Brentford FC 18/19 minutes distributed amongst squad

Brentford FC & The Lost Minutes Revisit pt.1

At the beginning of the season, I took a look at how Brentford’s 17/18 minutes were distributed amongst the squad and how the departure of some of those players would potentially impact the current season.

In this piece, with a slight midfield bias, I’ll look back at some of the observations, review predictions and assess how this season’s minutes have so far been distributed and the resulting effect that may have had on performance.

Ryan Woods

Having left for Stoke City, January 2019 saw Woods back at Griffin Park to applause and much respect. Subbed in a tactical shift during the second half, his return didn’t quite go as he would have hoped as Brentford’s upgraded system totally dominated Nathan Jones’ new side.

Knowing how influential Woods was in a Brentford shirt, it’s safe to say his new team mates weren’t quite at the levels he’s been used to during his years at TW8.

Analysing Woods and the role he fulfilled at Brentford, it was unlikely his direct replacement was at the club. As such, to move on from Woods, there needed to be an evolution in style and a shift in tactics and possibly formation due to the efficiency lost through the vacating Ginger magician.

A significant area of worry was the reliance on the robustness of midfielders McEachran and Macleod. At the time of writing Brentford FC & The Lost Minutes, Josh & Lewis had started all 3 home games and had done so in an unprecedented manner. With positive pre-seasons under their belts, there was a cautious but slightly optimistic feeling that something may have clicked in terms of their physicality.

With the disappointment of the 17/18 season start still so vivid, a level head was needed.

Woods completed just under 3500 minutes in season 17/18, more than both McEachran and Macleod combined, with neither having any history or evidence to prove they possess the durability to take them through a season as demanding as The Championship.

Beyond midway through the current season, that still appears the case.

Some called it lethargy or perhaps it was players in the red zone when reviewing Macleod’s performances before his latest injury and Josh’s’ display in the FA cup match against Oxford.

Both, whatever they were, were not good enough.

At the end of January 2019, Macleod is suffering from another long term injury, fulfilling his natural role on the side-lines and McEachran finds himself rooted to the bench since mid-Decembers tactical shift to try and prevent the side conceding big chances.

This season, as the first-team has naturally evolved, so has the level of midfield athleticism. By dropping McEachran from the base of the midfield, you’re essentially removing both a great strength and a great weakness. Replacing him with the two of Sawyers & Mokotjo we’re now seeing significantly higher intensity levels both on and off the ball.

Both go a long way to replicating McEachran’s strengths, his ability to progress the ball into the final third, but they do so with more variety, increases verticality and significantly higher levels of stamina and fitness. Able to progress the ball through passing, Sawyers and Mokotjo can break through the lines with the ball at their feet, something Josh has never been able to deliver.

The great weakness of McEachran’s out of possession game has been replaced by two players able to press in advanced areas as well intercept or form a genuine screen for the defence in deeper zones, and this is especially the case with Sawyers, who has vastly improving the defensive side of his game and is maturing into the complete midfielder. Contributing more minutes than any other midfielder, and at times in a slightly more withdrawn role, he’s shown that his game contains the tools to contribute towards filling the void left by Woods.

One direct result of these changes is Brentford now posting some of the best underlying defensive numbers in the league and reaching an overall team level of performance, (Stoke City home match) not seen since the return to The Championship.

It’s not the full story, as Jeanvier has expertly taken his place controlling the central defensive areas in the newly formed back 3, but it’s the regained dynamism in and out of possession through McEachran’s absence that’s clear to see, even obvious to his greatest cheerleaders.

McEachran had a fast start to the season. In the first 4 home matches, (Rotherham, Sheffield Wednesday, Forest, Wigan) he produced displays that had Brentford fans struggling to contain their excitement. Finally, with an exhale of relief, Josh hinted in a collection of matches that he may be able to not only fill the huge hole left by the vacating Ryan Woods, but completely change the shape.

Scoring 11 and conceding only 2, the first 4 home games saw Dean Smith’s Brentford employ a front footed attacking and pressing game. McEachran would receive the ball in the deep central positions and with regularity be afforded the time to move the ball onto his strong left hand side. Possession was the way through which the team defended, as protecting McEachran from defensive duties was key to the successful early form at home. McEachran, along with other midfielders would dominate the ball and when it was lost in the offensive third, the pressing system triggered by Maupay and followed by Watkins and Canos (who was quickly eclipsed by Benrahma) worked regularly.

It was the August 18/19 match away at Villa Park that ruthlessly exposed the limitations of a midfield containing McEachran and Macleod, the latter having to be removed as quickly as possible — half time. As the start of the weightier fixtures would show, Villa were a different level of power and found it particularity easy to travel through the central areas and spread the ball wide for crosses. Josh and Lewis were invisible, unable to offer any kind of screen for the young defenders and not common to the necessary levels of off the ball work rate.

