Nick gives us his best five Bees from their Matchweek 24 win over Fulham and updates his top five players based on points accumulated so far this season.

Take your foam fingers, clackers, cheese boards, M&S cakes, dubious statues and neutral stands. When it comes down to it, there’s only one thing that matters – who scored the most goals.

Monday evening’s West London derby saw Brentford do just that – score most goals rather than enjoying a Victoria sponge from the environs of the terrace – as Fulham were put to the sword.

A final scoreline of 3-2 in no way doing justice to the dominance exerted by the free flowing Bees. Only a 97th minute consolation for Fulham giving the result a thin veneer of parity.

Whilst balls in the back of the net are, ultimately, what counts in terms of performance, it was anything but close. Brentford magnificent. Fulham getting battered, or should that be Battenburg, as the raucous home support reminded the visitors for most of the second half.

If Brentford were phenomenal then kudos to the crowd, too.

Matthias Jensen’s 85th minute goal inspiring a fire-drill from the visitors (bless, those 4 miles back to Putney weren’t going to travel themselves) whereas, by contrast, the Bees never stoped.

An inspiring rendition of Hey Jude pre kick-off with the tannoy turned off – although sadly not sufficiently long enough to spare us that dreadful remix (one almost misses the ‘live’ version payed at Griffin Park and McCartney’s exhortations of ‘just the ladies’) – set the mood. The team responded in kind.

Early chances for Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbeumo at the back stick (in which at first glance it looked like he Robert Taylor’d it, such was his proximity to goal) saw the team out of the traps flying. Thomas Frank’s decision to go for two centre-backs clearly showing the attacking intent.

That it took a full six minutes for Brentford to break the deadlock the only real surprise, such was the mood in which we started the game. Ethan Pinnock the man getting on the end of a quite delicious turn and pass from Mathias Jensen before firing home from just inside the box. Burnt Lemon in goal for Fulham left flat-footed by a deflection but it was no more than what had been coming after a 100mph opening from the home side.

It could have been more soon after. Bryan coming close with a free kick. Ivan even closer. Only the woodwork sparing Fulham’s blushes in an almost carbon copy of the one he scored in his hat-trick against Leeds United. Surely it was only a matter of time if this pressure continued but, of course, it couldn’t.

Brentford very much a team who play in phases and after the initial 20 minute opening, Fulham were allowed to join in. Willian promptly getting himself booked for simulation but the forays into the Brentford box suggested danger might be in hand.

Sure enough, with half-time approaching the equaliser arrived. A free kick for the visitors, awarded for I’m not sure what, came crashing back off the post and fell kindly for Solomon. He made no mistake from close in and that was it. 1-1 at half-time. The only other incident of note being Sasa Lukic somehow avoiding a second yellow card as Wissa was scythed down when charging through.

Given how pernickety referee Mr. Taylor had been all game, the decision to award nothing more than a free-kick seemed an odd one but there you go. Level at the interval and yet another reminder that goals rather than chances are what decides football games.

Thankfully for the Bees, it was a reminder that was paid heed to. The second period beginning much the same way as the first. Who else but Ivan Toney to restore the lead?

With less than ten minutes played, he was once again given the opportunity to test his penalty technique. All manner of prevaricating and shenanigans as Fulham attempted to prolong the moment before the ball was finally struck and found the bottom corner coming to nothing. As Toney himself said afterwards about the delay, it didn’t bother him: “I can think of different things… like being on holiday and chilling”.

This time around, there was to be no surrendering of the lead. The pressure continued. Fulham were on the ropes. Brentford pushing a very high line and Leno in nets putting his back line under continual pressure by opting to play it out short. It was screaming out for the arrival of Kevin Schade and, once the moment arrived, our latest sensation wasted little time in setting up Mathias Jensen for our third. The Great Dane firing home through the ’keeper’s legs from close range and wrapping up the points.

3-1 Brentford and the away end given a dose of salts, such was the way it emptied in a heartbeat. This, despite a further 8 minutes of time added on. It was long enough for Vinicius (Carlos, not junior) to pull back their late, late goal that did nothing more than put a ding in our goal difference.

Oh well. Who cares? Brentford won. Again.

That’s 12 games unbeaten and one of only three teams in Europe not to lose a top flight match in 2023.

