'The only ray of light'published at 12:33 14 January
12:33 14 January
Ian Westbrook Fan writer
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The only ray of light to come out of Brentford's bitterly disappointing FA Cup defeat to Plymouth on Saturday was the return of Rico Henry.
The left-back had been sidelined since tearing his anterior cruciate ligament at Newcastle in September 2023 and, after coming close to a comeback a couple of times, finally made his first appearance in 16 months on Saturday.
The 27-year-old played the first hour of the match before being substituted and in that time produced a solid performance.
He withstood some hefty challenges from some Argyle players and slotted back into the side as if he had never been away.
I am sure the club will manage his comeback carefully, so it will be interesting to see how much of a part he plays in this week's back-to-back home games against Manchester City and Liverpool.
Henry's return would allow Keane Lewis-Potter to move into his more natural position on the left of a front three after admirably filling in at left-back this season.
His form earned a new contract running until 2031 and it is great to see players like KLP becoming part of the club's long-term future.
Aaron Hickey, who, like Henry, has been out injured since last autumn, also signed a new deal in the past few days, and said he appreciated the club standing by him during his absence from the side.
There was little else to celebrate on Saturday as, for the third season in a row, the Bees slipped out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle.
Given our mid-table Premier League position, it is frustrating for us not to have a cup run.
Sutton's predictions: Brentford v Manchester Citypublished at 10:32 14 January
10:32 14 January
I was hoping Brentford would have a real go at the FA Cup this season, but they made a load of changes for their tie with Plymouth, and they ended up on the wrong end of the biggest shock of round three.
I can understand Bees' manager Thomas Frank's point of view, because he can argue his side have a busy schedule with some tough fixtures coming up - after this game, they host Liverpool on Saturday and I am there for Radio 5 Live.
He decided to give some fringe players an opportunity to get a game and impress him, against a struggling Championship team who had not won an away game all season, but it did not work out.
The Bees started the season with such a strong home record but Saturday's defeat means they have lost their past three matches there.
Manchester City, meanwhile, are starting to build some better form again, and their big win over Salford City at the weekend was their third in a row.
I was a bit surprised about the news Kyle Walker could be leaving City. He has not had the best of seasons, but he has probably been the best right-back the Premier League has seen.
Walker has been a huge part of what City have achieved under Pep Guardiola and I would be sad to see him leave the Premier League if he does go abroad.
In terms of this game, I feel like City are on a bit of a roll. I've already done something which I promised I wouldn't do in Fantasy Football, which is put Erling Haaland back in my team, and captained him.
It was a masterstroke from myself, and my assistant, because he scored twice in their last Premier League game against West Ham.
I am expecting Haaland to carry on his goalscoring form here, and I feel like City are going to edge it. I don't think it will be easy, though, and I cannot see them keeping a clean sheet.
Frank says Guardiola 'not surprised' by Man City dippublished at 16:02 13 January
16:02 13 January
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Brentford boss Thomas Frank does not believe Manchester City's recent dip in form would have surprised "best coach in the world" Pep Guardiola.
Guardiola's side hit an unprecedented slump in November and December, including a run of six league defeats in eight matches, before chalking up three straight wins in all competitions since a home Boxing Day draw against Everton.
The defending champions are 12 points behind leaders Liverpool and two points adrift of the top four before Tuesday's trip to face the Bees in the league at Gtech Community Stadium.
"A fantastic team with a fantastic coach and fantastic players," Frank said. "I don't think it's a surprise for Pep that they've had a dip.
"You never know when it is coming, but you know that not one team in the world can consistently just win year after year.
"It's impossible, especially in the best league in the world.
"What they've done for the past four years shouldn't be possible. It's hugely impressive and he will go again."
Frank and Guardiola are the Premier League's two longest-serving managers, boasting six years and eight-and-a-half years respectively in their current roles.
"For me, he is the best coach in the world," Frank added. "He's also the outlier when he is that good because I think he can stay as long as he wants to.
"Of course, everyone needs to perform - even Pep and he says that himself - but he's that good that he can come up with solutions."
Having suffered a shock FA Cup exit in a 1-0 home defeat by Plymouth on Saturday, Brentford will bid to bounce back against a City side who thrashed Salford 8-0 in their third-round tie.
Frank on Henry's fitness, Norgaard's future and Carvalho's formpublished at 09:22 13 January
09:22 13 January
Brentford boss Thomas Frank has been speaking to the media before Tuesday's Premier League game at home against Manchester City (19:30 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Frank confirmed Rico Henry will return to a Premier League squad for the first time in 16 months but is "unlikely to start" after featuring in the FA Cup loss to Plymouth.
He added he is "very, very pleased" that Henry is back available: "He's been one of our best players in the four years in the Premier League. It will take a little bit of time before we see him fully firing. That's not me saying he can't start or play a Premier League game, but consistent high performances will take a little bit of time to build."
Meanwhile, Ben Mee is "ready" after returning from a muscle injury. Christian Norgaard and Vitaly Janelt are also both available after missing Saturday's game.
Midfielder Norgaard has six months remaining on his current deal but the Bees have an option to extend by a further year: "Christian is happy here and we're happy with him. So let's see."
