Going into the international break, Brentford Football Club would have been proud of themselves, 11th in the Premier League table despite missing star player Wissa, it made you wonder where next?
Despite having played incredibly difficult opposition such as Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, Brentford managed to garner 10 points going into the break and score in the first minute of three games running.
What makes this truly unbelievable is that strikers Yoane Wissa and Igor Thiago were both missing from the squad due to injury for key games.
As Thomas Frank commented after Brentford's recent 5-3 victory over Wolves before the international break, "Everything for the fans, huh? It's all about entertainment!"
Since being promoted from the Championship in 2021, Brentford have transformed themselves into a solid, out and out team, avoiding relegation thanks to a combination of snazzy transfers that have sparkled such as Christian Eriksen and Ivan Toney, to performances that have stunned even giants Manchester City, Brentford being the only team to beat them twice in the 2022/2023 season when City were crowned Champions.
Another factor has been Thomas Frank, the Danish manager who has now managed Brentford for over five years, Frank has been a candidate for both the Chelsea and Liverpool managerial positions and is now an apparent target for Manchester United following Erik Ten Hag’s sacking but has nonetheless remained loyal so far, thus building up strong relationships with key players.
Having a net spend of around £20 million in the summer transfer window and selling international player Ivan Toney, Brentford fans’ hopes for the season would have been to avoid relegation, but thanks to a certain Brian Mbuemo, they have put in some sterling performances against top clubs, earning the praise of pundits and supporters alike.
And as to where next, since the international break Brentford have narrowly lost to Manchester United and in the first ever Premier League match with Ipswich thrilled neutrals with a 4-3 “match of the season”.
Brentford are living up to their ambition of being great to watch, opting for a tactical, nuanced approach to both the transfer market and their football games which wins them both matches and respect.