Brentford v Bournemouth

[AFCB_Mark]

Battle of the over-achieving tinpots! And at a ground we know very well indeed, with a terrace! Very exciting indeed Like to take every chance I get to stand on a terrace, and I know Griffin Park hasn't got long left...our allocation sold out in under two days of going on sale, unheard of here.

It's also a fixture that means a bit to me, because I worked in Ealing on and off for 18 months a few years back and I know loads of Brentford fans from those days.

Fair to say Brentford and their supporters have been put through the wringer just recently following all the uncertainly with Warburton. At least there is a bit more certainty now I gather, all be it disappointing news about him leaving come the end of the season. What better way to leave your mark than win promotion?! I hope Brentford can stick at it, Saturday aside.

Although a couple of defeats during the chaos has left Brentford outside the playoffs for the first time in months seemingly, it's gotten so very tight at the top. Ourselves, Derby and Boro all seem determined to stutter and the pack has bunched right up, a home win here would see Brentford only a few points behind us.

Will be interested to see Alex Pritchard, a player we had been linked with lots prior to his move to Brentford. Talented little fella. Brentford gave us a heck of a game at Dean Court early in the season, it was one of our more fortuitous wins for sure.

We have one or two issues to address. Harry Arter, our midfield terrier who has been crucial and superb for us this season - is suspended. It's an inevitable result of his aggressive style of play. We had plenty of depth in central midfield to cover this eventuality, however due to unfortunate coinciding injuries to Gosling and O'Kane, we're now rather short. Shaun MacDonald will presumably take the place because he's the only senior midfielder we have left. Unless we try something odd with the formation.

At the back Steve Cook and Tommy Elphick have hit a patch of error strewn form just recently, and the now fit again Elliott Ward is waiting for his chance. I'd be tempted to start Ward, he's a dependable if unfashionable centre half, the sort we might be more solid with.

We've just drawn consecutive home games, challenge now is how many points we can get from consecutive away games and keep involved with the automatic fight.

 

[markwwfc1992]

Sadly think all the off field drama around Brentford will put a negative effect on their team, think Bournemouth will win 3-1.

 

[Joe Sullivan]

Harry Arter- Key Midfielder suspended for this fixture.

Brentford and Bournemouth meet at Griffin Park for the first time since 2013 when the game finished 0-0 in League One.

Brentford will go into this match following a statement announcing that manager Mark Warburton will he leaving the club at the end of the season. Warburton's men have Alan Judge and James Tarkowski back to full fitness and the duo may return for this match. Jake Bidwell remains suspended and Lewis Macleod remains sidelined along with Scott Hogan.

Eddie Howe's Bournemouth will be without midfielder Harry Arter who is out through suspension after picking up his 10th yellow card of the season. Bournemouth are also without Eunan O'Kane who is sidelined for this one. This may see Shaun MacDonald or Simon Francis return to The Cherries starting 11.

Overall, this will be a tight match between two very good teams, but due to the current situation at Brentford; The Bees have also lost back to back home games. Bournemouth may go into this one as favourites and Eddie Howe's men will be ready to pounce on Brentford if the team are effected; Bournemouth have won five of their last six away matches.

Predicted Line-ups:
Brentford- Button, Odubajo, Craig, Tarkowski, McCormack, Douglas, Diagouraga, Jota, Pritchard, Dallas, Gray
Bournemouth- Boruc, Smith, Elphick, Cook, Daniels, Ritchie, Surman, MacDonald, Pugh, Wilson, Kermorgant

Brentford last six- W W L W L L (9th in the form guide)
Bournemouth last six- W L W W D D (6th in the form guide)

 

[Dazza]

Think Bournemouth will win this 2-0

 

[MagpieBee]

Tinpot vs Tinpot today. Hope Bournemouth end up doing well this season and going up, as long as they leave room for us!!

First of 3 games at home in 10 days, and after this game we have a run of quite winnable fixtures. Hoping for a good result today, based on the next 10 days we should have a much better idea how the rest of our season will pan out.

 

[MagpieBee]

1-0 to team Tinpot

 

[MagpieBee]

Great win, we were superb. Two very similar teams, hope Bournemouth do well go up this season.

Puts us right back in it with Blackpool at home on Tuesday night

 

[Saddlerrad]

This looked like brillant entertainment from the highlights. Love the fluency in which Brentford attacked. An off day for Bournemouth?

 

[Ossie]

Can't believe Eddie said that Bournemouth deserved something from the game! Brentford could have had 7.

