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Daily Brentford Weekend Match Review: A Massive Week in the Race for Europe
63 Plays10 days ago
This is your Weekend Match Review, as we look back on back-to-back victories over Nottingham Forest and Manchester United which have propelled the Bees to 9th and just one point behind 8th place and a potential spot in the Europa Conference League. We analyse those returning from injury, the rise of Michael Kayode and Yehor Yarmoliuk as first team regulars and just how Brentford put themselves in an exciting position with just three games remaining.
Host: Daniel Toppin
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Transcript
Brentford's Winning Week
00:00:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to another episode of your Daily Brentford podcast with myself, Daniel, where today we'll be analysing what has been a brilliant week for Brentford and a massive few days over the weekend as we travelled to Nottingham Forest and came out 2-0 winners last Thursday.
00:00:27
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before beating Manchester United 4-3 at the GTEC a few days later. Just before we get going, guys, were we're a brand new company, so we're looking for your support this season and beyond as we look to bring you the best and most in-depth coverage across the entire network.
00:00:41
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Whether this is a five-star review on your favourite podcasting platform or a recommendation to your friends, we are very grateful for any support that we receive. So let's get stuck into it.
Injury Updates and Player Contributions
00:00:50
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Two games then to cover today.
00:00:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
We were unchanged for both games. Vitaly Janel is now out for the season. It's been confirmed by the club. He's been playing with an injury um in the latter end of this season. I think that probably explains...
00:01:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
why he's been on the bench a few times and why he's been subbed off a little bit early on some occasions. um Just a few days after I was saying how he could be involved. So that's a pod jinx for you. um He will be out for the end, the rest of the season, hopefully with the aim being back in time for the start of next season.
00:01:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
That means the likes of Yehoi Jan-Moleek and also Michael Coyote at right back have been given a chance to grow into the team. And... Now we're looking at a pretty settled side and and a side that's played in the last three games and a side I expect probably lee to be first choice to play in the run-in given our results over that period.
00:01:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Neither look out of place. I think Michael Coyote, we'll talk about him in this episode a lot. He looks excellent, really good. I think much better than I thought he would be, much better than perhaps he looked in his first couple of appearances for the club. If you look at his age,
00:02:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
just the energy he has. He gets around the pitch so much. He seems to be everywhere. he can go forward. he He's very comfortable doing that. But I think what surprised me is his defensive ability as well.
00:02:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
um His ability to win those duels against wingers, his ability to nullify them um and be good at that side of the game. And that was the side of the game I thought maybe he wasn't fully polished in, maybe he wasn't fully disciplined in.
00:02:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
But Although he can seem a little bit erratic and unpredictable at times, I think he's looked really, really good, particularly in in the United game. um It was great to see Rico Henry as well on for 45 minutes against Forest. Keenor's pot are very close to...
00:02:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
a red card, so just a precautionary sub at half-time there, and he also played a part against Manchester United, it's really good to see him back on the field, getting more significant game time, not just 5-10 minutes at the end of the game, and I think that will only help and serve him well going into next season, um hopefully getting back to his best or somewhere near his best, and I think We are slowly starting to see an improvement in his performances, certainly compared to what we saw in the Brighton game when he came on there.
00:03:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
And he was part of the side, particularly at Forest, saw the game out professionally. and So I'm sure he'll be very, very pleased with that. Then going into the United game, we saw Igor Thiago make an unexpected return to the side. It seemed to come quite suddenly. I don't think he's really played much for the B team.
00:03:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. in in the process of recovery from his injury, Didn't need to do too much against Manchester United. Didn't see the ball on too many occasions.
00:03:51
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But that is a very welcome addition coming back in. He offers something so different to the likes of Wisser up front. He can be that big target man option. um Hopefully we'll see him get a goal or two but before the end of the season as well.
