Frank admits Brentford lacked ‘magic moment’

Thomas Frank admitted Brentford couldn’t find the bit of brilliance that would have won them the goalless game against Middlesbrough.

The stalemate was the Bees’ third successive home draw, and the Brentford manager said: “We didn’t hit the highest level offensively.

“Sometimes you need that magic moment that decides the game. We did everything and tried but lacked that decisive action.

“That happens sometimes, even when we talked last year about Said and Ollie and Bryan in some games – now we remember back that we were on top of every single game, but there were games that were also flat and not hit the levels.

“We knew this would be a tight game with only three or four chances and if we had taken the good chance with Vitaly (Janelt) then we maybe win this game and then we are pleased.”

Frank was pleased with his defence, in which Ethan Pinnock and the returning Mads Bech Sorensen were both impressive.

“We played a good game, not a top game, where we gave nothing away and they had a half chance,” he said.

“We were very solid at the back and Mads Bech did a fantastic job again. In open play and at set pieces, they didn’t create anything and if there had been a winner it should have been us.”

After a relentless schedule of seven games in three weeks, Frank said he was quite pleased to have the two-week international break about to start.

“For everyone it is a time to get a breather and refresh and recharge batteries – both players and staff,” he said.

“Some of the injured players can come back and get up to pace, while some other players go on international duty, from where they usually come back energised.”