Brentford boss Mark Warburton thinks Birmingham City show the strength in depth of this season’s Sky Bet Championship.
The Blues survived on the last day of last season with a 2-2 draw at Bolton Wanderers but have started this season strongly.
Following an opening day defeat at Middlesbrough The Blues won 1-0 at home to Brighton and Hove Albion before drawing 2-2 at home to Ipswich on Tuesday night.
Speaking to Bees Player ahead of this Saturday’s meeting between the two sides Mark said he expects a very tough test from Lee Clark’s side.
While he said his side must be aware of the problems that Birmingham will pose it is up to Brentford to impose their style on the game.
“They will be a formidable test,” said Mark.
“They were unlucky not to get all three points against Ipswich Town, they were denied by a late equaliser.
“They are direct and will play a 4-4-2.
“We know about Clayton Donaldson and Wes Thomas down the middle and they have good pace on the wings with David Cotterill from Doncaster.
“They will be a potent attacking threat but also solid and well organised with the two boys deeper in midfield.
“We recognise their strengths and will have to deal with them and then we can impose our strengths on the game.
“This is a different level and we recognise the quality of the players and the team organisation and we have to adapt to that.
“We are a good team ourselves, especially at home, and we have to make sure that we impose ourselves on the game in our style.
“It is not easy and we have to apply ourselves appropriately and prepare well and we will be in good shape come Saturday.”
Brentford go into the game on the back of their first Sky Bet Championship win of the season away at Blackpool on Tuesday.
Goals from Alex Pritchard and Stuart Dallas secured the three points for The Bees after an opening day draw at home to Charlton Athletic was followed up by a narrow defeat at AFC Bournemouth.
Mark said he was pleased with the overall performance and three points against Blackpool but felt that the basis for that win had come out of the confidence gained in the defeat to Bournemouth.
“We were sloppy at the start as I mentioned on Tuesday night but I thought from 15 through to 75 minutes we dominated,” said Mark.
“When we didn’t dominate it was down to us not taking care of the football.
“We dropped a little bit too deep at the end of the game and invited them onto us.
“We stood up well to that and some good headers were won and some good tackles were won.
“When we take care of the ball we look a very good side.
“The Bournemouth game was key as it gave the boys a real self-belief.
“If you look at the game there were two good footballing teams there but for the last half-an-hour we dominated creating chance after chance.
“That is great for the players as they know what they can do and how they can impact the division and have a really positive contribution.”
Following Tuesday’s midweek trip to the North-West coast Mark and the rest of the squad did not return to West London until the small hours of Wednesday morning.
With Wednesday a day off the players were able to recover ahead of two days of training ahead of tomorrow’s game against The Blues.
Mark said that at the moment the real focus of training is getting the newer members of the squad adjusted to Brentford’s style and tempo.
Two of those newer squad members are Jon Toral and Jota who Mark said have both impressed him greatly in the early stages of their time with The Bees.
“Training has gone really well,” said Mark.
“We got back here to Jersey Road at about 3 30am.
“We had Wednesday off and it was up to the boys to rest and recover appropriately.
“We had a group in the pool on Thursday and another group training and then Friday will be our normal matchday minus one session looking forward to the game on Saturday.
“It is about making sure that the players are well maintained but it is also making sure we can get some work done on the coaching field.
“It is a new group of players and there are people coming in still.
“Jota and Jon Toral have joined us and training is about making sure that they understand how we play and that we get that work done on the training pitch.
“I am delighted with their contributions.
“Jota got half an hour the other night and Jon was unlucky not to get on.
“I am very impressed with how they have adapted.
“It is the intensity of the English game that they have to get used to.
“They have adapted really well and they will make a massive contribution this year.”
Andre Gray, Scott Hogan and Nico Yennaris all missed the trips to Bournemouth and Blackpool through injury.
Tomorrow’s game against Birmingham may come too soon for them all to be in contention to make the 18 man match day squad but Mark said they will feature before the international break in September.
The Brentford boss admits that their return will start to give him serious selection headaches but said it is a great problem to have.
“Andre was out there working on Thursday, so was Scott Hogan and it is great to have him back,” said Mark.
“Those boys are now very close and they will fit in before Rotherham United.
“Nico Yennaris got a whack and had some bruising which is coming out now.
“We have to make sure that the players are right and ready.
“We have cover in position which is the idea behind the depth in the squad.
“There is no need to force players back to early, when they are ready they will come and join us.
“You look at the training group today and you recognise the number of quality players we have in every position which is great.
“There will be tough decisions but we want to have quality in all areas of the park.
“That is important for us so that you look behind us and there are some top quality names on the bench.
“It is important they get the right pitch time and we use them appropriately but it is a tough decision.”
Another first-team player returning to fitness is last season’s League One Player of the Year Adam Forshaw.
Adam was one of a number of squad members involved in Wednsday’s Under-21’s defeat away at Crewe Alexandra.
For Mark it was important to get some of his fringe players, alongside Adam, much needed competitive game time.
Despite a disrupted pre-season due to injury and transfer speculation Mark said that the door is very much open for Adam to feature in the first-team when fit.
“Adam Forshaw, Charlie Adams and Jake Reeves all played an hour which was good to see,” said Mark.
“Raphael Calvet and Daniel O’Shaughnessy played as well.
“It is important for them to get pitch time and get important minutes under their belt to keep up their levels so that when they are called upon they are ready.
“Adam has a late start in the pool after playing on Wednesday.
“We will see where we are and go from there.
“It is very unsettling for any player and he has had to go through that.
“Now the dust has settled a little bit we will have a chat and go from there.
“If all is well then Adam will be in consideration for the squad and everything else.”