Brentford Player Ratings – Matchday 20

A bold selection that saw Keith Andrews find a way to incorporate both Mathias Jensen and Mikkel Damsgaard into his starting XI was rewarded in the most exhilarating of fashions. A hat-trick from Igor Thiago, the chief of many highlights from the flair-filled Bees.

It was Everton who started the livelier of the two sides. Caoimhín Kelleher pressed in to making a fine stop from Dwight McNeil to keep things level just minutes into the game as the hosts pushed. Igor Thiago then clearing one off the line from the Everton captain.

Yet as the Bees found their own shape, dogged persistence saw Vitaly take advantage. Our former number 26 played the mother of all dreadful clearances. Janelt returning it with interest from near the touchline. The ball falling straight into goalkeeping no-man’s land and there was Igor Thiago, timing his move to perfection. Jordan Pickford left no chance, and the net rippling with little more than ten minutes on the clock.

On pushed the Bees. Likewise, Everton, to be fair, although it was the visitors always looking the side most likely to score. Damsgaard setting off on one wonderful run through the middle, chose Schade over Thiago with both options available. Corner was the reward. Schade came close again after a great ball in from Damsgaard down the right. The German catching it first time under pressure, but Pickford equal to it. The Everton keeper then denying Thiago as we approached half-time after Jensen turned supplier.

With Kelleher keeping out Barry’s point-blank header moments later, the warnings were clear to see. One did have to wonder if Brentford might regret not taking those additional chances they’d created. Nothing could have been further from the truth.

Within five minutes of the restart, the Bees had moved from tight lead to unassailable advantage. First up, Nathan Collins guiding home Vitaly’s corner. Yes, such was the control exerted that Brentford even scored from a corner. It was that sort of afternoon. The smile on the skipper’s face speaking absolute volumes as he celebrated in front of the Bees’ faithful in that corner of the Hill-Dickinson.

Then moments later, it went from two to three. Schade and Thiago breaking free. The German taking Jensen’s defence-splitting pass in his stride, spinning and releasing the big man. He didn’t need an invitation and dinked it home past the despairing Pickford.

3-0 Brentford, the interminable wait for VAR coming down in our favour, and fans not quite able to believe what they were seeing. The team who had struggled so much on the road this campaign now in complete control and running riot.

If there was to be any comeback, it would need to happen soon. It didn’t. At least, not immediately. Beto finding acres of space after Kris Ajer had a rare moment off in the middle, and Kelleher finally beaten. 25 minutes to go and a lifebelt thrown to the Toffees. It sunk without a trace as the Bees pushed on again and, eventually, who was there but Thiago to grab his hat-trick?
This time, Collins, the provider, as the Brazilian started his run so early, he was still well inside the Brentford half when he set off. Everton dead and buried. The fracas with their number 6 moments earlier now forgotten, and Keith Andrews in away day dreamland.

Not even a late goal from Thierno Barry could dampen spirits. The Everton man making it 4-2 in the 90th, but his effort proving nothing more than the proverbial consolation. The Bees seeing it out in comfort and more than worth a win of this magnitude. The persistence and drive seen against Bournemouth back on display in the most enjoyable of fashions. A second successive win on the road for Keith and the team, playing with a ferocity and spirit that should make him feel really proud.

It was a result that saw Brentford leapfrog both their hosts and also Sunderland, the next visitors to the Gtech on Wednesday evening, to leave supporters thinking about getting their passports out of the safe. The Bees only a point behind fifth-placed Manchester United and, say this quietly, a single win off the fourth Champions League spot. Current occupants Liverpool seeing a late, late equaliser at Chicken Cottage heap further pressure whilst opening up a quite tantalising opportunity.

Of course, all of that has a long, long way to run, but it’s football. What’s the point if you can’t dream? With the Reds not in action again until Thursday’s game with Arsenal, our own visit from Sunderland could leave things even more intriguing.

All that’s to come, of course. For now, then, the game-by-game search for Brentford’s 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 ends up the eventual winner after game 38.

1st (five points) Igor Thiago

It can only be one player. What a stunning display from the Brazilian. The joy he brings to the fans mirrored on his own face pretty much all game, even celebrating with his countryman Beto at one point.

Let’s not pretend any of his goals were easy – they were made to look so, but it was as much about the technique and the timing as the quality of the finishing. He didn’t put a foot wrong but instead combined calmness and precision to leave Pickford on his backside not once, not twice, but three times.

Let’s pay tribute also to that early goal-line clearance with the scores still level. It would have been bad enough to concede early, let alone to that player.

Likewise, one does have to realise just how strong Igor is. To set off on that colossal run that late into a game yet still outpace all those around him – not to mention finishing in such style – is a feat of endurance you can only admire.

I guess he was as determined to round things off in style as we were overjoyed to see it happen.

2nd (four points) Caoimhín Kelleher

A fifth appearance in the top three from our last seven games. Perhaps this one being the biggest enigma of all, given how handsomely the Bees ended up winning the game.

I’m giving it to Caoimhín because he was as pivotal at one end as Igor was down the other. He pulled off key saves at the right time, every time. Within minutes of each half beginning. With mere seconds left on the clock at the end of the opening period, the Bees hung on to their (then) slender lead.

Honestly, his reactions were second to none. Without wanting to badmouth former players, the list of ‘keepers that I suspect would have struggled to pull off these reflex saves is legion. Instead, let’s simply say that Caoimhín is up there with the very best to don the goalkeeper’s jersey for Brentford, and without him, we could have been staring down the barrel of a painful journey home.

3rd (three points) Vitaly Janelt

Like Caoimhín, Vitaly is in a rich vein of form at present. I thought he had a stunning game, and it feels so wrong to ‘only’ give him third place. Such are the challenges when your team wins by this margin.

Defensively strong as. One challenge on the dangerous James Garner with the clock running down, sticks in the mind as being particularly impressive.

Yet it was in his attacking play where Vitaly really shone on Sunday. Not one but two assists as his contributions allowed Igor and Nathan to find the back of the net, respectively. Outside of this, he was responsible for a third of the team’s cross-count whilst only Yarmo outpassed him.

As seems de rigeur these days, it was another game where he went the full 90. Likewise, another game (that’s four in a row now) where he has appeared in our top five.

4th (two points) Mikkel Damsgaard

How does Keith play Jensen and Damsgaard? Easy, move Mikkel out of position.

As we’ve noted in recent weeks, Mathias has been on fire and, as such, fully deserving his place in the starting XI. To keep resting, Damsgaard feels all kinds of wrong, and this game showed why. Once he found his feet, starting that bit further wide, he really got going and looked as dangerous cutting down the right as he did bursting through the middle.

Keith has now given himself yet another headache of the nicest sort for Sunderland on Wednesday.

5th (one point) Nathan Collins

The make-up of our top five shows how well Brentford played as a team unit . The entire spine from bottom to top is included, and Nathan was no exception.

I suspect he’s still smiling now about the goal he scored, rising like a salmon through the jostling crowd to make the perfect connection. The setup for Thiago’s hat-trick was a ball which required not just forward-thinking but precision, too.

Led by example and defended from the front.

All of which means that going into our next game, Michael Kayode has been caught at the top of our table. Igor Thiago is joining him on 38 points. Likewise, Caoimhín and Jordan Henderson are now tied in third place, just a point above Mikkel Damsgaard. With Sunderland visiting on Wednesday, the race to be our star player is getting as tight as that for the European places

1st= Michael Kayode – 38 points
1st= Igor Thiago – 38 points
3rd= Jordan Henderson – 28 points
3rd= Caoimhín Kelleher – 28 points
5th Mikkel Damsgaard – 27 points