That’s been quite the week for Brentford.
Hot off the heels of a third successive Premier League win at Stamford Bridge, both Saman Ghoddos and Bryan Mbeumo have been nominated for ‘goal of the month’. Their strikes against Burnley the game prior both making the shortlist. In addition, Bryan has been selected as a potential ‘player of the month’. All nominations thoroughly deserved although, for me, Saman’s wonder strike comes out on top in that category.
Which, in a way, underlines just how well Thomas Frank is coping with the vast swathe of absences still gripping the Brentford squad. Nobody needs another read through of ‘that’ list but for the Bees to be sitting in the top half of the table, with the aforementioned recognition coming in for his players, we must be doing ok. Over a quarter of the season has now passed and the only true blot on the copy book has been the game against Everton.
Other than that there have been some great performances, fine wins and more than a smattering of bad luck – both injuries and VAR.
Perhaps this is all changing now. Chelsea fans are still moaning about VAR not awarding them first-half spot kicks (no idea what they are talking about) whilst Ben Mee is back on our bench and Shandon Baptiste has enjoyed a recent runout for the B team. Could the pendulum of good fortune finally be swinging back in Brentford’s direction?
West Ham won’t make it easy, of course. They are the team that the Bees have enjoyed the most success against since reaching the Premier League. Four wins out of four is a record to be more than proud of but maintaining it won’t be easy. Moreso, as The Hammers haven’t had a European game to contend with – albeit did have a midweek run out in the League Cup against Arsenal.
The Bees’ cause is aided by suspension to both Edson Álvarez and Lucas Paquetá after each picked up a fifth yellow card of the season last time out. Kurt Zouma could also be missing from this one – something that would be a catastrophe for David Moyes. Albeit the prospect of seeing him up against Neal Maupay is an intriguing one.
There is still enough danger in the West Ham midfield to warrant real awareness that this is anything but a home banker, regardless of past form.
We all know what Said Benrahma can do. James Ward –Prowse was one of the summer’s most hotly pursued talents, with the Bees needing to be on red alert should any dead-ball be awarded in or around the area known as Saunders Territory. With Jarrod Bowen’s super, smashing, wonderful form earing him a recent England call up, there is threat everywhere.
Then again, they lost to Everton last time out in an awful game. Even the most talented have their nightmares and here’s hoping for more of the same. As ever, the main question being whether Thomas Frank starts with three up top or three at the back?
The answer, for me, will be an attacking trio of Wissa, Mbeumo and Maupay. Take the game by the scruff of the neck and go for it from the off. It was a formation and a tactic that worked wonderfully in our last home game. More of the same would feel like the way to go.
Who Thomas picks as his first choice centre back pairing is another question. Current form and past decisions suggest it will be Ethan Pinnock and Nathan Collins (both of whom made our top five against Chelsea) with Kris Ajer moving out right.
The likes of Mads Roerslev and Saman Ghoddos will come off the bench later on, alongside more recent additions to the matchday squad in Yehor Yarmoliuk and Michael Olakigbe. Both of these have shown the potential that is to come for Brentford with their recent appearances. The former unfortunate not to open his account at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez denied us a second goal at the end of a wonderful breakaway move.
Still, at least he was only able to pull off that trick once…
It promises to be a fantastic game of football with Brentford knowing that a win will see us leapfrog the visitors. Here’s to 3pm Saturday and the chance to make it a reality.
