Experienced sports journalist and Beesotted regular, Jim Levack, contributes his thoughts on the draw with Derby County and the unwarranted criticism that Andre Gray is receiving in some quarters.
Perched high up in the away end at Derby my gut was wrenching as we moved confidently into the final few minutes.
Several minutes later I’d be back beneath the Brian Clough statue with a grin on my face to meet my wife of twenty plus years and one of her school friends.
Born a goal kick away at Derby City Hospital, she’d decided to come to a Bees match for the first time since 1985.
She sat in the diagonally opposite corner from me and despite her not being an avid football fan, I had a warm glow at the fact that she’d be livid that we’d done the double.
Until a scuffed drive ended at the feet of Darren Bent who popped the ball in the net and simultaneously ensured a silent drive home. To be fair my wife’s friend admitted we’d been mugged which, to some extent, sweetened the pill.
Now my wife and her pal also know Rockin Johnny Austin, a cult figure around Derby County (google him), so when he told me Brentford were one of the best three teams he’d seen at the Ipro this season, that also eased my pain.
Note the word team. Because that’s exactly what this Brentford side is… the sum of its extremely impressive and technically gifted parts.
My wife surprised me by picking out Alex Pritchard as a quality player and even reeling off a few stats… amazing what five minutes with the programme can do.
So driving home with honours shared, I got to thinking about just how far we’ve come in a few years. Angry, frustrated and proud all in one strange medley. But if you can be angry at totally dominating a former Premier League side on their own patch then I’ll take that every day.
The frustration remained though, and the temptation when frustrated is to find a scapegoat. Lucky we have Andre Gray then.
On Saturday night I read through social media and message boards open-mouthed as arguably the best young striker we’ve had in decades was criticised by Bees fans. (Click below to hear the Beesotted post match Podcast from the Derby boozer)
Fortunately they are a minority – the Bees faithful who didn’t tap out their vitriol from the comfort of an armchair sang his name loud at the Ipro – but they are a noisy minority who sadly carry some sway.
Now I’m not pretending I’ve ever played at the top level – London Schools and South of England Universities (okay polys) was the pinnacle of my career – but I knew where the goal was. I’ve played up top alone and hated it, holding it up without support and then having to get the goals if and when the ball did eventually come in.
So when I see people slating Andre Gray it makes my blood boil. If I could have one minute with him I’d tell him – and I’m sure he does anyway – to ignore the critics.
But that’s easier said than done in these days of social media, when experts who probably weren’t even at the game, begin describing his performance as “piss-poor” and labelling him “not up to it”.
If I’d bagged 16 goals in my first season out of the Conference after playing virtually every minute of every game, I’d be ecstatic. Gray was earmarked for criticism because he had the chances in a second half which, if Brentford can repeat, will see us ease comfortably into the play offs.
But I was there and I’ve played in that position and I can assure you they were half chances which – and I’ll give the critics this much – he might have taken one of were he a split second fresher. But half chances they were.
Bottom line is he was in the right place to miss them and, as long as he keeps being in the right place to miss them, then I for one am more than happy to see him as one of the first names on the team sheet.
Had Mark Warburton freshened up his striking options then Andre might have been sharper and less tired to take one of them. If Chris Long had played he’d have snapped up the chance – possibly there’s any argument there but that’s not sufficient reason to castigate the player.
Gray, to my mind, has been an utter revelation this season. Strong, quick, powerful, capable of going both ways, decent in the air for his size, with quick feet and a lovely touch and he never hides, so to hear even a minority of people criticising him makes me seriously question my honest belief that Brentford fans are a pretty knowledgeable bunch.
It might have been down to frustration, but let me assure you, my marital situation gave me more cause than most to vent my spleen… but I didn’t because I left the East Midlands proud of my team.
Four games, 12 points, so we have to be ONE team on and off the pitch.
Jim Levack
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100% agree with you Jim. I find it unbelievable that Gray comes up for criticism after everything he has done this season. He has been nothing short of immense and a revelation in his first full season.
I think when he arrived, he was some distance off the fitness levels of a full time professional in the Championship but after the pre season trip to the US he came back and applied himself unbelievably. He then carried the can single handedly up front for the whole season. Mark Warburtons vision of playing with 1 up front and allowing the rampant, free passing, free flowing, footballers in the midfield to run riot, is only possible if you have a solo forward being used as a battering ram, to take care of 2 big central defenders, hold the ball up when it comes and be used almost to get lumps kicked out of him. He has done all that and so so much more. He has ran the channels, picked up loose ends, tracked back to cover midfielders, run tirelessly all year and never once shirked a challenge in the form of established household Championship team names or defenders. He has been superb for us.
