Nick Bruzon gives us the best five Brentford players from their Matchweek 5 draw against Crystal Palace & updates his season-long rankings.
We certainly like doing it the hard way at Brentford, that’s for sure.
A more than creditable 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace was another game where the Bees came from behind and another one where we left it late to finally find the back of the net.
Despite a blistering start and almost one way traffic, Brentford were unable to score that elusive goal.
As with Leicester City (a), Fulham (a) and Saturday’s draw with Everton (h) it was our opponents who would eventually take the lead.
Wilfried Zaha with an absolute blockbuster just shy of the hour. David Raya’s full stretch dive unable to stop it curling high into the back of the net on the diagonal. It was a quite magnificent strike and would perhaps go some way to explain just how upset he would subsequently sound in the post-match interviews.
The free scoring front-man almost on the verge of tears – left in a state of numb shock after who else but super sub Wissa did what he does from the bench once more.
This time leaving it until the 88th minute to time his meeting with Vitaly Janelt’s cross perfectly. Unmarked, he made no mistake as the ball was headed straight back past Vicente Guaita in nets.
The crowd went nuts. The players running over to them to celebrate. The VAR check taking a ridiculous amount of time before justice was eventually declared. Had we been served another dish of margin-based misfortune (à la Ivan Toney at Fulham) it would likely have been Thomas Frank, rather than Zaha, lamenting how this one had finished up.
Instead, the goal stood and might even have seen the lead doubled in time added on.
Rico Henry receiving a quite exquisite ball from Ivan in the box, only to be denied by a brave block from Guaita.
The resulting corner saw Ben Mee’s downward header hit the ground and then bounce up on the crossbar. Guaita beaten all ends up and a relieved man to see it cannon away to safety. Supporters at the ground and watching back home unable to quite believe it hadn’t gone in.
It would have been the ultimate smash and grab but that’s what Brentford do. Play to the end. Never stop fighting. Ride their luck (Michael Olise saw one shot from outside the box beat Raya early in the second half but, like Mee, was also denied by the woodwork).
It was quite the performance from Brentford. Deep down, there can’t be any of us who didn’t fear a tough game was coming.
Wissa and Josh Dasilva were both benched following the weekend struggle with Everton whilst Christian Norgaard joined Pontus Jansson on the sidelines.
All being well, both will be back for Leeds United on Saturday although the prognosis regarding the former doesn’t sound particularly inspiring. That said, it is all about the squad. Something demonstrated by the ability to plunge the likes of Vitaly Janelt into the starting XI.
As Thomas said at full-time, “Credit to these players. I know the fans must love every single one of them, because of the mentality and determination to keep going.”
So who makes the top five? Let alone star man? How can anyone miss out?
For me, it boils down to a relatively easy choice for the first five (albeit Shandon and Vitaly could have quite happily gone the other way round). Likewise, I’ve seen an awful lot of love for both Mathias Jensen and Zanka since writing this. So let’s give them honourable mention on behalf of the broader fanbase.
However, let’s start with that first place position on Matchweek 5…
Brentford Player Ratings from Matchweek 5 (vs Crystal Palace)
1st (Star Man) – Aaron Hickey
We waxed lyrical last time out about his finally solving the right wingback conundrum. All true, but last night was far and away next level stuff.
Kept Zaha in his pocket just about all game and pulled out two quite wonderful first-half challenges to retain parity. One, on the edge of the six yard box, was screaming ‘penalty’ but he timed his movement to perfection and ended up blocking the ball rather than even coming close to touching the player.
Whilst he may have offered a brief opening as the goal came, Zaha had no right to score from there so kudos to his brilliance.
Instead, let’s revel in the quality of not just his defensive skills but his attacking play, too. Brentford now with options on each flank and a player to leave his opponent on the verge of tears come full time.
2nd – Rico Henry
Name a better pair of wing backs than Hickey and Henry. I’ll wait.
Whilst it is so refreshing to see this level of ability on the right, Rico’s consistency is almost to his detriment. Almost. Such are the phenomenal standards he has set, one has to remember that a display like this is an outstanding one. Fortunately for Brentford, it is also the norm.
Again, we had the certainty on his feet and that approach play down the left. How he keeps going at full tilt for the entire game I have no idea but the run to meet Ivan’s late ball must have been lung busting. It deserved more but I’m sure Rico will take consolation in being named in the top five once more. Possibly. It was a tough, tough call between him and Aaron but, in the end, there can only be one.
3rd – Vitaly Janelt
It was the cross to Wissa which will be remembered when we look back to this game at the end of the season and ultimaltey nudges him into third. A precision ball played with metronomic precision onto the head of Wissa, allowing him to both meet the cross and beat the offside trap.
Moments like this turn matches. Turn seasons. Like Rico, as much credit is due for his ability to keep going. His box to box running. His consistency of passing and tackling
4th – Shandon Baptiste
Like Vitaly, came in to the team after his positive impact from the bench against Everton.
Had a stonking first half and continued into the second with calm picks ups in the midfield and a number of timely interceptions married up by his taking the ball forwards at pace.
With the five substitute rule continuing to be used to full effect by Thomas, Shandon is going to have a huge role to play this season. More displays like this will see it happening from the pitch rather than the substitutes bench.
5th – Ben Mee
With each passing moment he is looking like the free transfer signing of the season.
His second game with Zanka alongside and the understanding is clearly growing. However, Ben looks immense in own right and our trip to Selhurst Park was another where he continued to sure how strong he is.
A rock at the back and comfortable delivering it through the lines. Very much a case of ‘None shall pass’.
Brentford Player Ratings – Top 5 Players Overall (after Matchweek 5)
All of which means that after five games, Ivan Toney remains out in front with 13 points after Matchweek 5. Aaron Hickey moves up into second place with 9 whilst we have a four-way tussle for joint third: Rico Henry, Josh Dasilva, Mathias Jensen and Ben Mee all have 7 (seven) points.
1st – Ivan Toney (13 points)
2nd – Aaron Hickey (9 points)
T3rd – Ben Mee, Josh Dasilva, Mathias Jensen, Rico Henry (7 points)
Now bring on Leeds United. The season has been anything but dull so far and I’ve a feeling things may well crank up another notch on Saturday…
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2022-23 Brentford player Ratings – Matchweek 5 by Nick Bruzon