00:04:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Gustavo Nunes as well getting more and more minutes. um and Aaron Hickey rumoured not to be far away from the bench as well and played for the B team the monday this Monday just gone so hopefully we'll see him on the bench soon perhaps even against Ipswich and I think that shapes us up for a strong finish I think the bench we saw against Manchester United at the weekend was the strongest bench we've seen this season um the likes of Jensen on the bench as well obviously we've got
00:04:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Plenty of reserve in defence with Ethan Pinnock, Christopher Iyer and Ben Mey as well. So really good going forward. I think if there is a game in these last three where we find ourselves behind and that's likely to happen at some point, then we have more on the bench now to go and try it and change those games.
Game Strategy and Highlights
00:04:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's focus in, in this first part, on the Forest game on Thursday night. We lined up as expected. Forest lined up as expected as well, with Hudson-Odoi and Alanga both starting on the side of Chris Wood.
00:05:11
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They like their fast wingers. They like Chris Wood as the target man. Morgan Gibbs-White in behind as a number 10. Ola Ena had been injured in the build-up to this one, but returned right back in a full-strength defence.
00:05:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
with Murillo and Milenkovic, who have been, who have taken their fair share. applaud it this season in that defence in front of Matt Sells. But were they suffering from an FA Cup hangover in this one? They didn't look their usual selves. I know we spoke in the preview.
00:05:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
about the impact it would be having on them going for this Champions League space. The fact they don't have much Champions League European experience in their squad was the pressure starting to get to them. And as I also said in the preview, the longer we can keep it as nil-nil, the more you know nerves we could start to see um filtering into Forrest's game. And I think that's exactly what we saw.
00:06:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
i thought... vandenberg had a really good chance early on from dams guard delivery perhaps should score maybe he's got to put it either side of matt sales i think he's come close a few times now vandenberg remember he scored the goal that was ruled out southampton as well early in the year i think it's probably only a matter of time before he gets his first goal for the club given that he does seem to get onto the end of some of these deliveries and crosses from wide areas when he's allowed forward so Hopefully the first goal for Brentford coming soon for him.
00:06:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah thought this one was a fiery game. Lots of yellow cards. You could tell this game meant a lot to not just Nottingham Forest, but also Brentford. And we'll go on to talking about what potential permutations these results could have on Brentford this season. Keane Lewis Potter, perhaps a little bit lucky to stay on the pitch, the elbow, um which I don't think would have been a red card offence in itself.
00:07:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
but he was already on a yellow at that stage. Could he have got a second one there? Perhaps. I think Thomas Frank's substitution and halftime, bringing en Rico Henry on is probably indicative that maybe we're a little bit lucky there and not to be down to 10 men.
00:07:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Kevin Sharder's goal and also the Whistle goal in the second half, very similar. um Kevin Sharder's one came from a great ball over the top by Nathan Collins. Ola Aina probably should deal with that. It's not the best first touch from Kevin Sharder. He doesn't really get it under control, but it is a good finish and a second Premier League assist this season for Mark Flecken.
00:07:37
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I think he is one of only two keepers along with Edison at Manchester City to get more than one assist from goal this season. Big save from Alanga in the second half, cutting inside, forcing Flecken down to his left-hand side. Best save of the game, in my opinion, and so important. I think if Forrest get back into the game at that point, the home crowd will get up.
00:08:01
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They will get up. they will They will start to feel confidence again. It's been a really difficult place to go to this season, the City ground. Obviously, they've also been to the GTEC and did really well this season. So it was nice to kind of but turn turn the tables around and put that performance on them.
00:08:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think this is a really well-deserved win. Another ball over the top for the second, as I referenced. and Brian creating space for Wisser to run onto and finish. This was the one that was assisted by Fleck in the first run. It was a great ball over the top by Nathan Collins.
00:08:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Great dink finish from Johan Wisser. it's what we come to expect. I think that is a proper striker's finish. And I think from a Nottingham Forest perspective, they'll be disappointed with both goals and movement of Brian and Bumo, especially in that one, drawing the defenders out position and allowing Whistler to finish.
