Last time out, Villa annihilated one of the toughest teams they have left to play this season, Newcastle. Next, Villa will look to replicate that performance against a team that will be challenging for a European spot. The Bees are without a win in five and will look to rectify that; Villa haven’t lost in eight.
I spoke to Brentford fan Mark Burridge to find out more about Brentford’s season so far.
UTV PODCAST X MARK BURRIDGE
Brentford currently sit 9th in the table but are without a win in the last five. After such a promising season, it looks to be fading out slowly. Will you see it as a disappointment if you fail to secure a European spot?
“Not at all, Ellis; it’s been a real bonus to flirt with the top six, but I’m not sure we have the squad for a European adventure just yet. As we have seen before, it can have a negative effect on the following season, although it would be fun for the fans”.
Ivan Toney has built on his impressive goal scoring record in the Premier League and has gained international recognition. This is perhaps even more impressive considering the media attention he has built due to his betting allegations. How important is Ivan Toney to this team?
“We were delighted when Ivan finally got his first cap, simply because he thoroughly deserved it! He is very important to the way we play, as there’s so much more to Ivan than scoring goals. Strong, intelligent, and with a deft touch, he is a player who is vital defensively too. Holds the ball up well and can manage a game. Great mental strength as well. He will have several clubs wanting to take him soon”.
While Toney is probably Brentford’s standout player, Thomas Frank emphasises the importance of his whole squad. Who is an important player for Brentford that is underrated amongst the media?
“There’s been a few under rated players this season. Ben Mee has been a wonderful free signing and Rico Henry is also 7/10 plus every week. Bryan Mbeoumo is becoming more consistent and has been good this season”.
“Yet Matty Jensen gets my pick. Much improved this term, scoring goals too, and putting in some outstanding performances. He’ll need a big game on Saturday”!
Finally, what’s your score predictions?
“I’m going 2-1 Bees, simply because they’ve been a bit flat recently but with a week between games I think we’ll come out firing against a team in great form. Plus we owe them after our worst performance of the season at Villa Park”.
“Good luck after Saturday. It would good to see Villa in Europe again”.
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OPPOSITION FOCUS | BREAKING BRENTFORD
Since Brentford’s promotion to the Premier League in 2021, they have grown from strength to strength. Thomas Frank, their manager, has built a side that is more than capable of competing with the top sides in the league, which is why they are currently sitting in the top half of the Premier League.
As impressive of a feat that is, it could be so much better for Brentford. All season, Brentford have been occupying or pushing for European spots; however, in the last five games, Brentford have begun to fade away against teams they should be beating. In this Opposition Focus, I’ll be looking at why Brentford have struggled to beat teams and how Villa can exploit this on Saturday.
The main fault of Brentford this season has been their defence, and that’s not all that surprising considering their attacking style of play. The thing is, though, that Brentford refuse to deviate from their attacking style of play, which brings out the best in the likes of Mbuemo and Toney.
Instead, Brentford opts to modify their formation, not change their attacking philosophy. When playing higher-performing teams, Brentford tends to opt for a 5-3-2, not a 4-3-3. While this does help the defence, it also takes away from their attack.
When defending against teams, Brentford struggles against a very specific style of play. If you’re a team that dominates possession, attacks using wings and through balls, and likes to take long shots, you’re likely to do well against the Bees. Sound familiar? That’s because that’s almost exactly how Villa plays under Emery. Having said that, some of Brentford’s strengths nicely match Villa’s weaknesses.
For instance, Brentford, specifically Ben Mee, are very good at set pieces, whereas Villa have often let their concentration slip through set pieces. I believe if Brentford are to take anything from Villa on Saturday, it will be through a set piece.
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MY PREDICTION
Aston Villa are smashing life under Unai Emery, and right now, it looks like we can take on anyone. That’s especially reassuring given Brentford’s poor run of form going into the fixture. Normally, Brentford are something of a bogey team for Villa, but following the annihilation of Brentford earlier this season, that has changed.
I’m going to predict a 3-1 win with Watkins, Young, and Buendia on the scoresheet.
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