Why Brentford marksman Toney isn’t happy with his goal tally
Perfectionist Ivan Toney is not happy with his goal tally this season, despite being the joint top scorer in the Championship.
The Brentford striker, signed from Peterborough in the summer, scored his ninth goal in his past seven league games on Saturday to help his side to a 3-0 win at Luton.
Toney said: “Nine is not too bad, but as a striker I’m always thinking I can get more. I’m thinking about the chances that I’ve missed previously.
“It’s going to sound crazy, but I feel like I should have around 15.
“But hopefully it continues, as well as getting the three points which is the main thing.”
Toney should once again lead the Bees attack in tonight’s game against Swansea, as the packed fixture schedule continues.
Playing twice a week doesn’t bother the former Newcastle man, who said: “Some players complain about having so many games in a short space of time, but as a striker you love it because it’s more chance of getting more goals under your belt.”
Toney failed to score in his first four league and cup matches for Brentford, and admitted that it began to bother him.
He explained: “When I keep going back to the one-on-one v Huddersfield, I think I missed two that day, after that I didn’t sleep for a week until the next game. It just drives you on to score in the next game and take every chance that comes your way.”
The 24-year-old says the step up from League One to the Championship this season was something he relished.
“The bigger the stage the better I play, the better I perform,” he said.
“Obviously coming from Peterborough, I done well there, and coming to Brentford – people thought it was going to be too much for me.
“But the kind of person who I am, I take it in my stride. I like the challenge.
“I like people doubting me and as you can see now, I’m settling well with the players around me and the staff, and doing a good job at the moment.”
Team game
Despite his starring role in front of goal, Toney is keen to stress that everything is not just all about him.
He said: “There’s not really a main man in the team.
“Obviously I’m doing my job and scoring the goals but if you look past the goals it’s everyone doing their job, everyone running all over the pitch, everyone tackling, everyone fighting for the three points.
“The goals for me personally are just a bonus – I would be happy not scoring and getting three points and an ugly win.”
Six of Toney’s nine goals have been scored from inside the six-yard box, and all of them from inside the penalty area.
He believes his “desire to get into the box” is crucial.
He added: “I’ve just got to gamble more and that’s where the chances come.”
Four of those goals have been created by Bryan Mbeumo.
“I know how he plays now and he knows how I play,” Toney said.
“Bryan is a great player – obviously he is a bit upset he is not getting the amount of goals he thinks he should be getting, but he’s assisting and he’s working hard for the team and that’s great for the boys.
“I know he will get goals under his belt, and I’ll help him do that as well.”
Forss making his mark too
Toney knows that any drop in form could see him under pressure from Marcus Forss, who has scored four Championship goals in six matches, despite starting all of them on the bench.
Forss has also scored twice in the Carabao Cup to help the Bees to the quarter-finals.
Toney said: “He’s a natural goalscorer, he knows where to be at the right time and he just sniffs out goals. So as long as he is scoring and I’m scoring we are happy.
“He always comes off the bench and makes an impact – not just him everyone who comes on – and that is key if you want to be in the top league.
“The boys do it great whether it’s Forssy or whoever coming on. I think it’s good to have that, and it would be good for the side for it to continue.”