00:08:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Was Christian Norgard in the second half lucky to avoid a yellow card, as a second yellow card as well? Perhaps. I don't think it's as clear cut as perhaps a Keane Lewis Potter one was.
00:09:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think you've seen both of them given um on other occasions this season. But Nottingham Forest do make a bit of a meal of it, especially that second challenge from Christian Norgard trying to get him sent off. So.
00:09:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, Norgal's towed the line a few times this season. He was sent off wrongly at Everton. um And since then, he's kind of got away with it a couple of times, perhaps, if you include in the Arsenal game as well earlier this season.
00:09:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right at the end, and Bumo cold won over, which would have been the icing on the cake. A 3-0 win at the City ground would have been very impressive. But nevertheless, we came out of it with three points in what looked like our most difficult remaining game.
00:09:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think it was especially important um with Fulham and Brighton both scoring late winners against West Ham and Southampton the weekend prior. Games we expected them to win, but perhaps not in those circumstances. So just to keep up,
00:10:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
um with those teams battling for eighth. And obviously Manchester United getting the late equaliser at Bournemouth was welcome as well, dragging them just a point ahead of us.
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00:10:11
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After the break then, i will be looking at the Manchester United game from Sunday and we'll be breaking that one down as well.
00:11:09
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00:11:26
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Game Dynamics and Performance
00:11:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to part two of your Daily Brentford podcast as we now look back to the weekend's game against Manchester United who heavily rotated their side following their Europa League first leg in which they're 3-0 up at the halfway stage against athletic Bilbao.
00:11:58
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Bayindir played in goal who's their reserve keeper. The likes of Fredrickson, Amas and Chido Obi all started for Manchester United in what was one of the youngest players. I think Premier League starting XI of all time, all of those academy products um started. I thought Maynard and Ugarte, though, in midfield is probably their strongest midfield. I know they often play the likes of Eriksen and Casemiro in there.
00:12:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
But i think in terms of legs, in terms of energy, um i think you've got you've got to be going Maynard Ugarte. And that maybe will be who they go with next season. There was no Bruno Fernandes. He was on the bench. Perhaps when Manchester United went 4-1 down, they thought it's not really worth bringing him on.
00:12:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
um It was only until really late on where Manchester United had maybe a realistic hope of getting back into the game. So maybe you can understand why he didn't come on. Harry Maguire did come on.
00:12:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Matthias Dilligt was injured halfway through the first half. So he was called into action in the end. Luke Shaw had an eventful game as well. Obviously, he's suffered a lot of injury issues um during his time in the recent in the last few years, um almost scoring an own goal before he did um eventually score the own goal. So not a great afternoon for him.
00:13:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's get into the game then. It was a fast start and like I said, almost a Luke Shaw own goal from a long ball over the top. It looked like he was trying to head it back to the keeper. The keeper was also coming out for it. I think it's one of those things that you maybe get a little bit more often if you're playing with an unfamiliar back line and a reserve keeper, um just not knowing really, you know,
00:13:35
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whether he he'd come out for it or not and just not getting in that communication right. Then Kevin Sharder missed a good chance as well, following Jan Moliuk's delivery from the right-hand side.
00:13:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Difficult finish. Maybe he could have gone with his left foot. He tried to cut across it with his right foot um and instead of letting the ball probably go to a more natural finish on his left foot.
00:13:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
um plays over the bar. I think it is a difficult finish to get right. If he gets it on target, he probably scores though. um And we would have been up early on. Just on Yamo as well, I think now he's got a more regular starting spot in the team.
00:14:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think we are seeing a bit more from him. I think he's always had good technical quality. And I think in a side who are winning and playing well and and full of confidence, I think he thrives. And I think you can see that technical quality in his delivery.
