Alan Judge said a week between Sky Bet Championship fixtures was important as the Brentford squad to take their minds off the “mentally draining” battle for promotion.
The Bees ended a run of five games in 14 days with a 1-1 draw at Ipswich Town on Saturday.
They took ten points from those five games and sit sixth in the Sky Bet Championship table.
Brentford are not in action again until Saturday, March 14, when Cardiff City come to Griffin Park.
The Bees are just four points off the top and the leading five teams are separated by just one point.
Alan said players needed a metal and physical rest, although he admitted having just returned from injury, he’d love another game.
“I just want to play but the lads deserve the rest,” said the Irishman, speaking to Bees Player yesterday.
“The league is so tight that it is mentally draining as well.
“It is good to have days off to take your mind off it.
“We are all looking forward to this weekend though.
“We are in a very good position, four points off the top.”
Alan picked up a knee injury at the start of January.
He made his third appearance since the injury at Ipswich, completing 67 minutes of the draw.
Alan praised Brentford’s medical team for helping him to get back and said he wanted to play as many games as possible in the run in.
“It was really enjoyable being back out there,” he said.
“I got through the game without an injury so I’m really happy.
“It’s a bit sore now but that happens, it is always going to be.
“The physios have done a great job and I am looking forward to playing as many games as I can between now and the end of the season.”
Brentford fell behind early on Ipswich when Daryl Murphy turned in when a corner was headed down.
Jonathan Douglas equalised and both teams had chances to win it but neither could.
Alan said Ipswich had the better chances but Brentford had more of the ball and he praised the way The Bees dealt with Ipswich’s physical threat.
“It was a very good point,” said the midfield player.
“They had some chances and we didn’t have many clear cut ones.
“We shaded the first half and they had the better chances in the second but we had most of the ball.
“They got their chances from hoofing the ball over the top.
“We are not the most physical team but I was happy to see how we could mix it with them.
“Even though we went 1-0 down, we did brilliantly.
“Daryl Murphy has real presence and once we got back the first 15 minutes we were the team that looked like scoring.
“We got the goal and then myself and Andre Gray had chances.
“We probably should have scored again.”
Brentford will be looking to complete a league double over their next opponents, Cardiff, after winning 3-2 in South Wales before Christmas.
The Bees were irresistible in the first half and were 3-0 up at the break before Cardiff responded.
Brentford got over the line with a 3-2 win.
Alan said he hoped Brentford could produce something similar but expected Cardiff to counter the threat.
“That was probably the best we have played all season, the first half there,” he said.
“It was great to be 3-0 up at half time.
“They came back and got two goals and that shows how quickly it can change.
“We will be looking to do something like that but I’m sure they won’t leave themselves as open.”
The Bees have just ten games to go and all us up for grabs.
“I was watching Goals on Sunday and Paul Merson said whoever wins four in a row will be promoted,” said Alan.
“I think that’s it.
“Any teams that wins three or four in a row will go a long way towards being promoted.
“We have to go in to each game ready to win but we will just take it game by game.”
A full video interview with Alan Judge is available here for Bees Player subscribers.