A Maupay second put The Bees back into the lead, once Mokotjo and Yennaris had worked to regain some midfield control, but it was a late goal from a ball launched into the box that would complete a familiar story for Dean Smith’s Brentford and a comeback for Villa.

Aston Villa were not an intricate side under Bruce, their tactic was to aggressively get the ball wide and cross, but it was the speed at which Brentford struggled with this, switching modes from attacking to defending via defensive transition that was astonishing slow. Aggression to unsettle and intensity in play to expose McEachran and/or Macleod soon became the blueprint and would be exploited by teams for a number of matches to follow.

Given the opportunity to anchor the midfield, Josh started out well, but to fully trust his style and athleticism to be the foundations of which to build long term, consistent midfield change was always going to be a huge risk. His mission to become the “New Ryan Woods” was destined to fall short and the air of inevitability unfortunately settled over Griffin Park.

Josh to thrive needs to be a midfielder with the attacking license to create in a predominantly defensive side. His role at Brentford became the midfielder with the most defensive responsibility in an attacking side, and it doesn’t work. There may be games where it appears to function well, but those will be anomalies instead of consistent form when reflecting on a larger sample of matches.

Slightly relinquished of defensive duties, surrounding him with players used to not having the ball for long periods could be the desired direction to take him in. Played as either an 8 or a 10 with a recognised defensive midfielder behind him may see a side get the best out of his talents?

It would be a big gamble for said side, because the ability to press the ball high up the pitch is becoming more and more important so wherever Josh is played, it comes at a high cost to modern tacticians.

A candid section on a recent Statsbomb podcast may also provide insight.

Ted Knutson was looking back at some of his early Brentford recruitment work and how he’d do things differently if he’d already had the knowledge he has now accumulated.

It was an admittance that we’re all constantly learning and his particular learning towards the point in question went along the lines of overestimating the numbers produced by players in Holland.

It sounded like the data from his time on loan at Vitesse Arnhem was what in the end convinced Ted to advise on Brentford signing a player that, Swansea, Boro, Watford and Wigan didn’t have the confidence or belief to. That doesn’t mean those clubs knew better, they moved in different directions but one does have to question what internal club data was convincing several clubs to not take the plunge and make Josh a permanent signing.

Now at 25 and 4 years after signing, the lasting feeling on McEachran is as it has always been.

The shift in the game of football towards not just exceptional technique but incredible athleticism and power looks to have passed him by a number of years ago. Only he himself will know if he still has the burning desire to rebuild his game and the side of it he is so clearly lacking.

Moving away from the median, sitting at the top to the minute’s list is defender Ezri Konsa.

Signed from Charlton, not many would have predicted him to play as many minutes as he has done.

The planned main CB partnership at the start of the season pointed to Mepham & Jeanvier, with Konsa the supporting act and pushing the two, but the significant injury to the signing from Reims meant that a Konsa and Chris Mepham duo was the number one choice from the first whistle.

In possession they were fantastic, producing some of the highest pass completion stats in the league. With McEachran sat in front, itworked well in the early stages as teams played with fear, camped in their own defensive third and unable to hold onto the ball for long periods or move up the pitch in any great numbers.

Set pieces and long balls even looked more controllable, even if it was for just a short while, as the attrition of the league caught up and the standard of opposition increased to see both Konsa and Mepham miss the on the pitch defensive leadership players of 20 require.

Mepham has since secured his move to Premier League Bournemouth, and with him goes an exceptional talent and 2000 completed minutes. Able to manipulate the ball with either foot, playing in a high possession, attacking system such as Brentford’s, Mephams talents weren’t going to sit outside ofthe top flight for too much longer.

Unable to force his way back into the side after an injury layoff, he was no longer an automatic starter due to the brilliantly balanced Barbet, Konsa and Jeanvier trio.

Was there a slight mental fragility in the partnership of Konsa and Mepham with McEachran sat beyond? It looked like it at times as their ability couldn’t mask some unfortunate moments in matches leading to goals. Support for the new back 3 appears on the face of it light and talk of incomings are rife with various transfer rumours going around, but really we should see defensive talent force its way through in the shape of Mads Becs Sorrenson or Luka Racic, both earning their stripes in the B-team and more than ready to step into The Championship if called upon.

The words defensive & mindset have been mentioned together by Frank in almost every interview since the switch to 343. Taking over from Smith in October, this use of language only really began once Jenavier was reintroduced into the side.

Is Frank referring to ability or mentality or even both when he talks about defensive mindset?

The concentration and control produced by the team since the tactical switch are at levels unseen since the return to The Championship and that has much to do with the imperious Jeanvier but equally the shifting of Konsa from a position of extra responsibility and the implementation of the infectious Barbet to the left of the three. The left sided Frenchman is much more than infectious, his ability to progress the ball from the left inside channel must be mentioned. He has an enchanting left foot and starts a number of attacks with his forward thinking play further minimizing the impact of the side losing McEachran.

