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Brentford (a) Premier League
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Date: Saturday 26th February 2022, 3pm Venue: Brentford Community Stadium
Conditions: Dazzling |
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Brentford |
Newcastle |
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0 - 2 |
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| Half time: | 0 - 2 | |
| Score Sheet: | ||
Joelinton (33)
 Willock (44) |
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Teams |
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Raya |
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| Substitutes: | ||
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(52) Eriksen for
Jensen (62) Toney for Wissa (72) Canos for Ajer |
Guimaraes for Murphy (64) Lascelles for Willock (83) Almiron for Fraser (90) |
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| Subs not used: | ||
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Ghoddos Onyeka M.Jorgensen Baptiste Roerslve Lossl |
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Dummett Fernandez Manquillo Darlow Gayle S.Longstaff |
| Bookings: | ||
Ajer
Janelt
Mbuemo |
Dubravka
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| Dismissals: | ||
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None | |
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Referee:
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Attendance:
17,039 including a
sold-out 1,713 away followers - the smallest allocation we've
received in the Premier League since travelling to Eddie Howe's
Bournemouth when only 1,360 places were made available.
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Goals |
33
mins
Ryan Fraser found space on the United
left to ping over a precise cross for Joelinton to rise above Kristoffer Ajer
and majestically power home a header at the West End of the ground.
The goalscorer ran the length of the field to share his celebration
with the celebrating hordes at the opposite end of the ground.
1-0
44 mins
A swift counter attack following a
Brentford corner saw Fabian Schar outwit an opponent on the halfway line
before advancing forward. He then delayed his through ball until Joe Willock
sprinted forward infield, taking possession before stylishly and confidently hammering
the ball
home.
Exactly why the Swiss central defender was the furthest man forward is
unclear, but his touch and pass were supreme.
2-0
Half time: Bees 0 Magpies 2
Full time: Bees 0 Magpies 2
An increasingly familiar post-match pose - note Trippier
on
crutches and the Little & Large Fraser/Burn combo yet again
We Said |
Eddie Howe said:
"We are on a really
good run: the spirit is high and confidence is returning to the
players, but we have tough fixtures ahead and aren't taking anything
for granted.
"I'm really, really pleased with
our response to the red card, because, as we saw in our game against
Norwich, it doesn’t guarantee you anything.
"We knew we’d have a lot of the
ball, and it was about our quality and ability to break them down.
"I'm never satisfied in this moment because the season is still all
to fight for. I don't think me being delirious is going to help in
anyway.
"I stay very calm through the
good and bad, but my big search is for improvement and it will be
until I leave the club.
"I wanted a bit more control with the extra man, I wanted us to be
more dominant, I wanted us to create more. With the ball I think we
have to improve.
"It's going to be tight right till the end. We don't want to be involved, we want to elevate ourselves away from trouble as quickly as possible, but there's no guarantee on that.
"We're in a really good run of
form, we want to maintain this for as long as possible, but we have
some tough fixtures to come."
Ryan Fraser on working with Eddie Howe:
"It's been unbelievable, There was a lot of talk when I left
Bournemouth but we've always kept a good relationship and the type
of manager and person he is - he's come in and changed everything.
"Philosophy, togetherness, team spirit - every little thing you can
think of, he came in and changed. From walking into the training
ground and seeing things up on the wall that inspire you in the
morning.
"Honestly I could keep you here for days to tell you what he's
changed and it's been absolutely brilliant. The lads have taken to
it and not looked back really.
"There is a belief we can win when we got out on that pitch. No one
questions it, we all get our jobs and he's putting us out there to
win the game. The lads are feeling unbelievable - I can't tell you
how hard it is to go seven games unbeaten in the Premier League.
"Getting back-to-back wins is hard enough but to go seven unbeaten
and winning four of them is unbelievable from where we'd been. You
get the top six teams who will struggle to be seven unbeaten
sometimes; it's brilliant and the lads are buzzing for it.
"I don't think the red card changed the game; before the red card we
dominated and had chances. I think it makes it harder because they
sit in even more but the lads stood up to it, getting the two goals
before half time.
"The gaffer told us to try and win by three or four, but 2-0 a clean
sheet in the Premier League and getting three points with the fans
buzzing is all that matters!"
They Said |
Thomas Frank said:
About the sending off:
"I think it was very easy. I just wanted to get a bit more knowledge
about the red card. I understand why it can be given.
"I'm not saying it's completely wrong, but it's hard to accept that
randomness in football. It's not like he's flying into the tackle, he
steps in to try to get his body in front.
"We went to a 4-3-2 and tried to defend well. It's a bit of good play
from Newcastle for the first goal, but we still need to defend better at
the back stick. The disappointing thing is the second goal, I think we
can avoid that.
