Thomas Frank

[jbee]

After TF's difficult start I was wondering how his results compare with others who have had a poor start MD didn't win for 9 matches I think, but got 4 draws?
Best start I would think was Martin Allen?

Dijkhuizen won at Bristol in his second league game.

 

[OhBeehave]

Dinkhuizen won at Bristol in his second league game.

And a home win v Preston in his seventh.

 

[Lionel Bart-At]

My brain automatically reads that in Armando Ianucci's voice due to his love of the phrase Thomas the W*nk Engine.

When he's scouring the transfer market he becomes Thomas the search engine.

 

[Beat Poet]

After TF's difficult start I was wondering how his results compare with others who have had a poor start MD didn't win for 9 matches I think, but got 4 draws?
Best start I would think was Martin Allen?

Scott Fitzgerald had a dire start, one draw from his first six games, before winning his seventh.

 

[Adam]

Dijkhuizen won at Bristol in his second league game.

We shouldn’t have won that game. We looked like we were going to get a hiding up until the red.

Frank had the reverse luck against them this time round I guess.

 

[Guildford Bee]

After TF's difficult start I was wondering how his results compare with others who have had a poor start MD didn't win for 9 matches I think, but got 4 draws?
Best start I would think was Martin Allen?

Marinus won two of his nine - Bristol City and Preston.

He also took four points from his first two games (none of them deserved, mind).

 

[WARFIELD BEE]

Marinus won two of his nine - Bristol City and Preston.

He also took four points from his first two games (none of them deserved, mind).

He did a fair bit better than I thought.

 

[nick logan]

It will all come good.

COYR

 

[chizbee]

It will all come good.

COYR

Hopefully starting this Saturday!

 

[GP200]

It will all come good.

COYR

...............exactly..............

 

[malagakid]

Frank said within the 4-3-3 structure he’s working on the pressure with the 8 pressing forward more than the wingers coming from the outside. Will be interesting to see how that works today.

 

[Holysmit]

Frank said within the 4-3-3 structure he’s working on the pressure with the 8 pressing forward more than the wingers coming from the outside. Will be interesting to see how that works today.

I dont think it is working it seems to have slowed us down and one of our main assest was playing with pace.

 

[Bigbee]

I dont think it is working it seems to have slowed us down and one of our main assest was playing with pace.

But our wingers havent beeen getting behind the defence

 

[malagakid]

I dont think it is working it seems to have slowed us down and one of our main assest was playing with pace.

We haven’t been playing with pace for most of season. Frank said he tweaked this first time at Norwich.

 

[jlove]

We played with more pace than we ever did for the first 3 or 4 games but our wide attackers seem to want to slow things down now.

 

[FlyBee]

Maybe we are missing Woods more than DS.

 

[andyrew]

The player we were missing at Norwich was Josh Merlin...er McEachran. When he came in our midfield looked classy. I'd have started with the wizard

 

[jlove]

No use him moving the ball quickly if those in front aren’t moving, though.

 

[Alan D]

Maybe we are missing Woods more than DS.

I'm pretty sure that you are right.

 

[Dazza]

Maybe we are missing Woods more than DS.

I'm pretty sure that you are right.

Not like he was key to the first few games when we were playing at a much higher pace.

 

[jlove]

Not like he was key to the first few games when we were playing at a much higher pace.

He generally slowed things down, though. Nothing to see here.

 

[Cham]

Pleased that he got his first win for us today..

 

[Simon W]

Pleased that he got his first win for us today..

I second that .. really pleased for him! .. again a very articulate post match interview on Radio London

 

[sonnyjim]

Pleased for him??

 

[Isleworth_Bee]

Great decision to drop Watkins and hopefully that gives him the kick up the backside he needs.

Pleased for TF. Now become a Bees legend and bring home three points next week please Thomas.

 

[Lionel Bart-At]

Great decision to drop Watkins and hopefully that gives him the kick up the backside he needs.

Pleased for TF. Now become a Bees legend and bring home three points next week please Thomas.

Not sure he needed a kick up the backside, just a rest and a fresh start. Coming on as sub against a tiring defence was just what the doctor ordered today, and enabled him to make the impact the team needed, boosting his confidence into the bargain.

