Team: Smithies, Robinson (Wszolek), Caulker, Onuoha, Perch, Borysiuk (Gladwin), Cousins, Luongo, Washington (Polter), Chery, Sylla
Subs Not Used: Ingram, Hamalainen, Hall, Henry
Attendance: 16,888 (including 2,542 Bees fans)
Before the game in the pub last night, I was defending Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. Not because I think he is any good, but I desperately want a period of stability, and am fed up with the non-stop ‘sack the manager’ response to any run of poor form. At the start of the season I was optimistic.
Well not anymore I’m afraid. I have seen no real progress in the team under his tenure. No sign of the much-heralded pressing game, apart from the pre-season friendly with an undercooked Watford.
We have no width, we have no goal threat, we sit back and only have one striker in must-win home games. Our midfield regularly gets out-passed, out-fought and even with only one striker, out-numbered.
The most damning thing though is that I am not really closely watching the match anymore! I am only there to chat to the season ticket holders around me.
If I didn’t have a season ticket would I bother turning up and paying at the gate?
Plain answer to that, sorry to say, is no. You just know there will be no moment of magic to excite you, or even hard graft and fight to applaud from the players.
For that reason, I take back what I said in the pub before the game. It’s time for a change only this time for Pete’s sake can we get it right?
Paddington Paul
Romaine Sawyers grabbed his first Brentford goal to help secure a 2-0 victory over their neighbours Queen’s Park Rangers. Josh Clarke had fired the Bees ahead just before half-time and Sawyers, the free summer signing from Walsall, opened his account with a second-half cracker to end their 52-year wait for a win at Loftus Road.
This was only the sixth time Brentford have made the short trip to Rangers in that period, but this did not stop their fans revelling in a rare success over their historically more illustrious neighbours.
Rangers left the field to boos from the home supporters who had bothered to stay until the end.
Victory was no more than Brentford deserved after they created a host of chances although their eight-goal striker, Scott Hogan was uncharacteristically wasteful. He could have had a hat-trick in the first-half alone.
After Alex Smithies palmed a Sawyers shot into his path, Hogan could not adjust his feet in time as the ball rolled agonisingly past him, a yard from an open goal.
Moments later Sawyers broke quickly and fed Hogan, who expertly turned Steven Caulker only to curl his effort inches wide.
Clarke was next to tee up Hogan with a cut-back from the bye-line, but this time he scooped his effort over the crossbar.
Rangers, too, had their chances in the first-half, with Tjaronn Chery’s delicious back-heel setting up Conor Washington, whose shot was blocked by John Egan.
The Brentford keeper, Daniel Bentley, had to be on his toes to tip a Jordan Cousins’ cross over as it threatened to dip under the crossbar and he also made saves from Washington and James Perch.
Clarke made the breakthrough three minutes before the interval after a neat exchange of passes between Sawyers and Josh McEachran. Clarke feigned a one-two with McEachran but instead skipped inside Nedum Onuoha and rolled the ball past Smithies into the net.
Rangers pushed for an equaliser and Chery fired wide but Sawyers put the game to bed in style in the 74th minute. The winger caught Maxime Colin’s low cross first time with a side-footed finish, which flew into the top corner from the edge of the area.
Rangers, suffering another inconsistent season and marooned in mid-table, knew it would not be their night when Idrissa Sylla’s goal-bound header was cleared off the line by Egan.
The Guardian
Before the game I was really pleased to have a quick word with Mark Lazarus. Later he was going to be the inducted into the ‘Forever R’s Club’ along with Ray Wilkins.
The 4th Battalion, Parachute Regiment, formed a Guard of Honour and an officer walked out to the centre circle with the match ball. Then the names of the players who had lost their lives in both World Wars were read out.
Prior to the two minutes silence, a bugler from the band of the Parachute Regiment played the ‘Last Post’. Well done to the Club for organising such a fitting Remembrance tribute.
As for the match, I really thought that we had showed some signs of progress in the previous home game against Bristol City, particularly in our build-up play, but this performance showed that we are clearly going backwards again!
Jordan Cousins ended up at full-back and it wasn’t until the 64th minute that a recognised winger was brought on!
We managed three or four efforts on target whereas Brentford could/should have won by at least five goals!
Fans fighting each other during the match and a heated exchange of views on the train journey home. Some say its all the players’ fault, while others state that we need stability.
Of course we need stability, but the lack of sensible tactics and development shows to me that Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is clearly out of his depth.
Time for a change….
Steve Russell