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Midweek Match Review: Not Up for the Cup
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This is your Midweek Match Review, where we ponder over Brentford's underwhelming exit to the Carabao Cup at the hands of Newcastle at St James' Park. We talk weakened teams, a lack of ambition and discuss where it all went wrong in the long trip up north.
Host: Daniel Toppin
Instagram/X/TikTok: @gspnbrentford
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Transcript
Introduction and Podcast Overview
00:00:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to your Daily Brentford podcast with myself, Daniel, where today we will be reviewing what was a very low key and extremely underwhelming exit in the Carabao Cup quarterfinal to Newcastle yesterday evening. Just before we get going, guys, we're a brand new company, so we are 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 favourite podcasting platform or a recommendation to your friends,
00:00:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
We are very grateful for any support that we receive. So let's get into this.
Team Changes and Match Strategy
00:00:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm afraid this is going to be quite um ah a whiny pod in some ways. But I do think there are a lot of Brentford fans out there that that will agree with me on this one. um So, of course, in terms of team news in the build up to the game, we saw five changes from the side that faced Chelsea.
00:01:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
But of those five changes, we took out arguably some of our most important players in the likes of Brian and Boomer, Meccard Damsgaard, Christian Norguard, who wasn't even on the bench, but Thomas Frank said in his post-match press conference that he was just rested, and Nathan Collins, who did later come into the starting lineup as Vandenberg pulled out in the warm-up. But in any event, and those that listened to my preview would know that this to me was extremely disappointing even before kickoff. I cannot imagine that Thomas Frank, despite saying that he would really like to go on a cut run, I think he said before as well that it's one of his dreams to win something with Brentford, I still cannot imagine that he would have lined up like that if it was a Premier League game away at St James's Park last night.
00:02:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Damsguard especially is a surprise to me because he was, if we if we look back in our last few games, he was a substitute against Newcastle in the league. He came on with maybe 20, 30 minutes to go. um He also came off early at the weekend against Chelsea. So in terms of his load, I don't think, well, it's a fact that he hasn't played the most minutes that he could have done in the last week, week and a half. Um, I do know that obviously he's being managed by Brentford. He'd be managed by Thomas Frank. Um, so I've not necessarily criticized it before today, but unless there is something we don't know, I think this is very strange. I think damn scar has been our best player this season, as I said repeatedly.
Club Ambitions and Fan Expectations
00:02:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I just think it's,
00:03:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
an old decision to leave him out here unless there's something with his fitness or with his load or whether he's carrying a slight injury I don't know and maybe that it could be understood but otherwise I think it's a very very strange decision and changes like we saw in this game as a whole not just Dam's guard but leaving the lights from him boom out who rarely ever gets left out of any Premier League starting 11's Christian Orga when he's fit again rarely ever is left out of the 11 Nathan Collins has started every league game we played this season it does lead me to question slightly what are the ambitions of the club what are the ambitions of Thomas Rankin Brentford the true ambitions he's not he's not gonna go out in a press conference and say that he doesn't want to win the cup he's not gonna go out and say that
00:03:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
And he certainly hasn't said that he's not prioritizing the cup, that he would prefer to do well in the league. Of course, every team wants to do well in the league, but if we are not going to prioritize.
00:04:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think it's fair to say we did not prioritize this game out of the three that we have this week. If we are not going to prioritize doing well in the cup, even when we get to a quarterfinal and we've not really played our first 11 that you would see in the Premier League at any stage of this cup run, but we are in the quarterfinal and we are relatively comfortable in mid table in the Premier League. We are a good few points at the rate that the bottom teams in the Premier League pick up points, which is not very quickly. we are There's a good gap between us and the relegation zone. Of course, there's a little battle for Europe. There's a lot of teams where we are in the table, not too far away. But if we are not going to go for it in a quarterfinal in the situation we are currently in, then it does leave me really concerned as to when Brentford would go for it.
