A brief match view

[Russell]

Stoke had the better of the first half, we had the second. The crucial point of the match was the way we didn't cope with Stoke's 4-3-1-2 formation, with #22 Gunn-wot's-his-face playing the link role just behind two front men. Hunt was detailed to man-marked him but only really followed him all over the pitch, leaving our left flank wide open for their #7. When #22 stayed central, no one really picked him up and he collected just about every loose ball and gave Stoke what rugby people call good "second-phase ball".

Man of the match according to the patronising MC was a Stoke defender. Hmmm. They didn't "dominate" us so much that an offensive player won the award then?

When we played our own game in the second half we were pretty much on top but we didn't score and the damage was already done. Brentford did their best today inspite of all the sh*t going on around them and for that they - players, coaching staff and office people - deserve huge praise.

As usual, I'm proud to be a Bees supporter and will be back in D-block (not moaning) next season.

Come On You Bees

 

[JimP]

Good summary Russell. As for the appalling negative post by Gaz_Thomas elsewhere, I'll put it down to post-match disappointment and give it the contempt it deserves.

All the players gave evrything for this game (same as they have all season). A few of them weren't as effective as we (and they) would have liked - it happens, that's football. But none of them should be criticised. They've achieved more this season than any of us had any right to expect.

I thought there was little difference between the two sides overall. In fact their keeper made more saves than Smitty. I can only recall 3 shots on goal from Stoke, unfortunately 2 of them went in. Two pieces of sloppy defending gave the game away, and from set pieces where we normally do well. They defended better than we did - end of story.

So it's ultimately been a cruel season. Promotion being snatched away from us twice is pretty hard to take. But, like Russell, I'll be there again next season. Don't know what sort of team I'll be watching, but if it gives as much as this one has it'll be as much as we can ask for.

Well done to all the team and the manager and coaches. Hope to see at least some of you again in August.

YYYYOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUU BBEEEEEEESSSSSSSS

 

[moribee]

Well i was in tears at final whistle as were a few other hardened old lags from the Braemar,but I was and still am very proud of my Club and will always wear that badge with pride even when being ejected,dejected or just plain disraught.What disgusted me today was the amount of our supporters that just upped and left before the end an dcouldnt stay to pay homage to one of the finest bunch of lads I have seen over the years.I was proud and stayed in Cardiff til 6 oclock cos I wanted to show I was proud.
WELL DONE BEES and now for next year,just love my Club

 

[country bee]

Whatever happened yesterday, during the season the lads made me proud to be a Brentford fan. Tho I didn't get into the crying part I wore my shades with ten to go as it hid the tears that were welling up. As for fans staying I too noticed how many were keen to leave as soon as the final whistle was blown. I stayed and applauded for as long as I could but had to meet the people whom I'd only met the day before to get my lift back. We'll be back!

 

[PAZ]

The match was sh*t. They were sh*t, we were sh*tter, and the referee was even worse.

That's my summary.

 

[Jimbee]

At last (apart from PAZ) some reality.

We wouldn't have been at this game at all yesterday had the players not worn themselves into the ground getting us there. We have (had?) a manager who IMO is better than any other in the land.

We had no right to be in a play off place let alone challenging for automatic promotion.

And whilst the supporters were leaving in droves eager to get back and slag off the players who are leaving the club for lack of effort, those same players were on the pitch crying their eyes out because it all meant so much to them.

There's very little 'thanks for the effort' and too much 'so and so was sh1t' on here for my liking, as I knew there would be so I don't know why I've come on here to trawl through the crap as I've even more p1ssed off now.

But from me, Paul Evans, Lloyd Owusu, Ivar and of course Steve Coppell plus any others that may have to move on, a BIG thank you from the bottom of my heart, you have given so much enjoyment over the last 9 months and I'm as sorry for you as I am for myself that you couldn't quite finish the job off.

GOOD LUCK and FAREWELL!

