Nick Bruzon gives us his best 5 Bees after their Matchweek 14 draw at Nottingham Forest and his updated top 5 Brentford players over the course of the season so far.
Brentford returned from Nottingham Forest with another point in the bag and a huge portion of heartbreak.
A 2-2 draw saw The Bees go a goal down and then two up before a staggering six minutes of additional time were added on.
With most seasoned observers calling four, at best, the inevitable period of extended ‘backs to the wall’ came with the sort of last second heartbreak we’d become oh so familiar with in years gone.
Yet, if truth be told, it is a pain rarely experienced in some time. Elland Road last season being the recent exception where the same pattern of scoring was followed. Where the same brutal suckerpunch was delivered.
This time around, rather than a Fernandez flap, it was Zanka who has been credited with an o.g. deep, deep into the 96th minute of injury time. He could do nothing about it as the ball cannoned into him at close range from Ben Mee’s goal line clearance.
A crazy sequence of ricochets around the box. Each bounce crying out for a hoof but, alas, falling to the home team. Mee unable to stop it a second time and VAR adjudging the ball to have cleared the line before he scoped it clear. Likewise, the techological terror ruling there had been no offside in the build-up.
What would have been a hard-fought win on the road turning into the bitterest of pills to swallow. A Garibaldi biscuit with all the currants removed – tasty but nowhere as delectable an offering as it first seemed.
In practice, Brentford were always starting on the backfoot given the rejig required in the starting XI. Three members of the B team on the bench. Kris Ajer ruled out with an apparent MCL injury and Ivan Toney suspended following his fifth yellow of the season last weekend. The former replaced by Mads Roerslev. The latter, well how do you replace the irreplaceable? The freescoring, one-of-a-kind, penalty king? The answer being a front three of KLP, Bryan and Wissa in the middle.
A cautious first half saw the odd sortie forward but mainly a passage of sideways passing and defensive play in a manner akin to a Marinus Dijkhuizen team. It was eventually punished on 19 mins when £25m (+ add ons) Morgan Gibbs-White skipped past Janelt and Jensen then blasted home from the edge of the box. A deflection off Ben Mee aiding his cause. 1-0 down and on the back foot. Then, normal service resumed.
First, Bryan from the penalty spot after Dean Henderson had administered the snarkiest of ankle taps to Wissa when clean through. The Forest ‘keeper lucky to only be given a yellow card that, really, could have been doubled given the amount of backchat and whining directed at the ref. Good to see that with Bryce Samba gone, the dark arts of football remain alive and well at The City Ground. Something their ground staff also demonstrated prior to kick-off. A set to between them and the Brentford coaching staff would later seem to be a pitchfork lead assault, if the footage is to be believed.
Regardless, justice was done. Bryan summoning his inner Ivan to level things up just before the break.
Half-time could now be enjoyed with a totally different complexion. The upper hand being reasserted. Forest trying to dive their way back in to the lead (how many penalty appeals?) and picking up the pace once more, yet it was The Bees who went ahead.
Again, Wissa timing his run to perfection. Jensen delivering the most exquisite of deliveries over the top that fell wonderfully for the big man. His own first touch equally as perfect. The ball chipped over Henderson and into the back of the net. Bees fans erupting in joy. An angry volcano finally releasing the pent-up pressure and BOOM! 2-1 Brentford and only a quarter hour to go.
Alas, it wasn’t to be. The sight of that ‘6’ on the board somehow reinvigorating Forest into one, last hurrah.
A desperate charge and a full-bodied assault on the Brentford net. A blitzkrieg frenzy that despite the best efforts of Ethan Pinnock, eventually saw the goal line breached and that last gasp heartache. Mee’s reaction clearance off the line only finding Zanka who could do nothing as the ball pinged straight back off him goalwards. The last touch in a pinballesque mêlée. The spoils shared with both sides feeling they should probably have taken the lot.
Brentford still 10th in the Premier League and just one more game to come before The World Cup – the small matter of a trip to Manchester City.
So a 2-2 draw give some tough decisions in the search for our star player and top five. In my opinion, a solid case could be made for all of the top three but in the end we’ve gone…
Brentford Player Ratings from Matchweek 14 (vs Nottingham Forest)
1st (Star Man: 5 points) – Mathias Jensen
Niggly. Dogged. His passing exquisite. One could argue that his 86th minute departure was the catalyst to our eventual undoing. To a draw feeling like a defeat when the final whistle blew.
On an afternoon where Brentford struggled to make clear inroads, two moments of magic from the Great Dane swung the game in our favour. His tenacity and pressuring of Remo Freuler just before halftime saw the £9m midfielder square it straight to Bryan from whom that penalty winning ball was delivered.
Then, the pass to Wissa in the second half was up there with his delivery to Ivan for our fourth against Manchester United. Millimetre perfect precision from inside the centre circle straight on to the boot of the on-rushing Wissa. The only way it could have been more delicious would have been to come delivered with a tub of Celebrations containing nothing but Bounty Bars. Truly, it was THAT good a ball.
2nd (4 points) – Yoane Wissa
A performance that dispelled the old cliche about him being an impact player from the bench. Started this one at 100 mph and almost got to a ball from Rico very early on. Yet it was the timing of his runs that drew the eye. Had Brentford not spent so much time playing cagey and, instead, utilised his ability we may well have come away with more.
Got on the end of Bryan’s through ball to home in on goal before being chopped down by Tricky Trees’ ‘keeper Henderson. His run and touch for the second goal were just incredible. Getting the timing right is one thing but to steer it so beautifully over the ‘keeper something quite else.
It really was one of those you’ll want to watch again and again. Kudos, too, for his celebration which dispensed the usual W for what appeared to be his using the blunt end of a pitchfork.
Forking bravo, Wissa
3rd (3 points) – Bryan Mbeumo
Set up Wissa for the penalty with a first-time touch that split Forest like the Red Sea. Even better, he kept his composure despite the theatrics from Henderson when the moment finally arrived to despatch the spot kick. The man tasked with filling Toney’s boots made no mistake. Just as he did in the 96th minute against Watford last December, he emulated his strike partner and rolled it in to the bottom corner from the spot.
Kept running and earned himself a yellow for breaking up play as Forest threaten in the second half. What’s good for the goose and all that.
4th (2 points) – Rico Henry
Tireless, yet again. Was at Forest from the off, carving out that early chance to almost find Wissa.
Pushed high up the left flank to support KLP yet was still there at the back when needed. Played no part in either goal against whilst one moment where he broke up a wonderful attacking move at the back stick midway through the second half sticks in the mind.
With all the talk on Sunday morning about Brentford’s involvement in the World Cup, Rico remains the one dark horse for 11th hour selection. Whether Gareth Southgate will have the guts to look at The Bees when he names his squad remains to be seen but this was yet another display of his versatility and energy.
5th (1 point) – Ethan Pinnock
Looking back at my notes on this one they start with ‘Pinnock x 2’ and end with ‘Pinnock, header clear on 91 x 2’. In between there were plenty more where they came from. Oh, how we missed him at the start of the season. Oh how lucky we are to have him back. Moreso now given the injuries to Pontus and Ajer.
The Brentford squad are starting to look paper thin yet, thanks to performances like Ethan’s, are still in the top half of the Premier League. Look at the money Forest have splurged over the summer and then look at us. Context, everybody.
Brentford Player Ratings – Top 5 Players Overall (after Matchweek 14)
All of which means that heading in to the final game before the World Cup, there’s no change in our top five. Ben Mee (30) is still first placed, followed by David Raya (24), Ivan Toney (23) and Rico Henry (20). Mathias Jensen (19) is fifth although the one player to make real ground on the leaders.
1st – Ben Mee (30 points)
2nd – David Raya (24 points)
3rd – Ivan Toney (23 points)
4th – Rico Henry (20 points)
5th – Mathias Jensen (19 points)
Now bring on City. Bring on Ivan…
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2022-23 Brentford Player Ratings – Matchweek 14 by Nick Bruzon
