Ethan Pinnock, Ben Mee, Yehor Jarmolyuk, Christian Norgaard, the defensive unit as a whole, Fabio Carvalho, Igor Thiago, Kevin Shady, and Mikkel Damsgaard.
That was the full list of honorable mentions paid to Thomas Frank in the post-match team talk video that took social media by storm after the impressive 4-2 win over Newcastle United.
But there is a glaring omission from this list. same.
After Ivan Toney was sold to Saudi side Al Ahli this summer, many wondered how the Bees would cope without his talents up front, having scored 36 goals in 83 top-flight appearances.
But with Frank at the helm and an aggressive recruitment strategy in place at the club, Brentford are on a roll and continuing to impress.
here, Sky Sports takes a look at the strong foundations at the club and the one missing piece to the puzzle ahead of the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Newcastle, Live on Sky Sports.
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Watch Thomas Frank’s exciting speech against Brentford after their 4-2 win over Newcastle.
Frank is our greatest weapon
A large part 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 will go on to succeed former coach Dean Smith in 2018.
It is now six years since he took charge of the Bees and his record of 90 wins across his first 200 games, the highest of any manager in their history, highlights the work he has done in west London.
Notwithstanding notable exits such as Toni, David Raya, Ollie Watkins and Said Benrahma, Frank has led the club from eventual Championship heartbreak, to a Premier League regular capable of competing with the best on a weekly basis.
It is why his name is frequently linked with any senior role that becomes available, and also highlights why Brentford must ensure Frank is one departure that does not come to fruition.
Recruitment strategy drives performance and sustainability
Another key factor driving the success is the recruitment strategy implemented at Gtech Community Stadium.
When many clubs face the loss of key players, they look to the transfer window to immediately address the remaining holes in their squad.
However, at Brentford, they are adopting a forward-thinking approach that simultaneously provides them with greater depth and arms them for the future, which is fueled by director of football Phil Giles’ statistical and analytical approach.
“You can’t buy a player to solve a problem,” Giles said. “You have to think long-term and be as patient as possible.” The club’s official website When asked about the employment policies in place.
“Thomas [Frank’s] My job is to focus now, while my job is to make sure we’re in a good place long term.
“Thomas wants the best team available and wants to win every game, and I do too. That’s the main thing.”
Without Giles thinking about the future by overseeing the club’s statistical modeling and progressive philosophy, there is no ‘now’ for Frank. Brentford are a well-oiled machine from top to bottom.
Always two steps ahead
Last summer’s £75m outlay was the largest the club has parted with since their promotion to the Premier League in 2021, with the likes of Igor, Carvalho and Sepp van den Berg included.
Igor and Carvalho were two of the most notable signings costing just over £46m, but they have only started four games in the Championship, a common theme for Brentford.
Fabio Carvalho has started just three Premier League matches since joining from Liverpool
As Giles mentioned, the future of the club is always at the forefront of their minds throughout the recruitment process and this allows players to slowly adapt to the first team picture.
Schade, Damsgaard, Keane Lewis-Potter and Yoanne Wissa are now either first-team regulars or increasing in importance after 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 at the club, but they will undoubtedly do so given they have combined for 16 goals this season so far.
Players are bought 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 Let It Be, that’s an added bonus.
The final piece of the Brentford puzzle
Wednesday, December 18 at 7 p.m
Departure at 7:45 pm
There is of course a glaring issue with Brentford, which is their away form.
Just one of their 23 points has arrived on the road and that could easily have been zero had it not been for a 0-0 draw with Everton, which saw Brentford reduced to 10 men.
Seven losses and one draw is a stark contrast to their home performances. If they can secure even half of these available points, the Bees will sit comfortably in the top four.
It’s the only blemish on an impressive start to the season for Frank and his team.
Their next opportunity to address these problems? A trip away to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, Live on Sky Sports.
Christmas period in Brentford
- December 18: Newcastle (away) – Carabao Cup. Live on Sky Sports
- December 21: Nottingham Forest (home) – Premier League
- December 27: Brighton (away) – English Premier League
- January 1: Arsenal (home) – Premier League. Live on Sky Sports
- January 4: Southampton (away) – English Premier League
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