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00:00:01
Match Review Monday: A Drab Draw at the Gtech
19 Plays23 days ago
This is your Match Review Monday, where we break down YET ANOTHER fast start from the Bees before the game descended into mediocrity and both sides for the large part struggled to create opportunities. Including reaction to the team news, penalty shouts and more!
Host: Daniel Toppin
Instagram/X/TikTok: @gspnbrentford
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Transcript
00:00:10
officialgspn
Hello and welcome to another episode of the Daily Brentford Podcast with myself, Daniel, where today I will be reviewing what was a rather drab draw at the weekend against West Ham, the G-Tech on Saturday. Just before we get going, guys, we are 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 favorite podcasting platform,
00:00:36
officialgspn
or a recommendation to your friends. We are very grateful for any support that you are able to give us. So then let's start with the team news from the weekend. As discussed last week, the big news was going to be whether Christian Norgar was fit and available to feature. ah Unfortunately, this wasn't the case despite Thomas Frank's comments in press conferences last week to say that he only just missed out on the Spurs game and he should be available for West Ham.
00:01:04
officialgspn
and also just before the West Ham game where he did cause some more doubt and say that it would be close. That meant that Brentford were left without eight first-team players to six games into the new season. Those are Aaron Hickey, Rico Henry, Christian Norguard, Matthias Jenson, Joshua Silva, Gustavo Nunez, Johan Wisser and Igor Tiago.
00:01:27
officialgspn
Looking at that list, I would probably say that in Brentford's best 11, at least five of them will start, which would be probably Hickey at right back, Henry at left back. Nor guarding Jenson would go into the midfield, and then either Wisser or Tiago would take their place up front. But there's also an argument to say that, you know, there's a shout for De Silva to get into the midfield as well. And perhaps Tiago and Wisser could both play with Wisser out on the left. So,
00:01:59
officialgspn
It's very, very unfortunate. They're not just any players that they're, they're very much key players ah apart from, let's say, Gustavo Nunez is obviously very new to the club, very young. And I don't expect him to get too many minutes a season anyway, but it is a continuation ultimately of our concerns from last season, a continuation of ultimately a reason that a key reason that we struggled last season.
00:02:25
officialgspn
in terms of these players being out and when they do seem to be out they don't seem to meet their timescales initially given to them for their return which is concerning obviously the question of where is Ruko Henry and when is he going to feature in a friendly for the B team remains there is no further update on that and obviously it is concerning because any more injuries this weekend We're looking even thinner on the ground, which we can't really afford to do. And it's very, very frustrating in a way, because you feel that if we had this full team fit in available, you feel that there's every chance that Brentford would be able to, you know, push a lot higher in the league. And our best, our best 11 would really excite me in terms of where we can go and if we can perhaps push into Europe, obviously.
00:03:22
officialgspn
it' Extremely frustrating, obviously, as and when we'll get updates from these players, we will we will begin to talk about them as their returns become nearer. Because of these absences, ah that which were notable at the weekend, our bench once again only really had the likes of Mads Rosler, Ben Mee and Yamo on the bench who had any kind of significant Premier League minutes. I do feel for Thomas Frank as his hands are tied in terms of being able to change the game.
00:03:50
officialgspn
in these circumstances, when West Ham are on top, Thomas Frank wants to be able to change a game. He wants to be able to, you know, make a change, which can either allow us to be dominant on the ball again, allow us to have extra dynamism in the final third. And he he's just not able to do it at the moment. And obviously West Ham, we saw they made two subs at the break.
00:04:17
officialgspn
And their best period was just after that early in the second half. And, you know, I think it's striking as a manager who normally isn't afraid to change things, who normally is quite adaptable to the opposition. He was only able to make two subs. Obviously, one of those was Yarmulio, perhaps on Fashada, when at a period where we did did need a bit more control. And I think it was effective to an extent. And the other one was Konak again.
00:04:48
officialgspn
It's a difficult one with Konak. He didn't even start the cup games that we had against the likes of Colchester um and Leighton Orient.
00:04:59
officialgspn
so It's difficult to know where he's at. I suspect and it looks from, from his short cameo that perhaps it is too soon for him to be thrust into these sorts of games where, where there's so much at stake and obviously where the game is still in the balance at this stage. And I, I do suspect that it wasn't the plan from the Brentford hierarchy that he would be in these situations, which obviously is again, a bit of, a bit of a concern and obviously we really do need some of these injured players to return from injury.
00:05:30
officialgspn
and In terms of the team we did see out there, I was pleased to see the back four of Vandenberg, Collins, Pinnock and Iyer. I felt that Vandenberg and Iyer, although not natural wing backs or full backs, they didn't look out of place. And then being there meant that, you know, we were strong early across the defense. I know that some criticisms put towards Brentford, particularly last season,
00:05:56
officialgspn
was that without that full back depth that we did we were accept susceptible to conceding from crosses. And I think I've not noticed that so much this season. And I feel like having a strong back line with the likes of Iyer there, who's obviously been at full back for the majority of the season, just generally means we're stronger aerially across the defense and less prone to those kinds of things. And and also going the other way, you know there's more players that you know we can look to target for set pieces.