 

[LancasterBee]

As above, somewhere to post my thoughts away from the "slagging offs" elsewhere;

As my wife tells me, this time last year I told her that most of the team and the manager would be leaving and we would be in for a bad season; as it turned out, we so nearly achieved promotion against all odds and despite our lack of resources;

I salute SC for what he has done with such a small squad of true first-teamers over 49 (yes 49) games; at least 2 of whom (BBB and Rowly) have seemingly not been match fit over the last few weeks; perhaps for me the crucial momment was when Pardew put on Cureton to join Forster and Butler- oh if only SC had had that back-up;

I salute the players, who I feel have given their all this season; they have played at a level any of us could have expected or, indeed hoped for, 12 months ago; to me there was nothing apart from a little luck between the sides yesterday and bears no comparison to the LDV;

I salute you lot the week in week out fans; those guys that head up to Oldham and Blackpool and other places for midweek games in the pouring rain and give it your all; despite what others may suggest, we are are never going to have a huge following even for the big games but the support I've seen at the matches I've got to has been terrific

There were tears from my young children at the Stadium, as there were after the Reading game, and again last night- they've never really known a Brentford team without Owusu, Evans etc- but we move on, and the oldest has still packed his Brentford rather than his England kit to wear for football tomorrow;

Forever Brentford

 

[Jimbee]

Originally posted by LancasterBee:
...to me there was nothing apart from a little luck between the sides yesterday and bears no comparison to the LDV....

I couldn't agree more.

 

[JimP]

Originally posted by moribee:
What disgusted me today was the amount of our supporters that just upped and left before the end an dcouldnt stay to pay homage to one of the finest bunch of lads I have seen over the years.

The guy in front of me spent the whole match "standing up if you love Brentford" and being "Brentford til I die" etc etc, then five minutes before the end of normal time, him and his wife upped and left.

Perhaps we need some new songs - how about:
"Walk out if you love Brentford" or "I'm Brentford til 5 minutes before the end" ?

 

[ChinaBee]

Best thread so far on the game. Just watched it on video and we really were so superior in the second half but just didn't have their luck.
The two killer goals in the first half were down to bad luck and us not playing are normal push game.
As I've said before anyone would have taken this game (and probably result) at the start of the season, not saying it doesn't hurt it still does (actually more this morning than it did yesterday) but reality is that we had a great season from a great bunch of 'lads'

Good luck to those who leave you have done us proud.

 

[Muswell Hill-bee-lly]

Agree with most of this thread.

I stayed and applauded the lads and Sir Steve, I did think that his waving response looked rather final. In fact, and maybe I'm a masochist, I stayed to watch Stoke presented the the tin pot, but had leave in a hurry when they started playing Delilah over the P.A.

I think only the most potty optimist would have been able to believe at the beginning of the season that we could have been 13 mins from promotion. The lads and Sir Steve have performed abolute miracles and I'm absolutely gutted for them.

The reason we got to this play off final was fortress Griffin Park. So to have any chance of surviving next year we have to make sure that the same happens. The only we way we can have any influence on this is by turning up to the games and making our support heard.

Yoooouuuuuuu Rrrrreeeeeeedddss

 

[finchbee]

I agree that neither side looked good. But we did not play with any pride !!

 

[Brickie Chap]

We cocked up at the end but we had one of the best seasons I can remember.

For that , SC and the boys

THANK YOU

Pround to be a BEE, always will, no matter what league we play in

COME ON YOU BEES

 

['Ayes B]

The stats in the paper say the we

• had more shots on target than Stoke
• had more shots off target than Stoke
• Coceded less fouls than stoke
• Forced more corners than Stoke
• Had less off sides than Stoke

Stoke didn't look like scoring, there was no real back to the wall pressure, they were just two soft goals (no blame apportioned). Brentford looked like scoring - It was the Stoke fans who were nervous.

