Brentford’s fight to save themselves

Injuries, key men not performing and a new formation have all played a part in turning Frank’s Euro challengers into relegation scrappers

- Dom Smith

WHEN Thomas Frank was looking ahead to the season in August, he spoke of wanting Brentford to become better in possession and exercise greater control in matches.

After their ninth-place finish last term when they missed out on European football by just two points - the feeling throughout the club was of a need to kick on.

But rather than establish themselves as a stable top-flight side, Brentford have regressed this campaign.

They sit 16th, just five points above the bottom three and facing up to the threat of relegation, with 12 matches to go. And with Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, Brighton and Aston Villa to come in five of their next six matches, the situation could get worse.

Recruitment has been a key contributor to Brentford's stagnation. Rightly seen as one of the best-run clubs in the country in recent years, that theory has been tested as they have struggled to find value for money in the transfer market. The signing of Keane Lewis-Potter from Hull for a then clubrecord £16million in 2022 was a gamble. Lively in Monday night's otherwise disappointing 4-2 defeat at West Ham, only now is the 23-year-old starting to show consistency.