Brentford FC
·11. November 2024
Brentford FC
·11. November 2024
The Bees have won five and drawn one of their six games at home, collecting more Premier League points than anyone on home turf.
To add a little context, Real Madrid (18) are the only team across UEFA’s top five leagues to win more points on their own patch than the Bees (16) so far in 2024/25.
To maintain this European theme, Brentford's goal-scoring prowess is also much to be admired. Frank's side have banged in 18 goals at Gtech Community Stadium this term - only Serie A side Atalanta (20) have hit more at home across Europe’s top five.
Currently, Brentford's unbeaten home record this season can only be matched by three other Premier League sides - Arsenal, Brighton and Man City.
With three top-flight games left this year (v Leicester, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest), the Bees’ objective must surely be to carry their fantastic form into the new year.
Brentford’s season so far has produced entertaining moments on a near weekly basis, and a core of key players has grabbed the limelight at different stages; last Saturday it was Yoane Wissa’s turn to steal the show.
After his brace against the Cherries, the Democratic Republic of Congo international striker (15) is second to just Erling Haaland (20) for non-penalty goals in the Premier League in 2024 – despite the fact he has started just 18 matches in that time.
Astonishingly, in fact, Wissa has now overtaken the aforementioned Norwegian goal machine in the goals-per-minute ratio category in the Premier League this season, too, the 28-year-old scoring every 81.14 minutes, whilst Haaland has notched a goal every 82.5 minutes.
With seven goals from his nine shots on target, Wissa has been in absolutely ruthless form - his goals-per-shot ratio of 0.47 is currently the best in the top flight this season.
Wissa’s strike partner Bryan Mbeumo has been the star man at Brentford throughout this season and the Cameroon international added his first top-flight assist to his eight Premier League goals against Bournemouth.
The strong off-field bond between Mbeumo and Wissa has been transferred on to the pitch, and the pair have provided Brentford with plenty of potency in attack during Ivan Toney’s suspension last term and Igor Thiago’s injury absence this season.
The pair now have 15 goals between them this season, as well as an assist each, and they possess a cutting edge from open play that has diluted the Bees’ reliance on their trademark set-piece expertise.
Although Wissa’s first of the afternoon against Bournemouth came from a long throw-in (only his second goal from a set-piece over the past two seasons) his second rounded off a fantastic flowing move involving Vitaly Janelt and Keane Lewis-Potter that showcased Brentford’s ability to carve teams open.
Brentford head into the international break safe in the knowledge that they have a couple of in-form forwards in their ranks who will fancy their chances of finding the net in every game that they play.