Brentford eye another big result against relegation-haunted Leeds

The Bees, of course, missed out on what would have been a most glorious moment in relegating Leeds at the climax of the 2021-2022 campaign. A late red card for Sergi Canos, after he’d hauled the Bees back into the game, along with an even later goal from Jack Harrison securing the three points that saw them finish 17th.

A 5-2 trashing the following campaign, which included an Ivan Toney hat-trick and the sight of Keith Stroud helpfully showing the red-carded Jessie Marsch to the back of the stand, went some way to sealing their eventual return to the Championship. A place they’ve been until this season and where, of course, they’ll be seeking to avoid a swift return.

The gap between them and West Ham in the relegation zone is a mere three points. With Nottingham Forest and Spurs sandwiched between, it really is a case of whomever goes down would be amazing. At least, for neutral observers.

The heart says Spurs. The head says it’ll be the Hammers. The pressure says we know which side amongst the four has a perennial habit of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Of falling apart. Again.

Those are the ‘fun facts’. For those of us in TW8, anyway. The other side of the coin being that Elland Road is always an absolute bear pit to play in. One of the most ferocious and passionate grounds in the country where the crowd really are the twelfth man.

Laugh about the team’s ability to shoot themselves in the foot all you want (and we do, happily), but one of Keith Andrews’ most important jobs will be in having his team focus on the game rather than distractions off-field. Moreso, given we’ve not won there since 2015.

I’d suspect he’ll need to do this without Mikkel Damsgaard. The mercurial midfielder limping off in the 2-2 draw with Wolves on Monday night and, seemingly, already carrying an injury. Given the international break is imminent, I’m sure Keith will say that last year’s player of the season will be unavailable when he speaks to the press on Friday. With Rico Henry and Aaron Hickey also amongst the crop of more recent injuries, collective fitness concerns the chief has swerved all season, coming to bite at the worst possible time?

To be fair, with Mathias Jensen in the form of his life, the experience of Jordan Henderson to call on and Yarmo still belying his tender years, that’s a midfield most coaches would love the ability to call upon. Igor Thiago is in the form of his life up top – something Daniel Farke recognised in Thursday’s press conference – and the key, as always, will be getting the ball to him.

Dango Ouattara was my star man in Monday’s draw. KLP right behind him. I suspect they’ll occupy the wide berths with Kris Ajer slotting in at left wing back. The rest of the team then naming itself : Kayode, Collins, and SVDB with Kellehr in nets. For whatever reason, Kevin Schade seems to have not so much stumbled as fallen off a cliff in recent weeks. His confidence looks shot, and much as I respect Keith’s desire to give the pace man another chance, surely now is the time to give him a break. To bring him back into action from the bench and revitalised for that final push.

What do I know, though? He’ll probably go out and grab a couple of goals instead. Which, with Brentford still in the hunt for a Champions League spot (don’t @me, the table doesn’t lie), would be beyond incredible.

The gap to fourth-placed Aston Villa now down to six points – and Liverpool, just four – with superior goal difference to the Villans. With eight games to play, the passports are still very much out on the bedside table rather than stuffed in the back of the drawer.

Thoughts of Brentford facing Real Madrid or Barcelona in a competitive fixture next campaign not beyond the realms of credibility. As it stands.

Leeds aren’t just going to roll over and die, of course. They have their own battles to fight and will be ripping up trees to ensure they don’t get sucked further into the comedic mess currently entertaining us at the bottom end of the table.

All those teams who have won their own European trophies back in the day now realising that history and past performance counts for naff all. Moreso when you have crackpot owners, fans with expectations levels operating several thousand levels beyond the clubs’ capability, and a managerial merry-go-round that must have Sam Allardyce wondering just why his phone is yet to ring.

Relegation doesn’t give a toss about what you might have done last decade, let alone last season, if the team aren’t up to the job.

I’m sure Leeds will ease themselves clear of this mess. They are still too good. Too stable. I’d just prefer if they give it another game to get going. Certainly, they’ll be feeling confident and have zero injury concerns.

Daniel Farke telling the media yesterday that: “Everyone is available, no one is out. It is a good situation to be in in March, just in the last game before the international break”.

The only absentee being Gabriel Gudmundsson, who saw red at Crystal Palace. James Justin being the anticipated replacement, although there are other options if he needs to freshen things up.

Thankfully, the Bees have finally been released from the tyrannical yoke of Stuart Attwell. The attention-seeking official seems to have been hanging around like a bad smell in recent weeks, whilst his interpretation of the backpass rule at 2-0 up against Wolves was game-changing. Instead, we have a team that lines up.

Referee: Jarred Gillett. Assistants: Simon Long, Nick Greenhalgh. Fourth official: Anthony Backhouse. VAR: Matt Donohue. Assistant VAR: Eddie Smart.

Whatever Mr. Gillett does to upset us from time to time, he’ll always have ‘that’ game against Bournemouth in his back pocket. That red card shown to special agent Mepham to fall back on. From there, we got to Wembley and the rest is history.

Now to build on it and write the next chapter in the Brentford story. European qualification. The game at Elland Road promises to be a real page-turner. Here’s hoping it has a happy ending…