Brentford

Ian Westbrook
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Maybe Brentford should play every away game with 10 men!

The Bees finally picked up their first point on the road this season at Everton on Saturday, despite the harsh dismissal of Christian Norgaard just before half-time.

And we also kept our first Premier League clean sheet in 14 games since a goalless draw with Fulham at the back end of last season.

Norgaard appeared to be going for the ball in the six-yard box, as he was entitled to do, but hurt Jordan Pickford in the process.

Most Bees fans were not even watching the England goalkeeper receiving treatment before realising that referee Chris Kavanagh had run over to the VAR screen, and there was astonishment in the away end when the red card was shown. Brentford could well appeal against the decision.

The point was earned by a superb display by goalkeeper Mark Flekken and some solid defending by the back four, still playing without recognised full-backs, including a brilliant last-gasp block by Ethan Pinnock.

There was delight and mutual admiration between the players, manager Thomas Frank and the noisy travelling contingent at full-time.

It was also a big day for summer signing Igor Thiago, who finally made his competitive debut as a 72nd-minute substitute.

The Brazilian, signed for a club record fee to replace Ivan Toney, got injured after playing 45 minutes of our first pre-season friendly, and had a good cameo appearance.

He held the ball up and also drew a key foul, both things we have been missing.

Thiago also seemed to have an instant two-way rapport with the fans and his return to fitness gives Frank more options ahead of a busy December.

Find more from Ian Westbrook at Beesotted podcast, external

Image source, Getty Images

Former Brentford boss Mark Warburton told BBC World Service's Sportsworld that he was offered Jamie Vardy when he was in charge of the Bees but they did not sign the then non-league striker.

"I was at Brentford in League One and we turned him down for £600,000," said Warburton.

"An agent came and said we've got this non-league striker. He wanted £600,000. We had no data, no idea who he was - and it turns out it was Jamie Vardy.

"Hindsight would have been marvellous at the time, but unfortunately that one slipped us by."

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Everton and Brentford, which finished goalless.

Here are some of your comments:

Everton fans

Steve: Once again we were too timid despite having so many shots. Beto should have been on for the start of the second half and we should have been more adventurous with the ball going forward. As much as we owe a debt of gratitude to Sean Dyche it's obvious we're going nowhere and he should take a bow now and leave before it's too late.

Mick: How on earth does Dyche get away without criticism from the media, pundits and crucially Everton's non-existent board? There is nobody there to fire him. Anyone else would have been hounded out of any other club, look at Man Utd! Pathetic, one-dimensional hoof-ball from a bygone era. Dinosaur of a manager. Get rid now before it's too late.

Paul: Lots of effort but as usual lacking quality where it matters. Subs were late again and maybe if we had gone two up front from half-time the pressure might have told.

Steven: Another dreary and drab performance. Lacking any quality. I'd like to see someone coach the squad about the offside rule and how to take a corner. Given the fixture list, we needed the points. It's going to be a cold, cold Christmas.

Brentford fans

Symon: We'd have taken a draw and a first away point before the game. Ultimately, a clean sheet with only 10 men for nearly an hour - and creating the best chances of each half - feels like a moral victory. If players are going to be red carded for trying to score, as Christian Norgaard tried, then football will become a non-contact sport.

Nigel: The Bees were starting to take control before Norgaard’s unlucky dismissal as he tried to poke in a loose ball for an opener. We defended stoutly in the second period, although could have done better with a couple of promising counter-attacks. Although our passing wasn’t as crisp as normal and we allowed Everton too much space, I’ll take a point.

Sian: Given the circumstances, it feels like a win to get our first away points and first clean sheet of the season. Bit in two minds about the red. While I acknowledge that letter-of-the-law on dangerous play it's a red, at the same time it was also very harsh since it was a loose ball, and Pickford seemed to seek the collision more than the ball.

Nick: Hung on in. Perseverance paid off against a pretty poor Everton. Should have converted a few.

Image source, Getty Images

Match of the Day pundits Alan Shearer and Ashley Williams were in agreement that Brentford midfielder Christian Norgaard was unlucky to see red for his challenge on Jordan Pickford in Saturday's 0-0 draw at Everton.

Norgaard was dismissed late in the first-half after catching the Toffees' goalkeeper at knee height while challenging for the ball.

Bees boss Thomas Frank said post-match it was "never a red card" and "there needs to be more common sense".

"I agree with Thomas Frank," Premier League record goalscorer Shearer told Match of the Day.

"I think it's two players running towards the ball at pace. Norgaard has to try and get that ball otherwise his manager says 'why on earth are you not going for it?'

"It's one of those that doesn't look good in slow motion but he has to go for that ball. It's completely accidental and I would have loved Chris Kavanagh to say to the VAR official who sent him to the screen 'no, I saw it on the pitch and didn't think it was a bad challenge and I'm going to stick with my decision'.

"I think he should have done that."

