Ethan Pinnock, Ben Mee, Yehor Yarmoliuk, Christian Norgaard, the defensive unit as a whole, Fabio Carvalho, Igor Thiago, Kevin Schade and Mikkel Damsgaard.
That was the full list of honorable mentions praised by Thomas Frank in the post-match team chat video that took social media by storm following the impressive 4-2 win against Newcastle United.
But there is one glaring omission from this list. Itself.
Following the sale of Ivan Toney to Al-Ahli of the Saudi Pro League this summer, many wondered how the Bees would cope without his talent up front, having scored 36 goals in 83 top-flight appearances.
But with Frank at the helm and a strong recruitment strategy in place at the club, Brentford forge ahead and continue to impress.
Here, Pak Gazette Take a look at the club’s solid foundations and the one missing piece of the puzzle ahead of the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Newcastle, live on Pak Gazette.
Frank is the biggest gun.
Much of this success and ability to continue competing at the highest level is due to Frank.
The Dane joined the club as an assistant in 2016 and would succeed former boss Dean Smith in 2018.
He has now been in charge of the Bees for six years and his record of 90 wins in his first 200 games, which is the highest of any manager in their history, highlights the work he has done in west London.
Regardless of high-profile departures such as Toney, David Raya, Ollie Watkins and Said Benrahma, Frank has taken the club from play-off final heartbreak in the Championship to becoming Premier League regulars capable of competing with the best weekly.
It is the reason why his name is frequently linked with any top job that becomes available and also highlights why Brentford must ensure that Frank is a departure that does not materialise.
Hiring strategy that drives performance and sustainability
Another important factor driving success is the recruiting strategy implemented at the Gtech Community Stadium.
When faced with the loss of key players, many clubs turn to the transfer window to immediately address the remaining gaps in their squad.
However, at Brentford, they take a forward-thinking approach that simultaneously provides them with more depth and prepares them for the future, which is boosted 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-term and be as patient as possible,” Giles told the club’s official website when asked about current recruitment policies.
“Thomas [Frank’s] My job is to focus on the now, while my job is to ensure we’re in a good place long-term.
“Thomas wants the best team available and he wants to win every game, and so do I. That’s the main thing.”
Without Giles thinking ahead overseeing the club’s statistical model and progressive philosophy, there is no “now” for Frank. Brentford is a well-oiled machine from top to bottom.
Always two steps ahead
Last summer’s £75m outlay was the biggest the club parted with since promotion to the Premier League in 2021, as the likes of Igor, Carvalho and Sepp van den Berg came on board.
Igor and Carvalho were the biggest signings, costing just over £46m, but they have only started four top-flight games, which is a common theme for Brentford.
Fabio Carvalho has only started three games in the Premier League since arriving from Liverpool
As Giles mentioned, the future of the club is always at the forefront of his thinking throughout the recruitment process and this allows players to gradually integrate into the first team scene.
Schade, Damsgaard, Keane Lewis-Potter and Yoanne Wissa are now first-team starters or gaining prominence after being used sparingly in their first seasons at the club.
Wissa and Schade have yet to surpass their total minutes this season compared to their first at the club, but they certainly will given their 16 goal involvements so far this campaign.
Players are purchased with the intention of growing and contributing for years to come. If they hit the ground running as soon as they arrive, like Nathan Collins and Mark Flekken, that’s an added bonus.
The final piece of the Brentford puzzle
Wednesday, December 18, 7:00 p.m.
Start 19:45
Of course, there is one glaring problem with this Brentford team, which is their away form.
Only one of their points out of a total of 23 came away from home and it could easily have been zero if not for the 0-0 draw against Everton, in which Brentford were reduced to 10 men.
Seven defeats and one draw contrast with their performances at home. If they could secure even half of these available points, the Bees would be comfortably in the top four.
It’s the only blemish in what has been a stellar start to the season for Frank and his team.
Your next opportunity to address these issues? A trip to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, live on Pak Gazette.
Brentford’s Christmas period
- December 18: Newcastle (a) – Carabao Cup, live on Pak Gazette
- December 21: Nottingham Forest (h) – Premier League
- December 27: Brighton (a) – Premier League
- January 1: Arsenal (h) – Premier League, live on Pak Gazette
- January 4: Southampton (a) – Premier League
