The Brentford season preview 2023/24 is difficult, especially when considering the Bees had such a brilliant campaign last time out, that, following last season’s remarkable top-10 finish, you’d think the plan would be a simple ‘more of the same, lads’.
But with Ivan Toney banned until January, Thomas Frank must find some way of maintaining the Bees’ potency without his leading scorer. The signs are good as his side won four and drew one of the five league matches Toney missed in 2022-23, and there’ll surely be another centre-forward brought in to complement Yoane Wissa, Bryan Mbeumo and Kevin Schade in attack.
At the back, it’s all about maintaining last season’s hallmark solidity, so the onus will be on Brentford's central defensive duo Ben Mee and Ethan Pinnock to keep up their good work. The problem may be in goal: with David Raya’s exit expected for months, former Freiburg man Mark Flekken has to hit the ground running.
FourFourTwo previews Brentford's Premier League season.
Brentford season preview 2023/24: The lesson from last year
Don’t be afraid of the heavyweights. Brentford enjoyed some astonishing results against the Premier League’s elite: Manchester United and Liverpool were demolished at the Gtech, and the Bees were the only club to do the double over Treble winners Manchester City.
It’s all the more impressive given the Grand Canyon-sized chasm in spending power that exists between Brentford and the big dogs; they have the top tier’s lowest wage bill and are only now eating into the profit they’ve made on transfer fees across the past decade.
Their mastery of set-pieces, directness and pressing, and ability to switch between 4-3-3 and 3-5-2 formations, caused problems for the opposition in the vast majority of their games. Stick to that winning formula and show no fear – against anyone.
The coach: Thomas Frank
Brentford wouldn’t swap Thomas Frank for anyone. He finally lifted the Bees’ play-off curse, led them to safety in their debut Premier League season and then proved all of those ‘second-season syndrome’ predictions acres wide of the mark. His tactics are flexible, he develops talent and he has magnificent hair.
Key player: Mathias Jensen
When Christian Eriksen left in 2022, Frank challenged Mathias Jensen to become his team’s heartbeat. Jensen repaid his faith, adding five goals, six assists and real quality and control to the Bees’ midfield. Repeat that in 2023/24 and the Dane will receive the widespread attention his performances merit.
The mood around Brentford
Utterly joyous, as you might expect after a fine ninth-place finish. The atmosphere has been only slightly soured by Toney’s extended ban.
One to watch
Mikkel Damsgaard joined Brentford last summer after a period in Serie A blighted by injury and illness. The Dane initially struggled to adapt to the the Premier League’s physicality, but in the final months of the season he showed glimpses of the quality that lit up Euro 2020 in 2021. Brentford hope that upward trajectory continues – the 23-year-old has undoubted potential.
Most likely to...
Leave full-backs wondering what the hell just happened is lightning-quick German attacker Schade. Following a promising loan spell from January, the 21-year-old joined permanently for a club-record fee in the summer, and a full pre-season to integrate him into the Londoners’ patterns of play should pay handsome dividends.
Least likely to...
Stop the Freed from Desire post-match party, at least until Roy Keane is there. Fellow pundits Gary Neville, Micah Richards and Jamie Carragher have all got involved, but the bearded misery is yet to follow suit. More and more, people just want more, Roy.
The fan's view: Nick Bruzon (@NickBruzon)
Last season was incredible: trashing Manchester United, finishing above Chelsea and Fulham, then doing the double over Manchester City.
The big talking point is how we cope without Ivan Toney. But we beat City, Liverpool and Spurs when he was out last season and are most definitely a team rather than a collection of individuals.
This season will be different because Brentford are going to qualify for Europe for the first time in our history.
Our most underrated player is defender Ben Mee, without a doubt the free transfer bargain of 2022/23.
I won’t be happy unless Peter Gilham, football’s longest-serving announcer, at more than 50 years, is still on the mic. He remains as passionate as ever.
Fans think our owner is a living legend. Matthew Benham is even rumoured to pick the first song played at half-time, which made Love Will Tear Us Apart as we were beating City on the final day, while Leeds were being relegated, all the sweeter. Mind the gap, indeed.
The opposition player I’d love here is Erling Haaland, for a few months. He’d have to prove himself – we were one of only two clubs he didn’t score against last year.
The player I’d happily drive to another club is Cristiano Ronaldo, back from Saudi Arabia to Man United. His hissy fit as United went 4-0 down in 35 minutes at the Gtech is something I’d love to watch again and again.
The fans’ opinion of the gaffer is that Thomas Frank couldn’t be under any less pressure. Ours is the perfect symbiotic relationship. What he’s done is extraordinary.
We’ll finish in the top six. You heard it here first. We should have done it last year; we need consistency
Season previews for the Premier League, League One and League Two are all available HERE
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