United – Really pleasing. We kept a clean sheet; scored a good goal and hit the post twice and also had a few disallowed. We really got stuck in, battled hard and passed when we could. It was not the same fluency we saw last season but we still saw smatterings of good football. We did well and I felt did not look out of place in any way against a side that has been top 10 for the last few seasons and will be even higher this year. We competed, won tackles and passed when we could. It was a game where we had spells of control but then had times when we had to sit in and dig in and do the gritty stuff. We saw a different side to our game and the likes of Coutts and Flecks did good defensive work rather than just the passing and control they have shown last season. I felt we passed it well at times but others were a bit sloppy and it is good that we can improve on the ball. Off the ball thought we really good and I felt we kept a really good shape and did not get pulled about too much. We kept good lines and made sure we got into areas to see off key threats. I felt we doubled up when we could the full backs kept inside and did not leave us vulnerable down the flanks. The three centre backs were nice and solid and the keeper made 3 super saves.
I thought we started the game well and had the best of it, but then they came into it and we had to survive for a period but then we scored and went in with a lead. After the break, I expected them to come strong but we actually started better and could have made it 2 or 3 nil with the disallowed goals and the post hit again. After this they came on stronger and they missed a sitter of course (one that keeper saved and hit the bar) but I did not feel they had lots of chances after this. They had the one on one but we managed to keep a decent line apart from this and I felt did well to see out time. We got blocks and tackles in and showed same togetherness we saw last year.
Overall, it was not scintillating but a solid, committed display with some glimpses of the football we played last season. Did we deserve to win? Debatable as chances wise they had as many and had as much, if not more of the ball. However, we got the ***** goal and then did enough to see it out. I actually think we played decent but can play better (with the ball) and will do better. I also think we will play a lot worse side than them. So, all in all a good performance and a winning one.
Brentford – I predicted they would be close to the top 6 pre-season and I still feel that. They have some lovely footballers and move it around with pace and purpose. Today they may have struggled at times defensively but when they got on the ball they looked good. They moved it around and got into little pockets and with a bit better final ball or finishing could have scored a few goals. They missed a few chances and Blackman made some good saves of course.
However, they may feel they lost the game in key spells. United began well, but they came back into it and seemed to have control but United wrestled it back and of course scored. I also felt they never really came out and gave it a real go to start the second half and it was only late on when they had a proper go. Still they are a decent side and have good footballers with likes of Vibe and Jota always dangerous. They all seemed to have quick feet and move it on before defenders could react. They got into some good areas and of course had good chances but we made blocks, had a bit of luck and they finished poorly. Midfield was a bit mixed. At times they had a lot of the ball and controlled things more than anyone has for a long time against our excellent midfield but then they sat off and we had a lot of the ball. I thought at the back they made mistakes and that they struggled with our penetration at times and Clarke caused some problems with his endeavour and strength.
Bit disappointed with Dean Smith’s comments to some degree who talked about a fortunate effort from Stevens that hit the post and kind of dismissed the two offside goals of which one seemed to be onside (with replays backing this up). No talk of the excellent Fleck effort in the built up or of a few other decent efforts we had. He made out that they never defended and that his keeper had nothing to do. His summary seems to suggest they battered us second half. That is nonsense. We had the better of the first 15 minutes after half time which surprised me as I expected them to come out and have a real go second half and it never really happened initially. Blackman made a good save and they hit the bar and missed a sitter in a trio of chances in the same attack and then the sub was also denied by Blackman one on one. Outside of this though they hardly penned us back incessantly and I felt whilst they always looked dangerous, I never felt it was attack after attack. They were always going to be the side pressing being behind but it was not non-stop pressure. I felt United did what they had to and for a team fresh for the division did a professional job.
Brentford have a few players missing; that has to be said with Canos, Dean and Judge to come in. Add these to the mix and some of their new player bed in and I expect them to be right amongst the top 6 by the end. They have a good manager who had had time to sculpt a decent team and have had investment (helped by money from funds from selling Hogan etc). The fact Sawyers and Watkins are options on the bench show the depth of the side.
Opposition Man of the Match: Ryan Woods. I thought Jota looked a threat first half and drifted in and had a few efforts. Second half he came very close with the long range shot but he kind of drifted out of it after then and got crowded out a few times. Vibe was dangerous with a few flicks and hold up play and McEachran passed it well when he got on the ball. However, the best player by a long way was the red-haired lad Woods. He was superb today. He got on the ball, used some superb control and quick feet and some sublime passing. He was excellent. We have raved about Coutts and Fleck but today was saw how the bar could be raised as a player that is maybe little known was the best midfielder on the pitch by some way.
Opposition Weak link: The two centre backs Bjelland and Egan were a bit shaky at times and I felt Clarke gave them some real problems at times. They were a bit hesitant and I felt against pace could be turned. They were missing Dean at the back of course who will come straight back in but I feel that pace and movement against the back line could see them struggle. I felt the poorest player today was someone I rate in the lad Henry who played left back. Always liked him at Walsall but today he was poor and I felt we got down this side quite a bit and showed his deficiencies defensively. He seemed very sluggish and Freeman and a few others nipped in and took the ball off him a few times.