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Midweek Match Review: A Comeback Thriller Against the Champions
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This is your Midweek Match Review as we analyse the thriller at the Gtech on Tuesday night as the Bees came from 2-0 down to draw against the reigning Premier League Champions. We discuss tactical tweaks, going toe-to-toe with the best and a missed opportunity to win the game after an evening of brilliant entertainment.
Host: Daniel Toppin
Instagram/X/TikTok: @gspnbrentford
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Transcript
Introduction and Match Overview
00:00:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to another episode of the Daily Brentford Podcast with myself Daniel where today we will look back on the 2-2 thriller of the G-Tech last night as Brentford Hell champions Manchester City.
00:00:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
just before we get going guys we're a brand new company so we're looking for your support over the coming season and beyond as we look to bring you the best and most in-depth coverage across the entire network whether this is a five-star review on your favorite podcasting platform or a recommendation to your friends we are very grateful for any support that we receive so then Let's get straight into it in terms of team news for this one, as expected.
Strategic Setup: Back Four vs. Back Five
00:00:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
We saw the likes of Flecken, Collins, Kean Lewis-Potter, Norguard, Janelle Wisser and Abumo all back in from the beginning following FA Cup action at the weekend. Perhaps unusually and perhaps unexpectedly, we saw Brentford set up with a back four here, as we know so every so often, Brentford do.
00:01:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
set up in a back five against the best sides in the league. We did set up a back four on this occasion, although we did have the slight adjustment with the extra man in midfield and Vitalia Nelt returning to the squad um in place of Kevin Shada. I guess what this shows is that There was an element of confidence from Brentford that we could go toe to toe with Manchester City, an element of confidence that was vindicated by the score line in the end, I think, based on City's recent form and their recent results to an extent, um apart from the last couple which they had won.
00:01:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
um I think Brentford went into this thinking that, you know, the city can be got at and they can be vulnerable. But at the same time, we wanted to pack the midfield and we wanted to ensure that we could get on the ball with enough regularity and that we had the quality to play out from the back. And I thought largely we did that. And I thought um it was good to see. It was definitely a different, there was a different pattern to the game.
00:02:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
compared to the previous meetings we've had with Citi. I thought having Jenson and Dam's guard in the middle as well gives us that creative edge and Norguard and Janelle just solidify us a little bit more defensively. What I did notice is that Keen Lewis Potter and Mads Rossev and the full back positions they were very high up the pitch quite regularly in the game, often at times that resulted in City perhaps finding some joy of their own and some space in forward areas but ultimately I think we saw a performance on Brentford which allowed allowed us to go toe to toe with one of the best teams in the world on their day.
City's Lineup and Tactical Implications
00:03:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
On the bench have to mention it, Ben Mee returned
00:03:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
and then we had the likes of Kevin Shada, Fabio Carvalho and Jan Moliuk on the bench to provide some depth things on that front starting to look up a little bit of course Rico Henry in his first Premier League squad for 15 months too um and slowly but surely perhaps things on the injury front are starting to look up again In terms of Manchester City, we saw starts of the likes of Kevin de Broglie in our Phil Foden and Erling Harland. hello However, there was no Kyle Walker who it was revealed a day or two earlier and it was referred to in the crossover that Kyle Walker is pushing for a move away from the club.
00:04:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
I wasn't surprised then to see how City lined up. We saw Mateus Nunez at right back which perhaps was slightly odd. I guess he offers an element of pace which Karl Walker um is normally there for. I thought City actually played a bit better than I thought they were going to play. I thought they kept the ball well at times. I thought they bit looked a bit nervy to begin with but overall I thought um They look like themselves. And I think what we can say is about their individuals, about the likes of Kevin De Boerne, Phil Foden, Erling Harland, they are all still brilliant, brilliant players in their own right. And you can see their quality on the pitch. So we had to be very aware of that.
First Half Analysis
00:04:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
So then after the break, I will be talking about the first half and how the game looked like panning itself out.