Missed Opportunities in Cup Competitions
00:05:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
What scenario does it have to be for Brentford to go in it go for it? And I and i think
00:05:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
i I certainly don't think I'm the only Brentford fan to think this. I certainly think it's a feeling throughout a lot of the fan base. Of course, there may be some fans who do agree that we should just be prioritised in the league. They take three points over a winning the cup any day, but I just simply don't feel that way. and And I think Thomas Frank has underestimated a little bit what the fans want. The prospect of a major final at Wembley Stadium, which Brentford are involved in has never happened before and it is very difficult for a club like us to achieve even if we go out there with our best 11 even if we go out there with ah the 11 that you see in the Premier League and because we've never done it before especially because we've never done it before and we we don't typically win things
00:05:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
I thought surely we're in a position here to at least give it a go based on the strength of our squad, which is quite good. You know, we we have shown we can win one-off games, even against the very best teams in our three and a bit seasons in the Premier League. And even the prospect of a two-legged semifinal, if we had got through last night, would have been very exciting, especially if we could get a result in the home leg at the G-Tech, and then you never know what what could happen in the in the away game if we can keep it tight and perhaps ah achieve something that would be a dream to a lot of Brantford fans. And I just don't think we have taken this anywhere near seriously enough. And and I would be interested to hear others' views on this. if you're If you're listening, you don't agree. Let me know. If you do agree, let me know as well.
Fixture Scheduling Challenges
00:06:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
but I would have preferred Thomas Frank to rest certain players against Chelsea last weekend or even Forest this weekend if they needed a rest which is reasonable. That that that is reasonable. given Given the schedule that Brentford are in and I understand Thomas Frank's point, Thomas Frank's been talking about um the fact that he asked the Chelsea game to be moved so it wasn't so late on ah on a Sunday night and that game was specifically moved to accommodate Chelsea playing in Europe on the Thursday prior even though their
00:07:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Usual first eleven did not feature in their European game on the Thursday prior because they their second squad their third string even Is good enough to get out of the group stage of of the Europa conference league which they're currently in Thomas rank also asked on behalf of Brentford whether they can move the forest game to later in the weekend this weekend, which is also refused by the Premier League, so It we we were not helped. We we certainly were not helped and I think Thomas Frank pointed out that the only other side involved in the last day of the Carabao Cup but who had a similar schedule to us in terms of gaps in between games of Crystal Palace and again Thomas Frank was pointing out that it doesn't really favour clubs the size of Brentford and Palace and I don't know what Southampton's schedule were like but um the the draw very much favoured the bigger sides, the new castles arsenals who obviously played
00:08:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
against Palace last night as well. Although having seen having said all of that, I saw the Palace team and Palace did put out a strong lineup. um The likes of Eze still starting that one. I understand Thomas Frank's point in that regard, but I would just have preferred if Brian and Bummo needed a rest to be able to, if he couldn't play three games in a week, I would have probably rested him at Stanford Bridge.
00:08:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
um I think, I mean, you' even looking at that Stanford Bridge game back now, it was always fairly unlikely we'd win that. Anyway, you can maybe say the same about this one in the cup, but I would have prioritized given where we are in the league, given that we are very comfortable in mid table. We're not looking likely to get involved in a relegation scrap. Of course, there's a chance of getting into the European places. I i completely understand that.
00:09:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
but I don't think resting one or two players against Chelsea at Stanford Bridge in a game that we ended up losing anyway, we did lose that anyway. I would have much preferred a win here or a strong team performance here than um potentially getting anything at Stanford Bridge on Sunday, if we had to choose.
Strategic Decisions and Implications
00:09:36
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um i'm I'm also someone that believes that, you know, footballers probably can play three times in a week now and then.
00:09:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
um and it may may affect their performance slightly, but but I do think that they can perform. So, having said that, Brentford, I think, were lucky to even get to this stage of the Carabao Cup. If you recall, we needed a penalties to beat Sheffield Wednesday. We didn't look particularly convincing in our opening two rounds either against the likes of Leighton Orient.
00:10:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
I can understand Thomas Frank's changes though in those games because the team that started against Sheffield Wednesday was probably good enough. It certainly should have been good enough to have won that game in 90 minutes. Given where Sheffield Wednesday are and again Sheffield Wednesday are aside maybe trying to push towards a playoffs in the championship, they're not in the top league, they may have other um priorities.
00:10:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
But against a strong Newcastle side away at St James's Park, which is an incredibly difficult game anyway, I did not see any possibility of that team that we started with on um Wednesday night. I don't see how we can expect them to get a result. And Thomas Franks now, in my opinion, put himself in quite a difficult position where If we don't beat Forrest on Saturday, because he's he's clearly rested players to prioritise that those league games, the one against Chelsea and the one against Forrest, is this all for nothing? Because we lost against Chelsea. There's a very good chance that we don't beat Forrest, because Forrest are flying themselves at the weekend. Have we just thrown away a potential chance at a semi-final? I don't think Newcastle looked particularly amazing.