 

[sonofabee]

Not sure he needed a kick up the backside, just a rest and a fresh start. Coming on as sub against a tiring defence was just what the doctor ordered today, and enabled him to make the impact the team needed, boosting his confidence into the bargain.

Let’s not forget he’s been carrying an injury

 

[Lionel Bart-At]

Let’s not forget he’s been carrying an injury

Also true. Looked really sharp today. Really lookibg forward to seeing the replay of his goal. Quality interchange.

 

[Mick.C]

Frank has his best nights sleep for two weeks.
A win is the solution to any fears or problems.
A win with a return to the fast free flowing football of the sunshine days of August is a statement of normal service has resumed.
Positives today
Watkins been benched. Good call got the reaction when Ollie was introduced later on with the winner.
Moses in for Barbet.
Thomas tweaked it as he said, the front 3 moved and interchanged at pace.
Introduction of Da Silva - even the cameo of Judge, right subs.
Brentford got their mojo back with their best performance in six weeks.
Frank watch 3 weeks in was a good one. Waves and claps to the New Road with a confident stride towards the Ealing.
Thomas looked at home today. Our Professor passed his his first big test.
I expect the ‘lucky’ brown suede shoes to be kept on for the local Derby next week !

 

[JANORAK]

No Brentford Manager has started with 4 defeats.... Thankfully that’s still the case for Thomas.
Well done, and let’s Scoop some Poop next week.

 

[psg150]

A good performance yesterday, especially second half. However, I do worry that there was clearly no plan for how to deal with the pressure at goal kicks. When it became apparent that the short option was limited we resorted to suicidal risk taking or hopeless punts. On a number of occasions you could see the players arguing about it.

There may be no easy solution but we need to have a plan in place and everyone should know how we are approaching it cos it'll happen again.

 

[Bigbee]

A good performance yesterday, especially second half. However, I do worry that there was clearly no plan for how to deal with the pressure at goal kicks. When it became apparent that the short option was limited we resorted to suicidal risk taking or hopeless punts. On a number of occasions you could see the players arguing about it.

There may be no easy solution but we need to have a plan in place and everyone should know how we are approaching it cos it'll happen again.

Can it really be that difficult to train the team to deal with two tall attackers standing on the edge of the penalty area ? Pretty basic stuff from the oppo

 

[sonofabee]

Can it really be that difficult to train the team to deal with two tall attackers standing on the edge of the penalty area ? Pretty basic stuff from the oppo

So what do you suggest, we defended as high as we could but unsure how you outjump a player 3 or 4 inches taller?

 

[The Pipe]

A good performance yesterday, especially second half. However, I do worry that there was clearly no plan for how to deal with the pressure at goal kicks. When it became apparent that the short option was limited we resorted to suicidal risk taking or hopeless punts. On a number of occasions you could see the players arguing about it.

There may be no easy solution but we need to have a plan in place and everyone should know how we are approaching it cos it'll happen again.

Mentioned this on a previous thread and it is an area we need to address, however when we are “ on song” and all the players are confident we will collect the ball from Dan irrespective of the pressure from the opponents. Can’t see any change but we do need to be able to mix it up a bit better, perhaps a long throw rather than a hapless kick to our midget forwards!!!!!

 

[jlove]

Can it really be that difficult to train the team to deal with two tall attackers standing on the edge of the penalty area ? Pretty basic stuff from the oppo

It wasn't so much their front two lumps on our centre backs, as our centre backs were quicker and better ball players, it was that they also pressed up centrally onto Josh and also Romaine when he dropped back to receive the ball, so the out-ball wasn't there at all. Millwall wanted us to punt it long and closed off all the other avenues; we just need to be mobile and confident to play the ball our way.

 

[sonofabee]

Mentioned this on a previous thread and it is an area we need to address, however when we are “ on song” and all the players are confident we will collect the ball from Dan irrespective of the pressure from the opponents. Can’t see any change but we do need to be able to mix it up a bit better, perhaps a long throw rather than a hapless kick to our midget forwards!!!!!

No player up top with height as an out first half was a problem.

 

[mhead bee]

Let’s not forget he’s been carrying an injury

And even when he is off form he still scores.