00:05:07
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00:05:42
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Hello and welcome to part two of your daily Brentford podcast. So then let's talk about the first half of the action at the G tech last night. I thought as the game goes, I thought there was much more talk about in the second half. The third section of this podcast will be the busiest today, but I thought the first half did a good job of setting the tone for what was to come. I thought both teams had spells on the ball. I thought it was.
00:06:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
a little bit end to end to an extent I thought the game would come even more stretch in the second half but I thought um it still had that element of end to end this in the first half without either side creating anything clear cut I think from a Brentford point of view the highlight was perhaps Brian and Bummo again getting into a similar position as he did against Rare and Arsenal a couple of weeks back forcing a save this time from Ortega at the near post. I thought from City's point of view Erling Haaland had a chance, header at the far post in the first half which is always going wide. I thought what Brentford did well
00:06:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
is that we limited City from creating anything clear cut in that first half. I thought City did start the game a little bit nervy. There was a couple of times early in the game where they gave the ball away um or they or they put it out of play and you could sense and a little bit of their recent fragility.
00:07:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
I thought though as the game went on in particular, as the first half went on, they took more and more control. And I thought towards the end of that first half, um they probably finished a stronger side and Brentford would have been pleased to go in at Neil-Neil. Having said that, as I've raised, i don't I don't think they created anything clear cut. I just thought we saw a little bit more of the city of old in terms of then keeping hold of the ball a bit more, us finding it harder to get on the ball and us finding it harder to break with some regularity.
00:07:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Whereas um earlier on in the game, I thought that we were able to get forward and play some football. But I think if you look at the styles on both teams, I thought it was clear that Brentford felt that we could get at City and that we felt that we could play toe to toe with them, which was definitely a different approach than what we have um seen recently against City.
Halftime Reflections and Defensive Strategies
00:08:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think at halftime, I was pleased to go in level. I see i think we've seen plenty of times this season Brentford actually give themselves a decent account against top six opposition yet we've often conceded we've often particularly conceded in the past against City just before the break so I was pleased to get through that period at 0-0 it was everything to play for in the second half and it was all about who was going to take their chances and obviously as it as it turned out
00:08:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
We saw one of the best second halves I think we've seen um at the GTEC, especially this season. um But at that time, I guess at the break, I was still feeling quite positive. I think um we we all know based on City's recent performances that perhaps they can be got out. And I thought the longer it stays nil, nil, the more chance that we could perhaps make something from the game. And so it eventually proved, even if it was not,
00:09:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
perhaps in the circumstances that I thought it would be. um So yeah, I think that that was it really for the first half. So after the break, I will be talking to you guys about the second half and how most of the chances um came about and how ultimately we ended up at this result being 2-2.
00:09:47
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00:10:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to part three of your daily Brentford podcast.
Second Half Developments
00:10:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
So in the second half, this is when I thought we saw the game open up. I thought we saw more clear cut chances to either side. It began at the beginning of the half and we saw Savino being allowed to run clear. It is very frustrating. I think just the the fact that he was able to run clear, of obviously he went on to hit the post.
00:10:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I feel like this is something that the Brent would allow too often. We allow players to have a bit of a free run, um often to the edge of the area, often into dangerous areas. And I think we don't get players out to engage. And I think we can be a bit passive in those moments in terms of closing it down. I think the issue with doing this in the Premier League against anybody is that opposition players have quality. And although maybe we consider that, you know, it's best for them to play in front of us. And that's maybe where we want them to be. And we maybe want to restrict them to long shots. I think, you know, certain players have quality, particularly players that play for Manchester City, particularly players like Savino. And if you let them get into, um ah if you let him get at full speed, then ultimately he's very, very difficult to stop. I thought we also saw
00:11:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
um near the beginning of the second half the Harland header which was straight at Flecken but again on either side of Flecken, Harland got a very good connection on it either side of Flecken I think we'd be seeing City go ahead there so I think to an extent Brentford could count themselves a little bit lucky not to be behind I thought Although the general play was even, I thought City were getting on top and were starting to look more and more like their old selves at this stage. Moments later, we saw the Dammsguard effort ruled out for offside. Very, very good effort. Very good finish. But I think Dammsguard must have known he was the one that was offside in the build up moments earlier. I didn't think it was even very close. So I was surprised. And I think that probably should have been one of the referee and the lines been stopped before.
