Looking at Brentford’s results and performances from orbit, one win a piece every month since November, it certainly looks like we are in an unescapable downwards spiral.
Once you zoom in a little though the signs we may just be turning the corner are there.
The days of collapses where one goal for the opposition causes all our plans to go to pot are done. Wolves and Crystal Palace both took us to the cleaners last month, but when we have conceded in January we have kept ourselves in the match and invariably been able to keep things together enough to score another goal.
Our last 3 games have all ended 3-2 and in each one we have scored after our opponents have hit one past us. This huge improvement in the mental strength of the team is a huge positive for us and if Thomas Frank can keep this change going as crucial players return from injury and international duty then we will be set well for the rest of the season.
The greatest news for us Brentford fans is that this improvement in mental fortitude began before the return of the Prodigal Son, Ivan Toney.
Yes, we lost the last game before his return but even in that match at Molineux we managed to pull ourselves back into the lead after the hosts had pulled themselves level. Okay, so we did lose that one in extra time but we also managed to take it that far and only lost to a controversial, and extremely soft, penalty.
Then Toney returned for the Forest game and things really started looking up.
Leaving aside the idiotic defending to allow Danilo to open Forest’s account, the transformation when Toney took charge of proceedings with his incredible free-kick and the way he drives standards throughout the team was amazing.
With Ivan back and staying with us until at least the end of the season the standards throughout the team will continue to rise and rise, even Mads Roerslev played well against Forest, and results will follow.
Ethan Pinnock, Ben Mee and Kristoffer Ajer have all returned to shore up the defence. With 8 goals conceded in the last 3 games it is clear they have a long way to go but with each game they play together the wall will toughen up. Once their understanding comes back the days of conceding 3 goals a game we will start moving back up the table.
Even better news is that the City game tonight will be our last game without our AFCON and Asian Cup players. The return of Frank Onyeka, Yoane Wissa and Saman Ghoddos from their international duties, hopefully with some trophies in toe, will bring further steel to our attack.
Once they return we will be back to an almost fully fit squad, almost….
With this joyous accomplishment behind us we can push on with the job of turning 6 losses in our last 7 into a much better run and surging further clear of the relegation zone than our current 3 point ‘cushion’
Starting tonight we have 17 matches to turn this season around and as things start going our way again I have complete faith that we will manage to not only secure our top flight status for a 4th season running, but also push into the top half of the table.
We had a mid season spell like this in our first Premier League season and we managed to turn that around and we will do it again!!!
The Football tourist 