Brentford

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Bournemouth and Brentford.

Here are some of your comments:

Bournemouth fans

Mark: We started well and looked dangerous. Then we just switched off. Poor goalkeeping and he lacked the confidence needed for the game. The goal drought from Semenyo is worrying. We need him back popping them in for fun. Europe is now slipping through our hands. We need a hard look to work out if the FA Cup or the league is more important to us.

Alex: Good performance, just not when it was needed. Shocking refereeing.

Chris: Compare the team placement now against the line up and positions before Christmas. That should answer a lot of questions.

Brentford fans

Fred: How we won that I don't know. We have to make a Norgaard chant, he was so good, and shoutout to Keane Lewis-Potter. Is he England's best left-back? It shows real character for a team who could make a late European charge potentially.

Geoff: Captain fantastic again. Brilliant from the skipper.

Jason: Took my mate Jim to his first away game. Not pretty but they all count!

Highlights and analysis from Saturday's five Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Ipswich 2-4 Nottingham Forest

• Bournemouth 1-2 Brentford

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Brentford manager Thomas Frank, speaking to Sky Sports: "I think we played a good first half, I am very pleased with it in many, many ways. We had six big moments where we didn't get a shot off. Those are big moments we need to get more.

"Second half Bournemouth started better than us for the first five,10 minutes, then I think it was relatively even. Then we go up 2-1 and from there it was not a pretty game but that happens sometimes.

"I think it was the first time in a long time where it was an even game and we edged it, so I'm really pleased.

"Keith Andrews [Brentford set-piece coach] is doing a very good job, the players are doing a very good job and the coaching around is very good. Set-pieces are crucial and they won us the game today.

"This is our 50th Premier League win and there's only 10 clubs who have done this quicker than us. That's crazy. Taking it into consideration, our journey, our size, I think that's a day we should be proud of.

"Of course, we want to look up and aim as high as possible. Big win, a little break and then we go again."

Phil Cartwright
BBC Sport journalist

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Brentford failed to win any of their first nine Premier League away games this season but have now won five successive away matches in the league, their best run on the road since 2010 in League One.

That is in contrast to their form at Gtech Community Stadium, where they were unbeaten until losing to Nottingham Forest on 21 December - and have not won since.

Yoane Wissa had scored the winning goal in Brentford's previous two meetings with Bournemouth and his fourth goal in his past three appearances against the Cherries set the Bees on their way to a comeback win.

He nodded in the equaliser with Kepa Arrizabalaga stranded, the Bournemouth goalkeeper having travelled off his line to try to punch away Bryan Mbeumo's corner.

That equaliser was the spark for Brentford's best spell of the game, with Mbeumo's effort from 20 yards flying just wide and Kevin Schade shooting off target after Bournemouth failed to clear a set-piece.

It was another delivery into the box that brought Brentford's winner, Christian Norgaard reacting first to fire in from close range after the ball slid under the feet of two players at the near post.

Image source, Getty Images

Brentford are unbeaten in all six of their Premier League games against Bournemouth (W4 D2), their best ever unbeaten run against an opponent in the division.

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Bournemouth's performance

What did you make of Brentford's display?

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

Five matches make up Saturday's Premier League action and BBC Sport will bring you every kick.

• Everton v West Ham

• Southampton v Wolves

• Ipswich Town v Nottingham Forest - full commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Man City v Brighton

• Bournemouth v Brentford (17:30) - full commentary starts on BBC Radio 5 Live Extra

All kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

It was a great game when these two sides met earlier in the season, with Brentford twice going behind before winning 3-2.

Bournemouth were unlucky that day, and they were also unlucky not to beat Tottenham last weekend.

Maybe the Cherries will get a bit of good fortune this time - they deserve it, for the way they have been playing this season.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Rick Edwards heads to Brentford's training ground to speak to head coach Thomas Frank and the club's psychologist Michael Caulfield on a special edition of the Football Daily podcast.

They sit down in the manager's office to discuss the evolution of psychology in football and dealing with the extreme highs and lows, as well as the unique pressures.

Caulfield has worked with a range of other football clubs and managers, including Gareth Southgate, and in a wide range of other sports from horse racing to darts.

Listen to the Football Daily podcast on BBC Sounds

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Brentford are unbeaten in all five of their Premier League games against Bournemouth (W3 D2). This is both their most games without ever losing and Bournemouth's most games without ever winning against an opponent in the competition.

