Rams sting Bees and Leeds slip up as table has almost 'taken shape'.
23/09/2018 10:32
Presumably this is why it takes ten games for the table to have formally ‘taken shape’. On Tuesday Brentford were, briefly, top of the Championship and ended the evening in second place behind Leeds United. Fast forward to the next round of games and a 3-1 defeat to Frank Lampard's Derby County on Saturday saw The Rams overtake a Bees team who slip to 7th(seventh). Game 9 of 2018/19 saw a performance, if that is the word based on feedback from those present, which was somewhat out of character by all accounts. One that when matched with a devastating 15-minute patch from our hosts, put this game well out of sight by half-time with no prospect of a Burton-esque comeback. Yet with perhaps half an eye on our mid-week trip to Arsenal, Birmingham City recording a win (not a typo) at Leeds United means the gap between ourselves and the Elland Road side remains just three points. One game away from fully ‘taking shape’, The Bees are a win off the top. What's to say? I wasn't there for this one. Taking HB to football club in the morning was about as close to the action as it was possible to get this weekend. Seeing his elation at going 7-0 up, scant consolation for what followed at Pride Park. Moreso, given that in the excitement of his own celebration his forgot to reference the brackets. Where have I gone wrong? As ever, the likes of Brentford official, the BBC or Beesotted are your place for quality review whilst the highlights are up on Sky, too. You can catch them here. They don't show much more beyond the four goals, including Henrik Dalsgaard's opener with less than a minute on the clock. How different the afternoon looked as though it may turn out at that point. Sadly, Frank Lampard's Derby County had other ideas and started banging them in for fun. There's no evidence of what Dean Smith would later describe as “A pathetic decision if I'm honest” that led to the free kick for their third on the half hour. Likewise, you can't see that their second came from a Brentford corner. That's not to say we didn't get what was coming. When 'official' use the terms 'fully deserved' and 'worthy winners' (something Dean would also agree with) then perhaps one simply has to doff the hat to the opponents. This time. Controlling second half possession, something Dean would also pick up on in the interview you can see below, is all well and good but as official would also note in their match report, 'The game was won by then'. As for Dean, he seemed a somewhat dejected character in this interview. Lost for words, almost. That's not to criticise him. More to note that he is normally so upbeat post-match. Perhaps the stunning start to the campaign has now hit a bit of a bump after two tough performances on the road. The second half at Ipswich midweek immediately followed by a first half at Frank Lampard's Derby Co….etc that has been at odds with how we've performed previously. That perhaps, some were saying last night, Ryan Woods isn't as easy to replace as we'd all hoped. Dean seems a bit out of sorts , despite acknowledging deserved winners. But if it is a bump, then we've every chance to get back to winning ways. Two home games follow in the league and I still maintain we've played some quite scintilating football this season. Next up in the Championship are Reading at home on Saturday. That's the all-important 'game ten' when, conceivably, we could be at the top of the table once more should results all go our way. Game 11 sees the midweek visit of Birmingham City the following Tuesday. No other words are needed about that one. For now. Prior to all of that is the midweek trip to Arsenal in the cup. Whomever Dean starts with and regardless of their team selection, rest assured that the Jaffa Cake army will be there in force. The full 8,000 plus have been sold for this one with plenty more still looking for tickets. No doubt we'll be up for proving ourselves against one of the most famous clubs in the land in a game that is sure to be one typified by attacking football. Although should Nico not win the team vote for Captain there'll be something seriously rotten in the state of Denmark. Here’s hoping Mark Devlin and his crack team have got McVities locked in for this one Still, all that's to come. For now we've been beaten. Well beaten, seemingly. With Dean admitting that Frank Lampard's Derby County deserved to win this one, it's three points dropped in both the real table and the justice league. How we go from here over the next ten days is going to be crucial. I know the Arsenal game is the obvious highlight on the calendar that it has been for the last few weeks. Whilst I can only concur with the exuberance and potential that goes with that one, the league is (cliché alert…..) the bread and butter. Personally, I've as much riding on that Reading match whilst the subsequent return of Jota, Maxime and Harlee promises to be an occasion that could even be ten times better than mid-week at the Emirates. One things for sure. These are exciting times to be a Brentford fan. We may have lost yesterday. We may have been beaten by a side who nobody is denying deserved it. We may have dipped below the dizzy heights of our other performances this campaign. And? We're three points off the top of the Championship table. Read that last line again. Three points off the top. Nobody said it would be easy. Not every result is going to go to form or go our way. Just ask Leeds united. Reading the interview with their manager Marcelo Bielsa this morning, he's the first to admit to tactical errors and has told the media that, "The proposal I chose for this game at the beginning was not the right one,” That's football. It happens. What is important is how a team picks itself up off the back of that. Whilst also acknowledging that, sometimes, the opponents are better than you. Nobody has a divine right to be any good, every time. Brentford have three huge games coming up. I can't wait to see how we go. Again. Next up….. Nick Bruzon