Ok, I’ll grant the people who doubt him that he might be a slightly uncut diamond in his first full season with us and with slightly more composure or a faster speed of turn in the box he might have scored a handful more or that when a winger has cut inside his man and is pulling back his foot to cross the ball, that any slight movement in any direction might see him free himself by a foot or 2 from his marker and leave him a clearer chance at goal but these things can be coached in to him and at his age there is still plenty of time to do so.
A quick look at the full table and especially at the Goals For and Goals Against columns will tell you very much so that our ‘problems’ (if we consider being in conentention of a play off spot with a chance to play in the Premiership to be a problem) (how many fans of the Bees for 40/50/60 years would dream of having such problems so let’s not forget those memories so quick and if it doesn’t happen this year, then next or the year after under Benham is a REAL possibility so be patient) but as I was saying, our ‘problems’ are definitely not in the final 1/3 of the pitch or the goal scoring records. We have a forward who holds things up and does a thankless task unequivocally each week to allow what we have to see is the Stars of the show, in our midfield. Any 5 of any on rotation, who have simply ripped teams apart that we were all almost scared of playing when the fixtures came out in June last year. We have not only played them, home and away but battered them, bar a handful of teams but we have dominated pretty much every fixture. Not bad hey. However, if we’re to be critical, as is only human nature, I suggest that our issues lie very much at the other end of the pitch. We have conceded 1 less goal than Wigan, a team that are all but relegated and have had a dreadful year and yet we’ve done this and are still challenging for a play off spot. Now I don’t know for sure what Benham and Warburtons major issues were but if it was or is down to the stats on some of the players and key performance indicators, then I feel as though some of our defenders times are up or numbered come the end of the year and alongside Warburtons reign where he was loyal to them even if they had shortfalls (still hard to write that given he’s our most successful manager post war period). I can’t see Benham when looking at the stats of Dean, who although was a man mountain in Div 1, has been playing well out of his comfort zone in this a Division for some time and sad to say but Bidwell too seems to have reached his peak of how far he’ll go given his total inability to go round a man when one on one or provide accurate crosses when in the position to do so. That might be considered harsh but Odabajo is a revelation at right back and shows what a marauding, confident, pacy wing back is about these days and has shown us what we want on both wing backs. I feel as though Tarkowski has it all in him to be star quality and has shown it much more being the ‘leader’ of our defence in recent games and although he might not be as big a personality as Dean in the dressing room, I think he’ll come in to his own once Dean departs and he has a pacy, comfortable on the ball, centre half alongside him next season.
But back to Gray and his totally unjust criticism, have people forgotten what else we had to play with this year?? We had Hogan, who no one knows whether he’ll be good enough or come back from his serious injury, who could not be considered because of it, unluckily or not. We had Grigg, who lets be honest, in comparison with Grays work rate, ability to pull or work defenders out of position and his energy levels, simply don’t compare to the shadow of a player who was non existent for us last season, granted he’s scored goals in Div 1 but on he evidence he produced for us, I’d happily cash in if MK Dons want him for keeps. We had Proswitczh, I’m not even going to write a sentence on him, as it’s simply not worth it and we have/had Long, who seems to either have the most delicate stomach upset for a youngster, or a BigTime Charlie 19 year old who believes that he is already too Big Time to consider sitting on our bench for 70 mins before being an impact player in last 10 or 20. If that is the reason he’s missing, I’m sure the sensible head of Warburton has already ensured he’s been despatched safely back to Liverpool with this tail between his legs to sit in Evertons reserves for the rest of the season to allow the rest of our squad to concentrate on the final push. Given all that, who would Grays critics play instead of him? There simply isn’t another option and that might be another reason Warburton and Benham clashed in Jan over that issue as well? A replacement or an understudy to Gray coming in.
