Brentford go from strength to strength despite losing players
It has been an incredible season for Brentford – and it could well end in promotion to the Premier League. Second-placed West Brom just can’t shake off the Bees, who are pushing hard for automatic promotion from the Championship.
What have been the ingredients for their success? Well, there have been many. Brentford have been getting things right on and off the pitch for a number of years now and are rightly regarded as one of the divisions’ best sides.
The ‘BMW’ motors on
The exciting front three of Said Benrahma, Bryan Mbeumo and Ollie Watkins – nicknamed ‘BMW’ – has been instrumental in Brentford’s success this season.
Top scorer Watkins was not even considered an out and out striker prior to last summer’s departure of Neal Maupay but has responded emphatically to being deployed as a number nine.
Watkins is the Championship’s joint top scorer along with Fulham marksman Aleksandar Mitrovic, while winger Benrahma has been nothing less than sensational – so much so that the likes of Chelsea have been linked with him.
Mbeumo is a quality player in his own right and the three combined have been superb for the Bees this season.
Solid at the back
While the attacking players have grabbed the headlines, Brentford’s defenders have provided the base on which the promotion challenge has been built.
Previously a team full of attacking verve but with a soft underbelly, Thomas Frank’s side have improved in that respect in the last year or so.
The signing of Pontus Jansson from Leeds last summer was certainly a big factor in this. The Swede has been a huge influence on the team – as their poor results showed when he was out earlier in the season.
Alongside Jansson, Ethan Pinnock has gone from strength to strength, while left-back Rico Henry has also been in sparkling form. Henry was previously hampered by injury problems and his ability to stay fit and be consistent this season is another part of the jigsaw that has fallen into place in recent months.
Goalkeeper David Raya has also stepped up a level in terms of his performances. Raya has had his critics in the past but has won over his doubters with some fine displays as the campaign has gone on.
Getting recruitment right
When all is said and done, it is Brentford’s recruitment over a period of years which has been spot on – and this is the main reason the club are promotion contenders.
Watkins stepping into the breach after the loss of Maupay to Brighton is just one example of Brentford’s ability to not only cope with the loss of star players, but get better.
The likes of Andre Gray, Scott Hogan, Harlee Dean, Dan Bentley, Jota and Ryan Woods – who were all vital players for the Bees – have also flown the nest in recent years and yet each time the club have reinvested wisely and continued to progress,
So if they don’t make it up this year and lose the likes of Benrahma and Watkins – who would surely grace the Premier League – don’t bet against Brentford mounting an even stronger challenge next time around.
And if they do make it up, expect them to surprise a few big teams next season.
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