Well, still TOTL. But only just. This was like playing a tougher version of Newcastle. But one where we were fortunate and yet unfortunate.
They should have been 2 up by half-time. They out muscled us up front. Gabriel and Saliba looked as threatened as they have all season. Toney and Mbeumo seemed to win every header, every second ball. And every tussle. Saliba looked as uncomfortable as we’ve seen all season. Fortunately White had one of his better games. The wobbles of his last few games disappeared. Brentford are very direct. More so than Newcastle. But both defended the same. And credit to Brentford. That are quite a plucky little team.
We were faced with a wall of 10 and found it tough to break down. As would anyone. It did not help that we were just a little slow in our passing and lacking in penetrating runs and passes. In the first half Martinelli was too central so we lost our width.
Our team is clearly going through a tougher time. That rhythm and precision is lacking. It’s harder for us to draw teams out. Its not like we can point to any particular weakness in our own play. We dominated possession. But it can be frustrating to watch. As we tried to work through their lines and create crossing opportunities, you just knew that they would win any header. Alternatively we’d try and weave through their brickwall defense.
And from their long kicks we were super vulnerable. Toney bullied both our defenders, winning every header and exposing our defense. Their first chance came early as they got round Zinny. And then another move starting with them winning a header had them hit the cross-bar. This was tough to watch. We were better than we were against Everton but still not at our best.
As fortunate as we were to go in level, we seemed to dominate the second half. We had a little more urgency. The crowd was excellent again; helping the team apply pressure. We managed Toney at al slightly better. But we still would miss chances to clean up second balls from those initial challenges in defense.
Most of our penetration was coming down our right. Saka was running the show with help from the reenergized White. Odegaard was able to conjure tricks and passes that created openings. On the other side though Martinelli was unable to get round his defender and, apart from one shot in the first half, seemed unable to penetrate. Zinny was excellent again but Xhaka was too quiet. He seemed unable to find the space in which to operate. Though in the second half with Martinelli operating wider that helped him.
Eddie received little service. Of course, being marked by two big lumps did not help. He found it tough today like last week. He had few direct sightings on goal but managed to get involved where he could. A few times he escaped with his trademark quick turn but he was largely starved of opportunities today. This is all part of his learning process I suppose.
As the game wore on it seemed like it was destined for a draw. As expected, we swapped out Martinelli for Troussard and within moments we finally found a way through. Starting on the right Odegaard released Saka to put in a perfect right-footed cross for Troussard to swoop in on the back post.
That was unexpected but deserved given the possession and pressure we’d been applying. It was just surprising that we found a way through their brickwall. At this point, given the balance of play, it seemed we’d find a way to hold on. They’d had barely any chances in the second half and seemed to be tiring.
Yet we found a way to waste this lead. It took them a while but from a long ball we were again exposed. From the free-kick Troussard lost his man and then a litany of chances to clear the ball or win aerial challenges were lost to them. And finally Ramsdale left his line and did not win the ball to leave Toney unmarked to score. There were hints of offside from the initial free-kick. VAR seemed to linger over this but did not seem to examine the point at which they crossed the ball back when Ramsdale went to win the ball. That looked a clear offside but it’ not clear this was considered.
After all that hard work to take the lead it felt like such a lapse in concentration, such a waste of an opportunity. Not the type of thing you expect from any team looking to win the league. This was a game we should have, undeservedly, wrapped up. Instead, as we had all game, we lost a number of headers and challenges but this time in our own penalty area. We had too many chances to clear the ball. And Ramsdale, again, did not cover himself in glory.
That’s two game in a row now we’ve conceded from set pieces. I love Ramsdale. He has been a pivotal player for us. But we’re beginning to see a chink in his game now. He has issues with dead balls where he would be expected to dominate his own area. But, physically, he seems out matched. It’s a confidence thing. There was little for him to do during the game but in these key moments he’s been exposed. Shot-stopping, marshalling the back-line, providing leadership and distribution have been world class. But controlling the box from corners and free-kicks have proven his Achilles heel –even if this metaphor has nothing to do with his feet.
Overall, this was a very frustrating match. We struggled for periods to crack them open and yet we finally did, it felt like we gave it away. It’s hard to get too angry – even we you feel the title might slipping away from us. Everton was annoying because we were clearly sub-par. Today was different. Brentford were like Newcastle 2.0. They defended really well but had a much greater threat up front. As I said, we were lucky early on in the game. But yet, we surely should have held on for the victory.