00:12:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was allowed to develop into what was the disallow goal. Moments later, after that, we see Kevin De Boerner in space producing inch perfect cross for Phil Foden, who's becoming Brentford's nemesis who poked toe moments later. This, and I guess, is a summary of the city still having absolutely brilliant players. I think Kevin De Boerner in the past, when we played City, we've emphasis we've We've had an emphasis on closing him down. We've had an emphasis of stopping his supply line into the likes of Harland and Foden. And here, I think if you give him too much space, he will pick out the cross. And I think Foden ultimately caught in between two defenders. Quite an easy finish for him. I think he's very, very good at sniffing out space. Of course, he scored a hat trick in the corresponding fixture at the G-Tech last season.
00:13:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
He is very, very good, um particularly at scoring goals against Brentford, it seems. And, you know, I don't think we paid the individuals necessarily enough attention. I think it's difficult when we're trying to go toe to toe with City. We definitely didn't see Brentford set up maybe as defensively as we have done against him in the past. And, you know, at that stage you are a bit concerned, you know, that City may go on to score more.
00:13:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
and which they later did, but of course Brentford managed to peg them back. Just after the Foden 1-0 goal, we saw the Wisser chance after Brian Mboumo was released and went round Ortega. He managed to hook the ball back into Wisser. That's all he could really do in the situation. And then Wisser found himself met Bayakay on the goal line, who managed to clear.
00:14:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
What I would say about this, and and this one had Thomas Frank literally on the floor um as the charts went begging, is that if you've got Jan Wisser through on goal and the goalkeeper's been taken out of play because he's come out of goal and you know, Wisser's only met with um one or two defenders in the goal. I think he'd be backing himself to score. I think we'd be backing him to score and of course he he missed a few really, really good chances as well in the Southampton game did with us. So, you know, maybe maybe he's going for a bit of a patch where he's not as clinical as we'd normally see from him. Am I being harsh? It was a very, very good clearance for Mackay and what I would say is, you know, that the city defenders um got back in quite well in these situations in the game and they defended generally quite well.
00:15:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
um but with their bodies on the line. And I thought, you know, it was unfortunate. And again, in your mind at the time, you're thinking, is this a turning point? Is this a chance that Brentford have to take if we are to get anything from the game? And, you know, perhaps you could argue that Whistle should have maybe done better there, should have placed the ball better, maybe into the higher areas of the goal, to place it beyond Dache into equalize to Brentford. And at which point,
00:15:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know, the momentum may have shifted into our favour. Instead of that, it was 2-0 to City moments later, and this is where Maz Rossev comes into play. And I've got to say, before I talk about the error, I thought Rossev had a good game overall. I thought, particularly in the first half, he dealt with Savinha very well in defensive situations. I thought with the goal, of course, it was a ball into Savinha.
00:16:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
um allow a lot of players one on one. There are a lot of moments where we had to do some one on one defending. And of course, if you if you lose those jewels and there's not really many other covering defenders around, it becomes very, very difficult. And obviously, Savino broke away on the left hand side, I think.
Brentford's Goals and Key Players
00:16:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
maybe there was a little bit of a lack of awareness as to exactly where Savino was by Ross there. I think Ross had looked like he was maybe trying to lean on him, but didn't really know where he was. I think his positioning was a little bit out. I think maybe he should have been a bit stronger. And I think the minute he went to ground and gestured towards the referee, I think he knew he had made a mistake. Fleckin obviously did well to get in the way of the first effort, but Fodum was there to put in the rebound. What I would say about Rostev though is he kept going and like I said I think he had a really good game. and
00:17:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Ultimately, I think he made up for his error um with his part in Brentford's first goal. Michal Dam's guard, once again getting involved in a piece of positive play from Brentford, guiding the ball into the box. Mads Roslev at the far post, able to knock it back across goal first time for Joanne Wisser to pull one back and things to get interesting.