"I must praise the players for mentality, effort and character. For me,
it was a coincidental red card in a random situation."
Home and away fans joined together in a standing ovation when Eriksen made his Bees debut and a playing return that
had scarcely seemed possible. The Dane had last faced Newcastle when
playing for Spurs in August 2019.
The parallels with today were many and various: Eriksen appears as a second
half sub, Joelinton scores the first goal, Newcastle win to nil on their PL
debut in a new ground, the sun shines and Mike Dean is the match referee.
About Eriksen:
"I think for everyone in football it was a big moment. He got a big
reception from the Newcastle fans and all our fans, and it was big for
Christian and his family.
"It was nice to see and hopefully now he can talk with his feet and
speak only about football.
"I've been privileged to see him in training over the last three weeks,
and you saw some glimpses of brilliance here, the balls in behind, some
of the passing.
"I'm convinced 100% he will help us going forward, He's a top,
top player and he's going to add a lot of value to our team."
Eriksen himself said:
"If you take away the result, I'm one happy man. To go through what I've
been through, being back is a wonderful feeling.
"Now I want to get the feeling and touch back, that football feeling,
and then to help Brentford stay in the Premier League."
Stats |
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2021/22 won 2-0
Joelinton, Willock
Following a draw at Brighton and defeat at Liverpool, there was a
successful third competitive airing for the blue change
strip. |
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Waffle |
First half goals from Joelinton and Joe Willock gave United three
priceless points at a sun-drenched Brentford Community Stadium on Saturday -
raising them above the Bees to the dizzy heights of 14th.
Newcastle were aided by an 11th minute red card for Josh Dasilva;
punished for a stamp on Matt Targett's ankle, confirmed by referee Mike
Dean after he reviewed the footage at pitchside (although the
whistler had initially awarded the Bees a free kick).
Clad in their blue change kit, Newcastle dominated the play and
Chris Wood came close to a debut goal before Joelinton expertly
dispatched Ryan Fraser's 33rd minute cross from the left - a
tangible return after a run of games when he has been nothing short
of magnificent since changing position.
One pub debate over big Joe being the best example of a Magpie
changing position was met with our counter-offer of Steve Howey from
going from a Second Division striker to an England defender, but
it's a close-run thing.
(Given our disdain for Fraser for much of his time on Tyneside, it's
arguable whether his transformation from shirker to worker this
season isn't actually a greater reinvention than that of the £40m
man...)
After Jonjo Shelvey had sent a first time effort whistling
narrowly over the crossbar, United doubled their lead just before
the break when Fabian Schar set up Willock to grab his second goal
in as many games.
Despite being unable to score a third goal after the break while
attacking a jubilant away section, the Magpies saw out the remainder of the
game without any serious threats to their own goal,
Having switched from their perennial 3-5-2 to 4-3-3 to try and
contain their in-form visitors, a Brentford side with just a single
point from seven games were forced into a 4-3-2 by the dismissal.
And that proved to be a perfect scenario for United; Targett and
Fraser repeatedly finding space down the left and the full twice
getting into the Brentford box to test the goalkeeper.
Another two headed efforts from Wood - one wide and one saved -
extended his goal-less start to life at United, but playing with a
conventional set-up means that he's unbeaten in the PL since
changing clubs. And like the fee for Dan Burn one could argue that
in the bigger scheme of things that already represents money well
spent in the quest to avoid relegation.
We're only too well aware this season of the dangers of being so on
top but failing to score the goals that dominance suggested, so
there was great delight in establishing a two goal advantage before
the break - Willock's flawless finish bizarrely reminiscent of a
Laurent Robert goal at Boro many years ago to these beer-stained
eyes.
And although Brentford improved once Eriksen and fit-again Ivan
Toney appeared, it was too little, too late:
Martin Dubravka's major involvement a routine stop in the closing
seconds.
Victory extended our unbeaten Premier League run to
seven games - the best run of form in the top flight since back in 2011 under Alan Pardew.
It remains to be seen whether a fantastic February that brought
three victories and a draw for his side lands Howe with what
would be his first PL Manager of the Month accolade since October
2018.
What is more than evident though is that he's earned the gratitude
of the Geordie Nation; restoring a connection with their team and
making the matchday experience pleasurable again.
Biffa
This report is dedicated to the Denholm family, who have endured the loss
of two generations of Newcastle supporters this season; Tom passing away
last October and his son David last week. David (left) and Tom (right) are
pictured above in happier times with Andrew Horwood.
Here's a re-phrased version of David's 2021 eulogy to his father:
“Maybe one day we will actually win a cup. In the unlikely event that
ever happens they’ll definitely be smiling, they’ll definitely be cheering
and they’ll definitely be buying us a drink and they both will always be in
the seat next to us.”