Brentford head into the game at Sheffield United on Saturday afternoon with worst fears confirmed. Thomas Frank has given the news that everybody feared after Bryan Mbeumo limped off during the defat at Brighton with a painful looking ankle injury, advising “It is bad”
Whilst the length of his absence is unknown but at least ‘weeks’, the only thing we can say for sure is that he definitely won’t play on Saturday. Yet with Thomas likely to go for the 4-3-3 formation he favours in these sorts of games, we can expect Neal Maupay to lead the line flanked by Wissa and Keane Lewis-Potter.
Vitaly Janelt, the excellent Saman Ghoddos, Ethan Pinnock and Ben Mee look set to make up the back line with Christian Norgaard returning to midfield after his suspension. Mathias Jensen is still touch and go although I suspect, given the language used by Thomas, he’ll be kept back for the game with Aston Villa. As such Frank Onyeka and Yehor Yarmoliuk are likely to take the final two positions in the centre of the park.
Bryan’s loss is a bitter blow to Brentford – both for this game and going forward. Then again, so is the ongoing enforced absence of Rico Henry. Of Kevin Schade, Nathan Collins and Aaron Hickey. Of Kris Ajer and Josh Dasilva. Likewise Ivan Toney, although at least he has little more than a month before his return.
The point being that this is nothing new to a Brentford team who continue to adapt. Who continue to get results in the toughest situations and play some wonderful football at times. Without wanting to sound trite, it’s just another blow in a season full of them.
Sheffield United will obviously be happy to avoid our leading goal scorer but they’ll have their own concerns. Just 5 points from 15 games and bottom of the table with a goal difference of -30 makes for brutal reading.
The Blades are already 5 points from safety (effectively 6 with that GD) and despite replacing manager Paul Heckingbottom with Chris Wilder, failed to see any ‘new manager bounceback’ midweek. A 2-0 reverse at home to Liverpool the latest in a long line of defeats over a season where their only win came last month against Wolves, courtesy of that controversial late, late penalty scored by Oliver Norwood.
Norwood misses out tomorrow through suspension, as does striker Oliver McBurnie following his sending off in the 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Burnley. Tough though Brentford are finding things with the injury crisis, it’s fair to say that United are having an absolutely torrid time of it at present.
Whomever Chris Wilder goes with, this is Brentford’s to lose. Then again, complacency is the mother of all mess-ups. With a passionate crowd behind them, Bramall Lane isn’t an easy place to go. Moreso on the first Saturday afternoon with the new manager in charge and in his second stint. Focus will still need to be absolute key rather than simply assuming this is a case of ‘turn up and win’. There are no easy games at this level, regardless of table position.
The crowd will be on it from the off. The big question is can a Brentford team now missing their leading scorer keep them quiet? Roll on Saturday afternoon when we find out.
