With two weeks to lick our wounds during the international break, we look at how Brentford’s bumper contingent of internationals fared – the most in the Premier League bar Liverpool and Spurs – including Jordan Henderson stepping in to captain England. Billy “TheBee” Grant and Dave “Laney” Lane hook up in the virtual joint after a frustrating trip to Sunderland where Brentford led through a Thiago header, missed a penalty, and had an Outtara strike chalked off for offside — before being sucker‑punched by a last‑minute winner.
Looking ahead to this weekend, all eyes turn to the Gtech Community Stadium for a high-stakes clash against Chelsea. The Blues come into the match unbeaten in the league so far and currently sit second in the table under Enzo Maresca’s leadership. Chelsea’s strength lies in their organised defensive structure and ability to control possession, but they’ll be missing Liam Delap, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury. There’s also some doubt over Cole Palmer’s fitness after a recent groin issue, though he has returned to partial training and could be involved.
Brentford, meanwhile, will be hoping to bounce back and make home advantage count. Their high pressing and physicality have caused top sides problems in the past, and set pieces could prove crucial once again. With several Bees players returning from international duty, there’s some squad rotation likely, and Keith Andrews will need to manage his options wisely.
Psychologically, Chelsea may hold a slight edge in this fixture historically, but Brentford have never been ones to roll over, especially in front of their own fans. If we can avoid the costly lapses that have undermined us in recent weeks – such as missed penalties and marginal offsides – Brentford will fancy their chances of taking something from the game. It’s a London derby, it’s under the lights, and it’s all to play for after a few cold beers before the match.
Also in the podcast, Statman, Jonathan Burchill, drops in with a bag of penalty facts and funk, and we’re joined by Stamford Chidge from the Chelsea Fancast to give us the lowdown on the Blues.
Don’t forget to buy us a beer at beesotted.com/beer – and check out our brand-new range of Brentford T-shirts by clicking this link.
Dave Lane
