With Premier league football assured for a fourth successive season, one could be forgiven for thinking that there is little left to play for with just three games remaining. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The chance to railroad Newcastle United’s European aspirations in game 38 would be wonderful. As would be a first-ever win in the castle badge blue, at the final attempt, when the Bees travel to Bournemouth next weekend. Before all that is the small matter of the West London Derby against Fulham. Repeating those words for Putney’s more pedantic and easily triggered: West. London. Derby.
Form is irrelevant. Table position secondary. Taking three points from the Cottagers is everything. Blitzing them in the process would be even sweeter. Fulham are a club so devoid of passion, of excitement, of anything even close to resembling a raison d’etre as to question how (or why) they even exist in this day or age. A fish out of water, gasping for breath and struggling to stay alive on the muddy banks of the Thames.
The Neutral stand. The Gin bar. Clackers. Foam fingers. Sponge cakes. Run out music for the warm-up. That business with Michael Jackson. Official half-and-half scarves in the club shop. A swimming pool on the roof. A new stand that has taken longer to build than the Pyramids and is still yet to be fully opened. A place where the most heinous crime one could commit seems to be ordering the Guinness ‘second’. About their only redeeming feature being the ease with which it was possible to hoodwink the programme editor – ah, Brian Guest.
In short, I’ve no time for Fulham. It doesn’t matter who is fit, or not, for Brentford. What formation Thomas starts with – although I’m expecting more of the same four-man backline. The make-up of the visitors’ squad is an irrelevance.
This is one where the supporters are as important as the first team. Where winning is everything. A game where atmosphere could, and should, go through the roof. Brentford’s 3-0 victory at Craven Cottage back in August a result that could potentially lay the foundations for a most wonderful double.
That was a game that saw Fulham captain T.Ream sent off. Whilst no doubt he’ll be thinking that things can only get better this time around, the good news being that the Bees players have other things in mind. Yoanne Wissa has gone on record this week as saying about this one, “It is an easy game to be motivated for because it means a lot to the fans.”
In a tiny corner of West London where three teams (including Chelsea) jostle for Premier League position, not to mention the Loftus Road outfit who currently prop up most of the Championship, there are plenty of bragging rights available. The Bees finished last season the highest placed of all these clubs and whilst the Stamford Bridge club currently top the pile this time around, everything else is still open.
Including the opportunity to come out top dogs at the weekend. A game where victory will be the cherry on the cake at the end of a long, hard season.
I can’t wait for this one. Brentford will be sure to start this at 100mph. With the likes of KLP and Kevin Schade to supplement an already fast-paced front line, this could be a lot of fun.
See you there….
