Yehor was streets ahead of everybody else, the skipper gave it his best.
3rd (3 points) – Mikkel Damsgaard
It was just another of those Damsgaard games.
The problem here being that he makes the extraordinary look, err, ordinary. We’ve almost become numbed to the precision of his passing. The fleetness of foot. The terror instilled as he runs at defences.
This was Damsgaard by numbers. Nothing more. Nothing less. It was still wonderful.
4th (2 points) – Yoane Wissa
Can you blame him for denying Christian the goal?
Striker’s instinct or making sure? Regardless, it kept him neck and neck with Bryan on 19 for the season. The pair of them joint fifth in the premier League goalscorer’s chart. Another brace for this most dynamic of duos.
He gets the assist for Bryan’s goal, too. A perfectly placed pass through the visitor’s backline. His return ball met with the sublime finish it deserved.
You can’t put a price on a partnership with this level of understanding.
5th (1 point) – Michael Kayode
I might have gone Bryan at this point. His goal WAS great. Yet Michael had another of those strong, strong displays.
If we are getting Damsgaard by numbers on a regular basis then the same can be said for Kayode. He’s the latest in a line of long throw experts – possibly our best yet – and it was his mayhem that would ultimately give Brentford the lead.
There’s more to his game though and we saw it again on Sunday. He’s built like he’ll run through brick walls for this team but has the alertness of mind and twinkling toes to make his game way more than just about strength.
Let’s hope, again, that Thomas Frank et al take up the option on his services at the end of the campaign.
2024/25 Brentford Player Ratings – Top 5 Overall (after Matchweek 37)
All of which means that heading in to the final game at Wolves, there’s more than just European qualification at stake. Mikkel Damsgaard could become the first player to breach the 100 point barrier. Three players could still take second. Nathan Collins remains in sight of the top five.
Bring it on and see you there.
1st – Mikkel Damsgaard (95 points)
2nd – Keane Lewis-Potter (65 points)
3rd – Christian Norgaard (63 points )
4th – Mark Flekken (60 points)
5th – Bryan Mbeumo (57 points)