Looking again at Jeanviers re-emergence, had he and McEachran’s total minutes so far swapped over (approx 1400 for Josh & just 800 for Jeanvier), you have to wonder how different the season would look? Would Thomas Frank had been able to have spoken so confidently about the ‘defensive mindset’ of the side much sooner? The numbers say more than likely.

Chances against have completely plummeted since the switch in formation and it’s testament to Frank and his adaptability to try and solve a deep rooted problem.

Brentford’s xG ratio in the 4 games up to and including Rotherham is one of the best in the league, and controlling the quality of chances against has had a lot to do with that rise in defensive performance.

Improvement in this department, (xG against) shows Thomas Frank is able to deliver in an area Dean Smith never once managed to get to grips with. There was almost a disregard for the defensive side of the game.

Watching Smith’s sides finish 9th, 10th and finally 9th again during his three years at Brentford, the overarching feeling is not one of just bad luck but also a lack of pragmatism, as the playoffs continued to elude.

Brentford may this season finish in their lowest position since the return to the second tier, they also may not, but there’s an indication in what we’re now currently seeing, that this new side may be constructed with the solidity genuine promotion contenders must have.

A theme in the lost minutes was a focus on trying to upgrade those that are departing, and in Thomas Frank we’re already seeing underlying and fundamental signs that the practice could be at work here.

Contrary to this, an area of disappointment are the minutes we’ve seen for Josh Dasilva. The exciting, left footed midfielder has spent much of the season conditioning on the side-lines. Having only completed a cumulative total of 90mins, through mainly substitute cameos, my own target for him was a total closer to 500 by the end of January 2019.

A way forward here may come in the shape of the departed Alan Judge, who at last moved on for regular football and a chance to rebuild his career at Ipswich Town FC.

Judge made a number of appearances both starting and as a substitute playing from the left wing, with injuries clearlyy forcing Franks hand. This never really worked and always seemed to be an obvious error in deployment.

Wing play in the system of 433 is as much about pressing and the wide men having the ability to keep defenders and the opposition winger pinned in their own half, as it is to be creative and able to travel with the ball, whilst linking with central attackers.

Dasilva, a central midfielder by trade, would have been far more effective than Judge playing from the left flank, even though it doesn’t appear to be his natural position. But do we need to move away from pigeonholing players to fixed positions, instead looking at their qualities and then using them in areas on the pitch to solve tactical problems?

Again, would the season look a little different if Dasilvas qualities, such his ability to run with the ball, his pace, quick feet and superior play out of possession were played out wide, instead of a Judge, whose own assets now point to a player needing to be deployed centrally?

Over 800 minutes of Alan Judge out wide felt like an own goal by Frank, but he’ll no doubt have had his reasons and as Canos now firmly provides backup as the first tactical wide sub, Dasilva will now support Sawyers and Mokotjo in the central positions in his hunt for experience and league minutes.

At the end of January 2019, there’s a new found balance to the side and much has to do with a fit Rico Henry.

We’re seeing a player thriving in a Left Wing Back role perfectly suited to his qualities. We’re no longer witness to the left hand width being provided by the right foot of Odubajo or the slightly slower Barbet and it’s contributing both offensively and defensively, with Rico assisting, scoring and posting good defensive numbers.

It really is poetry for him on the left as the opposition struggle to adapt their own shape to contain his attacking game in possession and late runs providing extra width.

If he can complete another 1000+ minutes in 18/19, Brentford’s season will only be looking further upwards.

Frank’s start and poor run of results felt worse than they were, a side trying to do the right things but struggling with change on and off the field. Lacking in confidence, as anything they tried resulted in the opposition finding the net, the only way out of this slump was through reassurances from Thomas Frank and continuing to be as positive as possible.

The positivity was consistent through the attacking play of Maupay, Benrahma and Watkins, rivalled by most clubs in the league, with the latter two finally offering Maupay the kind of attacking support one of the best forwards at this level deserves.

Of players in the Championship to complete over 1000mins, Benrahma averages the most shots p90 minutes this season. His accuracy and choice of shooting location needs to improve but this is certainly a clear sign, along with one of the highest averages for touches in the oppositions box p90, that Brentford have one of the best creative attackers in the league.

His assist count is sure to rise and if you can find the market, Benrahma for most Championship assists in 18/19 looks a good bet.

Distributed minutes come the end of the season may move in a different trajectory to the one they’re currently on. And with the January transfer window not yet shut, there could be new names added to the Brentford list, but done so with haste, as players can also depart.

Evolution is the thought for now, as it’s that’s the cycle in which the success of the entire process is measured. Can you successfully evolve beyond the lost minutes, turning those exits into positives and increase ways of making sure performance is maximised and points are mainly gained?

After an unwarranted start, Thomas Frank and Brentford are for now showing that they’re again able to do so and compete.

So it’s through more and more cycles of time that you ever get to review the true impact of all the minutes lost.