Brentford beginning to miss Ivan Toney & David Raya's intangibles as much as their quality
- Brentford beaten 3-1 by Everton on Saturday evening
- Bees have won just once in opening six Premier League games
- Thomas Frank's side starting to miss Ivan Toney and David Raya
By Sean Walsh
FROM THE GTECH COMMUNITY STADIUM - Brentford hate the 'Moneyball' moniker they are often brushed with.
For the Bees, it reduces their hard work and tiresome efforts down to a simple 'buy the dip, buy low, sell high' philosophy. The reference is often complimentary in intention, not least because their rise has been so admirable.
Despite having only two Premier League seasons under their belt and having lost two key players - Arsenal-bound David Raya and banned Ivan Toney - to begin the campaign, there were no murmurs that Brentford would struggle, let alone be battling relegation.
Head coach Thomas Frank has admitted in the past that Brentford's progression as a top-flight club is likely to be gradual, but having finished ninth last term and nearly qualified for Europe, there's a greater weight of expectation on their shoulders.
Brentford did not win a Premier League game in which they had more possession than the opposition until April 29, when they scored twice late on to beat relegation-battling Nottingham Forest 2-1 at home. Their only other victory while dominating the ball came a fortnight later at home to West Ham United, who were prioritising their successful Europa Conference League run.
It's a facet that Frank is aware the Bees have to work on. Having blown the Championship away in their final two seasons in the second tier, they are certainly capable of becoming a possession-based team again.
"If we don't [change tactically], then I think we'll decline. For example, this year, we've been very aware that [unlike] in the first season and second season, this season we're going to have the ball a bit more without having 70% or 60%. Just a bit more so we control the game a bit more. Hopefully, we create more chances from that, where we pick the right moment to play behind or produce a cross.
"That's a big element for us. I think if we don't do that, I think we will stagnate and I don't think we will develop to what we will become."
Brentford have had a rather tepid start to the season, winning just one Premier League game out of six. Right now, they are lacking that edge without their star forward, let alone face the problem of trying to be more aggressive in their pursuit of wins.
Toney's prolonged absence was notable in Saturday's 3-1 loss at home to Everton. The hosts desperately lacked a focal point and an out ball as much as the tangible difference of a goal-scorer.
His natural replacement, Yoane Wissa, was particularly poor at carving out chances and making himself available. In first-half stoppage time, he looked to swivel with the ball past the lofty Jarrad Branthwaite, who is about six or seven inches taller and several stone heavier. He went down appealing for a soft penalty, but rightly, nothing was given.
Frank stressed during the summer that he was reluctant to bring in a new centre forward as he wanted to give more opportunities to Wissa and Kevin Schade, who was injured in the pre-match warm-up on Saturday but does bring maverick qualities that no other player in the squad has. Ironically, this sentiment is starting to go against his comments on stagnation.
To their credit, Brentford have long proven they know how to replace their best players. Said Benrahma and Ollie Watkins left in 2020, with Toney their replacement. Christian Eriksen walked away for free in 2022, but the collective stepped up the following year.
The losses of Raya and Toney, even if the latter is only temporarily, looks a bridge too far at the moment for Brentford.
Their problems have been exacerbated by summer arrivals Mark Flekken - Raya's direct replacement - and club-record signing Nathan Collins starting very slowly. Both were poor for goals conceded against Everton, with Flekken missing a cross Raya would certainly have grabbed and then Collins getting robbed of possession.
90min reported on Friday that Brentford are at least looking at new striking options regardless of whether Toney, who is wanted by Chelsea, stays or goes.
Raya is technically still a Brentford employee for another year before Arsenal activate the purchase clause in their loan agreement, but the Gunners have quickly been impressed by his calming influence compared to the more chaotic and unreliable Aaron Ramsdale. Their gain is the Bees' loss.
Brentford aren't in crisis and history suggests they will find a way to recover from this blip, Frank a proven firefighter and his squad certainly not among the weakest in the Premier League. But right now they look like an ordinary team rather than the extraordinary underdogs neutrals fell in love with.