On the train ride up to Wigan, Brentford fans were debating. Which Brentford side – Jekyll or Hyde – would turn out today at the DW Stadium?
After last week’s creditable performance against The Geordies, we were certain that the Bees had turned a corner and would put on a show against relegation-threatened Wigan.
As it goes, if it were Dr Jekyll who turned up at Griffin Park last week, it was definitely Mr Hyde who graced the turf of Wigan yesterday as Brentford turned out yet another performance to forget.
As we were deliberating the day’s potential line-up as we passed through Warrington, the news came through that Scott Hogan was not going to play due to his agent ‘turning his head’ with a phone call the night before the match. That immediately sparked the debate – how much is the Hogan debacle really disrupting the side?
We played with gusto against Eastleigh. OK it was only Eastleigh. But still we played well. And we had a very good – and if not unlucky – second half against Newcastle. In both matches we showed that we could play football without our star player.
But there’s no doubt Hogan is key. And there is an argument to say if he actually came on against Newcastle we would have got at least a point – if not all three.
But according to the latest bombshell, Hogan wasn’t played against Newcastle and Wigan for the same reason. His head wasn’t in the right place because he had been told my his agent a bid was imminent.
We have put our ears to the ground, and we from what we have heard there is no bid imminent and – unless something drastically changes in the next few days – Hogan will be with Brentford at least until we play Chelsea if not beyond.
So back to Saturday’s match.
Brentford were awful. It was like they couldn’t be bothered. They didn’t challenge. They didn’t fight. It was like they didn’t want to get hurt.
We thought it may have been down to the players having their eyes on the Chelsea cup match next week. But Wigan also have a big cup game next weekend – away to Man United – so their players had as much incentive not to get injured as ours.
The difference.
Wigan team are obviously focussed on battling their way out of relegation. Whereas the Brentford team obviously think that – bar the Chelsea match – the season is over as they showed no cohesion. Or fight. Or passion. Or anything really.
Wigan out-battled us in midfield with Sam Morsey – recalled this week from a loan spell at Barnsley – running the show and scoring a brace. To add salt to the wound it was ex Brentford striker’s Will Grigg’s shot that was saved by Bentley which teed up Morsey to score his second goal as the Brentford defence was caught napping.
Looking at the stats, you would have been led to believe that Brentford were in this match all the way. 56% possession. 11 shots to Wigan’s 15 and both sides had 4 shots on target.
But those figures hide the fact that Wigan showed more drive and determination to take all three points.
So would Scott Hogan being in the side have made any difference?
Looking at our abject performances against teams like Norwich and Cardiff, I’m not too sure.
If Hogan is to turn up, it’s important for the rest of the team to turn up with him surely?
Saying that, I would be very surprised if this whole Scott Hogan nonsense isn’t upsetting the side.
But maybe Hogan actually turning up would help to galvanise and motivate the side.
On paper, our team going into Saturday’s match against Chelsea is stronger than our Uwe Rosler’s Division 1 team that went toe to toe with Chelsea in the same round of the cup at Griffin Park four years ago. But I can feel a massive difference emanating from the Brentford camp this time around.
There doesn’t seem to be the same unity, passion and belief going into this match. Before that game, even though we were just a decent Division 1 side, there was a real feeling we could beat anyone. We were going to give Chelsea a match. There was a real vibe around the club. And around the team. Something that is sadly missing at the moment.
Yes we sold out 6000 tickets in 32 seconds for this game. But I am yet to meet anyone who sees the day out at Chelsea as more than … well … a day out really. And quite a few have been talking about ‘damage limitation’ already – trying to ensure that we don’t get beat by too much.
We weren’t thinking that way four years ago.
Does this squad have the same vibe as the squad back in that day? Because that togetherness can turn an mixed-ability set of players into worldbeaters.
Maybe the Scott Hogan scenario has shown highlighted a deeper set of issues around Brentford. Him not playing on Saturday was 100% selfish. What about the team? What about the club? What about the fans?
Excuse me but is Hogan still not a Brentford player?
Are we – the fans – not paying his wages while he feels ‘not in a fit state to play’?
Were Brentford not the club to pluck him out of 2nd division Rochdale. Put faith in him. Paid for 18 months of expensive treatment. Nurtured him and paid his salary for 18 months while he was out of work. Stuck with him even though many teams would have written him off after two pretty horrendous injuries?
Don’t get me wrong. Hogan is a quality player. But I find it really sad when a player can go from hero to zero in the eyes of a fair few fans we have spoken to in such a short space of time due to the way he has mismanaged his impending exit from the club
The fact that I’m even asking these questions is ludicrous.
Would Scott Hogan made any difference to the side? Of course he would.
Should Scott Hogan have played against Wigan? Of course he should.
Should Scott Hogan be on the team sheet against Chelsea? Of course he should.
