The FA Cup has been and gone. Aspirations of Wembley vanishing like a thief in the night at West Ham. A hard fought battle eventually coming down to the proverbial lottery of penalty kicks and, well, let’s just leave it with the thought that who amongst us can truly appreciate the sort of pressure that comes with being the player in the spotlight when the ball comes to be hit?
Instead, there are just nine games left to pursue a different dream. Perhaps, an even crazier one. Certainly, when you look at how things were ‘supposed’ to pan out at the start of the campaign. Ah, who’d be a pundit? Well, me actually. The sort of role where you can spout nonsense left, right, and centre yet remain bulletproof. Untouchable even. Regardless of what nonsense and cliche you spout. Glenn Hoddle and Robbie Savage have made careers out of it.
We digress, but are, of course, talking about the race for European qualification. It has proven to be one of the closest and hardest-fought battles in seasons. Just 7(seven) points separating the 7th-placed Bees from a top-three place currently filled by Manchester United. Honestly, would any part of that sentence have been called at the front end of the season? Even by Jermain Jenas?
Yet here we are. The opportunity awaits. Potentially even the Champions League, with a fifth place theoretically opening up. Albeit, the form of the English clubs this week may well have kiboshed that one. For all the pleasure that comes with seeing Manchester City, Spurs et al getting an absolute shoeing, there is the bigger picture to consider. It helps us all for them to do well, and the Premier League then retain one of the top two UEFA coefficient rankings that would guarantee the extra place.
Shudders. The thought of needing Spurs and Nottingham Forest to succeed is something that galls me, but all for the greater good. For our own self-interest. Albeit, it will be emotional investment that also needs that most important factor, Brentford winning their league games, to continue.
It would be fair to say that Keith Andrews’ team have been in fine form in the last few months. The odd slip-up aside, they’ve picked up points that, frankly, nobody would have expected. Perhaps even ridden their luck a touch. That’s all been and done, though. No amount of patting ourselves on the back for taking the wins at Villa and Newcastle or moaning about only picking up one point from four games with Spurs and Nottingham Forest can change any of that. It all comes down to these next nine games. About how well we do in looking to overtake those above us.
It all starts with Wolves on Monday night. Opposition way more dangerous than their position, well adrift at the bottom of the table, suggests.
We all know they are on form at the moment. Perhaps inspired by the pressure-free situation of knowing they are already all but mathematically relegated. Even manager Rob Edwards spoke in Thursday’s press conference about the current mindset of: “Go into every game trying to win it. Try to take things as far as we can and take momentum into next season.”
Certainly, two wins on the trot in the league – Aston Villa and then that absolutely stonking defeat of Liverpool last time out – suggest they are playing with the freedom of a team with nothing to lose by going for it. That Edwards has truly instilled confidence into a side who, at the halfway point in the campaign, were looking hot favourites to fall below Derby County’s all-time Premier League of just 11 points in a season.
Edwards reflecting this when telling our friends at media: “Once you get momentum, you want to try to keep things going and ride that wave. We have had a couple of decent results, but our performances for some time have been consistent”.
Whilst they still remain 12 (effectively 13 once goal difference is factored in) off safety with a game more played, they’ll keep going, I’m sure. One does have to wonder, though, if their own FA Cup exit has delivered a psychological blow from which there can be no recovery. The one prospective positive from an otherwise horrific campaign now gone. Now, there really is nothing to play for beyond waiting for the axe to finally swing.
For Keith Andrews, his own press conference delivered precisely zero surprises. Vitaly Janelt and Aaron Hickey remain missing from the first-team regulars, whilst the update in regard to Rico Henry was one anticipated by all. Namely, that he’ll be out for some time.
“Numerous weeks, for sure. It’s a decent hamstring injury, so we just have to make sure we get that right for him, more so than us. We want him to get back to a good place.
As such, left-back remains the key position up for discussion. Kris Ajer filling in at Bournemouth. KLP taking over at West Ham in the cup. For what it’s worth, I think the pairing of Ajer and van den Berg have looked our most consistent in the middle, whilst we all know the added attacking dimension that KLP brings. For me, this would make the most sense, although with Kevin Schade not so much drinking at the last chance saloon as propping up the bar, Keith also has the option to push KLP up.
Either way, still plenty of choices available. Moreso with the potential return to action of Reiss Nelson. Keith confirming that the player, “Is going to be part of the group tomorrow (Friday). It’ll be similar to last week – we’ll see how it goes and then make a decision on his involvement.”
Anybody fit and available to add competition to the squad can only be a good thing. With the game an 8pm Monday kick-off, there remains plenty of time for last-minute calls if needed. Albeit I suspect Keith knows well in advance what his strategy will be.
Anybody in TW8 expecting this one to be a walk in the park can think again. Wolves are on fire atm. They’ve had as many league wins in their last two games as Spurs have had since late September. Moreso, the officials show a name to strike dread at the heart of the action.
Referee: Stuart Attwell. Assistants: Constantine Hatzidakis, Tim Wood. Fourth official: Tim Robinson. VAR: Paul Howard. Assistant VAR: Sian Massey-Ellis.
The phrase, “Don’t make it about you,” one as far away from Mr Attwell’s lexicon as “Match of the Day has been cancelled but at least we’ve got a repeat of Mrs Brown’s Boys instead,” is from mine. The man in the middle always seeming to relish the limelight as much as he does upsetting the fans. Moreso, when TV cameras are involved.
On the plus side, it’s football. It’s Brentford. It’s under lights. Its a chance to really go for it and follow that European dream. Strain every sinew and bust every gut. Enough about the fans, though.
Who knows what another three points will do to the table? I can’t wait for the opportunity to find out. Bring it on…
