Brentford contributor Jim Levack feels the Swansea result is one not to dwell on as the long-term outlook is good for The Bees
Two games, two points. Watford and Swansea. But that doesn’t really tell the full story.
We went away to clubs touted as promotion contenders and completely dominated them, oozing the swagger but not arrogance of a Champions League club visiting minnows in the first round.
That we didn’t leave with six points is down to fine margins – luck, poor officiating and yes maybe a little lack of cutting edge – but the prognosis is good.
Look at the Championship table. There are no clubs there that should worry us, as long as we retain the humility, togetherness and work rate that are cornerstones of this campaign.
As well as increased resilience, there’s also a calmness and maturity to the way we play now that wasn’t there last season. An assured confidence but never hubris that if we keep doing what we do, all will be well.
Injustice in football is the worst feeling because it all seems so unfair. Bidwell’s elbow, Ayew’s comical slithering eel routine and Fulton’s repeated attempts to take a chunk of Josh all clouded the outcome.
But strip away the scoreline, the manner of the draw and Steve Cooper’s myopic response which will surely have fooled not even the most diehard Jack, and it was bloody magnificent.
We looked far and away the better side, outmanoeuvred them, outmuscled them, outthought them but couldn’t outscore them… and there’s the rub.
I’ll leave recruitment to the people who know best, but a winger with speed to burn would have surely tipped the balance our way, forced the ref into a couple more reds (hmmm) and given Ivan that little bit more freedom to do his thing.
That’s what was so frustrating about both the Watford and Swansea games. They were ‘so near but yet so far’ affairs that left you feeling like you’d lost. Red wine helps.
But as Thomas Frank reminds us, if you can’t win then don’t lose, especially away at two clubs that were only recently in the Premier League.
We were superb at Swansea but Wycombe will be a big test and never before has the cliché ‘there are no easy games in the Championship’ be more apt.
For me that will be the acid test of our stickability, that enduring ability to dig out results just as – and it pains me to say this – Swansea did.
They are this season’s Cardiff from a couple of years ago so there must be something in the air down there. They sit deep, invite you on and hit you like they did at Barnsley recently. It’s dull but effective.
We’re not as flamboyant as we were and I like that, but perhaps now is the time to add a little more flair and unpredictability to the group.
If we don’t, I still think we’ll be top two. I’d just like to take out a bit of insurance.
I do agree with you, but it’s one game, we took you apart earlier in the season and got the same result. Long, long way to go for both of us.
Fucking hell, I couldn’t get past the very start of this article. HUMILITY you say. That’s a word that doesn’t apply too Brentford, their fans or their manager. Turning into the most unbearable fans in the country
I totally agree Jim. We need a couple of experienced pros to get us over the line – Ben Pearson of PNE would be a good start.
Swans fan here. Can’t argue that, you were streets ahead as in 3 or the 4 games last season, completely unfathomable how the game ended up as a draw.
As a team who have for the last 10 years been known as an attractive, possession based, passing team it was painful to watch another team do to us what we used to do to others. Sadly under Cooper we aren’t even remotely close to that, pragmatic, zero flair.
Having said that, you failed to really test Woodman in goal and that has to be a concern, we will keep grinding out results, ugly football works. Are you certain that you won’t drop points through wastefulness?
It’ll be an interesting end to the season, don’t get me wrong you lot deserve to go up more than we do as you provide entertainment in a spectator sport, but outplaying teams and not winning was us in the prem, dominance is not necessarily a guarantee of success unless it’s backed up on the scoreboard.
Good luck though, good team and play the game in the right spirit.
Don’t forget Swansea dominated you at your home game and we’re unlucky not to come away with all 3 points (only for a controversial disallowed goal)… but we didn’t cry about it for days like sept entitled little girls. Swansea are 2nd because we can completely outplay teams off the park with beautiful football (as we did at Brentford) or when things aren’t going our way (which they will this season given the sheer magnitude and frequency of matches) we can know ensure we still pick up points through our shape, defence, grit and determination… and that is why we currently sit in 2nd… we pick up points playing pretty football and ugly football.
Did you just compare yourselves to a ‘Champions League’ club? Grow up lad. Brentford are a great footballing side but I must admit, your arrogant fans and manager let you down. Give it the big one when you have actually experienced Premier League football…..
Arogance comes aplenty with Brentford. One thing you forgot to mention. If Brentford were So good. How come against 10 men for some time. You Failed to Win. Lets see where you land up in May.
That bit about retaining humility is definitely a problem for you. As mentioned above you were lucky in the first game and we were lucky on Wednesday. That’s how football is! However Just like Fulham in the playoff final Swansea saw a flaw in your goalkeeper and exploited it. You are far to smug and arrogant. Don’t get ahead of yourself. There is a lot of football still to play.
I would be looking at why with 21 shots on goal, you could only score one goal. Doesn’t sound premier league potential to me.