00:17:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't think the assists from Rostef should be underestimated. It had to be accurate, it had to avoid the defenders in between um him and Wisser and I thought it was perfectly executed and then almost Wisser couldn't miss when he got the ball under control. I felt that it all happened.
00:18:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
And a little bit slowly in some ways, I thought it took a little bit of time to get it under control, but he placed it nice and high into the roof of the net to get Brentford back into the game. Then we're into the final knockings of the game, but the game was far from over. We saw the likes of Kevin Schade come on, and I think he helped in terms of us being able to go a bit longer. think I think I've said many times in the past, in the absence of Tiago,
00:18:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
who would have been really good in this game and who would have been really good at the weekend if he was available against Liverpool this coming weekend. ah I think Shada can offer a similar thing though in terms of the out ball, in terms of going a bit longer, getting him to win the flick-ons and getting Brentford up the pitch and I think ultimately that work late on. We also saw Rico Henry come on for his Premier League return with minutes left and Brentford still 2-1 down. That meant Keene Lewis Potter shifted over to the right which is quite an important important and change from Thomas Thrank when we look at how the equaliser came about. I thought around the time that Rico Henry came on I thought City looked like they were actually managing um managing the game quite well I thought.
00:19:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
they managed to have a sustained, dispelled possession for a good few minutes and in our own area, frustrating us, frustrating the crowd and who knew that we needed to get forward and we needed to get forward quick if we were to get anything out of the game. But then I felt when we did get the ball, we saw City dropping a bit deeper and deeper and it's something we actually see from Brentford at times. And I thought it was a bit reminiscent of City and their recent frailties, their recent struggles, of course,
00:19:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
It wasn't long ago, they had that game in the Champions League against Firenord where they were freeing it up and and they ended up throwing it away for a free old draw. And ultimately Brentford's late pressure told. It was King Louis Potter out on the right hand side. A good whip cross into Christian Norguard. He's got good connection on the header. It was a good header, no doubt, um which Ortega got a hand to, but wasn't able to keep out.
00:20:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
and I mean, there's several elements to this. I think first you have in King Louis Potter on the right. Is that something that we can use as a way forward? um If the likes of Rico Henry is assumed going to come in and resume his left back role at some point, could we be seeing King Louis Potter on the right? Of course, he's a right footed player is King Louis as Potter. Could he simply do what Rico does on the left? But on the right, could he be effective like that?
00:20:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Overlapping Brian and boom. Oh, maybe in Bruma playing the ball out to him and you know him whipping in crosses like he did here I think that's something that we could explore actually. I think and King Louis Potter has shown himself to be Defensively quite complicated competent since he's been in the team and I think here maybe being a ride back and him being able to get a delivery into the box and I certainly think that his delivery is likely to be a little bit better than Rodrigo Henry's on the other flank. Is that something that we can see more of going forwards? In terms of the header, I thought Christian Norguard definitely deserved it. First and foremost, I thought he was one of our best players in the pitch on the day. um Thomas Frank says it so many times that he thinks he's we're a much better team with him in the pitch. And I agree. I think we are so much calmer. I think he makes everyone around him better.
00:21:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think his influence defensively, particularly against top players like City have and you know his license to go forward occasionally as well really drives the team on and I think he deserves that and he's had some moments like that over the years where he can pop up with big goals for us so I hope Brentford can get his contract sorted out I understand he's got six months left but there is a club option for an extra year Obviously, given the fact that he's 30 years old now, Brentford may have some reservations about how long they want to renew it for, but I think he's definitely got another year or two at him. And I think, you know, we haven't seen the decline of Christian Orgard just yet. Should Ortega have done better with the goal? Perhaps there was the footage that have gone around on social media since the game um of Pep Guardiola on the pitch at the end, and almost.
