Brentford

[crookie]

Shows what happens when you sell all your best players though and don't replace them adequately. About where we were 18 months ago

 

[RohanInceEnthusiast]

I went to the away fixture on Boxing Day and they looked very dangerous then. They dominated possession and created well but last night looked a completely different side, probably due to the players they've sold.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Very neat and tidy with nice movement but created very little....one save?...in some ways just a quicker version of Huddersfield who I believe also had as much (or close to) possession

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

I went to the away fixture on Boxing Day and they looked very dangerous then. They dominated possession and created well but last night looked a completely different side, probably due to the players they've sold.

I went as well. Thought they were similar to yesterday be honest and Stockdale only had 2 more shots to save.

We were very poor that day, but better last night.

 

[c0lz]

As others have said reminded me so much of how we use to play and glad we moved on.

 

[portslade seagull]

Of the run of home games Brentford was the toughie for me so to get 3pts is great and three different scorers to boot

 

[beardy gull]

I was incredibly impressed with Brentford who are a great team to watch.

Really? Really? I'm missing something then. I thought they were pretty ordinary actually. It's all very well keeping the ball but crucially they did naff all with that possession. Judging by comments by Bees fans on twitter it was one of their worst performances of the season. They looked very much a team on a poor run (1 win in 7 I think) Here's hoping you'll be equally impressed by Bolton next week.

 

[Arkwright]

If Brentford had a final ball and a striker they would be a top six side. Beautiful football with no end product.

I'm glad we have played them twice as I can see them nicking points off those around us.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

If Brentford had a final ball and a striker they would be a top six side. Beautiful football with no end product.

When we played them on Boxing Day, they created a fair few chances. Stockdale was our Man of the Match, as you'll recall. They looked a lot more dynamic that day, I thought at the time there were shades of Bournemouth the previous season (without the snidey gamesmanship & cheap penalties, obviously) in the quickness of their passing and breaking. Curiously, I thought Woods was dismal that day.

Last night, Judge was the stand out for me, and Woods had a much better game. They passed it incessantly around the middle third, but rarely found that incisive forward ball. Even that chance that Judge had which was saved by Stockdale came as a result of a Dunk slip-up. Stockdale was largely untroubled after the first few minutes, thanks to the defence doing their jobs well.

Also thought Brentford's defence looked far weaker than it has done in previous games against them. In the last twenty minutes or so I felt that- in spite of their possession- we were far likelier to score a third than they were to get one. They were leaving gaps all over the place. Wilson's pace left them very exposed.

 

[Weststander]

Did you miss the Poyet years?

The Poyet and Garcia Amex years of predictable zzzzz tedium in the main. In contrast, the Poyet version at Withdean was possession with relentless attacking (Murray, Calderon, Crofts, Barnes, Bennett - attacking at pace with goals galore).


Brentford - they had three technical, gifted midfielders who gave us problems, but were rubbish elsewhere.

 

[Arkwright]

When we played them on Boxing Day, they created a fair few chances. Stockdale was our Man of the Match, as you'll recall. They looked a lot more dynamic that day, I thought at the time there were shades of Bournemouth the previous season (without the snidey gamesmanship & cheap penalties, obviously) in the quickness of their passing and breaking. Curiously, I thought Woods was dismal that day.

Last night, Judge was the stand out for me, and Woods had a much better game. They passed it incessantly around the middle third, but rarely found that incisive forward ball. Even that chance that Judge had which was saved by Stockdale came as a result of a Dunk slip-up. Stockdale was largely untroubled after the first few minutes, thanks to the defence doing their jobs well.

Also thought Brentford's defence looked far weaker than it has done in previous games against them. In the last twenty minutes or so I felt that- in spite of their possession- we were far likelier to score a third than they were to get one. They were leaving gaps all over the place. Wilson's pace left them very exposed.

I liked Brentford's style, lots of quality. The game opened up second half as they pushed on and left gaps at the back. I liked the full back Bidwell for them would like him in Blue stripes not red. I can see them doing us a few favours over the remainder of the season.

 

[Hugo Rune]

I don't think I have ever seen a team have so much possession and do so little with it.

Man City - now. Over 70% possession. CH's tactics being replayed as I type.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

I don't think I have ever seen a team have so much possession and do so little with it.

The team that's losing almost always has far more possession in a match. It's because they are pushing for a goal and the opposition drop back, deny their opponents any space near their box, and make it very difficult to break down and they don't mind letting the opposition have the ball in safer areas of the pitch where they would have to move forward to try to get the ball back, leaving space for the opponents to be able to exploit.

Most teams struggle to break down a deep lying team with numbers behind the ball

 

[Seasider78]

I was really impressed with Brentford last night lots of quick touches and movement. Just felt it was not their night and they caught us on a night where it all clicked. Do think they lacked some of the quality needed to turn some of that possession into goals.

 

[el punal]

No way last season did we control the ball that effectively and neither did we under Oscar.

I will say it - we were not 3-0 better but for once took our chances and that turns football matches and we got a flattering scoreline - it happens and it feels bloody great!

If Judge had taken that great early chance (bravo Stockdale), with their possession stats it could have been a completely different game.

I was incredibly impressed with Brentford who are a great team to watch - alas for them they have a poor forward up front and their wide players probably lacked some gamebreaking pace to really hurt us (like that guy Lookman did). I'd take Ryan Woods off them in a shot - fantastic little player.

Disregarding your comments regarding Brentford, we were the polar opposite of how we have played over the last seasons? Bring it on I say.