Brentford cross London for the game with Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon with that well talked up ‘stat’ hanging heavy in the air.
Namely, the fact that every Premier League clash between the two teams has ended in a draw. That’s five in a row with the most recent coming back in August of this year. A 1-1 game saw Kevin Schade open the scoring early on with a wonderful effort before Palace levelled up in the final quarter-hour.
Oh, for a Schade now. Whilst his return is scheduled in for next month (here’s hoping) he has been missed dreadfully. Wednesday night’s 4-1 home humbling by Wolves a game that showed the injury decimated Bees bravely trying to fall over the line until new options become available.
It wasn’t through any lack of effort with a great finish from Wissa for our only goal supplemented by numerous other chances being created. Unfortunately, those opportunities were spurned (a similar tale to recent games where a good four ‘certain’ goals have been cleared off the line) whilst at the other end the defensive tale of woe that unfurled needs no further repeating.
Let’s just hope there’s no repeat and it ends up being one of those nights against The Eagles.
Positives from the Wolves game were the performance of KLP and the return of Mathias Jensen, albeit from the bench rather than starting. Hopefully, he will be ready to go from the start this time around. Whether alongside Vitaly or the German dropping back into defence remains to be seen.
Through no fault of his own, the combination of injury and suspension has left Thomas Frank so short of genuine options to mix things up he’s like Marge Simpson trying to redesign her one Chanel suit.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Zanka drafted into the defence for this one. Whether as part of a back three or alongside Ethan Pinnock. Nathan Collins will no doubt be itching to get back on pitch, but the final say will go to Thomas.
As for our hosts, their form hasn’t been the stuff to write home about. The last time they won in the league was everyone’s compulsory defeat of Burnley in early November. Since then they’ve drawn three and lost five although had the morale-boosting performance of taking a point at Manchester City.
At least Roy Hodgson will take comfort from having the vast majority of his squad available as well as a drum in the stands. Perhaps even a poor man’s Bond villain, too.
Whoever starts for either side, something has to give. Palace and Brentford are 19th and 20th respectively in the recent form table. Whilst, of course, a campaign is played out over 38 games and the best part of ten months rather than what happens in December, this game presents a fantastic chance for one of these teams to get back on track.
That, or it’ll be draw number six.