Bournemouth have lost their past two Premier League home games - only twice have they lost three in a row in the top flight, doing so in April 2016 and December 2019.

Brentford have won each of their past four Premier League away games - as many as they had in their previous 27. The Bees have not won five consecutive away league games since a run between October and December 2010 when they were in League One.

Brentford boss Thomas Frank has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game away against Bournemouth (17:30 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Frank said there is "a good chance" Sepp van den Berg will be available after training this week but Michael Kayode is "just a little bit after" and is expected to be available to face Newcastle after the international break.

• Aaron Hickey and Rico Henry have returned to full training but Saturday will come to soon for them while Gustavo Nunes, Igor Thiago and Josh Dasilva remain sidelined.

• Fabia Carvalho's shoulder problem is "a longer one" but he could return before the end of the season.

• Frank anticipates a "fantastic battle" between Bryan Mbeumo and Cherries left-back Milos Kerkez: "I think Kerkez has been very good, probably one of the best performing left-backs in the season. I'm looking forward to that battle."

• On Andoni Iraola's side: "Bournemouth have been really, really impressive. They are the best team in the league on these half transitions. They pick up the second ball and drive forward with their front four. They are having an excellent season. Both teams are having an excellent season."

• Asked how his side manage Bournemouth's threat, Frank said: "I like the way they press, they press extremely aggressively. We need to do well against that pressure. They're very good at playing direct and in behind, which is what they constantly do, and do very well."

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Brentford technical director Lee Dykes spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast about the Bees' recruitment strategy:

"We have a data coverage of over 85,000 players - that is the first stage. You filter through in stages and the number is coming down. At the end of the process, you eventually arrive at between 60 and 70 players that are the best five or six in each of the positions.

"Once we have got the shortlist in place, we can start to do some serious due diligence on the particular names.

"The Premier League is a place where a lot of young players want to come and play. The work we've done with players like David Raya, Bryan Mbeumo - those stories carry themselves around the industry."

Dykes says he is open to the use of AI in future recruitment, adding: "It's definitely in the next phase - we are exploring that.

"I think AI will enhance the data search - we just don't know how yet."

This week 5 Live Breakfast are behind the scenes with Brentford all week, so keep checking back on this Brentford page for further interviews.

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Footballers across the world partake in Ramadan every year as Muslims fast from sunrise to sundown, and at Brentford it is no different.

Ted Munson, lead nutritionist at Brentford, says this period can produce challenges for his department, but explained to BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast how they navigate this.

"We have got four players fasting for Ramadan at the moment," he said.

"They tell us how they want to do it and we will work with them. Some of our players who are doing Ramadan, they will take food back with them and they will have everything set for how they are breaking their fast, and then they are probably waking up at 4.30 am in the morning and we will have their breakfast set up for them as well."

Brentford manager Thomas Frank works closely with Munson to ensure each Bees player is eating in the optimal way to reach their goals.

"All of our players have physical goals and from a nutrition perspective," added Munson.

"I'd like to think if you asked any of our players what their goals were nutritionally, they would be able to tell you.

"For me, we have the 80-20 rule. If they can get 80% nutrition, then that's great, and then the other 20% can be pure enjoyment.

"Here we don't ban any sauces, we still have desserts the day before the game and things like that.

"We have different philosophies for different days. Some days we have higher calorie foods out, and then other days you might see a salad bar out on the live stations. It all comes down to the education and being light-hearted with it.

"I have a lot of dialogue with Thomas Frank, especially when it comes down to individual player goals. For example, if we have a player who we want to make stronger, I will play a key role in that and Thomas has an excellent open-door policy so I will just jump in his office and give him an update."

Listen to BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast this week to get exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the Brentford training ground

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This week, BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast have been granted exclusive access to Brentford's training ground.

In a recent interview, director Niti Raj explained the reasoning behind naming the training facilities after the late Robert Rowan.

"In 2018, Robert Rowan, our friend and colleague, died following a cardiac myopathy at the age of 28, and that was a massive shock to all of us and brought home that many young people die every year not knowing about cardiac health conditions," he said.

"We worked with this fantastic charity, Cardiac Risk in the Young, external, that do cardiac screenings for young people.

"They can tell you if there is something you need treatment for or if you need to make lifestyle changes to hopefully avoid these tragedies."

Listen to BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast for more

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Brentford director Nity Raj says that keeping costs down for supporters is a key pillar of the club's vision to engage future generations of Bees fans.

This week, BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast has been given exclusive behind-the-scenes access to Brentford Football Club, getting an insight into how things operate.

Raj believes Brentford have a "responsibility" to keep prices down for fans of all ages.

"We are talking about affordability for our fans and if we can't get seven or eight year-olds interested in the football, they will go to something else," he said.

"So we have got a responsibility to make sure that the fans who are seven years old are going to be fans when they are 70.

"Part of that is about having good prices for them."

This includes giving youngsters a chance to travel to away fixtures as well.

"Kids of that age, when they are getting into football, are going to have these amazing away experiences and part of that is because they can afford to come on them," he added.

"If we can make football more affordable, we are doing that to build our future."

Raj also believes that the fact the Bees have less funds available to them than clubs such as Manchester United or Manchester City allows them to be more innovative.

"I was talking earlier about the hunger that in some respects it helps keep you focused," he said.

"On one hand, you might not have problems when thinking about resources of what you need to bring in, but then it also means you are maybe not as focused.

"There is a big correlation between money spent and performance in our industry and the clubs that have got the most tend to do the best.

"Do I feel sympathy for it [Manchester United's financial struggles of late]? No. But I also recognise that we have a strength that comes from our position."

Listen to BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast on BBC Sounds

Ian Westbrook
Fan writer

Image source, PA Media

There were two main topics to reflect on as we walked away from the Gtech on Saturday after yet another home defeat.

Brentford had played reasonably well against Aston Villa, especially in the second half, but once again had come up just short.

Apart from not doing well against top-half sides this season, as I have discussed here before, it seems that all visiting teams in recent games seem to have worked out how to play against us.

Spurs changed their tactics at the start of February and came away with a 2-0 win, and then both Everton and Villa relied on massed defence and playing on the counter-attack to hurt us.

Despite dominating possession in each match, we failed to break down either opponent despite putting in plenty of crosses which were simply headed away.

The other factor is our continuing injury crisis, which leaves us short of experience on the bench every week.

Thomas Frank has hardly any options to change a match when we are either holding on to a lead or chasing the game.

Just when we had positive news on Friday about a whole crop of injured players, including record signing Igor Thiago, Aaron Hickey and Rico Henry, two more names were missing from the matchday squad when we checked our phones for the team news on Saturday.

Fabio Carvalho, a regular substitute this season, has dislocated his shoulder and had surgery, while January loan signing Michael Kayode was also out with a minor injury.

It leaves us wondering if we are we ever going to have a full-strength squad again.

Find more from Ian Westbrook at Beesotted podcast, external

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We asked for your views on Brentford's Premier League match against Aston Villa.

Here are some of your comments:

Brentford fans

George: Frustrating - a very even match where we had plenty of chances in their box but couldn't turn it into the net. Disasi flung himself well in front of the best of those chances and their keeper was outstanding. While we fought to the dying seconds, they ran the clock down well and we lacked the two things that any Premier League team sorely needs when trailing - decisive substitutions and a generous helping of luck.

Iain: Brentford played well against a well organised Villa defence. Just two points - one, when will Brentford take a shot instead of walking the ball in? And two - when will the quality of refereeing improve in this country?

Paul: I think the referee was weak, but saying that we need to fall behind to start playing and it shouldn't be like that at home. Don't understand Thomas Frank's substitutions. What's the point of bringing on a centre half with minutes to go when there's a B team forward on the bench?

Villa fans

Paul: Question marks were raised over Unai's team selection, but he got it absolutely spot on when you now consider the fresh legs we'll have for the visit of Club Brugge. At the business end of the season it feels like we're finally coming good. Disasi in particular was immense.

Jason: More gritty performances like this would be handy; you don't get points for style. Disasi was a beast.

Andrew: Proud of the Villa team. Every player put a shift in and I was worried at the start with Olsen in goal but we were excellent in the first half without scoring and a very close VAR decision ruled out Rogers' goal.

Highlights and analysis from Saturday's six Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Liverpool 3-1 Southampton

• Brentford 0-1 Aston Villa