00:06:25
officialgspn
and there's more players that you know the opposition have to think about and obviously the likes of Iyer as well being on the left or on the right as he was earlier this season he's not afraid to bomb forwards he's not afraid to do the things that some fallbacks do so it is a pleasant surprise to me that this season we do not seem to be missing a lack of fallback cover as much as we certainly did last season and as much as many Brentford fans thought we perhaps would this season Of course I still don't have any doubt that Rico Hemmer at the very least will slot back into that side when when he's fit and available and Aaron Hickey may may just do the same as well. Going further forwards I think we saw a bit of a change for formation from Brentford this weekend and I think it's the first time I've really seen it. we After speculating where Carvalho fits into the team over the last few weeks and
00:07:22
officialgspn
then I personally didn't think that we played with a normal, a natural number 10 in the areas that a number 10 would normally function in, i.e. higher up the field in essentially a front four. I thought for the first time we saw Brentford operate with that at the weekend. We have obviously Carl Valle in and around that number 10, with Brian Abumo, Kevin Shada, and Keanuis Potter all playing in and around him. It made for quite a fluid front three or four,
00:07:52
officialgspn
given that there was no obvious number nine in there either, but there are some exciting signs by that. Again, it shows that Thomas Frank is keen on developing the style of play. It shows that he's very you know willing to be more attacking in games and go more man for man now that he trusts the team, even with a number of players out.
00:08:16
officialgspn
um Obviously, in terms of the impact on the rest of the team, it meant Dam's guard dropped deeper, essentially alongside Janelle. I don't mind this, as it allows him to be a playmaker from deeper, which we've obviously seen Jenson do in the past. And it perhaps lessens the load on Janelle in terms of having to make those progressive passes from that area of the pitch. And obviously, it's great if that allows Carvalho to also get into his best position. Like I said, with no obvious number nine,
00:08:46
officialgspn
our tactics Tuesday tomorrow we base a lot around this there was perhaps a slight issue in terms of creating chances and goal scoring which as I said we will cover in our episode tomorrow after the break then I will be going through the game key moments the goals and any other bits that we should comment on and we should address following the action at the weekend
00:10:22
officialgspn
Hello, welcome to part two of the Daily Brentford Podcast. So then moving on to the specifics of the game at the weekend. Again, I thought that the key thing we have to mention once more is another fast start from Brentford. Never turn up late to a Brentford game these days because you just don't know what's going to happen in the opening minute. um Just in terms of differences from the last two games, it was a slight variational and unusual routine.
00:10:50
officialgspn
The ball against Spurs and City was played back straight to Flecken, who played a long ball obviously in towards the area where I normally occupies. This time it was played back to Collins, who shifted it over to Pinnock, and then obviously the ball was played into Iyer, perhaps even allowing extra time for us to get men men forward in a way. This is an absolutely crazy statistic. I don't expect this to keep happening, but obviously once again, when we get that ball forward into that those areas with men forward, the likes of Iyer as well, who can win the first aerial duel, it creates 50-50s. And, you know, if enough of them go in our favor, which we have done in recent weeks, and we put the number forwards, winning those jewels, we ultimately can force it over the line. And as I said, I do not expect this to continue, but it is obviously something extremely positive, something for the opposition to look out for.
00:11:49
officialgspn
I think even some of the West Ham players commented after the game how frustrated they were that they conceded from this because they had obviously been aware of our kickoffs from the last two games and how we started quickly. um But I just do love the po positivity. and There's no reason we can't keep going and there's no reason we can't you know at least do it again once or twice a season, even if we don't do it in consecutive games continually. And I think it's obviously a very, very good achievement. And no matter how these games are ending up, obviously we haven't won any of them.
00:12:20
officialgspn
I still refuse to believe it can ever be a negative thing to essentially start again one then up. And obviously it is pleasing to an extent that we did at least get something out of this game at the weekend. In terms of the finish, it was essentially a carbon copy from Brian Abumo almost from the from the Spurs game. And I think both of these goals last week and this week are being slightly overlooked. i think They're very difficult to do. I think both on both occasions, the ball is slightly behind him. Obviously it's sat up. It's a straight volley. He doesn't try to bring it down. And on both occasions, so he he does pick the right part of the goal. you know he He gets it in in pretty much the top corner on both occasions. I think perhaps the one this week, he caught slightly better. Although I think maybe last week at Spurs, the way
00:13:17
officialgspn
the goal was created in terms of the cross from Keen Lewis Potter. Maybe that was that looked slightly more impressive, but obviously this one just from a knockdown pretty much next to him from Fabio Carvalho, but I think at least one of them should be considered perhaps a goal of the month or at least nominated for it. i do I do think that's not an easy finish and it's not an easy finish to do back to back either.