Lastly, we still have a great great chance of being at Wembley and in the mix up and a very good day out in the May sunshine. We have resigned ourselves I think, to hoping or wishing for 5th or 6th place at best, alongside Wolves, Ipswich and Derby with the top 4 of Bournemouth, Watford, Middlesbrough and Norwich hoping for the top 2. With that, what will happen is the teams finishing 3rd and 4th will be on a massive downer from missing out on automatic places and hopefully us and one other, on a huge upper for cementing a place in play offs at the expense of others. We can take advantage of that in the 2 leg semi and get to Wembley as we play first at home and then 2nd leg away, where our fans and th atmosphere we create thes days, will be unreal and then it’s the 1 game play off at Wembley where anything can happen……..and just might.
We have 4 winnable games, starting tomorrow at Sheffield Weds to come and I think we have 12 points or a minimum of 10 to come from them, which should easily be enough to see us seal that 5th or 6th spot, so let’s do it, let’s get to Wembley and let’s just see what happens.
Not a bad time to be a Bee and who knows, Benham could be going shopping in close season for Premiership players to help us in our first every seaso in it. YEP, still can’t believe it that I can almost write that. UNREAL!!
Come on you Bees!
Couldn’t agree more. Andre’s had a superb season overall and to see people singling him out for criticism is incredibly frustrating. We’re so close to the finish line, to turn on the players now is just silly.
sorry disagree with some comments
Andre is often seen with hands on his hips not ready for Any lose ball that may break from the back, he reacts too slow sometimes to forward balls and gets penalised time and time again for backing into opposing players, his control is lose and often any pass he makes goes astray, the amount of times he gets caught offside also needs to be questioned, I have also seen our own players berating him-for not chasing a ball or being in the wrong place , I go home and away to games and I hear everyone saying the same things about him so whilst everyone is praising him and-how well he has done have another think about the things he hasn’t done. Chris long should have started a number of games instead of Andre but that’s not his fault that’s down to the manager, I along with everyone stood and sang Andres name and clapped him off but that doesn’t mean I have to agree with all these comments about getting off his back etc… If I have a bad day at work and have to be told to buck up my ideas then I accept it and get on and he has to do the same , sorry if people don’t agree with me but I respect your comments and I hope you will respect mine, I love my club and I love the players and have done for 48 years so point made and come on you beeeeees !
disagree. Gray has had one good month (November) and has Done very little since… Long started 2 games not so long ago and scored 3 goals. Andre stands for the majority of the game with his hands on his hips in between the two center backs making there life’s easy as they know exactly what he is going to do, he waits for the ball instead of going too the ball, And if you watch closely you see our players getting frustrated with him.. I am greatful for the goals he has scored but he has not been in any kind of form since November an Chris long has proven he can step up.
Andre mostly has not been “singled out”,most of the comments have related to him being tired and lacking confidence.99% all agree that his step up has been fantastic and his 16 goals even better.
Most statements have criticised the lack of bringing in an extra striker to either strengthen or give Andre that competition for his place in the starting line up,in effect keeping him on his toes.
We have been lucky that Andre has not picked up an injury,as has our other striker Chris Long.
Also most have supported Andre and pleaded for him to be given a rest,as we will need him at his very best for the run in and possible play offs.
Although I enjoyed reading your report,I find it to be a bit of sensational journalism,that even Andre would not like to read?
In closing I am in no doubt that every supporter is behind the whole team including every player.
People are allowed their opinion and those opinions will differ and being in the public eye every player will attract critics,no matter how good or bad they play.
Not entirely sure I know what you mean by a “bit of sensational journalism” especially as you go on to agree with most of the points I made. Strange reply.
I agree Andre has done a great job for us today. The Derby chances came very quick to him. All the best forwards miss chances – what about the Murphy blaze over an open goal at the Ipswich game.
I also think Harlee comes in for a lot of unfair criticism. He was a key player in getting us promotion – just remember the crucial Orient away win last year. He is still young and this is his first season at this level. Tarks has certainly had his moments too but he has overcome these as the year has gone on and now looks immense. Harlee has certainly got championship credentials and is a leader on the pitch. He is now being asked to play at a very high level and they all have their off days.
Look how Tourmani has turned things round over the last year – a revelation.
Give the boys a chance, put away prejudice and get behind them all!
I agree people shouldnt be slating him on social media, but you have to admit hes not the same player he was a few months ago, it’s not completely his fault though, he’s had no real competition, look at when Long scored two goals against Huddersfield, when Gray came on he looked at alot hungrier when his starting place was under threat, why Long hasnt featured is what I don’t understand, it would only help Andre