 

[jlove]

As an observation, it was interesting to see Dalsgaard, when they got free kicks on our right – when you'd expect Henrik to be on the near post – he went straight over to our left to mark their centre back. The training must have been for man-to-man marking, our best headers against theirs.

 

[sonofabee]

And even when he is off form he still scores.

Exactly, our lack of options up top means we need him in every squad. Neal on 4 bookings and a month to go before they are cancelled means Ollie at 50% still needed.
Happy if we keep him as impact sub for a a bit to give him time to recover until we have to start him?

 

[mhead bee]

A good performance yesterday, especially second half. However, I do worry that there was clearly no plan for how to deal with the pressure at goal kicks. .

The plan is to keep looking for gaps to play it out, if we can't do that then try to hit Henrick out wide as he has some height. Failing that just whack it to their CB's for a free header.

If anybody has another idea I am sure they would be pleased to hear it.

Whichever of the above they choose the groans will be heard from the Braemar so they can't win whatever they do.

 

[mhead bee]

As an observation, it was interesting to see Dalsgaard, when they got free kicks on our right – when you'd expect Henrik to be on the near post – he went straight over to our left to mark their centre back. The training must have been for man-to-man marking, our best headers against theirs.

But oddly we had moses marking their 6 foot 9 CB.

 

[mhead bee]

Exactly, our lack of options up top means we need him in every squad. Neal on 4 bookings and a month to go before they are cancelled means Ollie at 50% still needed.
Happy if we keep him as impact sub for a a bit to give him time to recover until we have to start him?

Agreed.

With Sergi and Said both hitting top form we finally have options to bring top quality off the bench.

 

[CTBee]

As an observation, it was interesting to see Dalsgaard, when they got free kicks on our right – when you'd expect Henrik to be on the near post – he went straight over to our left to mark their centre back. The training must have been for man-to-man marking, our best headers against theirs.

From corners we leave our three best headers of the ball (Mepham, Konsa, Dalsgaard) free to mark ‘zones’ and ask our smaller players to play man to man.

I thought it worked well yesterday. I can’t remember them creating a clear chance direct from a set piece.

 

[jlove]

But oddly we had moses marking their 6 foot 9 CB.

Maybe, as CTBee posted, it was zonal but Henrik was certainly way wide on our left where their main threats were running in from; I'd never noticed that before. Is it the influence of Riemer?

 

[alikat]

No player up top with height as an out first half was a problem.

Playing da Silva might help from goalkicks as he's 5'11" according to wikipedia, but I have no idea how good a header of the ball he is. I know that 5'11" isn't especially tall, but it's certainly taller than our other forwards and midfielders (apart from Ollie, who's also 5'11").

 

[sonofabee]

Playing da Silva might help from goalkicks as he's 5'11" according to wikipedia, but I have no idea how good a header of the ball he is.

I’m sure Da Silva will get his chance to start before too long and he looks a big unit to me.

 

[psg150]

The plan is to keep looking for gaps to play it out, if we can't do that then try to hit Henrick out wide as he has some height. Failing that just whack it to their CB's for a free header.

If anybody has another idea I am sure they would be pleased to hear it.

Whichever of the above they choose the groans will be heard from the Braemar so they can't win whatever they do.

In the last 20 mins when Watkins was on they condensed the pitch and played for him or dalsgaard hoping to disrupt and win the second ball from goal kicks which worked much better as a plan B.

My concern was not having the best plan but having clarity about what they are doing if the short pass option doesn't work.

For a man as thorough as TF it seemed odd to have players not knowing what to do.

 

[sid]

I'm still convinced we need a big tall striker on the bench, just for occasions like this.

 

[jlove]

I'm still convinced we need a big tall striker on the bench, just for occasions like this.

Could a big tall striker have done what Neal did yesterday?

 

[Lionel Bart-At]

Playing da Silva might help from goalkicks as he's 5'11" according to wikipedia, but I have no idea how good a header of the ball he is. I know that 5'11" isn't especially tall, but it's certainly taller than our other forwards and midfielders (apart from Ollie, who's also 5'11").

Da Silva looked bigger than that to me.