Former Everton defender Williams added: "I agree with everything Alan said. Even though he goes to the monitor you'd like him to to say, 'I've seen it and I don't think it is a red card'."

Watch Match of the Day on BBC iPlayer

Highlights and analysis from Saturday's seven 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:

• Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

• Manchester City 0-4 Tottenham

Image source, Getty Images

Brentford boss Thomas Frank, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "There's a lot of positives to take from the game. Mentality, effort, character, defensive principles. The first clean sheet of the season, first points. I think it was well deserved. We got the biggest chance in the game. We were definitely low at times but I'm very proud.

"It's never a red card for me. The ball is coming across and he's only looking at the ball. Pickford is moving around and it's very unlucky with the contact to the leg, he's actually pulling out. It would have been a big injury to him potentially.

"You can see the reaction from the players on the pitch who are close to it, no reactions to it. There needs to be more common sense and understanding on how the ball is played.

"After the game, several Everton players said it's never a red card. We will appeal it. If this is a red card, the game has changed and I don't like that. I had a good chat with the referee about it. If it has changed then we need to be consistent in the future. It is a contact sport, they know that. I don't like the way it has changed in my opinion."

On Igor Thiago's debut: "It's big for him, he's happy and smiling. it was very good to get him on the pitch."

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Everton's performance, external

What did you make of Brentford's display?, external

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

Seven matches make up Saturday's Premier League action, and we will bring you every moment.

• Leicester v Chelsea - 12:30

• Bournemouth v Brighton

• Arsenal v Nottingham Forest (listen on BBC Radio 5 Live)

• Aston Villa v Crystal Palace

• Everton v Brentford

• Fulham v Wolves

• Man City v Tottenham - 17:30 (listen on BBC Radio 5 Live)

Kick-offs 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against a variety of guests.

For week 12 he takes on The Farm singer and Liverpool fan Peter Hooton.

The Farm's new single, Forever & Ever, is out now and their new album, Let The Music (Take Control), is released in May 2025.

Sutton's prediction: 2-2

Brentford are like Jekyll and Hyde, depending on where you play them.

They have the best home record in the Premier League this season, but the second worst away - they have lost five out of five on the road.

Mind you, Everton's home form is hardly impressive either. This may be their final season at Goodison Park but they have only won one league game there so far.

So, looking at form does not really help me much here and I am finding Sean Dyche's side very difficult to predict anyway.

I am going to play it safe and go for a draw, mainly because I think Brentford duo Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo are really talented players who always look like scoring, and the Bees always concede a few too.

Brentford have scored 22 and conceded 22 in their 11 league games and I think they will add two more to both totals on Saturday.

Hooton’s prediction: 2-1

This is a difficult one, really. Three of the past five Everton games have been draws so I think Dyche decided 'we are going to be hard to beat' after they had such a disastrous start to the season, and he has tightened them up a lot.

Brentford are dangerous, but Everton's past two draws were against Newcastle and Fulham, two decent teams. I was going to go for another draw but I have changed my mind from 1-1 because Everton will probably edge this one.

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Image source, Getty Images

Brentford manager Thomas Frank believes there will be an element of teams "cancelling each other out" when the Bees travel to face Everton on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

"I expect a very difficult but also even game," he said before the return of the Premier League after the international break. "It might be one top action that will decide the game.

"Offensively, we need to be good on the ball. We need to go out there and be brave, and want to turn forward and drive forward. A big thing is to be brave."

Frank has also praised Everton counterpart Sean Dyche, revealing that he is a "big admirer" of his work with both the Toffees and previously at Burnley.

"They are extremely solid," said the Brentford boss.

"I know they had a tough start where they lost their first four games; one defeat in their past seven says everything about them.

"Sean is a fantastic coach and manager. He always makes his team very difficult to play against. They are physical, intensive in pressing, they have pace on transitions, are very good on set-pieces, and they play behind you.

"What he brings is a fantastic foundation. I don't think he always gets enough credit for how dynamic they are and how good they are in the offensive third.

"What he did at Burnley was extremely impressive and was something I looked into; that journey and how we could bring some of those elements to Brentford.

"He's doing it again at Everton and it's potentially even more impressive. On paper, you could maybe say the squad is better but it's also a bigger challenge because there has been a lot of noise with points deductions and a change of owners."

Brentford boss Thomas Frank has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game at Everton (15:00).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Frank expects to have Ethan Pinnock, Yoanne Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo all available after withdrawing from their respective international squads while summer signing Igor Thiago will be in the squad for the first time since suffering a serious knee injury in July.

• Kristoffer Ajer has been ruled out with an ankle injury: "Kristoffer will still be out for this game. It’s not a long one but I don’t know how short it will be. No setbacks, going forward but not as fast as we wanted."

• Long-term absentee Rico Henry still does not have a timescale for his return.

• On Mbeumo being linked with Liverpool and Newcastle this week: "Not thinking about it. I'm very happy when players are linked with other clubs because it means they are doing well. I know Bryan very well and he's a professional player, very good at focusing on training. No complaints."