Reflecting on the FA Cup exit: "I tried to find that perfect balance between having a big week, with Plymouth first, then City, then Liverpool. I tried to balance the squad, tried to give a little bit of minutes, and maybe I didn't hit it perfectly. I was also a little bit limited with at least seven players I didn't want or could use. I think we had an average performance, not through the roof."
On Fabio Carvalho, who received some criticism for his performance against the Pilgrims: "Very few players step in and perform at a good level from day one – very, very, very few. He's a very good player and I'm convinced he will be good for us. He's training well and he's showing all the right attributes to become a good player for us. I told him not to be too harsh on himself."
Carvalho's path to the first team has been hindered by the strong form of Mikkel Damsgaard: "Damsgaard has done very well for us – it's not that I can't play both, because I can – but that's made it a bit hard for him."
Nick: Dare I say it, but, I doubt that goal would have happened had it been a Premier League game. Our defence was fast asleep. Lesson to be learned - never underestimate opponents, no matter what league they are in.
Neil: Too much sideways and backwards tippy-tappy football. Not enough penetrating passes to turn Plymouth around. Sometimes there is nothing wrong with some more direct football.
Ray: Failed to name our strongest side assuming the opposition were not a threat, being near to the bottom of the Championship and having sacked their manager. Disrespectful. We paid the price.
Gavin: Plymouth totally deserved that. Although we dominated possession, we lacked the cutting edge that saw us rip through Southampton's defence. We didn't create enough chances and there didn't appear to be any leaders on the pitch.
Wellsers: Very slow start from the Bees, who enjoyed a lot of possession but couldn't make it count. Bringing on Bryan Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa and Keane Lewis-Potter didn't seem to up the tempo. To their credit, Plymouth kept plugging away and, unlike Brentford, took their chance. A very lacklustre performance.
Sutton's predictions: Brentford v Plymouthpublished at 10:43 11 January
10:43 11 January
BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton has made his predictions for all 32 FA Cup third round games and given his verdict on who will make it into round four.
For this week's matches he is up against actor and musician Billy Bob Thornton, who is a Liverpool fan.
Sutton's prediction: 5-0
Plymouth are another managerless club. They also have a terrible defensive record this season so you really fear for them here, off the back of Brentford's 5-0 win at Southampton last weekend.
The Bees are definitely going to bag a few more goals here too. Plymouth have not won away all season and have only scored three times on the road, and this is going to be a very difficult day for them all round.
When is the FA Cup fourth-round draw?published at 10:00 11 January
10:00 11 January
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The FA Cup third round is well under way, with Premier League sides Everton, Fulham and Aston Villa the clubs already booking their places in the fourth-round draw with wins on Thursday and Friday.
But for other sides hoping for a healthy cup run this season, when will the draw take place?
The draw will be live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer following the conclusion of the Arsenal v Manchester United tie, which kicks off at 15:00 GMT on Sunday.
It will include 32 teams - with all third-round matches this weekend settled on the day - and the resulting ties will be played over the weekend commencing Saturday, 8 February.
Frank on Henry's return, Carvalho and January transfer planspublished at 16:02 10 January
16:02 10 January
Brentford boss Thomas Frank has been speaking to the media before Saturday's FA Cup third round tie at home against Championship side Plymouth Argyle (15:00 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Frank confirmed Rico Henry will start on his return from a long-term knee injury sustained in September 2023 which is a "big boost for him, us and the fans": "He has been good in training - very aggressive as he always is. In general, he's looked good and ready to start. If he wasn't good enough, we wouldn't start him. Rico is the only player that was here when I came more than eight years ago, so it's a good journey and story we have together."
Frank also confirmed Fabio Carvalho will return after missing two games with a minor groin injury while Ben Mee is "getting closer" but Saturday's game will come too soon for the defender.
He added midfielder Ryan Trevitt has a "minor issue with his Achilles, but he's on the way back".
Brentford have no fresh injury concerns following the 5-0 victory over Southampton in the Premier League last weekend.
On the Bees' plans in the January transfer window: "It depends on how many numbers we've got available, and then we will work around that."
Plymouth's best-ever finish in the competition was reaching the semi-finals in 1983-84 when they were beaten 1-0 by Graham Taylor's Watford at Villa Park.
"The FA Cup is special to everybody," Nancekivell told BBC Radio Devon.
"This football club, one of its biggest days was 1984 and the FA Cup semi final, so we want more days like that.
"We've had some good days at Arsenal, we've had some good days against Liverpool, Chelsea wasn't so long ago as well.
"So we want to build on that and we want to add Brentford to that list of achievements.
"We're under no illusions how difficult the task is going to be, but we've got no fear at the minute.
"We can go up there, we can take away the pressures of the league, enjoy ourselves and see what we can do."
Brentford v Plymouth: Did you know?published at 11:01 10 January
11:01 10 January
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Brentford have never beaten Plymouth in the FA Cup in nine previous meetings (drawn three, lost six) - most recently a 2-1 defeat in a first-round replay in 1998-99.