The passports are being renewed and the top end of the table edges ever closer. Newcastle in 6th just three points ahead.

The Bees with two games in hand on the Cottagers and already 4 points clear of hapless Chelsea. Life is good at the moment.

With games against two of the bottom three next up, keeping focus will be essential. As will avoiding complacency. Get it right and we could be in dreamland.

All that’s to come. For now, the season long quest to find our overall top performer aswell as the game by game top five. The way Brentford played, this one’s going to be tough. A top five simply not sufficient to recognise all the great performances and at least two will miss out. Apologies, one and all for those who didn’t make it. However, our star player is…..

Brentford Player Ratings from Matchweek 24 (vs Fulham)

1st (Star Player: 5 points) – Mikkel Damsgaard
Genuinely, it could have been any of the top five from this game.

As much as anything though it goes to Mikkel because this was, finally, the performance he has been threatening to deliver all season.

The pedigree has clearly been there but finding his way into a new team and an ‘on form’ midfield has been a tough ask. Perhaps, if we’re being honest, so has being seen as the replacement for the guy that went to Manchester United.

On Monday night he started and my word, he was amazing. Fulham terrified. Damsgaard electric. The pace. The vision. The speed.

Thomas Frank set up his team to run at the opposition and they delivered in style. Mikel may not have scored. He may not have provided any ‘assists’. However, he made his presence known from the off and didn’t stop running. One tackle caused a genuine reaction of “My word, where did THAT come from?” to be uttered by the North stand observer sitting alongside yours truly.

A stunning performance and one that finally showed Mikkel doing what we’ve all seen on the international stage. Here’s to more of the same.

2nd (4 points) – Ivan Toney
Incredible Ivan.

Yes, there was the penalty but even without that his work rate was immense. His threat around goal equally so. Had the free-kick gone in it would have taken the roof of the Gtech. One audacious moment in the first half saw him pass the ball with his backside for what could have ended up being the most incredible goal of all time had the move played out.

His attempted second-half chip of Leno from the half-way line went agonisingly close to another contender for goal of the season. Fulham’s ‘keeper furiously back-pedalling and a relived man as it missed by mere inches.

In the end, it was ‘just’ the one for Ivan but, like Mikkel, his workmate was phenomenal.

3rd (3 points) – Mathias Jensen
Scored the third, set up the first and it was his throw in that resulted in the the penalty. A Fantasy Football dream but, more than that, it was his deftness of touch. His confidence running with the ball. The thought that anything might just happen when he is in possession.

Genuinely, I can’t wait for the game at Old Trafford in a few weeks time to see what happens in the midfield duel should the other Dane be fit once again. For now, though, its all about celebrating another magnificent performance. On any other day he’d have won star player ‘hands down’. Carry on like this and on another day he will.

4th (2 points) – Ethan Pinnock
His goal set the mood after that frenetic opening but it was as much as anything his performance at the back that earned him another notch on the top five board. Absolutely colossal. It’s a word we use with abandon when it comes to Ethan but on this sort of showing, why not?

The cry of “Meeeee” was the one we heard (and he, somehow, misses out on top five tonight) but it was Ethan who was the silent assassin. Deadly in front of goal. Impossible to get past, individually at least, at the back.

5th (1 point) – Rico Henry
How can he ‘only’ come fifth after a performance of this nature. Was on it from the first minute and didn’t stop running.

For me, his will to win and never say die attitude were typified in the 95th minute where, despite the Bees being 3-1 up, he sprinted back down field, exploded past his man from distance and won the ball back from what was seemingly a lost cause. That moment alone tips the balance in Rico’s favour for our final point on the board.

Brentford Player Ratings – Top 5 Players Overall (after Matchweek 24)

All of which means that heading into the game at Everton on Saturday, Ivan Toney creeps further ahead of Ben Mee who, perhaps harshly, failed to place this team around. As much as anything else, the chasing pack are really closing in with Mathias Jensen now a point behind and Rico on his tail. David Raya stays fifth but Ethan Pinnock edges ever closer to our top five

1st – Ivan Toney (45 points)
2nd – Ben Mee (39 points)
3rd – Mathias Jensen (38 points)
4th – Rico Henry (35 points)
5th – David Raya (31 points)

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2022-23 Brentford Player Ratings – Matchweek 24 by Nick Bruzon