• Frank is excited to visit Goodison Park for a final time: "Iconic ground. So much history. For me as a foreigner coming to the Premier League playing it is one of the grounds I enjoy the most. No matter what, the fans, the ground and everything around it is amazing. It is up to us to keep the noise down."

• On the challenge posed by Sean Dyche's side: "They are extremely solid. They had a tough start but one defeat in their last seven is very good. Sean is a fantastic coach and he always makes his team very difficult to play against. I expect a completely even game."

Follow all of Thursday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Brentford and Cameroon forward Bryan Mbeumo, 25, is of interest to Liverpool and Newcastle. (Sun), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Image source, Getty Images

Brentford have lost all five of their Premier League away games this season. Only in 1924-25 and 1961-62 (both nine) have they lost their opening six or more away matches of a league campaign.

Meanwhile, Yoane Wissa has scored seven goals from just 15 shots in the league this season, with his conversion rate of 47% by far the highest of any player to have had at least five efforts on goal.

BBC Sport pundit Nedum Onuoha gives us his insight and opinion every fortnight on your Premier League club.

But this week, he's in the hotseat for your questions.

So what do you want to ask for a former player. Best opponent? Most memorable team-mate he played with?

Or maybe you're just interested in what next for your club this season?

Send in your questions, external

Image source, Getty Images

There has been some pressure on players carrying an injury going into international breaks with their national side because you are contracted to these clubs and that is where your income is.

But, for me, as a player I had a similar mindset to Harry Kane that I would always be available - injured or not injured. I would have injections when I was on international duty just so I could represent my country because it meant that much.

It is difficult, however. If you look at Jack Grealish and Pep Guardiola's comments, he has a point because the forward has not been able to play for Manchester City because of injuries. So if you have been sidelined for three or four games, I would agree that you are then not fit and available to go on international duty.

But when you look at some of the other players, ones who have been playing and being managed by their club, then I do not see it being different to being played and managed by your country.

From the club's side, when they are competing at such high levels in the Premier League, you can understand why they would want their players to be rested and get fully fit again over the two weeks, rather than having to come back straight into a hectic period of fixtures.

I kind of get it from both points of view but, as a player, if I am half fit and being played by my club, I would be fully available for my national team.

It is really difficult with the pressure that is on the players, though. I would not look at it as a decision players have made solely.

Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson

Brentford have joined London rivals Fulham in chasing Botafogo and Brazil striker Igor Jesus, 23. Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest are also interested. (TBR), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Saturday's full gossip column

Image source, PA Media

Earlier, we asked you who scored Brentford's first Premier League goal of the 2024-25 season.

The answer is Bryan Mbeumo, who netted in the 2-1 win over Crystal Palace on 18 August.

Image source, Getty Images

When it came to adjusting to the departure of Ivan Toney, Brentford had the advantage last season of his ban giving them a chance to look at building a team without him.

While he was banned there were already rumours about him leaving and I think that period, even though they were not getting the results, gave them the chance to build and accept a team that did not have him in it.

They have started really well this season- particularly Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa - scoring a lot of goals, and a lot of early goals.

What I really like about Thomas Frank is he finds different initiatives to strengthen his team.

Even when they first came into the Premier League and they had a set-piece coach. That was new for everybody but now we are seeing so many of the top teams adopting this.

Through their early goals this season, he has probably identified that as an area where they can punish teams in a way they were not really doing last season. It is impressive and something they have clearly worked on.

Defensively, this is an area now he will likely want to improve. The fact they are scoring so many, they are almost getting away with conceding as many goals as they have been. While these high-scoring games are nice for the neutral, Frank will want to change that.

But he is a very good manager and good managers can work with any level of player.

They can get players to buy into what they want to do and that is something that he does. He is well respected at the club and when you have players on board, it is a cliche, but anything is possible.

Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson

Who scored Brentford's first Premier League goal of the 2024-25 season?

Answer will be revealed at 17:00 GMT

With only four points separating third and 13th, we do not normally see that many teams in this type of mini league.

Normally, you might have the teams in a pack around the top four or five and then another pack underneath that with your relegation pack as well, so the fact there is so many teams in it at this stage is making it different.

From the mental side of competing in that, you look at Manchester United who have struggled so much this season and are sitting 13th. If they get a win, it can shoot them right up the table. They are in a position to think they are only a few points off the Champions League places' and that is good.

But it can work both ways.

Knowing the points are so close can keep you strong, keep you competing and have that competitiveness because you know a result can jump you up. But on the flipside, you could easily go from seventh down to 13th in one weekend or from third down to 10th.

How you deal with it depends on the manager, the players and also the psychologists within the group. Psychology in sport is really important for whether you see the situation as a positive or a negative.

Whether it stays like this all season is hard to say as there have been some really inconsistent performances and results. The most consistent team is the one sitting at the top.

I do not know what the rest of the campaign has in store for these sides because all the teams seem to be able to take points off each other this season.

Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson