Alan McCormack said he thought Brentford produced a “very solid” performance as they beat Bradford City.
The Bees recorded a 2-0 victory over Bradford yesterday at a sunny Griffin Park and Alan said they deserved it.
Clayton Donaldson scored the first just past the hour mark and George Saville got the second soon after.
Alan, speaking to Bees Player after the match, said Brentford dominated all over the pitch.
He admitted they were perhaps too deep in the first half but corrected it after the break.
“I thought it was a very solid performance,” said Alan.
“Defensively we were very good and we dominated all over the pitch.
“In the first half we could probably have got up the pitch a bit more to play and we had the ball deep.
“In the second half we played in their half and dominated the game.
“We deserved the win.”
Brentford started with a diamond midfield system but switched to the 4-3-3 they have been playing for most of the second after half time.
Alan said the only difference in the systems, as a full back, is where to play the first pass.
He said Brentford’s full backs, Jake Bidwell and himself, got the ball in deep areas in the first half and that changed after the break.
“With Clayton on the right there is an overlap,” said Alan.
“The difference with a diamond is that you don’t have the first pass out wide.
“We knew what we would do but the aim was to receive the ball higher up the pitch.
“When you do that you get at the full back, not the winger.
“In the second half we received the ball in their half not our own.
“We did that well, the boys got the ball wide and we caused them all sorts of problems.
“After 60 minutes they were gone.”
Bradford came to Griffin Park with five men in midfield and a lone, isolated, striker.
Alan said that was what Brentford expected as most teams do it, including League One leaders Wolverhampton Wanderers – who employed it to good effect in a 3-0 win last month.
The right back said he knew the first goal was coming as Bradford were dropping deeper.
“Teams come here and invite us to break them down and try to catch us on the counter,” he said.
“Even Wolves did it.
“We are dominant with the ball and if we do have possession teams have to be patient.
“Not many are.
“We knew what we needed to do.
“I knew the goal was coming, we should have scored more.
“We had other chances and created good openings.
“They were getting deeper and deeper and we were dominating the play.
“We were making life hard for them.
“We have to keep working on doing it.”
Alan came back in to the team after missing the 0-0 draw away to Carlisle United last week with a slight glute injury.
He told Bees Player not travelling north was to ensure he was fit for upcoming matches.
“Missing Carlisle was precautionary,” said Alan.
“I could have pushed to make it but we were worried I might miss training again if I played.
“The physios thought after nine or ten days I would be fine.
“Missing a game is frustrating but I should now get through the rest of the season with it.
“There was a risk of it being weak at Carlisle and tweaking it again.”
Alan said no-one in the Brentford camp had been concerned with the Carlisle draw following defeat against Wolves.
He said the point at Carlisle was not a bad result and two games without a win was commonplace even for the best teams in the world.
The win over Bradford leaves Brentford third in Sky Bet League One, a point behind second-placed Leyton Orient and three behind leaders Wolves.
They face Tranmere Rovers at Griffin Park on Tuesday before an away game against Orient next Saturday.
“People outside football might look at us and think we were worried having not won for two games,” said Alan.
“That wouldn’t be true.
“It happens to all teams; even the best can go two games without a win.
“We are no different.
“That result at Carlisle was not a bad result.
“We didn’t get beaten a long way from home against a team that just wanted to defend.
“Our home record has been fantastic.
“We get great backing.
“In life people can look ahead and anyone not progressing as well as we are might look too far ahead.
“We have kept our feet on the ground and are only focussed on Tuesday night.”
Alan McCormack’s full post-match interview is available here for Bees Player subscribers.