Following a lacklustre display against Leicester City, the international break may have arrived at the perfect time for Brentford.
Sitting eighth in the table, the three games before the interlude could be viewed as a minor ‘blip’ in what has otherwise been a hugely successful season.
Having seen their 12-match unbeaten run ended by a resurgent Everton, the 1-1 draw at home to Leicester followed a comfortable 2-0 victory at bottom of the table Southampton.
Four points from a possible nine is not necessarily a bad return in isolation but considering Brentford harbour European hopes, it feels a bit of a dampener to their aspirations.
Although they are only outside the European places on goal difference, both seventh-placed Brighton and sixth-placed Liverpool have games in hand (two and one respectively) while even more worryingly, appear to be hitting form at the right time.
On their Premier League return, Brentford face a make-or-break period that will surely determine the remainder of their season as they face fellow European hopefuls Brighton (April 1st), Manchester United (April 5th) and Newcastle (April 8th).
Regardless of what happens over the course of that week, the progress that Thomas Frank’s side have made has been phenomenal – survival is still very much the club’s ultimate aim with that target well and truly smashed.
The Bees are already 12 points better off this campaign than they were at the same stage last term and, having amassed 42 points, have comfortably seen off any relegation woes.
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Every aspect of the team has improved from last season’s inaugural campaign, from not only finding different ways to win and improving form on the road, but individually, each and every Brentford player has improved immeasurably.
The most notable example is Mathias Jensen whose goal against Leicester took his tally for the season to five alongside four assists, having not registered a single goal or assist in the league last season.
The 27-year-old appears to have found a new lease of life, stepping out from the shadow of fellow Danish compatriot Christian Eriksen following his move to Manchester United in the summer, by adding a creative spark that was previously missing to his already solid defensive game.
Another unsung hero is Rico Henry who continues to be ignored by England at international level, despite offering a consistently high-octane option at left-back which Gareth Southgate’s side appears to be lacking.
Having seen the Premier League’s third topscorer Ivan Toney have to patiently wait to get his chance, it may well be a case of Henry also having to bide his time and continue to impress for the Bees.
On the forward front, Frank alluded to his side lacking quality in the final third and, with a possible ban for alleged betting breaches hanging over Toney, it wouldn’t be a surprise if January arrival Kevin Schade is given more starts during the run-in.
Able to play across the frontline, the 21-year-old has taken a bit of time to find his feet but has shown glimpses of his talent against the likes of Fulham and Southampton and will return to West London following his debut for Germany during the international break.
It promises to be an intriguing final 11 games of the season, but with Brentford’s main objective of Premier League survival already achieved, the break will have done the side the world of good as they head into a tough run of games that can largely be played with the pressure off.
Whether that results in Thomas Frank’s side dusting off their passports for a European adventure or not, so be it, but one thing is clear, Brentford are continuing to not only survive but also thrive in the top-flight.