30 November 2024
Brentford 4 Leicester 1
Thomas Frank’s side have one of the most impressive home records in Europe this season. As they welcomed Leicester City to the Gtech Community Stadium, Ruud van Nistelrooy was watching on from the stands. He was looking to get a gauge for the size of the task he has signed up to at the King Power Stadium in agreeing to become their new manager.
The Bees have won 16 of their 17 points this season at home so far. They would be in some serious trouble if it were not for turning West London into a fortress. The Foxes carved out the first chance of the game as Buonanotte cut inside to get a shot away at the near post. Flekken got down well to make a block and collect the ball at the second time of asking.
They soon got into their stride and started to stretch Leicester at the back. As a cross came into the box, Schade rose well to head goalwards, but Hermansen made a world-class save to turn it over the crossbar. He has been one of the shining lights for The Foxes so far this season. That said, he cannot do it all on his own and van Nistelrooy has some work to do here.
Despite his age, Vardy still seems to have what is needed at this level. He made a nuisance of himself in the box before squaring it to Buonanotte. Against the run of play, he stroked into an empty net to give the visitors the lead. It was their first real attack and they had punished Brentford with it. The Leicester owner and their new manager were enjoying what they were seeing out on the pitch now.
Damsgaard has been in phenomenal form for The Bees this season. He threaded a pass in between The Foxes’ defence for Schade to run on to. The German squared the ball for Wissa to slot home and get the hosts back on level terms. It was all too easy. This is one of the main problems the new manager has to address. You will not survive in the top-flight if sides are opening you up like this.
Leicester were reduced to ten men after a coming together between keeper and defender. Brentford took full advantage as they kept their foot on the gas. The ball broke to Schade in the box, whose scuffed effort ended in the back of the net, beating Hermansen for height. In the space of four minutes, the hosts had turned this game on its head.
As Leicester failed to identify the problems in the middle of the park, they allowed Damsgaard to dictate play. The Dane played another pass through the eye of a needle to pick out Schade once again. The attacker took his chance well and doubled the lead for Thomas Frank’s side. Some real food for thought for van Nistelrooy, sat up in the stands for this one.
Who knows who was giving the half-time team talks for The Foxes. Whoever it was, their words had fallen on deaf ears. The second-half continued in the same vein. The visitors were not tracking their runners and The Bees were finding it all too easy to get in behind them. Collins turned provider as he fed it to Mbuemo, his cross being headed over by the dangerous Damsgaard.
When Brentford get their passing game in full flow, they are very easy on the eye. Especially when facing a Leicester team who part like the Red Sea. Collins threaded a ball into the path of Schade and the man making a rare first-team appearance, sealed his hat-trick with still half an hour of the game to play. Mentally, The Foxes looked well beaten at this stage.
Schade became only the second Brentford player to score a Premier League hat-trick. The other was Ivan Toney. Frank had the chance to rotate his squad at this point with a busy fixture schedule ahead. Carvalho tried to bend one in the far corner but Hermansen was equal to it. Lord only knows what The Foxes’ goal difference would be if wasn’t for their goalkeeper.
Van Nistelrooy will take charge of his first game at home against West Ham on Tuesday. It probably is the perfect fixture at the moment. Two teams who seem completely devoid of the ability to defend. It could be some watch for the neutral. The Foxes will be hoping for the usual honeymoon period you see when a new manager takes over.
For Brentford, if they could find some form on the road, people would be talking about European football. As it stands it is keeping them safe and away from the clutches of the bottom three. One thing is for sure, The Bees seem to be coping well with the departure of Toney. They seem to have goals coming from all over the park now.
They moved up to eighth in the table, which considering all their points have come at home bar a solitary draw, is some achievement. Thomas Frank’s side love playing in West London, it is just the rest of the country they need to work on. Damsgaard is starting to turn into the player Brentford always thought he would be. The pair are blossoming together well.
As for the visitors, at this point of the season, it is hard to see how they are going to survive. They struggle to score goals and are conceding regularly. The owners may need to heavily invest in the January transfer window if they are going to change that. Too much of this team still looks a Championship side, not good enough to take on the demands of the top-flight.
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