Ethan Pinnock, Ben Mee, Yehor Yarmoliuk, Christian Norgaard, the entire defensive unit, Fabio Carvalho, Igor Thiago, Kevin Schade and Mikkel Damsgaard.
That was the full list of honorable mentions praised by Thomas Frank in the post-match team talk video that swept social media following the impressive 4-2 win over Newcastle United.
However, there is a glaring omission from this list. himself.
After Ivan Toney was sold to Al-Ahli in the Saudi Professional League this summer, many questioned how the Bees would cope without his talents, having scored 36 goals in 83 appearances in the top flight.
But with Frank at the helm and a strong recruitment strategy in place at the club, Brentford continue to impress as they move forward.
here, sky sports We take a look at the club’s strong foundations and the only missing piece in the puzzle ahead of their Carabao Cup quarter-final against Newcastle. Sky Sports live broadcast.
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Watch Thomas Frank give his Brentford team a pep talk after their 4-2 win at home to Newcastle.
Frank is the best weapon
A large part of this success and our ability to continue to compete at the highest level is down to Frank.
The Dane joined the club as an assistant in 2016 and will succeed former manager Dean Smith in 2018.
He has now been in charge of the Bees for six years and has won 90 of his first 200 games, the highest record of any manager in history, highlighting what he has achieved in west London.
Despite the departure of high-profile players such as Toney, David Raya, Ollie Watkins and Said Benrahma, Frank guided the club from the Championship’s play-off final heartbreak to a Premier League regular capable of competing with the best on a weekly basis.
This is why his name is so often linked with some top roles and highlights why Brentford must ensure Frank is not off to a fruitful start.
Recruitment strategies that drive performance and sustainability
Another key factor driving success is Gtech Community Stadium’s recruitment strategy.
When faced with the loss of a key player, many clubs immediately try to address any gaps left in their squad through the transfer window.
However, at Brentford we are adopting a more in-depth, yet forward-thinking approach, which has been fueled by the statistical and analytical approach of our Director of Football, Phil Giles.
“You can’t buy players to solve problems. You have to think long-term and be as patient as possible.” Giles said this when asked about his recruitment policy on the club’s official website:
“Thomas (Frank)’s job is to focus on the now, my job is to make sure we are in a good position for the long term.
“Thomas wants the best team and he wants to win every game. So do I. That’s the most important thing.”
If Giles isn’t thinking about the future by overseeing the club’s statistical modeling and progressive philosophy, there is no “now” for Frank. Brentford is a well-oiled machine from top to bottom.
always two steps ahead
Last summer’s £75m outlay was the biggest the club has parted ways with since gaining promotion to the Premier League in 2021, with the likes of Igor, Carvalho and Sepp van den Berg all brought in.
Igor and Carvalho were marquee signings, costing just over £46m, but started just four games in the top flight, a common theme for Brentford.
Fabio Carvalho has started just three Premier League games since joining from Liverpool.
As Giles mentioned, the future of the club is always at the forefront of their thoughts throughout the recruitment process, which allows players to slowly settle into the first-team picture.
Schade, Damsgaard, Keane Lewis-Potter and Yoanne Wissa are now all first-team regulars or are growing in importance after previously being used sparingly in their first season at the club.
Wissa and Schade are yet to exceed their total minutes played this season compared to their first games for the club, but they will no doubt achieve this considering they have scored 16 goals across the campaign so far.
Players are purchased with the intention of growing and contributing for years to come. If they hit the ground running upon arrival, like Nathan Collins or Mark Flekken, that’s an added bonus.
The final piece to the Brentford puzzle
Wednesday, December 18th at 7pm
Kickoff at 7:45 PM
There are, of course, glaring issues with the away form of this Brentford team.
Only one of their points from the 23-man tally came on the road and it could easily have been zero if not for a 0-0 draw with Everton that left Brentford down to 10 men.
Seven losses and one draw are a stark contrast to their home form. If they can secure even half of these available points, the Bees will sit comfortably in the top four.
This was the only blemish on the start of the season for Frank and his team.
What will be the next opportunity to solve these problems? Attending to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, Sky Sports live broadcast.
Christmas time in Brentford
- 18 December: Newcastle (a) – Carabao Cup; Sky Sports live broadcast
- 21 December: Nottingham Forest (h) – Premier League
- 27 December: Brighton (a) – Premier League
- 1 January: Arsenal (h) – Premier League; Sky Sports live broadcast
- January 4: Southampton (away) – Premier League