00:13:44
officialgspn
And, you know, it's obviously a finish he has in his locker. He has several finishes in his locker, but I don't particularly remember him scoring too many goals like this in the past, um obviously prior to last week. So I just want to mention that and I just want to highlight that, you know, I do not think that his finishing perhaps in the in the wider media and these last two goals have really had the credit they deserve.
00:14:13
officialgspn
and obviously it's got us off to an extra ah special start on both occasions and without his finishing this record you know simply wouldn't exist and we wouldn't be talking about it now after the goal however at the weekend I thought we looked okay but we we didn't really push on and from a mentality point of view when you when you go 1-0 up so early I'm not saying I think it did or it looked like it did I just don't think And I can't see Thomas Frank instructing the players to go about the game any differently than if it was Neil Neil. You simply have a head start. is ah It is obviously something beneficial to have. But I don't think for one second that you know that we did or even should have gone into those remaining 89 minutes with any other mindset than you know playing as if the game was at Neil Neil. I thought, unfortunately, we didn't push off.
00:15:13
officialgspn
and we struggled to create anything of note, which is a frustration. I thought West Ham defended very well on the day despite criticisms of them earlier in the season. They they've clearly addressed some issues. They've they've clearly worked on tightening up. I thought the likes of Shada was perhaps slightly off color. I think he needs a goal. I think he's obviously had a very stop start time at Brentford. Obviously I remember the start of last season, the goal against Palace was probably his high point.
00:15:40
officialgspn
which is ultimately just before he got injured for the majority of the season. But for me, he obviously has that quality in him, he's shown it. But it's about consistency and I think he's still very war for me and I think he needs to develop that consistency and he needs to start impressing a bit more. I feel that sometimes he's too quick for his own good. I think he's too quick for his own mind in terms of being able to bring the ball down and ah and you know what he's actually doing with the ball. I think he's always he's always chasing it and you know occasionally he will win the odd corner and the odd flow in just just through pure speed and obviously the defenders to panic slightly and clear their lines but I just do want to see more in product from him and more creative actions from him.
00:16:29
officialgspn
especially, you know, to support Brian and Buma, whilst we don't have a number nine, I don't think we need to be relying on him solely for goals. I think the the load does need to take, be taken off him because I just don't want Brentford to be in a situation in this season where if Brian and Buma don't score, Brentford don't score because then it becomes much easier to stop us. I felt, I felt KLP look more promising actually than Shada at the weekend. But again, I want to see more regular end product from him. I think he's very good at taking on a man.
00:16:59
officialgspn
He's not afraid to do that at all. I think there was a couple of promising areas in that in the first half, especially where he know you know he did cut inside and out, but then that final pull was missing. I think you know perhaps he just needs to have that extra bit of confidence to just you know really take the game by the scruff of the neck and do something, especially in these tight tight games where were where we're really struggling to create something. i think he needs to be more involved in in those goalscoring actions. Although I do sympathize with him as he spent a lot of this season playing a left wing back and obviously it's much harder to do from that position. But again, like Shada, I just hope they both are made injury free and they can have a full season where we can really see their progress over the season and by the end of the season, hopefully we can start to see what they're both really capable of. West Ham also had their moments. I feel Antonio for all his criticism,
00:17:54
officialgspn
did well in winning drills against Pinnock to get them up the pitch as we tried to go man for man at goal kicks. It was frustrating at the times, that the gap in between, I guess, Janelle in midfield and Pinnock where Antonio was because so often they were able to direct their goal kicks towards Antonio's chest.
00:18:15
officialgspn
who could then just bring it down into so much space. I do wonder whether we could have just got closer to Antonio to cut that out and obviously to to win back position quicker and easier. I thought Wambisaka was impressive. I thought he looked better going forward than people make out. I thought, you know, especially playing one half at right back and then being switched to left back at the break. I thought, you know, his crossing looked decent. And I thought, you know, he he had a few tricks in his locker, which It's not necessarily associated with him. Obviously he's associated with being, you know, very defensively sound, which, you know, going back to KLP, I think it's a testament to him that he was able to, you know, wasn't afraid to take him on in the first half given, you know, his reputation as as a fullback, you know, who's extremely good defensively. At the break, obviously say I've touched on it already, West Ham.
