Alan McCormack said Brentford’s dressing room was a very happy place after the 2-0 victory over Leeds United.
The right back scored the second goal in the win over the Yorkshire side in a Sky Bet Championship fixture at Griffin Park yesterday.
The Bees bounced back from successive defeats, albeit very different ones, to Norwich City and Middlesbrough to get the win, secured by a first half goal from Jota and Alan’s second half strike.
Alan said Brentford had put a poor performance and result at Middlesbrough last week behind them – adding the Norwich result was disappointing because The Bees had played well enough to get something – and were back to their usual selves against Leeds.
“There are a lot of happy people in the dressing room,” he said.
“There is a little bit of relief as well, coming after two defeats.
“The Norwich game was bitterly disappointing to get a result like that and the Middlesbrough result can drop confidence a bit because we didn’t play well.
“We tried to keep our beliefs and in training it seemed like we had forgotten about last week.
“Our game plan worked today, we got back to how we play.
“It was fast, effective football cutting through the lines.
“We were very good all over the park.
“We deserved the 2-0 win.”
Alan said the unity in the squad had been on show against Leeds.
“If you have a squad full of individuals you won’t get over bad results, people will point fingers for too long,” he explained.
“But we have a good unity and a group of lads that are together.
“We showed it today, we dug deep, kept going, trying to produce and it came off.”
Leeds set up with a diamond midfield’s against Brentford’s 4-1-4-1, which can be 4-3-3, and Alan said the visitors had no width.
He said that gave him a responsibility to get forward and he enjoyed his day, although it was a tiring one.
“The only time they caused us problems was when they went through the middle, they had no wide players,” said Alan.
“When we get the ball we are effective at getting it wide then through the middle quickly.
“They couldn’t cope with us.
“They played in to our hands and, as you saw, if we keep a good shape we are hard to break down defensively.
“And we were very good going forward.
“Defensively there is less for me to do when the opposition plays a diamond but going forward there is a longer shift because you have to get up and support and you are the outlet.
“It was enjoyable today, tiring at times but we are happy for the 2-0 win and a clean sheet.”
Alan said a goal from Jota in first half stoppage time made a big difference.
“The goal disheartened them,” he said.
“It is a killer blow.
“They had nearly got to 0-0 at half time away from home, the goal probably zapped them.
“Their team talk changed.
“It was a perfect time to score.
“We were defensively good and even when they had possession David Button didn’t have too much to do.
“When they were on top we got at them quickly when we could.”
Alan got his goal inside the last 15 minutes.
Jonathan Douglas took a quick free kick and released Alan in to space; he had Moses Odubajo outside but decided to go for goal, to great effect.
“I got forward but the recovery run was hard,” said Alan.
“We got a free kick, Dougie played it quickly and I turned.
“I wanted to play Moses in but the defender wouldn’t come.
“I closed my eyes, hit it and went for power; it took a deflection and went in.
“I was very happy.
“You always need the extra goal.
“They didn’t look like scoring but when you are one goal ahead a slight mistake can mean it’s 1-1.
“When it’s 2-0 you feel you will go on to win.
“The second goal put us at ease and we did the right things until the final whistle.”
Brentford had conceded nine goals in their previous three games and Alan admitted that had shocked the players.
He said it was nice to get another clean sheet, as well as the win.
“We haven’t had a clean sheet for three games,” he said.
“It is hard coming off the pitch conceding goals, that is not like us.
“We have never looked like conceding those goals; it was a shock to us.
“Defenders have pride in clean sheets.
“It is nice for defenders to get rewards for clean sheets like strikers do when they score.”
A full video interview with Alan McCormack is available here for Bees Player subscribers.