Brentford are straight back to the Gtech on Saturday evening for a game with Aston Villa, following last Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Everton. Nick Bruzon previews.
That game, which finished level courtesy of Jake O’Brien’s 79th minute equaliser, one where The Bees had to be grateful to the catlike reflexes of Mark Flekken. A trio of fine one-on-one saves from Beto – two late on in the first half just prior to Wissa going ‘full dolphin’ as he opened the scoring – kept The Bees
in the match. His star player award so far clear of anybody else, it showed again the shrewdness of the Brentford transfer machine.
Much as David Raya was loved more than one could imagine, his move to Arsenal presented an opportunity that Mark has firmly grabbed with both hands this season. If nothing else, the introduction of next season’s ‘eight second rule’, where a corner will be awarded if a ‘keeper holds the ball beyond that limit (rather than the current indirect free-kick for more than six seconds – should one ever, actually, be awarded) will certainly require Raya to change his playing style.
That’s for then. For now, Flekken is man-of-the-moment. Anybody able to beat the virtually untouchable Mikkel Damsgaard to an official player of the month award, as he did for February, must be doing something right.
We’ve seen in that first Premier League campaign, when Raya was out injured and had to be covered by both Álvaro Fernández and Jonas Lössl, how much of Brentford’s game has always built from confidence in the man between the sticks. Thankfully, Mark is exuding that by the bucketload at present.
The Bees have had another rest given the FA Cup games played at the weekend and so the only real question should be that of Christian Nørgaard. The skipper missing the game with Everton as a result of mandatory concussion absence having had to be replaced at half-time in the win at Crystal Palace.
It will be harsh on Yehor Yarmoliuk if he does have to hand back the place he filled so well but his time will come. The young Ukranian looking better with each game and sure to be a regular soon.
As such, we can only expect Thomas Frank’s most obvious team: Flekken, Lewis-Potter, Ajer, Pinnock, Collins, Nørgaard, Janelt, Damsgaard, Schade, Mbeumo, Wissa.
Certainly, given the lack of any meaningful action in the last nine days I’m not expecting Friday’s press conferences to reveal any surprise. For Aston Villa, likewise.
Yet if ever there was a team experiencing a similar run of league form to that felt by the Bees earlier in the campaign it is them. Dominant at home, on the travels the nerves are setting in.
Since 19th October (Fulham) they’ve only taken three points on one other occasion, that being the trip to Everton immediately after Sean Dyche was finally removed from office.
Don’t be lulled into any false sense of security, though. Unlike the Bees they are still in with a chance of double silverware. Last weekend’s progression to the FA Cup quarter-finals was followed up by a fine win in the last 16 of the Champions League. That 3-1 win away to Club Brugge giving the Villans an excellent opportunity of reaching the last eight.
They have minimal fitness concerns as far as we are aware. With Matty Cash, Jacob Ramsey, Boubacar Kamara and the really dangerous looking Marco Asensio all coming off the bench in Belgium it would be fair to say that Unai Emery has plenty of options available should he wish to rotate his starting XI.
Last time out this game had just about everything. KLP giving the Bees a 1-0 lead on half-time. Ben Mee shown the red card. Then late goals from the visitors turning things around in their favour. The winner from former fan favourite Ollie Watkins inciting unpleasant reactions after the own abuse dished out in his direction by one supporter. All that’s before we got to Neal Maupay engage in a battle of sh@thousery with Emi Martinez (who’d have thought it?), the goalkeeper suckered in to inciting a contretemps that eventually saw Kamara also shown red.
Let’s hope that this time around it’s the football we remember. With the officials including both Andy Madley and Peter Bankes amongst those supporting the usually reliable Jarred Gillett, what could possibly go wrong…
Bring it on and see you there!
