Brentford 2, Tottenham Hotspur 2, August 13 August 2023
As I was saying before being rudely interrupted by the cricket season, what a terrific campaign Brentford conducted in finishing ninth in what was only their second Premier League experience. Was it a footballing flash in the pan? And can it be repeated, or even improved upon, in the months ahead? Read on for the highlights of the opening games of the 2023/24 debut, during which these questions were not necessarily answered but give us a hint or two.
But first, to set the scene, a quirky pre-match point – quirky because we are talking Brentford, after all.
On the opening day, there was a water problem, which delayed the start of the game by seven minutes, The trouble appeared to be that there was none, other than the bottled variety. Water, that is. Much head-scratching with Brentford officials and referee Robert Jones eventually decided the game could proceed, although less hardy supporters must have been beginning to feel it was like half-past Tuesday rather than a sunny Sunday afternoon.
And so to the game, which the Bees began at a gallop. Christian Nørgaard was a welcome returnee in midfield and a new signing from Wolves, centre-back Nathan Collins, slotted so smoothly into the defence that Ben Mee’s absence through a minor injury was barely noticeable.
David Raya’s replacement, Mark Flekken, displayed confidence in both distribution and roaming his area and beyond and all was well until another club debutant, Spurs’ James Maddison, provided a free kick that enabled Christian Romero to score a goal that took VAR considerable time to decide that Romero had not been offside.
Brentford bounced back when Mathias Jensen was bundled to the ground by Son Heung-min, much to the referee’s disinterest. Jenson wasn’t having any of that and thumped the ball into touch and raced to discuss the matter with Mr Jones. Good move: a visit to the pitch-side monitor convinced the referee of an offence and Bryan Mbeumo, with a little jig reminiscent of suspended partner Ivan Toney, despatched the penalty.
Spurs were invigorated from the start of the second period and the Bees found little solace in walloping the ball out of their own penalty area in the vague direction of the visitor’s. Slowly they worked their way back into the game and what had seemed an interminable first period – 11 minutes were added by the referee – raced by.
Which is exactly what Rico did when bursting out of his own half at mounting speed and contributing a cross for Yoane Wissa to supply a most untypical finish, a slow-motion drive that took the merest of deflections to beat keeper Guglielmo Vicario.
Before the game was over Henry was to deliver the same type of run and the same brand of cross, only for Mbeumo to waste one of Brentford’s best chances. It was the sole error for the striker; he gains in stature with every game.
As it was, the equaliser came four minutes into added time, when minutes of resolute Spurs’ pressure was ended by Brazilian Emerson Royal scoring from close in.
As is his wont, Thomas Frank used all five substitutions, while Ange Postecoglou, Spurs’ new head coach, employed just three. Players from each side and possibly a large number of supporters were exhausted come the final whistle, including Ivan Perišić, who although on the pitch for 15 minutes was most notable for not having his name on the squad sheet in the programme.
‘Quirky or what?’ said my mate Charlie.
Brentford: Flekken; Hickey (sub Roerslev 72), Collins, Pinnock, Ajer (Zanka 84), Henry; Janelt, Nørgaard (Baptiste 72), Jensen (Damsgaard 49); Mbeumo, Wissa (Schade 72).
Tottenham: Vicario; Emerson Royal, Romero (Sanchez 14), van de Ven, Udogie; Bissouma, Skipp (Sarr 75); Kulusevski, Maddison, Heung-min Son (Perišić 75); Richarlison.
Fulham 0, Brentford 3. August 19, 2013
The Craven Cottage encounter with an auld enemy turned out to be a Christmas present several months early. In recording their fifth victory in eight games against Fulham, Brentford stretched their unbeaten run in London derbies to 11, equalling a club record. And with Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa repeating the goal-poaching double act seen against Spurs, it was all-round satisfaction for the Bees.
Not so, for Fulham, who despite a spirited start found themselves forced to play catch-up from the dying moments of the first half when a disastrous losing of the ball by defender Issa Diop enabled Wissa to run clear of keeper Bernd Leno and fire into an empty net.
Worse was to come on 64 minutes when the striker was pushed over by home skipper Tim Ream in the penalty area, prompting referee Peter Bankes to issue him with a second yellow card and a make a spot-kick decision as soft as marshmallow. Mbeumo converted with the assistance of an upright, while an irate Fulham reshaped to cope playing with only ten men.
With Kevin Schade utilising his speed and an ability to out-jump most of the opposition and Wissa running them a merry dance, Brentford tied up victory with a ribbon when an unmarked Mbeumo scored from Kristoffer Ayer’s cross in added time.
Brentford: Flekken; Hickey (Roerslev 78), Collins, Pinnock, Henry; Janelt, Nørgaard (Damsgaard 79), Jensen; Mbeumo, Wissa (Dasilva 79, Ajer 89), Schade (Lewis-Potter 71).
Brentford 1, Crystal Palace 1. August 26, 2023
There were two outstanding incidents in a match that rarely excited – one of those encounters that linger in the memory for no more than a few minutes. The first surprise was a ferocious cloudburst that sent many supporters of both camps scurrying to the back of the stands. The second was a Brentford goal that may well figure in TV viewers’ polls to decide the best of the season come next May.
First, the rain, which drenched thousands without any of them realising the irony following the delay in starting the first game if the new season – no water was to be had anywhere in the stadium or the sky. Fortunately, Kevin Schade’s goal was so grand that all memory of the rain, and the thunderclaps that preceded it, will probably have vanished after the 18 minutes before the Bees took the lead.
Christian Nørgaard, deep in his own half, supplied the long cross-field pass that deserved to be polished like a diamond before arriving at Schade’s feet. Whereupon he set off on a dazzling run that took him into the penalty area before leaving the defence floundering and unleashing a shot so unstoppable that it was a wonder keeper Sam Johnstone didn’t applaud.
It was Schade’s first goal for the club and his speed and prowess in the air so unnerved the opposition that one wondered why coach Thomas Frank substituted him ten minutes from time. It was, said my made Charlie, a performance by Kevin that doubled the player’s transfer value in the time it took to score that goal.
Brentford had the best of the first half, which doubtless worried Palace manager Roy Hodgson as much had the the inclement weather. Certainly he looked immaculate in suit and tie until the rains came, when he swiftly donned a duffle jacket to protect them.
It patently was not his kit that occupied Roy during the interval, even if the suit remerged as revitalised as the players when the game continued. Now Mbeumo and Wissa found it hard to penetrate a newly resolute defence and only Mark Flekken prevented Eberrechi Eze and Odsonne Edouard from plundering an equaliser.
One goal-bound effort was finger-tipped over the bar; another was blocked and then gathered at the goalkeeper’s second effort. It couldn’t last, could it? No, it couldn’t, with an unseemly scrabble in the goalmouth ending with centre-back Joachim Andersen bursting into the fray to score through Flekken’s legs.
Frank looked crestfallen, the crowd too, but – whisper who dares! – a draw was a fair result, just as similar scorelines had been in the past when these two sides met. As for Roy Hodgson, he accepted Palace’s performance with a smile.
‘Suits him,’ said Charlie.
Brentford: Flekken; Hickey, Collins, Pinnock, Henry; Jensen (Onyeka 71), Nørgaard, Janelt; Mbeumo, Wissa, Schade (Lewis-Potter 80).
Crystal Palace: Johnstone; Ward, Andersen, Guéhi, Mitchell; Doucouré, Schlupp (Ahamadaat 71), Lerma; J Ayew, Eze, Édouard (Matetaat 71).