But what’s the point in putting him in the side if he really can’t be bothered?
It’s a ballache for Brentford. As he obviously makes a huge difference to the side. In the same way that Jonjo Shelvey and Dwight Gayle makes a huge difference to the Newcastle side.
So moving forward what do we do? It’s damage limitation.
Unless there is a sharp change in mindset from Hogan, we will undoubtedly march onto to Stamford Bridge next week not fielding our strongest team.
Is that fair on his team mates or the fans? Not really.
But that may not be the worst of our problems.
I’ve said it before and I say it again, I believe we have the players to play well and put in good shift. OK we may not be a top six side. But we can beat any decent Championship and lower Premier League side on our day. It’s whether we can show that determination on the pitch week in and week out is the question.
More importantly, if Brentford don’t sort out their consistency, stop making silly mistakes and continues to show the same passion-less performances that we showed against Wigan – that may or may not have been Scott Hogan-influenced – they could soon find themselves swapping places with Wigan battling it out at the bottom end of the table.
Billy Grant
@BillyTheBee99
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Smith and the crew who pull the strings, have brought BFC on , to a mouldering pile of straw men.
There has been no progress , , , whatsoever; Hogan can’t wait to leave, he would have stayed, if the team was going anywhere, but it simply is not and will not, under the current ownership, setup and outlook
Hogan, is not to be chastised, for the simple drive to want to move on asap,from a hopeless case, that he has done his best to lift. On to a team with some ambition, to a club structure that is not just big talk, backed up with talented club backroom staff. It is for the very reason, that he fears a repeat of the old injuries, that he feels every day of his future footballing career, should be put to best use, which is certainly not at the current BFC.
Get real Boru, its all about the money, playing in the prem, and the wage packet, regarding Hogan, gray, or any other player. Compared to the Bees, even in the championship, players can at least treble there wages.also no mention of the excellent way the mouldering club have looked after Hogan, through two career threatening injuries.
The current form is worrying (actually, we’ve been shyte since the start of October) and we have some tough games coming up after the day out at Stamford Bridge.
It’s right now that DS, Giles and Ankersen really need to prove themselves, as the pressure is mounting.
Regards
Gordon
We’re in free fall. Mr Ankersen features in the sport section of the Sunday Times today, where he proudly states he’s not a football man, but a ‘challenger’ and that Brentford FC is not run by ‘Football’ men, but by ‘Brentford’ men, and that culture eats strategy for breakfast! What a load of crap, I strongly suggest we get some ‘football’ men in the club who understand football tactics and strategy, before we all become League 1 men.
Here we go again Adam F. James T. Now Scott H.other teams have players linked to big money moves Barnsley just to name one their players aren’t rested because their mind is not in he right place for goodness sake get a grip Mr Smith, because of the time factor if you don’t replace him in the transfer window I fear for the rest of the season.
Spot on Bill.
Personally I’m absolutely dreading next weekend. Yesterday was pretty embarrassing. You are right that we have a side capable of beating anybody in this division if we are really on it, but a decent performance against the toon (which no matter how well we played) that we still lost, followed by that lack of desire, bottle and basic footballing ability, makes me fear that we could spend the last couple of months with no nails. The only consistent trait we have had this season is the ability to look total shite against teams down near the bottom of the division.
As for Chelsea, the sooner it’s out the way the better. Ditto the Hogan situation.
Please God may he be sold, we get players in and integrated and we move on. Not because im peed off with Scott Hogan or Dean Smith. Purely and simply because as per usual the Bees have the worst of both worlds…a quality player who is ours and is not playing, and a potential to realise a significant amount of cash that we really could put to good use, but its not in the bank yet. I know and appreciate Bfc are a selling club, frustrating though it is. But i also have faith that we can identify the next big thing too but we can do nothing till we know what monies we have. In the meantime the team slip further into danger and potential targets disappear. Ohhh the joys of being a Bees fan!!
Poor tactics, poor substitutions, poor team selection, poor team management, lack of passion, no forwards, a weak midfield, weak man management all sum up our current predicament. We may have technically gifted players but they are lightweight. As an example, it has been obvious since day 1 of the season (perhaps not to the DofF) that we need bigger / stronger players in the middle, players who are not afraid to put their foot in and do the dirty work. In my opinion, we have not replaced Duggie with a player of the same level of skill and total commitment. Aluso, the Hogan situation is becoming embarrassing and laughable, the sooner he moves on the better. I am disappointed that in his interview Phil Giles didn’t name names. I would like to know who these people are that are upsetting the balance of our club just so that they can make a few quid!
Bang on re-Douglas; absolute weeds in midfield at BFC now.
All rest valid, but agents have always been shites, if that is the real story behind the Hogan saga and not an invented crisis , by the BFC “management”, who are as straight as a shepherds stick.
Good to se that other supporters are not wearing rose coloured underwear and eyewear.