00:14:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
um And I hope now he just gets braver with some of the passes he makes. You know, we see the likes Jensen come on and the types of passes that he he he's able to make. We see Damsgaard. He's been a bit quieter in recent weeks, but yeah he's still got that quality in terms of um always looking forward, always trying to find a player. And can Jarmolyik draw from that a little bit? Because he's got the technical quality and I think he can only keep improving.
00:14:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think he's really benefited actually from, you know, being out of the side. And he's made that position as a third midfielder alongside Norgard and Damnsgaard, his own. um Having said that, not long after he created that chance for Kevin Sharder, we were 1-0 down against a runner play.
00:15:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was a good cross and good finish. Mason Mount scoring for Manchester United. His only two goals for Manchester United have come against Brentford, both of the GTEC this season and last season. However, it probably could have been avoided.
00:15:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
very poor clearance out for Mark Flecken. We didn't really have the numbers back. We got played through a bit too easily um and we won't be pleased with that given that the momentum was probably on our side and that's just one of those signs where you start to think, is it not our day today? And and you know we've almost seen it all before this season, especially in recent months where maybe we go behind and we still struggle a little bit to create chances, but it wasn't one of those days. This is more one of those days that we had earlier in the GTEC this season or against um Brighton just a few weeks ago, where we just did we just did manage to do it.
00:15:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
And i thought a big reason for managing to do it is a quality of our delivery from set pieces improving in recent weeks. I thought i think in general, since the Brighton game, our our corners have beaten the first man.
00:16:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
They've been dangerous. um They've needed defending um and and we've come close from them. And also Coyote's long throw. And I think, although we always do long throws, I think Coyote, clearly the distance he gets on it is much further than the likes of Kevin Sharder and Matthias Jensen.
00:16:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it just causes chaos. And that's where we got the equaliser from. coyote long throw. Very difficult to deal with. Dam's guard hooking it back across goal. Unlucky not to get the goal himself. The ball was going off target. But it deflects off Luke Shaw.
00:16:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Brentford are back into the game. Then we start to take the front foot again. Then you can tell um that momentum's with us. I think Manchester United have been a bit like that this season. I think when the heads go down.
00:16:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
um they can be taken advantage of. And I think that's what we did here. um The irony with the second goal was that De Ligt was down with an injury. Now, if we think back to Old Trafford earlier this season, De Ligt was a player off the pitch getting treated, I think, for what was a head injury. I think he was getting his head bandaged at the time.
00:17:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then we had the corner in which we scored the goal from. We lost that day. We didn't lose this debt on this day, but De Ligt was down again. Brilliant ball in from Christian Norgard. Some of the Manchester United players stopped playing. There's no reason we needed to put it out. It wasn't a head injury.
00:17:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Brilliant ball in from Christian Norgard and Kevin Sharder reminding us all how useful he is in those four positions. I think that's, you know, Wissau I don't think is bad in the air, but Kevin Sharder with the height in his leap.
00:17:42
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I think when he gets that right, um and we saw it again in the second half, it didn't take him long to remind us again, um he's deadly in those positions. And against likes of Fredrickson at centre-back,
00:17:54
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making one of his first appearances in the Premier League, I thought they found it really, really difficult to deal with that front three. And Kevin Shard really showed us all um what a valuable member of that front three he is because he can get overshadowed sometimes, but um he was there to finish that chance off.
00:18:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we were perhaps a little bit unlucky not to be further ahead at the break, given those early chances, especially for Sharder. um And the own goal that could have happened again at the beginning of the game from Luke Shaw.
00:18:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
After the break then, momentum continued in the second half. Great shot, great cross again, this time from Brian and Bumo for Kevin Sharla to repeat the trick. i Again, close reins. He was about to be substituted. I think Thiago is going to come on. Enrique Henry is going to come on as well. And um that pushed Key Lewis Potter back into a a more familiar um forward position. I wonder if we'll see that um too many more times this season or not, given that Personally, I think Keane Lois Potter really, really good left back and hasn't quite shown those same levels in midfield yet. But, you know, given a run in the side, maybe he could do so. just think Kevin Shard with his pace, power, height, I think he's just got a bit more attributes going his way um in terms of being deadly in the final third.
