Bees boss defends selection after FA Cup exit
Brentford boss Dean Smith defended shuffling his pack in the FA Cup defeat by Notts County.
Smith made eight changes to the team beaten at Wolves on Tuesday and was made to pay by Jon Stead’s brilliant winner on 65 minutes.
However, the Bees did have numerous chances to score – they hit the post twice, including in injury time from debutant Emiliano Marcondes, and goalkeeper Ross Fitzsimons made several good saves – leaving Smith to stand by his alterations.
“I still think it was the right decision to do what we did,” he said.
“We controlled the game for long periods, we just didn’t take our chances. Whether I make eight changes or 11 changes, if you get that many chances you should win the game.
“They took their chance and from there they made it difficult by getting numbers behind the ball.
“We’ve hit the post twice, we’ve had chances that we should have scored.
“Emiliano will feel as though he should have scored, Neal [Maupay] has had a good chance when a ball was put across the face of the goal, Lewis [Macleod] had a chance in the first half. We just lacked quality in the final third.
“We should have taken our chances – if we do, we win comfortably.”
07/01/2018 @ 9:43 am
Spot on Sharon Bee!
And, having spotted Dean’s comment that yesterday ‘was probably not what we deserved…’ made me splutter in my morning coffee. It was EXACTLY what we deserved when, on this (and many other occasions this year) we simply haven’t put the ball in the opposition’s NET…!
You don’t ‘deserve’ anything in footie unless this is the result of it all Dean!
06/01/2018 @ 8:50 pm
We are on a limited budget, surely all the more reason to at least start with a decent side to enable us to progress to the next round and bring in some much needed . It’s no wonder there were so many empty seats in GP this afternoon, don’t blame supporters for staying away!!
06/01/2018 @ 7:06 pm
I can’t honestly remember when we’ve ‘won comfortably’.
But it’s a great shame that the paying public never know when their manager isn’t patrticularly interested in a competition and puts out a reserve squad with (it appeared today) absolutely no balance whatsoever. It would save a lot of people an awful lot of money that most can ill-afford.
Have to say that, although I recognise the job Dean does on a limited budget, I have always been worried about his decision-making ‘on the day’.
Too slow and too late on most occasions.