Premier League: Will Brentford be able to avoid a relegation battle?

After three games, arguably the biggest success story in the Premier League is Brentford. Thomas Frank’s side started the season with a bang when they defeated Arsenal at home.

Brentford remains unbeaten when heading into the international break; the club’s path to the Top Flight is fascinating, but can the Bees’ manager avoid relegation?

The Brentford story is years in the making, and it’s important to have a brief insight into the club’s modern history.

In 2007, Brentford had financial problems

Matthew Benham and his fellow Brentford supporters clubbed together to buy the club. Subsequently, Brentford FC became the first professional club in London owned by the fans.

The club found itself at the depths of the Football League when owner Benham took full control in 2012 – and I doubt few fans would have predicted – their rise from League Two to the Premier League in less than a decade.

My last visit:

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"I last visited Brentford in 2015/16, when they played at Griffin Park. On that occasion, they lost 2-1 to Sheffield Wednesday, conceding a late goal to Lucas Joao. The Bees played the best football on the day, but the 37th minute sending off of James Tarkowski didn’t help their cause. Alan Judge ran the game for the Bees. Two days later, the club sacked Marinus Dijkhuizen, ending a three-month tenure in charge."

I remember leaving that game thinking Brentford were just another team making up the numbers in the English Championship – Naivete on my part – Lee Carsley stepped in as an interim coach until the Bees announced Dean Smith as their head coach.

Smith joined the club in November 2015, and with an exciting squad of players, he guided Brentford to a promotion-chasing team in 2018. The coaching merry-go-round meant Aston Villa replaced Steve Bruce with Smith in November.

Brentford’s next manager is arguably the best signing Benham has made (more on Frank Thomas later). Rather than throwing money at the problem, Benham used analytics to optimise the club’s chances to progress through the leagues and generate income.

The concept is not new; the Hollywood movie ‘Moneyball’ characterises the strategy

Brad Pitt, played Billy Bean, General Manager for Major League Baseball side, Oakland A’s. In the movie, Pitt depicts how Bean and assistant Paul DePodesta (played by Jonah Hill in the movie) took a team with a small budget to over 100 wins while enjoying a 20 game winning streak.

Benham’s approach at Brentford synergised operations with his Danish club, FC Midtjylland. To find hot prospects and sell them for a profit is difficult, but Benham did it with the Bees;

• In 2018/19 Brentford paid £900,000 for Said Benrahma, eventually selling him to West Ham United for £20 million.
• In 2017, Exeter’s Ollie Watkins joined Brentford for £100,000. The Bees sold Watkins to Aston Villa for £11 million.
• In 2017, Neal Maupay joined Brentford for £1.8, from the French side Saint-Etienne. Maupay left Griffin Park for £20m to join Brighton & Hove Albion.

Many club owners have tried to throw money at the problem with no success. A prime example is Sheffield Wednesday, owned by Dejphon Chansiri.

Wednesday splashed out on big-money signings such as Fernando Forestieri and Steven Fletcher. Despite spending big and reaching the 2015/16 Championship Playoff Final, the club regressed, and they now play in League One.

According to Transfermarkt.com Brentford’s summer spending topped out at £34.38m. Thomas spent £14m on Celtic defender Kristoffer Ajer – with Frank Onyeka is arguably the club’s most exciting signing of the season.

The 23-year-old has enough talent to be Brentford’s long-term Midfield general. Onyeka joined Brentford from sister club FC Midtjylland for £9m. Álvaro Fernández joined compatriot and first choice keeper, David Raya. Fernández joins on loan from La Liga 2 side, SD Huesca.

Momentum won’t last forever

Brentford’s next two fixtures give them an opportunity to reel in the points; the Bees host Brighton at home before travelling to Molineux Stadium for an away fixture against the struggling Wolves.

October is a tough month for Thomas’ side. Fixtures against Liverpool, West Ham, Chelsea and Leicester City, will test the resilience of every Brentford squad member and coach.

Experience and a lack of depth could be the downfall for Brentford, but the fans have every right to remain upbeat about their chances of Premier League survival.

Benham has a plan, but it’s up to Thomas to execute it.

*Transfer fees taken from Transfermarkt.com