When the Brentford history book are once again written, the Bees’ 2-0 win over West Ham last weekend will probably be a footnote in an historic season. The palate-cleanser following the feast that was the 4-1 demolition of Chelsea at Stamford Bridge the previous weekend – a result which will probably go down as the club’s best ever (post-WWII anyway).
In fact, if you add the opening day win over Arsenal, the thrilling home matches against Liverpool and Chelsea, and the last-gasp win at West Ham earlier in the season to the Stamford Bridge stunner, the return game against the Hammers would probably struggle to make it into most peoples’ top five games of the season.
It may not have had the thrills, spills and excitement or last-gasp heroics of the other games mentioned, but for me, last Sunday’s game takes on a significance of its own, which gives it a worthy place on the podium alongside the others. Because for me, it’s the first time I can recall the Bees taking on an established top-flight side and completely controlling the game from start to finish.
For me, this is a sign of just how far this Brentford side has matured in recent weeks. In all those other games mentioned, there were times when the Bees were not the better side for long periods, or had to cling on before getting back on top and starting to land their blows again. Yes, there are those who will point to the fact that West Ham may have been lethargic to some degree from playing in the Europa League the previous Thursday, but don’t let that take away from a very impressive Brentford performance. I’m struggling to think of a time during Sunday’s game when the Bees were not on top, and once they had found their shooting boots in the second half, when anything other than a Bees win was certain.
Naturally, much of the credit for this must go to Christian Eriksen. Has anyone seen a player in a Bees shirt before who seems to have as much time on the ball as he wants, has the vision to not only see balls others don’t but deliver them on a sixpence, and so rarely waste a pass? He clearly inspires other around him to raise their game as well, and having someone like Eriksen in the side has helped raise confidence levels across the pitch.
The speculation about his future has started already, but I have a hunch that not only is Eriksen enjoying his stay at Brentford enough to want to extend it, but is the sort of character who wouldn’t be adverse to showing some kind of loyalty to the club which took a chance on him where others hesitated. You get the feeling it’s a project which has piqued Eriksen’s interest, and one which can progress to so being so much more than just helping the Bees away from the dangerous situation they looked to be slipping into a month or so ago.
Vitaly Janelt, Brentford’s two-goal hero at Stamford Bridge, is one who has certainly benefitted from playing alongside Eriksen, with more freedom to do what he was in the Championship last season – helping break up play and getting into decent attacking positions. For a player who had gone off the boil up until a fortnight or so ago, they were two very cool finishes against Chelsea, and he was once again in the thick of it against West Ham.
So too was Christian Norgaard, who looks like he’s had the weight of the world lifted from his shoulders and is again becoming the player who was winning so many pundits’ plaudits at the start of the season for his awareness and ability to always be in the right place to either receive a pass or make a vital interception. He once again looked like a Rolls Royce of a player against West Ham, and one who looks like a natural on this stage.
Credit must also go to Thomas Frank, who I thought would be tempted to stick with three at the back after its success against Chelsea, but instead reverted to four at the back on Sunday. This had the effect of giving West Ham’s defence much more to worry about than they would otherwise have had, with Yoann Wissa lurking with intent in support of Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbeumo. How well did those two link up, by the way? They’re looking like a proper partnership now, and I do feel having three up front stops them getting too isolated.
Mbeumo can be frustrating at times, and if not for his lack of composure in front of goal at times, would be one of the outstanding young strikers in this league. His pace and power, especially when running from deep, is increasingly causing headaches for opposition defences, while Toney is maturing into an impressive all-round frontman who is about way more than just goals – despite those goals making him the current joint top English scorer in the Premier League. Some of his link up play, flicks and lay-offs on Sunday were a delight to see.
At the other end of the pitch, going to four at the back certainly didn’t stop Brentford’s full backs getting forwards. Rico Henry was once again Mr Consistency and has to be a serious candidate for player of the season, while Kris Ajer has been a revelation at right back and had possibly his best game yet in a Bees shirt. Much has been made of how much difference it would have made to Brentford’s season had David Raya not been injured, but the long term absence of Ajer was felt almost as keenly.
Ethan Pinnock put in one of those performances we just come to expect from him now – another who’s increasingly looking like a natural at this level – and what a return to the side for Mathias Jorgensen, coming in for his first game for five months for skipper Pontus Jansson and absolutely bossing it at the back, barely putting a foot wrong and making Michail Antonio look like Fola Onibuje. All in all, a very pleasing day for the Bees, and one that deserves to live as long in the memory as Stamford Bridge and the rest. Bring on the Hornets!
Tim Street
