🔗 Share this article

Over the midpoint of the season, Brentford are in fantasy land.

Following four wins in their last five outings, and a Samba striker netting the goals, suddenly supporters are envisioning thoughts of trips to European capitals next season.

A comprehensive three-nil win over the Black Cats moved Keith Andrews' side into fifth in the top flight – a place that was good enough to secure European football last season.

Only table-toppers Arsenal have collected more points over the past half-dozen matches.

There's a significant distance to go yet but the West London outfit are squarely in the race for continental football.

Few was envisioning this last off-season.

The former head coach had departed for Tottenham after seven years in charge, a period in which he had not only got the club to the Premier League but also established them in the elite division.

Club captain Christian Norgaard left for the North London club and attacking duo two key forwards – who scored a total of 39 goals in 2024-25 – were out the door, joining Manchester United and Newcastle United respectively.

Specialist coach Keith Andrews was elevated to succeed the Dane, while there was a notable absence of a centre-forward among the summer signings.

A season of struggle, possibly even relegation, was widely predicted. But here we are in January with Brentford in the top five.

So, how did they pull it off?

Igor Thiago's Historic Campaign

The club's decision not to bring in another striker was partly down to circumstance, with one forward's move not being finalized until the final day of the window.

But they also knew they had a £30m striker already waiting to go.

Igor Thiago joined from Club Brugge in the summer for a then-record fee, but was hindered by injury in his first campaign, going without a goal in his initial outings.

Thiago has set about compensating for lost time this season, though, with his brace against Sunderland taking him to sixteen league goals – the highest tally by a Brazilian in a single Premier League campaign.

Given the fellow Brazilians who have preceded him, that is some accomplishment, especially with 17 games left to play.

"He's been a breath of fresh air," pundit Danny Murphy said. "He's a physical specimen, quick, strong, but more skilled than people think. Excellent with his feet, both feet, he can score off both. You can see he's brimming with confidence. These numbers are fantastic. He must be so proud. That's a big compliment to him."

That only Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe have scored more in any of the continent's major leagues to this point underscores the standard he is operating at.

And it is not just the volume but the crucial nature of the goals that have been so pivotal for his team.

His first goal against the opposition was his seventh first goal of a game of the season. Given how often we are told the importance of the initial strike in a game, having someone you can depend on to take that early opportunity cannot be overstated.

Prior to the game against Sunderland, no player to have attempted at least thirty efforts this season has a better shot accuracy rate than the striker's 59.1%.

He hits the target. Do that consistently and the goals will – and have – come.

Given the struggles he had earlier in life, where he labored in construction to provide for his family following the death of his father, perhaps it should be unsurprising that pressure on the pitch is something he takes in his stride.

"Our scouts deserve a lot of credit for the type of players they bring in and characters," the manager said. "It is really notable. He is a really unique person who has fitted into life very nicely. He has had to earn this path. He has earned his journey and grafted. He has got real determination about his personality. He is developing his abilities constantly and we are discovering more and more about him. He is a largely all-round centre-forward."

Andrews Proving Sceptics Incorrect

Their star striker is the man of the moment but the team are not and have never been a single-player team.

While they had key individuals – Ivan Toney, Christian Eriksen, Mbeumo and Wissa – under Frank, they were always seen as a team more effective than the sum of their parts.

The concern was that once the Dane left, that may not be the case, and that the collective quality of their parts alone might not be enough to stay up.

Consequently, appointing their set-piece coach, with no previous managerial experience, and just a twelve months at the club was seen by those outside the club as a huge risk.

A maiden role is a test for anyone, let alone when it comes in the Premier League and having made the jump from set-piece coach to the top job.

But given that Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna was the only other option that Brentford looked at, they were clearly confident they had the right man.

To date, as often seems to be the case with the brains trust at Brentford, it looks as if they were spot on.

The new boss won just one of his first five league games in charge but significant home victories against United, the Reds and Newcastle have followed.

Results that, following their excellent recent run, could prove all the more important in the pursuit for Europe.

"We're in good form and playing really well. We are playing with bravery and belief in everything we do with or without the ball," Andrews added. "We're happy with how we are going but we want to keep striving."

In a league where fourth and 15th are currently separated by just eight points, they have no other option, because things could quickly look very otherwise.

But, for now, The Bees are defying the predictions. And the longer that continues, the closer to fruition those dreams of Europe will become.