00:11:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Um, last night, I don't think they needed to, I don't think they needed to get out of first or second gear. Um, but I would have loved Brentford just to give it a go. And I'm not saying I would have expected Brentford to win, but I would have loved it. I've loved, loved us to give it a go with everything that we had to see if we can get to the semi-final. Um, and either, you know, we lose and
Financial Focus vs Historical Significance
00:11:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's fair enough. You know, you, you can't level anything at Thomas Frank to say that, you know, he didn't put the strongest 11 out.
00:11:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
um And if we won, it would have been absolutely brilliant. It would it it would have been you know the beginning of you know potentially a a dreamw what dream run um if we had got to the to the last four. Of course, as I said, there's a chance of Europe if we go well in the league. I would suggest it's a relative long shot. At the same time, winning the Carabao Cup gets you a place in the Europa League. So I just don't really understand why we were compelled to look at this and Thomas Frank won't say that he looked at this in this way but the team selection does suggest that he was prioritizing other things and there's no way, I just don't believe that Thomas Frank would have made those changes if it was a Premier League game. I know it was only five changes but you are taking out
00:12:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
the core of the side if you take out people like Mbuma, Damsgaard, Cristian Norguard and we we have not been very good this season when Cristian Norguard hasn't been in that sixth role. So it's very very disappointing I think from my perspective at least. Last thing I understand that The money, the financials these days are in the Premier League and just the difference between ending ninth and tenth it's ah matter is millions. and And the prize money of winning something like the Carabao Cup or even getting through in the Carabao Cup is is nothing in comparison. But to me, that is not what it's about. That is not what Brentford's existence is about. That is not what football is about. It would be about the memories, the achievements and the
00:13:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
the potential of this side to create more history if we were to go far and you know potentially one day win something like this it would be something that has never been done before and you know the the current squad many of them have kind of achieved legendary status already including Thomas Frank I'm not I'm not I'm not someone who's suddenly against Thomas Frank he is a Brentford legend of course he is he's got he's got us up to the Premier League but there there you know There could have been a chance here for Brentford to really cement themselves, this this squad, as legends. um But we we just simply haven't taken it. And and finally, a a word as well on the on the traveling fans. It's a long way from Newcastle to Brentford or Brentford to Newcastle. They would have spent a lot of money. It's a week before Christmas. They would have travelled some distance to get there. They would have probably taken time off work.
00:14:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
and In my opinion, it's just a disheartening feeling before kickoff to get there and realize that we are not prioritizing this and you do wonder whether that many would have traveled if they knew of that in advance. Anyway, I'll move on now. As a result of the changes, the likes of Ben Mee, Fabio Carvalho and Kevin Schade came into the team and the likes of Yarmulio stayed in the team despite perhaps if it was a league game, I suspect he may have come out for the return of Janelle alongside Norgaard. It was also positive to see the return of Christopher Iyer as well, um who I think is stronger in that position on the right than Mads Roslev. And also, I do want to say as well about the likes of Ben Mee in Carvalho and Charda too. Ben Mee has been with Brentford for
Newcastle's Strategy and Match Summary
00:15:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
a couple of years now. He's not playing as much as he perhaps wants to anymore.
00:15:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
um I think his best days behind him me is slowing down, but there is absolutely no criticism of any of those players, because Ben Mee's been a great servant to us. Karl Valir is a handy player, but he's not reached those really high levels yet, and I think Dam's guard is a better option at the moment. And Charda is a little bit up and down, but you know we we've seen what he is capable of, and and again, I think he had a decent game here. So, I mean, everything that I've said is is not a criticism of those players that came in.
00:15:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
I just think it is clear that, you know, even those players would perform better with the likes of a boomer around them in the team, nor guard around them in the team. And if you are going to make changes, maybe don't take out the complete core of the side who are our best players and have been ah have been for most of the season um in relation to Newcastle. And what made it worse, I guess, is that I knew that they would approach this and with a full strength side, Thomas Frank must have known and they truly did so. And that is something that I admire Eddie half for because he he's always done that at Newcastle. He recognises the importance of cup competition to the fans. And if you ask the fans, the Newcastle fans now for the best moment under him, some will talk about the Champions League and the fact they qualify for the Champions League and they've been on these European trips. But others I think would also talk about the
00:16:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Carabao Cup final, which they reached two years ago, in which you know they had a real good go at trying to win their first trophy in a long, long time. A Newcastle are a team that have won things before, but of course they want they're on a barren run now. It's quite rare for anyone outside the big six nowadays really to win a trophy. um Obviously Newcastle are a team that are trying to get themselves to that level, so they have ambitions to do it. um but But I just do admire Eddie Howe for, for you know,
00:17:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
I know their schedule is slightly easier than us. I know they had a quite a comfortable game as well at the weekend, being less to 4-0. But, you know, the the likes of Isaac is injury prone, but he threw him in this one anyway. um And I just want to admire what they've done there because they recognize how big it would be for their fans to go really, really far in this. And equally, the fact that they started with their best side and the fact that they dominated the game It allowed them because we maybe didn't go as strong. It allowed them to go through the lap and then take players off and start resting them for the weekend anyway. um We saw the likes of Isaac come off um and Gordon come off as well in the second half of this one. So but we're already 18 minutes in. I'm not going to go through the four game minute by minute as I usually do, but after the break, I will be summarizing the action.
