Premier League team guide: Brentford in the spotlight

Premier League newcomers Brentford are back in the top flight after a 74-year absence — and they will be looking to make up for lost time. 

The Bees have become one of the most intelligent and well-run clubs in England, scrapping their academy to introduce a B team and enlisting data and analytics expertise to outfox their rivals.

Survival will be the name of the game for head coach Thomas Frank. His side will be heavy favourites for relegation but club owner Matthew Benham made his fortune by beating the odds and will hope to do so once again.

Last season

Brentford finally secured their place in the Premier League for the first time by beating Swansea 2-0 in the play-off final at Wembley in May. 

The West Londoners lost three of their first seven last term before going on a 21-game unbeaten run, which lifted them to the summit by February 10.

Yet Frank’s side lost four of their next six, all but ending their automatic promotion hopes.

After seeing off Bournemouth 3-2 in the play-off semis, the Bees stung Swansea with two goals in the first 20 minutes to book their place in the top flight. 

New faces

It has been a case of evolution rather than revolution so far for Brentford, who have added just two new faces.

Nigerian midfielder Frank Onyeka arrived from sister club FC Midtjylland, who are also owned by Benham.

Onyeka, 23, had been linked with Napoli before joining the Bees and is a prolific tackler who will come into the base of Brentford’s midfield.

Their other major arrival to date is Celtic centre-back Kristoffer Ajer, also 23, with the Norwegian switching to West London after four seasons as a regular at Parkhead.

A tall, composed and classy centre-back who can distribute the ball well, Ajer won a ‘treble treble’ with the Bhoys.

The line-up

3-4-1-2: Raya; Ajer, Jansson, Pinnock; Roerslev, Jensen, Onyeka, Canos; Dasilva; Toney, Mbeumo.

Second-guessing how Brentford will line up is made all the more difficult by Frank’s tactical flexibility.

The Dane used a 4-3-3 shape for almost the whole of last season before switching to a back three in the run-in.

With Henrik Dalsgaard moving on, Mads Roerslev should take over on the right-hand side while Rico Henry has the left nailed down.

Onyeka and Ajer will come into the side, leaving perhaps the biggest question over who plays at No10 — Tarique Fosu and the fit-again Josh Dasilva are the main contenders.

Alternatively, the Bees are not adverse to operating with a defensive midfielder. And given their elevation to the Premier League, playing a No6 could be wise.

Star man: Ivan Toney

Ivan Toney scored a Championship-record 31 goals for Frank’s side last term, more than justifying a price tag with the potential to eventually reach £10million if performance-related clauses are met.

Remarkably, Toney, 25, had never played in the Championship before last season.

A product of Northampton’s academy, he was snapped up by Newcastle in 2015. But he made just two league appearances for the Magpies and was shipped out on loan to Barnsley, Shrewsbury, Wigan and Scunthorpe.

Signed permanently by Peterborough in 2018 for a reported £650,000, he hit 49 goals in two seasons to emphatically prove he had outgrown League One.

Quick, strong and an excellent finisher, Toney has climbed the EFL with ease — and the next stop is the Premier League.

Up-and-comer: Mads Roerslev

This is a young Brentford side packed with potential and it will be interesting to see how right-back Mads Roerslev develops this season.

The 22-year-old Copenhagen academy product was largely the understudy to countryman Dalsgaard last season, who has returned to his homeland to join Midtjylland.

That opens up a space for Roerslev, who previously played in the Danish Superliga with FC Copenhagen.

A good crosser of the ball who is quick and willing to get up and down the flank, Roerslev should adapt seamlessly to the right wing-back role if Frank elects to stick with that system.

The boss: Thomas Frank

Frank’s success as Brentford boss has been the perfect illustration of the synergy between the first team and B team.

Initially appointed as joint assistant head coach in December 2016, the 47-year-old was responsible for looking after players caught between the two sides and ensuring there was a pathway to progress.

When Dean Smith left suddenly for Aston Villa in October 2018, Frank stepped up but won just one of his first 10 games at the helm.

After guiding the Bees to a respectable 11th in the table and the FA Cup fifth round, he was appointed manager on a full-time basis.

The former Brondby boss ended his first full season by reaching the 2019-20 play-off final, losing out to Fulham at the national stadium. 

Frank and Brentford righted those wrongs 12 months later and now the tactically astute Dane will look to continue his remarkable rise in the Premier League.

All information correct as of midday, August 2, 2021