Nick Bruzon picks out the 5 best Brentford players from their 4-0 demolition job of Manchester United on Matchweek 2 in the Premier League.
Where to even start with processing any of that?
That Brentford were 4-0 up with little over half an hour on the clock would be impressive enough against any opponents, let alone a team who are one of the biggest names in world football.
A team featuring former Bees’ hero Christian Eriksen and, on his day, one of the best players in the world in Cristiano Ronaldo. Not to mention a whole other galaxy of (apparent) stars and household names.
Manchester United were a disjointed mess – only the colour of their shirts (puke green being the technical term) – was worse than the resistance they were able to muster against a brilliant Brentford team who came out of the blocks flying and absolutely destroyed their opponents.
Rather than trembling in the shadow of United’s reputation, The Bees hit them from the off.
Lionel Road rocking and Eriksen given a predictable reception of boos everytime he got near the ball.
Brentford infinitely more determined and closing down the visitors at every opportunity. Hustling them. Harrying them. Trying to force them into mistakes and didn’t that tactic work well?
Josh Dasilva was rewarded for his game saving performance from the bench at Leicester City last week with a starting berth in place of Vitaly Janelt.
The German can perhaps feel hard done by but with five subs available, football is very much a squad game.
Thomas Frank once again played his cards to perfection with just ten minutes gone when the floodgates opened.
A steady period of pushing and hassle saw Jensen outmuscle Ronaldo and work it through to Dasilva outside the box. He thumped it low and hard with his right foot but goalkeeper de Gea surely had time and positioning enough to read it? Surely?
Except football being football he somehow conspired to let it through his hands, under his body and in to the back of the net for 1-0.
Lionel Road rocking. Ronaldo sulking on the turf. Sitting on his own like a spoilt brat refusing to get up and acknowledge the inevitable which, to be fair, had been building from the off.
It got better. Less than ten minutes later and the lead doubled. This time Mathias Jensen. Again de Gea instrumental.
With time to pick his option, the ‘keeper played it short to the under pressure Christian Eriksen. Jensen stole the ball and with a quite delicious drag though opened up the space to slam it straight back past the hapless goalie from close range.
Two up and the stuff of dreams yet for United, more a terrifying nightmare. The attack of the killer Bees would continue very much unabated.
Ben Mee was there for the third. Ivan Toney’s ball into a crowded box headed home by the centre-half and then on 35 minutes it was four.
The pick of the bunch. Jensen winning the ball in his own box when United were attacking and playing it upfield to Ivan Toney. If the Dane’s 40 yard pass to feet had been wonderful, and it was, it was nothing compared to the ball played through to Mbeumo. Toney hitting it first time low and fast on the diagonal to intersect perfectly with Bryan’s run to the edge of the box. Despite a half-arsed lunge from Luke Shaw, the England defender was casually side stepped and no mistake made. 4-0 Brentford and still another ten minutes to go until half time.
It was the most incredible half hour of football I’ve seen since Chelsea away.
Illustrious opponents blown away by a Brentford team for whom confidence in their own ability meant reputations and history counted for naff all. Goal following goal following goal. The sense that every attack would lead to another, such was the confidence with which we drove forward.
The crowd behind them and knowing the part they played, too, as the roof was lifted off Lionel Road.
It stayed 4-0 at half-time and same again after the second period. The game played out with the Bees looking rock sold at the back and continuing to attack. Rico, Vitaly and Wissa amongst those who came close but, alas, there was to be no more.
It was still sufficient a goal difference swing to nail United to the bottom of the Premier League and see Brentford up to third in the fledgling table.
An afternoon that will live long in the memory for so many reasons and one which sent us home with the broadest of smiles on the face.
Yet now we have a problem. A problem of the very nicest sort. There are the superlatives to truly say how good Brentford were. How do you pick a star man and a top five from the 16 players who did such a phenomenal job? Any of them could, probably should, feature in this week’s ratings. Like beating Brentford, nobody said it was easy so let’s go straight in with…
Brentford Player Ratings from Matchweek 2 (vs Manchester United)
1st (Star Man) – Mathias Jensen
If the task of picking a top five is tough, our overall winner for the day can only be this man.
The goal and the assist will keep the statisticians happy but it was more the nature of his performance.
Even had he not scored I’d still have given it to him on this showing.
He was tirelss. Indefatigable. Relentless. Never stopped running or pressing. Passes finding feet time and again. Opponents forced into error after error.
David de Gea may have sold his defence up the river for the second goal but the touch, control and way he worked the space to bury it need way more focus.
As for that challenge on Sancho to then play the ball up for Ivan in the build-up to the fourth. Simply magnificent. Take a bow.
2nd – Ivan Toney
This is where things get tough. Only four spots left and a good six names on the shortlist but Ivan has to get second place.
If nothing else, his ball though to Bryan for that fourth goal was about as exquisite a pass as one could ever hope to see. That, a phrase Mathias Jensen may well have been applying to himself the kick previous.
Then Ivan did his thing. To hit a ball first touch is a skill enough yet doing it at speed and with the ball coming from behind you something else.
To then play a thirty yarder on the diagonal to reach his strike partner’s feet at the perfect moment was just next level.
If nothing else, the telepathic understanding between the pair of them. Let’s not forget he set up Ben Mee, either.
3rd – Bryan Mbeumo
Terrified them from the off. Running rings around United down the flanks and through the channels, he really is back to his very best.
Nobody had a clue how to read him and with the focus still being on Ivan as the goal threat, he’s almost got free reign to profit. Didn’t he do that on Saturday?
The goal was just reward whilst the assuredness to stay on his feet rather than collapse, Ronaldo style, was the mark of a player brimming in confidence. The quality of his strike, likewise.
4th – Josh Dasilva
He did it against Leicester and now he’s done it against United.
A goal from distance to very much set things on the right path. Yes, the ‘keeper could probably have done better but let’s take nothing away from his run or his shot.
Then there was his constant running where, like Bryan, United were simply unable to read his game. Their relief at seeing him finally subbed out was palpable. Collectively, Brentford outran United by 8.6 miles on the day and in my eyes, Josh was a huge part of this.
5th – Ben Mee
I really, really wanted to give this to Rico Henry or Aaron Hickey. I thought the later did brilliantly whilst one challenge early into the second period on Ronaldo showed that Brentford were not going to allow them an inch.
Yet equally strong at the back was Ben Mee. Imperious. A shrewd, shrewd acquisition and on this showing easy to see why.
He did have a moment last week but if it had affected him then it wasn’t apparent on this display. If anything, the complete opposite.
The way he took his goal despite the pressure all around him just beautiful. You can’t put a price on experience.
Brentford Player Ratings – Top 5 Players Overall (after Matchweek 2)
All of which means that after two games the quest to find our overall star player sees Ivan Toney just ahead of Josh Dasilva and Mathias Jensen, with another half dozen players jostling for early position.
1st – Ivan Toney
2nd – Josh Dasilva
3rd – Mathias Jensen
T4th – Bryan Mbuemo, Vitaly Janelt
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2022-23 Brentford Player Ratings – Matchweek 2 by Nick Bruzon
