Brentford In Focus

Less than three weeks separate Derby County from their 2017/18 Sky Bet Championship season opener at Sunderland next month!

Since last Thursday, dcfc.co.uk has been counting down to the new campaign by previewing all the club’s the Rams will come up against over the course of the next 10 months.

Today, we are on to club number five and the ever-improving Brentford…

Brentford

Head Coach: Dean Smith
Nickname: The Bees
Stadium Capacity: 12,300
Finishing Position Last Season: 10th (64 Points)
Last Campaign’s Top Scorer (2016/17): Lasse Vibe (16 Goals)
Promotion Odds (According to Coral): 6/1

When Do We Face The Bees?

Home – Saturday 3rd February 2018
Away – Tuesday 26th September 2017

What Were The Scores Last Season?

Derby County 0-0 Brentford
Brentford 4-0 Derby County

How Did They Fare Last Season?

Since their promotion back in 2014, Brentford have been a side with their sights solely on progression rather than what has been going on behind them.

Last season was no exception. They might have finished in 10th place, but the Bees proved they were more than capable of mixing it with the best in the division with a series of slick performances – particularly towards the end of the campaign.

The 2016/17 season represented Dean Smith’s first full year in charge since taking over the reins at Griffin Park in November 2015.

He used the summer well and instilled a distinct youthful and energetic feel to Brentford by bringing in the likes of Daniel Bentley and Romaine Sawyers, who became big hits.

Making a solid start to life in the new season, the Bees picked up five victories and two draws from their first ten games, including a 2-0 win over automatically promoted Brighton and Hove Albion and a 4-1 victory over play-off finalists Reading.

Along the way, there would be further notable wins against the likes of Aston Villa, Sheffield Wednesday, Leeds United and Derby County.

There’s no doubt experience played its part too. The club’s top scorer Lasse Vibe vitally stepped up to the plate after Scott Hogan departed for pastures new and found the net 16 times, whilst tricky wideman Jota impressed heavily after his loan spell at Eibar came to an end.

After an eye-catching end to the season and with their youthful squad having gained another year of experience, Brentford are being tipped to improve on last year’s finish and be amongst the club’s chasing a top-six berth this time around.