Ethan Pinnock, Ben Mee, Jehor Jarmoliuk, Christian Norgaard, the defensive unit as a whole, Fabio Carvalho, Igor Thiago, Kevin Schade and Mikel Damsgaard.
That was the full list of honorable mentions praised by Thomas Frank in a video of the post-match team talk which has gone viral on social media following the impressive 4-2 win over Newcastle.
But there is one glaring omission from this list. He himself.
Following Ivan Toni’s sale to Saudi Professional League side Al Ahli this summer, many doubted how the Bees would cope without his talents up front, scoring 36 goals in 83 top-flight games.
But with Frank at the helm and a strong recruitment strategy in place at the club, Brentford continue to march on and continue to impress.
here, Sky Sports looks at the club’s strong foundations and the only missing piece of the puzzle ahead of their Carabao Cup quarter-final against Newcastle Live on Sky Sports.
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Watch Thomas Frank’s emotional speech to his Brentford team after their 4-2 win at home to Newcastle.
Frank is the biggest weapon
Much of this success and ability to continue competing at the highest level goes to Frank.
The Dane joined the club as an assistant in 2016 and will replace former boss Dean Smith in 2018.
He is now six years in charge of the Bees and his record of 90 wins in his first 200 games, the most of any manager in their history, underlines the work he has done in west London.
Regardless of high-profile exits from the likes of Tony, David Raya, Ollie Watkins and Saeed Benrahma, Frank has taken the club from Championship play-off finalists to Premier League regulars who can compete with the best on a week-in and week-out basis.
That’s why his name is often linked with any starting role that becomes available, and also underlines why Brentford will need to ensure Frank’s departure doesn’t materialise.
Recruitment strategy promotes efficiency and sustainability
Another important factor driving success is the recruitment strategy in place at Gtech Community Stadium.
When faced with the loss of key players, many clubs look to the transfer window to immediately address the gaps left in their squad.
However, at Brentford they are taking a forward-thinking approach that both gives them more depth and equips them for the future, fueled by the statistical and analytical approach of their director of football, Phil Giles.
“You can’t buy a player to solve a problem, you have to think long and be as patient as possible,” Giles said. official website of the club when asked about current recruitment policies.
“It’s Thomas’ (Frank’s) job to focus now, while my job is to make sure we’re in a good place for the long term.
“Thomas wants to have the best team and wants to win every game, and so do I. That’s the main thing.”
Without Giles thinking about the future, overseeing the statistical modeling and progressive philosophy at the club, there is no “now.” Brentford is a well-oiled machine from top to bottom.
Always two steps ahead
Last summer’s £75m spending spree was the club’s biggest since promotion to the Premier League in 2021, as Igor, Carvalho and Sepp van den Berg were all brought in.
Igor and Carvalho were the hot buys and cost just over £46m, but they have only started four games in the top flight, a common theme for Brentford.
Fabio Carvalho has started just three Premier League games since his move from Liverpool
As Giles pointed out, the club’s future is always at the forefront of their thinking during the recruitment process, and this allows players to slowly ease into their first-team squad.
Shade, Damsgaard, Keane Lewis-Potter and Yoan Visa are now either in the first team or coming into their own after previously being used sparingly in their first seasons at the club.
Wissa and Schade have yet to exceed their total minutes this season compared to their first with the club, but they surely will given their 16 goals so far.
Players are bought with the intention of growing and contributing over the years, and if they hit the ground running like Nathan Collins and Mark Flecken on arrival, that’s an added bonus.
The final piece of the Brentford puzzle
Wednesday, December 18 at 7:00 p.m
Start: 19:45
Of course, there is a glaring problem with this Brentford team, which is their form away from home.
Just one point of their total of 23 has come on the road and it could easily have been nil had it not been for a 0-0 draw at Everton which saw Brentford reduced to 10 men.
Seven defeats and one draw is in stark contrast to their display at home.If they can secure even half of these available points, the Bees would sit comfortably in the top four.
It’s the only blemish on what has been a great start to the season for Frank and his team.
Their next chance to remedy these woes is an away trip to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals. Live on Sky Sports.
Brentford Christmas area
- December 18: Newcastle (a) – Carabao Cup, Live on Sky Sports
- December 21: Nottingham Forest (j) – Premier League
- December 27: Brighton (a) – Premier League
- January 1: Arsenal (j) – Premier League, Live on Sky Sports
- January 4: Southampton (a) – Premier League