00:19:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Fourth goal, even better. Brilliant pass through from Matthias Jensen. And we spoke about it when we spoke about the Brighton game, his delivery, also his ability to play these passes. I think only Dam's guard and him in the whole Brentford squad can can play this type of pass.
00:19:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think we've seen it occasionally from the all guards as well, to be fair. But I think Jensen on a regular basis... We see this quality in the final third. Michael Coyote pops up again. um As we said, he's all over the he's all over the place in in a really good way. And I thought he would take it himself, but he showed brilliant composure to square it to Wistler to roll it into an empty net.
00:19:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's the sixth time Brentford has scored four goals or more at the GTEC this season.
Brentford's Future Prospects
00:20:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we've become the first team in the Premier League to have three players score more than 10 goals in the league. And we are the third side to do that in top five European leagues alongside Barcelona and Bayern Munich. So not bad company for us there.
00:20:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
um I do think perhaps so the subs bringing on Igor Thiago and Gustavo Nunes and Rico Henry um disrupted us a bit in that nine not none of those three are fully fit and firing.
00:20:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think Clearly, we need to give the minutes. It's a bit of a catch-22. We're 4-1 up at this stage. um Clearly, they need minutes. I mean, we had Thiago Nunes, Wissart and Bumo and Jensen all on the pitch at the same time at this point.
00:20:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I think it impacted us a little bit and a bit of magic from Garnaccio. We know what Manchester United can do. It's won a bit... cautious going into these games because although they're struggling, they've still got those individuals who can produce moments of magic. And that's exactly what Garnaccio did.
00:21:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Made for a bit of a nervy ending. We struggled really to get on the ball and stay on the ball um at that stage with with players on the pitch who probably aren't quite match fit. um I think Thomas Frank as well tends to make more subs when we're winning than when we're losing, which is interesting. I mean, so many times this season,
00:21:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
we've been calling for changes, maybe when we're 1-0 down, really struggling to create, and he doesn't, he and we he makes those changes too late, and then I thought, it gets brighter than maybe again here, he actually made changes a bit too early, I don't i wouldn't have taken Coyote off, for example, as well, um but,
00:21:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've got to give minutes out and I hope that Thomas Frank will change that tact if we are 1-0 down in one of our remaining three games. I hope he'll change that tact and let be braver with his substitutes if we need a goal, especially now we've got the options on the bench and that we've spoken about, the likes of Thiago, the likes of Nunes.
00:22:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
and So we'll see about that. Ahmad Diallo's late goal really cranked up the pressure further. Flecken kind of went straight through him. I think he should have done a bit better with that. I don't think it was his best game.
00:22:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Also, his clearance obviously played a part in the first goal as well. Don't think it's his best game after a very good performance against Forest, but we got away with it. um I think overall Flecken's still been really good for us this season.
00:22:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
And the main thing is we saw over the line and we moved up to ninth place and one point off Bournemouth in eighth, um following Brighton being pepped back late on against Newcastle and Fulham losing one nil against Aston Villa the previous day. So,
00:22:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
A potential Europa League spot on the cards, perhaps, maybe, who knows. I think this is the most positive I've probably been feeling about it this season. And I'm sure we'll go on speak about it, especially in our preview for the Ipswich game at the weekend. So that will do for today. Thank you for listening to the Daily Breakfast podcast.
00:23:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
We hope you've enjoyed today's episode and once again we'd be extremely grateful for your support as this will enable us to get bigger and better moving forwards. Daily Brentford can be found x, Instagram and TikTok under the handle at gspmbrentford.
00:23:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
We'll be back again on Friday where we'll be looking ahead to another big game as we travel to Portman Road to face Ipswich on Saturday. Until then, from myself, thank you for being with us.