 

[MagpieBee]

Really good game. Bournemouth could have had a couple, couple of good saves from our keeper, but I think we definitely deserved it.

To be fair, most of those highlights (at least the last 4) came in the last 5 minutes on the counter when Bournemouth were chasing the game.

If we were a bit more clinical in front of goal this season, we'd have won so many more points (though again I'm sure a lot of teams could say that)

Love the way we're playing, been our best season in a football sense that I can remember as a Bees fan, a lot of that is down to Warburton, and I hope we don't lose it after he goes. A small part of me thinks the differences can be resolved, or compromises reached, really hope so.

Quite a few winnable games in a row now, if we can put a run together we should be right back in it.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

Can't believe Eddie said that Bournemouth deserved something from the game! Brentford could have had 7.

Because we had to push forward like crazy second half, which we mostly dominated. Our over reaching in attack caused by Boruc's ineptness with the free kick just before half time, a critical time in the game.

We also hit the woodwork like Brentford, and that early save from Wilson was excellent, and a bizarre penalty denial. So yes, we could easily have had something, even a win, from the game on another day.

The game had everything! Brentford were again excellent, Pritchard the best player on the park and will surely go onto good things at Spurs. Just like at DC he ran the show.

Great to be on a terrace, loved it, will be sorry to see it go.

I thought Matt Ritchie was lucky to stay on the pitch, his late tackle/petulant kick could/should have seen a second yellow. That said Dean was immensely frustrating throughout, and let Brentford kick Fraser all over the park second half. That challenge in the box on Pitman...dear me. Dean was letting everying go, lenient to the point of almost losing control.

I thought the game was won first half with Brentford's far better start, their midfield was far superior first half and won all the second balls and 50/50s. That set the tone and gave them the platform. For all our second half huffing and puffing, had our midfield been up for it first half we wouldn't have had to go chasing the game so much.

 

[PDS]

Brentford were excellent at times yesterday, especially first half, their wide play was superb and the amount of times they managed to get in behind our back four shows why we have conceded so many this season.

However, we made it far too easy for them, the defending for the first goal was Sunday league level, and it has been noted what a howler Boruc made for their second when it looked like we were going to take an undeserved 1-1 into half time. Boruc did however keep us in it at 2-1 in the final minutes when we were pouring forwards and Brentford started picking us off on the break (Loved their willingness to still attack and not take it to the corner).
We really missed Arter, for me our most important player by far, Brentford dominated midfield and having Harry in there would have pressed them a lot more as well as providing us with some extra creativity outside of looking for Fraser or Pugh every time. We're down to our last two midfielders in MacDonald & Surman both of whom like to sit deep and it resulted in there being no pressure of the ball.

So in all a really poor and frankly tired performance, we haven't played 'well' for a worryingly long time now and can see us dropping a few places in the coming weeks, this is a dire run of fixtures as it is let alone when we're shipping goals. Take nothing away from Brentford though who could have crumbled with the Warburton news in the week, would love to see them get back in contention, but would not fancy them in the play offs!

 

[MagpieBee]

Brentford were excellent at times yesterday, especially first half, their wide play was superb and the amount of times they managed to get in behind our back four shows why we have conceded so many this season.

However, we made it far too easy for them, the defending for the first goal was Sunday league level, and it has been noted what a howler Boruc made for their second when it looked like we were going to take an undeserved 1-1 into half time. Boruc did however keep us in it at 2-1 in the final minutes when we were pouring forwards and Brentford started picking us off on the break (Loved their willingness to still attack and not take it to the corner).
We really missed Arter, for me our most important player by far, Brentford dominated midfield and having Harry in there would have pressed them a lot more as well as providing us with some extra creativity outside of looking for Fraser or Pugh every time. We're down to our last two midfielders in MacDonald & Surman both of whom like to sit deep and it resulted in there being no pressure of the ball.

So in all a really poor and frankly tired performance, we haven't played 'well' for a worryingly long time now and can see us dropping a few places in the coming weeks, this is a dire run of fixtures as it is let alone when we're shipping goals. Take nothing away from Brentford though who could have crumbled with the Warburton news in the week, would love to see them get back in contention, but would not fancy them in the play offs!

I think we would struggle in the play offs. Our record against the top teams (despite playing well, and I think we should have got more points then we have, mainly Norwich and Middlesbrough at home) isn't great, much better against the lower placed sides.

Our record in the play offs is also terrible. Not quite the worst in the football league but not far off. Would be fun though, and definitely put us on the map.