After three results everyone wanted to move on from, Brentford got exactly what the doctor ordered at the Gtech, beating Nottingham Forest 2-0 in a game that was scrappy rather than classic but did the job all the same. Here’s six things we took from a win that mattered far more than the performance.
- Andrews called it the best win of the season.
Keith Andrews wasn’t short of praise for his side afterwards: “I’m very proud of the performance. We showed different ways of playing today.” He also made clear he understood exactly how hard the week had been on his players. “We’ll never, ever make any excuses, but the scheduling doesn’t do us any favours when it comes to cup competitions. A lot of travel. It was never going to be the prettiest of games today – I knew that. The big message to the players was stay patient, stay true to who we are, do the basics of the game really well.” One fan in the Steam Packet put it rather more simply: “We did the basics right, and I think that’s been missing for the last few games.”
- Van den Berg had the game of his season – and that partnership with Ajer is becoming the real deal
“I thought Van den Berg had his best game for us by a mile,” said one fan outside the ground. “I thought he was superb at the back. I love that partnership with Ajer.” After a few shaky weeks at the back, a defensive line that actually looked composed for ninety minutes was worth celebrating on its own – Forest had their moments, but nothing that ever felt like it was going to turn into real match-winning danger.
- The bench did it again – Hickey’s cameo was the difference
“Hickey made a great difference when he came on in the second half – very good performance from him,” was the first verdict out of the ground, and it held up: his pass out to Jaidon Anthony set up Thiago’s second goal. One fan summed up the bigger picture nicely: “We’ve got subs coming off the bench now that change games. Ouattara was good, but Anthony’s different when he comes on. Jensen was good, but Damsgaard’s different.” That’s a squad with two speeds, and both of them are working.
- Thiago is two goals into a mini run – and the fans are desperate for it to continue
A deflected finish it may have been, but Igor Thiago now has goals in two games in four days, and nobody in the Gtech was in the mood to split hairs about style. “He half scuffed that shot today, but the deflection helped it in – we don’t care, it’s good enough,” was the view from the fans. Thiago himself was grateful rather than guarded afterwards: “I’m delighted to score one more goal for Brentford. I must thank the fans because they have been so supportive of me for the whole journey. When people believe in you, you feel like you can go even more. So I want to say to them: keep believing in me, keep trusting in me, and in the end everything will go well.”
- There’s a genuine better atmosphere inside the Gtech
Several fans independently picked up on the same thing: the ground has been properly loud the last few weeks, flags and all. “My nephew came to the game today – he’s not been for probably a year, he lives in Germany – and he said this is the loudest the stadium’s been. And I agree,” said Laney with another calling it a straight “sea change” in how the place sounds on a matchday. More songs, more noise – long may it continue.
- Glasner’s post-match meltdown said everything about where Forest are right now
While Brentford were calm and professional, the away dugout was anything but. Oliver Glasner’s press conference afterwards dragged on for fourteen minutes and included him banging the desk, warning his own players that patience is running out: “If the players buy in, we can have a turnaround. If not, the sixth manager will come in.” It was a startling admission from a manager many assumed was bulletproof, and it left Forest sitting 19th, one point above the bottom, having lost four of their last five. Brentford’s own Forest-supporting podcast guest Greg had called it before kick-off, fearing his side were in “serious, serious trouble” – and nothing that followed proved him wrong.
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