00:19:05
officialgspn
had the luxury of being able to make adjustments and they and they got their goal. It was definitely their best period early in the first in the in the second half, sorry, whilst it whilst it could be seen as, you know, some quick, you know, close, incisive passing from West Ham leading to the goal. I did feel that someone in there, you know, we we have plenty of bodies in there. You know, I just felt like someone, whether it's Vandenberg, whether it's Collins,
00:19:33
officialgspn
could maybe have taken control of the situation. There was a lot of the ball bouncing around the box. It it definitely looked very scrappy. It maybe looked slightly better watching the replays in terms of, you know, the the quick movement from West Ham. But I do just feel like we could have got tighter and we could have cleared our lines. And it it is a slightly disappointing one to concede, especially in a game that had, you know, pretty few chances on both sides.
00:20:01
officialgspn
Thomas Frank did respond to that by bringing on Yarmoliot to regain control in the middle. And I felt that we did improve following that, but we lacked end product. And I can't really ever say that we didn't like scoring.
00:20:14
officialgspn
I think it just allowed us to have more possession again, soak up the pressure that West Ham were previously putting on us and, you know, start to control the midfield again. But I just don't think they were ever too worried defensively. I think the biggest points that were completely overlooked actually on match of the day were penalty shouts in second half on Pinnock and Janelle. I felt the Pinnock won from a set piece where his his shirt was being pulled. It was a clear shirt pulled from the defender.
00:20:42
officialgspn
If that was given, I don't expect that would have been overturned like by VAR. I'm not really one to go on rounds about refereeing. I think I do very much, I'm very much on the view that you'll you'll win some and you'll lose some and achieving consistency is very, very difficult to achieve ah over the whole league and the whole season. And I do think fans of any club are typically more inclined to be or to feel like referees are against them more than anybody, but I don't necessarily believe all of that. Obviously I get that in certain situations, in certain stadiums, more pressure might be put on the referees, but you know I think a lot of the referees are probably accustomed to you know the treatment they receive by fans of clubs by now that I would like to hope that it doesn't affect them too much.
00:21:36
officialgspn
but
00:21:39
officialgspn
I, with this one, shirt pulls in the box, I just don't feel like referees particularly like to give that kind of penalties, generally. With all the pushing and holding that goes on at set pieces nowadays, I'm ah not really surprised that it wasn't overturned, although perhaps I do think it should have been. I do think it was quite clear.
00:22:03
officialgspn
to me I didn't I didn't see Pinnock being held onto by so I didn't see Pinnock holding on to the West Ham player so he was impeded and I don't think it's really relevant whether Pinnock you know would have got to the ball or not you know I think a foul is a foul and maybe we can be slightly hard done by by that one I mean I can draw some comparisons perhaps the one that Liverpool got against Wolves where the referee did give it and VIR did not overturn and I feel like maybe if obviously in that game the referee did not give it between Liverpool and Wolves then again I think that's one that we would have also seen that VIR ah did not overturn and obviously that does result in inconsistency but I do think
00:22:54
officialgspn
In the game that's simply what you're going to get and I don't really think Bramford did enough to win this game just despite obviously being maybe slightly unfortunate there. But you know one, um I wasn't really clear where contact was made. He did ah appear to really go down in a heap and exaggerate and
00:23:13
officialgspn
I feel that it came at a time in the game where we were becoming more and more frustrated. I do maybe feel that he was trying to buy a penalty a little bit there. I would have perhaps liked to see him try and stay on his feet. I didn't really see where the contact was coming from. I could be wrong, but you know he maybe could have got a shot away there. um I don't really think that is a penalty for me. Overall then, I think it was an okay performance and an okay point. I think it could have been better and could have also been worse. i think We saw many players produce a six out of 10 performance. I don't think there were too many standouts. I also didn't think there were too many the other way who, you know, were completely not the races. I thought maybe Chardon we've already mentioned was maybe the one who I was slightly disappointed with. I think we look slightly better on the ball than we did against Spurs. I think Spurs are a very good pressing team. I think, you know, they're especially hard to play that well against, but I think
00:24:10
officialgspn
ultimately neither team at the weekend did enough to win the game and perhaps it's a missed opportunity in some ways for both. So I think there's plenty of work for us to go on in the coming week. I don't think there's too much to dwell on. I think it's a perfect opportunity of for another home game next week to, you know, put things right and get more points on the board. And obviously seven points of six games, not too unhealthy considering the away games you've had this season so far as well. And obviously the points total to some of the other teams towards the bottom of the table. But yeah, if if you want to press on, I think the most important thing is to just keep ticking along until we can get some of the injured players back. and Because otherwise, I think it'll be difficult to sustain a top half push um with with the current squad that we have put together, unfortunately. Anyway, thank you. That that will do that. Thank you for listening to the Daily Brantford Podcast.
00:25:04
officialgspn
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 get bigger and better moving forwards. Daily Brantford can be found on X, Instagram and TikTok under the handle at GSPN Brantford. We'll be back again tomorrow where we'll have a deep dive into more tactical aspects from this weekend's clash. Until then, from myself, thank you for being with us.