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Most people wouldn’t disagree with the fact that Brentford haven’t had the ideal start to their Championship campaign this season. With key players leaving, pitch problems and a number of unfortunate injuries, Marinus Dijkhuizen could argue that the club he was working at in August wasn’t the same club that he bought into in April.

 

Add to that new players coming in trying to impress their new boss who was trying to implement slightly different approach on the pitch, it never was going to be an easy ride.

 

The overall performance against Reading was deemed by unacceptable by both Marinus Dijkhuizen and the fans. There was a sinking feeling within certain sections of the fanbase that this new Brentford didn’t have it in them to battle against the average sides in this division .. never mind the top dogs.

 

Fans travelling to Leeds wanted to see some positive signs that this Brentford team could cut it in the Championship this season. The result was to a certain extent less important than the performance.

 

Yes whilst understanding there has been a lot of change and it will take time for players to settle and feel comfortable with a new system, it was also important that the Brentford team showed they were hungry and more than just a bunch of promising individuals.

 

And the fans weren’t disappointed. Brentford took the game to Leeds from the off playing flowing football for long periods of the game and hitting a flat-footed Leeds team on the counter attack whilst trying to battle their more direct approach.

Marco Djuricin looked to have filled that missing link for Brentford up at Leeds. The player, loaned form Red Bull Salzburg on the transfer deadline, was a constant thorn in Leeds’ side …. as was Vibe and Judge.

And needless to say half an hour into his debut, a deft Alan Judge pass enabled him to run in onto the ball and calmly slot the it past the Leeds keeper Silvestri with clinical precision.

And within a minute of scoring, a new chant.

A-Djuricin … do do di-do-do

A-Djuricin .. do do-di-do

with a certain muppet-esque vibe to it was ringing around the terraces …

Brentford dominated the first half and should have put the game out of sight when Djuricin, who looked energetic whilst composed on the ball, was presented with an opportunity – one-on-one with the keeper after Sol Bamba had given the ball away needlessly in defence and Vibe presented him with the opportunity – but placed his shot wide of the static Sylvestri  but it cannoned off the post.

As Leeds tried hard to get a foothold on the game, tongue in cheek chants of “Boring boring Rosler” and “You’re getting sacked in the morning” emanated from the Brentford terrace.

Leeds changed things up in the second half in an attempt to get back into the match with Antenucci coming on for Mowatt at half time. But it was Brentford who gave them the advantage on a plate – substitute Ryan Woods on for Maxime Colin giving the ball away barely a minute after coming on and Leeds hitting Brentford on the break, Antenucci finishing exceptionally.

The game finished 1-1. But on the positive side, Leeds have now failed to beat Brentford the past 5 times we have played them.

“Can we play you every week?” some of the Brentford contingent sang. Now that was getting a little bit cheeky.

One month into the season, things are suddenly a hell of a lot clearer.

Marinus Dijkhuizen was in not doubt who was the better side on the day.

“We had a lot of chances to make 2-0 after the break again, with some dangerous set pieces. We had to kill the game, and it could have been 5-1 today but finally we got the draw,”

It wasn’t perfect. But it was a lot lot better.

And for the first time this season, we could say with hand on heart “We should have won that match”.

But that’s not a problem.

To quote the well overused cliche, Rome wasn’t built in a day.

As some fans said in the post-match podcast (above), it was always going to take time for Brentford to settle down. But the starting line up at Leeds with Judge Djuricin and Vibe seems to have evolved as the our preferred attacking combination.

We now have three home games under our belt followed by a trip to Derby – a team who seem to have similar settling issues after having a “nearly” season and subsequently employing a new manager.

The next international window in October will be a true indicator of where Brentford are at. And at that time, with players like Jota and McEachran closer to a return to fitness, we could be in for a very interesting Christmas run-in.

Leeds United: Silvestri; Berardi, Cooper, Bamba, Taylor; Adeyemi (Murphy 57), Cook; Byram, Mowatt (Antenucci 45), Dallas; Wood. Substitutes unused: Turnbull, Wootton, Bellusci, Phillips, Doukara.

Brentford: Button; Colin (Woods 74), Dean, Tarkowski, Bidwell; Diagouraga, McCormack; Vibe, Kerschbaumer, Judge; Djuricin (Hoffman 63 (Canos 84). Substitutes unused: Bonham, O’Connell, Barbet, Udumaga.

Referee: N Miller (Co.Durham).

Attendance: 25,126

Billy Grant

@billythebee99