Episode Conclusion and Listener Engagement
00:19:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to part two of your daily Brentford podcast. So as I said before the break, I'm not going to run through the game minute by minute. um In reality, it was a game in which Newcastle dominated the whole proceedings. Brentford set up here again in a back five, which maybe came as a surprise to some people given that It's been a back four for the majority of the season. We do play a back five against the very strongest sides in the league, but having beaten Newcastle 10 or 11 days before, um, using a back four and going at them, ah I was very surprised to see a switch it up so much. We looked like an entirely different side. And I guess in many ways we were given the changes that were made.
00:20:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it very much looked like in the first half, especially, that we came to sit in a low block and soak up pressure. And we did not really create anything of note at all. Perhaps this is telling, based on the team we put out, perhaps Thomas Frank wasn't fully confident that we could try and go at them with the personnel that we went with um and and the tonali strikes. The first one from distance and the second one from a set piece very much ruined that plan.
00:20:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Again, I don't think we were terrible defensively. I don't think we gave away chance after chance because we were in that compact shape, but you only need Newcastle to take a couple and then, you know, we're not set up to attack from there. The second goal, perhaps, you can say there's a possible foul on Whistle. Whistle kind of got dragged away by another defender to make space for Tenali to come onto it and sweep home. but You see that happen a lot these days. You you only got to look at a team like Arsenal. that They're very good at doing things like that. There was no VAR at this one either. So I am not surprised that the goal was given. Perhaps Brentford should be doing a little bit better from set pieces, which we have been quite strong on generally this season. The likes of Mbuma and Dam's God did come on in the second half. um Far too late, if you ask me, I thought,
00:21:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
that they should have come on at half-time latest, given the position we were in being Thunior Dam at the time. We did look much, much better when they came on in terms of going forward, which only, I think, served to frustrate even more, because it was a simply too late by the time they came on. um I do have to say, though, amazing work. If you if you watch a third goal back, absolutely amazing work from Dam's guard.
00:21:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
not only to get away from two or three players, but then to play that ball into Buma, getting him in behind. And it was an inch perfect slide across from Buma to Whissa, who had taken the majority of our shots. Not that we had too many um on the night, but Whissa could not miss that one. But like, as I said, it it was just all too late, um really, if we were if we were serious about trying to get a result from this one.
00:22:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
So yeah, as I said, we cannot expect to get anything out of a game against a strong Newcastle side away from home if we are clearly prioritising other things. um You know, this would have been a game that would have been extremely difficult, even with our best 11. And at the very top level, you know, when you're playing other Premier League sides, it is fine margins that win these games and I think particularly in the midfield with Tenali, Bruno, and um who's the third one, Jelinton, and then Willock played for second half, but they completely control the midfield. And it was in contrast to the game, the G-Tech, you know, just a week and a half ago. And I think it's a difference of having no nor guard. It's a difference of not having someone like
00:23:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Tam's guard in there you know we we didn't have the numbers in there and we we just got completely overran um and as I said I think unfortunately this puts pressure on Thomas Rank for a strong result and performance at the weekend because he's made this call and he's got a back this call now um and he's got a hope that as a result of this we do pick up results in the coming weeks which remains a busy period. One thing I haven't spoken about is Ethan Pinnock he came off injured in this one That is a concern given that Vandenberg pulled up in the warm up. We will talk about this more in tomorrow's episode when we preview our weekend game against Not Unadvised.
00:23:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
But anyway, that will do for today. Thank you for listening to the Daily Brentford podcast. We hope you've enjoyed today's episode. And once again, we would be extremely grateful for your support as this will enable us to go bigger and better moving forwards. Daily Brentford can found an X Instagram and tick tock under the handle at GSP and Brentford. We'll be back again tomorrow where I'll be previewing our game against forest at the G tech at the weekend where I expect changes to be made in normal service to hopefully be resumed at the G-Tech. Until then, from myself, thank you very much for being with me.