I guess that at the end of the day we were just unlucky. If only eh

 

[nick logan]

Originally posted by LancasterBee:
As above, somewhere to post my thoughts away from the "slagging offs" elsewhere;

As my wife tells me, this time last year I told her that most of the team and the manager would be leaving and we would be in for a bad season; as it turned out, we so nearly achieved promotion against all odds and despite our lack of resources;

I salute SC for what he has done with such a small squad of true first-teamers over 49 (yes 49) games; at least 2 of whom (BBB and Rowly) have seemingly not been match fit over the last few weeks; perhaps for me the crucial momment was when Pardew put on Cureton to join Forster and Butler- oh if only SC had had that back-up;

I salute the players, who I feel have given their all this season; they have played at a level any of us could have expected or, indeed hoped for, 12 months ago; to me there was nothing apart from a little luck between the sides yesterday and bears no comparison to the LDV;

I salute you lot the week in week out fans; those guys that head up to Oldham and Blackpool and other places for midweek games in the pouring rain and give it your all; despite what others may suggest, we are are never going to have a huge following even for the big games but the support I've seen at the matches I've got to has been terrific

There were tears from my young children at the Stadium, as there were after the Reading game, and again last night- they've never really known a Brentford team without Owusu, Evans etc- but we move on, and the oldest has still packed his Brentford rather than his England kit to wear for football tomorrow;

Forever Brentford

SUPERB post.i think you and your boys were near me at the end.I can certainly vouch for their tears(and yours).I have never been prouder of my club and most of its fans as i was at the end of the game and after in the pubs.The sense of"were bees and were proud of it"was amazing and to see so many tears was heartbreaking.This is a special club and now is not the time to look back,but to look forward and try to save this club.Something so special just has to survive and please God,hopefully eventually prosper.the sight of blokes with their young families so upset was terrible and you and your boys hugging at the end will live with me always.The bit about your son packing his bees shirt nearly started me off again,but it is his love for our club that we all shuld share and then this club will go on.
always brentford and always proud.

 

[PAZ]

A major point we're overlooking is that Stoke had so few chances because they didn't need to create them.
In the second half, they didn't bother doing anything other than trying to contain us.
All very frustrating...

However, I apologise for my previous post and agree that we've got to look at the season rather than one bad match, but when that match is so important, it is very very frustrating.

As a younger Bees' fan, I've never seen them in the first, I've seen them lose to Crewe, to Port Vale, and to Stoke, and get relegated (ok, we won the 3rd, but personally I didn't find that the joy of that cancelled out the pain of being relegated - after all, most of the nation doesn't care about the third!)

Anyway, well done to all the boys this season.
Please think carefully before any of you leave.

Come on Brentford!

 

[moribee]

Nice post Nick,makes me realise how dull the next few weeks will be cos its the one time when you need to see like minded people.Lets work together and support our team lads>LONG LIVE THE BEES

 

[Jimbee]

Originally posted by finchbee:
But we did not play with any pride !!

This is probably the most meaningless sentence I have ever read on this board.

 

[dbee]

C'mon, where did we expect to be last august. for my part fighting it out with Bury & Cambridge. I've spent 20+ years watching the Bees and this was a fantastic season where we scrapped for every point and every player looked better than we thought they could ever be. The market is soft and even good players are going to be available to a good manager for less than those that leave us. Let's look back with disappointment but pride as well at a great season, and stick together for another one next year. I hated that feeling on Sunday but I'm stuck with Brentford so I'm determined to make the best of it. When's the pre season with Hampton & richmond? We'll be there.

 

[Bee H]

Personally feel that a long, long season took its toll on a very young squad. One game too many, they looked knackered after Reading and 'uddersfield x 2.

It still really, really hurts as to how close we were to Div. 1 with a superb young squad on the verge of possible greatness.

Performance of the year from a player was Gavin Mahon as sweeper in the 2nd half against Cardiff, what would have happened against Reading if he was still here ?

Northampton away where we lost 1-0 but had Sir Evo, Gavin and Llloyd on the bench Imagine if they'd started the game ?

Jason Price going knocked a lot of stuffing out of the players and Manager, a very good player who could have helped ?

It still really, really hurts