It also says something about our bench strength that once they equalized the only change form the bench was to swap Vieira for Xhaka. Apart from adding a few more vowels, there was no impact. I thought that was the right move as Xhaka was quiet by his standards. He was unable to find space within their brickwall. Yet Vieira added little aside, with the last kick of the game, one of the all time worst free-kicks. When you need, in the dying seconds, a testing cross put into the box for our players to lose yet another header, instead he meekly overhit it right to their goalie. Pathetic. Aside form this, he seemed inhibited as he only passed the ball sideways and backwards. To be fair he was not the reason we dropped points. But it does speak volumes to the strength off the bench or lack of it.
We need ESR to find his way back. It’s beginning to feel like he might turn into Wilshire 2.0. ESR has basically been out the entire season and will barely be able to make an impact this year. When you consider the contribution he made last year, that’s a big miss. His vision and creativity would surely have helped us in the last few games. And relieved the dependency on Odegaard. You’d certainly prefer to see ESR come off the bench compared to Vieira.
As depressing and upsetting todays result is, and this little run of results has been – and as it starts to evoke the trauma of last year as we fell away from the top 4 – one can’t but help be uplifted by results elsewhere. Around us everyone – bur Fulham – seem to be dropping points. You have to enjoy the mess at LA Chelsea. They deserve everything they get. Including not getting stone-cold penalties in the last 5 minutes. It couldn’t happen to a nice bunch of twats.
Then there is United drawing against manager-less Leeds. Yet somehow they get to play them twice in 5 days. Each time without a manager. That team is good enough to stay up but why fire your manager when you have no-one willing to take the role?
Which, leads us – though this was pretty clear from the start – to our wonderful friends just down the road. Going to mighty Leicester and finding a way to lose 4-1. Oh, if that does not make you laugh out loud the chances are you’re already dead.
Taken together, it should remind us all that all – normal – team will drop points in this long drawn out WC impacted season. Whether City , with their legitimate, legal, honest, genuine and straight-as-an-arrow financial resources will drop points remain to be seen. So far they have proven to be less consistent than prior seasons. But with the talent at their disposal they should be able to destroy our old Accountant tomorrow and then set themselves us to steal back the lead if they grab all three points on Wednesday.
While we should acknowledge and credit Brentford for their effective gameplan. And we should understand why they occupy their position in the table, the challenge on Wednesday will be entirely different. As opposed to having 70+% possession as we’ve done in the last two games. And from seeing a parked bus, on Wednesday we’ll have to face up to KDB, Foden and a fluent, creative team that will press us. And they’ll have the physical presence of the ugly Nordic one.
This was two dropped points today. Especially when you have the lead at home with 15 minutes left in the game. When you have the entire crowd supporting you – having your back. Let’s just hope that the City game provides us with focus, motivation and the drive to come out of this (what I hope is) mini slump.
I just realized I’d not mentioned Partey’s name until now. You could see today how important he was to our team. I hope that two games in a week was not too much for him. Though he lost a few of those physical ariel duals today, he again controlled our team and provided the cohesion and fluency to move us forward. And, because of their approach, he often operated from a more advanced position. Of course we were also treated to a few of his long-range efforts – destined, as ever, for row Z. Nonetheless, it was great to see him back to his normal levels. And even more importantly, to leave Jorginho on the bench.
So, onto Wednesday. Assuming they demolish our ex-accountant tomorrow, we are faced with losing our top spot if City beat us. How this young team fares with this increased pressure will be instructive. Assuming Cit come out all guns blazing, whether we wilt, or resist will provide insight into the mental state of our team. Recently, too many of our players have been ever so slightly underperforming. This is the game where we’ll need everyone back at the top of their game. We have an extra days rest, and are at home, so let’s see how this one turns out. All I know is we can’t lose this one. A draw would be not be a disaster. But for a young team, this will be critical to their collective confidence and self-belief. We are way ahead of where we expected to be at the start of the season. But, now that we have created this opportunity, it would be soul destroying if we found a way to implode. Way too reminiscent of last year and the associated trauma. This is about creating a winning culture. An expectation that we can overcome obstacles and grow as a team.
But for now though, we are still TOTL. For a few days more at least.
-LB7