The old question of two points dropped or one point gained inevitably takes on more importance at this stage of the season.
It’s the time of year when the form guide matters little, when sides without a win to their name suddenly start picking up three points or draws as they “scrap for their lives”.
So before Bees fans start reaching for the bottle, just take a few seconds to look around and grab a little perspective.
A point at one of the division’s form sides in Sheffield United was decent, even despite the fact that it might so easily have been three.
The point takes on even greater significance when you consider that the mighty Wolves only managed a point at rock bottom Stevenage.
The fact that we were bitterly disappointed at only taking a point at the home of the FA Cup semi finalists speaks volumes for how far we’ve progressed this season.
Right now it’s all about performances and by the sounds of it – I couldn’t get away from work in time to be there – the Bees were right on it at Bramall Lane.
That, for me, is the most important thing… that we go in to Saturday’s game against Notts County with players returning to their best form on the back of a hugely encouraging display.
Yes, it might have been three points but for yet another abysmal non-decision from a referee who decided to dispense with the rule book – but the performance was everything here.
I was delighted to see the ‘Buy One, Get One Free’ offer from the club for the Crawley game, which is another example of the forward thinking going on off the field.
But make no mistake, if you’re a lapsed Brentford fan, a Bees supporter still gutted after last season’s last day nightmare or a regular, Saturday’s game against Notts County is arguably our most important of the campaign so far.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s not a six pointer because there’s only three at stake but psychologically any distance we put between ourselves and the rest now will be like a hammer blow.
The games are running out for our rivals now, which in the cruel shake up means that six points from the next two games will see their fading light of hope start to disappear.
To my mind there’s no pressure on the Brentford side though because they’ve already vastly exceeded expectation following the Doncaster finale.
All I’d ask for is a magnificent seven games – 630 minutes – more football like the faithful Bees fans saw at Sheffield, and that will be enough.
A kids football coach once told me “I’m not bothered about results, it’s the performances that matter” as I watched my lads play.
I didn’t understand him, but I do now.
If the side puts in the performances the results will follow and if they don’t, well maybe it’s just not meant to be. If there’s a football god, he will also have a part to play.
Support, as the 9,000 Wolves fans proved at MK Dons, will be important so be proud and be loud this weekend… and have no regrets that you might have done more.
Jim Levack
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The mantra from about Christmas onwards should have been and should still be, ‘win your home games and draw you away’, which we’ve inevitably been doing. Most seasons t
End tables show that by picking up twice the points of the amount of games you play, I.e. 46 games played – 92 pts means that beyond doubt you should go up. And if you only get 46 points from 46 games you inevitably get relegated.
So far, we are still ahead of target, with a huge chance to stretch it further with 2 home games coming up. Let’s keep our heads, both fans and players and try to start games at alivlier tempo than in last few weeks and all should be good. Still loads of chances for other teams at top to take points off each other but all in all this season, we have taken 4 points (a win and a draw) of most teams we have played twice already bar 1 or 2. If we continue to do so, we all be delighted come May and I’m still not giving up hope of winning he title as Wolves, like happens each year to the top team, are having a blip trying to cross the line too.
Keep the faith and you never know, the Championship could be ours in more ways than one.
FOUL! Warby is wrong! The defender played the player before the ball with his studs showing! This is called a foul and should have been sent off (or was it a european game)?
The defender played the player first and should have been sent off, no exceptions!