Brentford head in to Friday night’s game at Leicester City knowing that a win will see them go tenth in the Premier League. Not to mention setting a few records along the way. Nick Bruzon previews.
Saturday’s triumph at West Ham saw the Bees make it three consecutive Premier League away wins for the first time in the club’s history. Kevin Schade got the game’s only goal, continuing a fine run which had seen him score in the two previous games on the road. The tonking of Southampton and then the 2-1 defeat of Crystal Palace.
It would be an amazing feat to accomplish at any level, let alone the top flight. Indeed, one has to go all the way back to early 2011-12 and the days of Uwe Rösler for the last time Brentford made it four away wins on the bounce. Victory at Exeter City, Walsall, Wycombe Wanderers and then Oldham Athletic sealing a sequence that could be equalled this evening.
Back then, it was the likes of the ever popular Jonathan Douglas and Clayton Donaldson amongst those doing the damage. These days, Bryan Mbeumo and Wissa are the ones getting the goals alongside Schade. All three are sure to start with the only absentee from the last few games being Sepp van den Berg
Thomas used Thursday’s press conference to confirm he would be missing due to “A minor knee injury”, adding “we’re talking about weeks instead of months”.
From one respect this is a huge shame as Sepp had stared to grow a quite wonderful centre-back partnership with Nathan. The flip side of course being that it allows a return for the fit again Ethan Pinnock. In terms of hand picking a replacement, you couldn’t ask for better.
Beyond that, it will surely be more of the same in terms of line up? Thomas will have the scent of blood in his nostrils and, just as at West Ham, will know what a blow to morale conceding an early goal would be.
Whatever respect he has, of course, shown to the opposition ahead of the game the 100mph approach out of the blocks that has served Brentford so well this season will likely appear once again.
As for Leicester City, it has been a torrid few months for The Foxes since Ruud van Nistelrooy took over as manager in November. Which is saying something given the previous incumbent was Steve Cooper.
Despite an optimistic opening few games, since then form has fallen off a cliff with the only chink of positivity in a league run of LLLLLLLWLL ( a sequence of 10 games that has seen them only score four times) being a win at Spurs.
If they are to avoid becoming the first team to lose six home Premier League games in a row without scoring, The Foxes will need all hands to the pump. Instead, their cause has been further hindered by full back James Justin going off injured in their latest defeat (checks notes), the game at Arsenal.
Further statistical pain shows it as being all the way back to October 5th for the last time they even kept a clean sheet.
With positive form nothing more than an aspiration at present, this really looks like going just one way. On paper.
Yet as we all know and have said many, many times – that’s just not how football works. Anybody can beat anybody in this division (even Southampton have won a game) and the most one-sided of fixtures can often provide the biggest of potato skins to slip up on.
If nothing else, a home win would see City climb out of the bottom three. Regardless of their wanting to avoid setting all manner of unwelcome records, this alone will be incentive for them to go for it.
It’s going to be an exciting night and a cracking game. Certainly a fixture that could turn out way closer then form would suggest. As always, Brentford will just worry about themselves and let the football do the talking.
All being well that will be enough to tick off that fourth successive away win. Let’s be honest, who thought we’d be saying that a few months ago?
That’s been, gone and instead here’s to Friday night. Bring it on. It’s time to go hunting Foxes.