Match Conclusion and Reflections
00:22:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
um parading Ortega, I don't really know what was said, but we all know how intense Pep Guardiola can be. He said he was just congratulating Ortega on his performance, but I do wonder whether he felt that he could have done better with the goal, I think. Weatherkeeper gets a big hand to the shots, you know, however good the effort is, and I think Norgard's effort was a good one. um I think that there's always an element that it looks like, you know, maybe it should have been saved, maybe the hand should have been stronger.
00:23:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
and maybe he should have been able to pat the ball away but ultimately I think Brentford deserved the luck that that we got in that moment and then moments later what could have completed and I definitely think this is one of the best second halves I've seen at the GTEC in a long long long time what could have become one of the best halves of football in our Premier League era entirely was Brian and Bumo's chance right at the end the ball was played across to him again it seemed to feel like he had an age to pick his spot to pick what he was going to do with it it looks to me like the but that the shot was going off target although Akke did get his head to it and to clear away but it looked to me like it may have been going wide anyway but i think
00:24:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
you can see Brian and Bruno's frustration at the full time whistle that he did not, that did not go in and that he did not, wasn't able to win the game for Brentford. Ultimately, I don't think he should be too disheartened. I think it was a very, very good point. I think if you look at the game from a whole, I think either side could have won it. Like I said, I think before, um, the first goal in the game before city took the lead, I thought maybe city had the best couple of chances. I thought, um,
00:24:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
both teams missed their fair share. I think the with the whistle one and the boom one at the end were probably the two most glaring misses from our point of view. But ultimately I think a draw was probably the right result and and neither team really did enough to go that extra mile mainly because of the mischances. But yeah, I think this has got to be seen as a good point. It's a point and against the top six side. It's um going toe to toe against the top six side. And I don't think we've ever seen Brent perform in this style against City before and ultimately it worked against them in their current form. I think City were better than I thought they'd be but you can tell that there are still some vulnerabilities and some frailties around them and particularly holding on to Leeds and I've been inclined to compare it to when Arsenal took the lead at Brentford a couple of weeks ago and
00:25:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
they killed the game very well and Wheela Labi ran out of ideas and that was just not the case here and City really really did struggle to um hold on to what they had. I therefore think it was a deserved draw and um Brentford tweeted out that it was the latest that Brentford have come back from a 2-0 deficit in the Premier League so far and I thought it was thoroughly, thoroughly deserved. And like I said, if we had won it, I think um it would have been one of the great Premier League games um over the last few years for the club. Overall, though, I think we should be happy with the point. I think it was the right result. I think we can look forward to Liverpool now, you know, in the knowledge that we can hopefully give them a good game, too, I suspect.
00:26:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
We may need to be a bit tighter defensively against them, you know, that they are going to be a club with confidence despite maybe not winning their most recent couple of league games, but I think they are still a side to be feared and possibly the best side in the world or in Europe right now. So that is something to look forward to. I thought the atmosphere at the GTEC at the weekend was brilliant in stark contrast to the atmosphere against Plymouth. I think it's very, very important you know, atmospheres stay at a high level, no matter who we are playing.
Looking Ahead to Liverpool
00:26:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
I know Christian Norgard did almost call the fans out for that in his post-match interview, but what we can be sure I think is that the atmosphere will be very, very good again on Saturday and you know, that we can compete against these sides. And if we are to try and get into the top half, try and sneak into Europe, which I guess has to be our aim now, now we're out of the cup competitions.
00:27:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think this was a good display and a good start and I think if we can keep up these performances and if players can come back from injury and if we can see the likes of Rico Henry from the start, maybe even perhaps on the Saturday, and then I think we stand ourselves in good stead. That will do then for today's Daily Brentford Podcast. We hope you've enjoyed today's episode and thank you once again for listening.
00:27:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
We'd be extremely grateful for your support, and this will enable us to go bigger and better moving forwards. Daily Brantford can file an X, Instagram and TikTok under the handle at GSPM Brantford. We'll be back again tomorrow where we'll begin our preview for the game at the weekend with Liverpool, as we will bring you a crossover with the team over at the Daily Liverpool. Until then, from myself, thank you for being with me.