Maghoma pushing for first Brentford startpublished at 10:01 9 January
10:01 9 January
Nizaar Kinsella BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Paris Maghoma's slalom-like dribble and pass late on to set up Yoane Wissa's fifth goal against Southampton was the highlight of his career to date.
That moment was building as Thomas Frank has been increasing the minutes for the midfielder, 23, who began the season with an ankle injury but is now getting regular minutes from the bench.
Cameos against Aston Villa, Newcastle - in the league and cup - and against Nottingham Forest and Arsenal led to his latest substitute display.
Of course, those first displays in the Premier League have been building for his lifetime - from when Maghoma began following in the footsteps of his footballing idols: his brothers.
Christian, who is four years older, would take Paris for football on the local London estate but they each came through the finishing school at Tottenham's academy, following in their eldest brother Jacques's footsteps.
Christian now plays Aldershot Town, while Jacques has retired, with both being international players for DR Congo during their careers.
But it is Paris, who has spent time on loan at Wimbledon, MK Dons and most recently Bolton, taking his game to the highest level.
Brentford offered Maghoma a pathway through their B team in 2020, playing against non-league and EFL clubs, instead of the usual academy football, through their unique development programme.
B team head coach Neil MacFarlane and his assistant Sam Saunders have been key in Paris's development, taking him from a wide forward or striker to become the ball-carrying midfielder he is today, capable of doing his defensive duties - as well as making an impact in attack.
Maghoma will hope for his first start for Brentford comes against Plymouth in the FA Cup third round.
Gossip: Arsenal eyeing Mbeumo for summerpublished at 07:59 9 January
What's the one thing nobody is talking about?published at 16:42 8 January
16:42 8 January
Brentford have started 2025 with a bang, beating strugglers Southampton 5-0 and signing Keane Lewis-Potter up to a long-term deal at Gtech Community Stadium.
With that first away win of the season finally secured - and given our fan writer Ian Westbrook's helpful insight (12:32, 7 January) on the fixture schedule - we want to know the one thing - good or bad - that no-one seems to be talking about right now.
Have your say- and come back on Thursday for a selection of replies
Lewis-Potter signs new deal at Brentfordpublished at 15:28 8 January
15:28 8 January
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Brentford boss Thomas Frank said there is a "big future" for Keane Lewis-Potter with the Bees after the midfielder signed a new long-term contract with the club.
The 23-year-old has agreed a deal to stay in west London until the summer of 2031, with the club having the option to extend it by a further 12 months.
Lewis-Potter has featured in every game for Brentford this season, scoring two goals and making two assists in 24 appearances across all competitions.
Head coach Frank said: "I'm very happy that we've agreed a new contract with Keane. He has been through a great development over the last couple of years.
"He can play all the front four roles; what he's also turned out to be is a very flexible and versatile player that can play multiple other positions, which he has shown this season by playing games at left-back, where he has done fantastically.
"One on one, he is fantastic, his crossing is very good, and the way he helps the team is also so good. There is a big future for him here at Brentford."
The winger told club media that it "feels amazing" to sign the new deal and he "can't wait for the future".
He added: "It's such a great club. Since I've joined, they've been so good with me. I also feel like I've developed so much, especially this season. The togetherness everyone has got - it's such a good club to be at."
Unpicking Brentford's home and away 'red herring'published at 12:32 7 January
12:32 7 January
Ian Westbrook Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
If you are going to end a long wait for an away win, then a 5-0 victory is the way to do it.
Brentford finally finished the long fruitless run on the road with the thrashing of Southampton on Saturday. The Saints' weaknesses should not detract from a superb Bees performance, except for a quiet period either side of half-time.
However, all the talk about Brentford's wonderful home record and lousy away record is actually a red herring.
What people should really be focusing on is our performances against the top and bottom teams, not where they have happened.
That provides a truer picture of our season so far and reflects our 11th place accurately.
Of our seven home wins, five came against teams currently in the bottom six in the table.
Of our seven away defeats, five have been against teams currently in the top half, with the other two at so-called big-six clubs Spurs and Manchester United.
Context is everything!
Our home and away form in the second half of the season could well be a mirror image of our results in the first half of the campaign.
The Southampton performance on Saturday was like some of the home wins, with 20 shots, 11 of them on target, and a high expected goals.
Once again the stats prove the club's philosophy of only trying to score from high-quality chances.
It is rare to see a Brentford player try to score from 25 yards – the thinking being that you rarely find the net from there. We will always try to get as close as possible to goal before shooting. As a result, our on-target percentage of shots in a game is often around the 50% mark as a result.
Peart-Harris' contract extendedpublished at 12:10 7 January
12:10 7 January
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Brentford have triggered a contract extension to keep midfielder Myles Peart-Harris with the club until the end of the 2025-26 campaign.
The 22-year-old, who is on loan at Swansea City, was initially out of contract at the end of the season. The club have now exercised the option to extend this contract for a further year.
Peart-Harris has featured 23 times for the Championship side this season, scoring three times and providing a further three assists.
He joined Brentford in 2021 after over a decade with Chelsea, and made his Premier League debut in December 2023.
Image source, Getty Images
