Brentford Head Coach Dean Smith believes his side are still riding high after last Friday’s 2-0 win over Queens Park Rangers as they gear up for another local derby under the lights, this time against Fulham. Goals from Josh Clarke and Romaine Sawyers wrapped up a first win at Loftus Road since 1964 and now Brentford return to home soil on Friday to take on a Fulham side they haven’t lost to in the league since returning to the Sky Bet Championship. Speaking to Bees Player ahead of the match, Dean said that win at Loftus Road gave his side a lot of confidence but he remains wary of the threats that Fulham pose.
“Winning away against your big rivals gives you a boost and the whole week has been one full of confidence,” said Dean. “The confidence that I had was certainly dented a little bit when I went to Fulham on Saturday and saw them beat Huddersfield 5-0. We beat them 3-0 in our home game last season but their possession style was evident. Seeing them on Saturday it was similar. They maybe don’t attack as quickly as other teams that we have played against but they were very patient on it. Every player can handle the ball and they have recruited well. Sone Aluko was excellent on the day, Chris Martin on loan from Derby is a threat, and I thought that Tom Cairney was excellent too. They are a very good footballing team but also have the pace of Aluko while Martin’s strength and running gives them a focal point. They have got a lot of really good technical, footballers so we have to make sure that our game-plan beats theirs.”
A win for either Brentford or Fulham on Friday night will see them jump into the Play-Off places for at least the night before the rest of the division plays on Saturday. Dean admitted it would be a nice little bonus to break into that top six but said that the real aim has to be a high finishing place come the end of the season.
“It is a little incentive but it where you are at the end of the season that is important,” said Dean. “It is just another three points that we are looking to go and get. We have little targets that we set ourselves every four or five games and then we see where we are after those games. We are doing ok at the moment but there are some big clubs in this division. To see Norwich City go to Brighton and Hove Albion and lose 5-0, somewhere where we have been and won 2-0, just shows that anybody on their day is beatable. I have said before that it is about being consistent. If you can do that and get a few wins on the bounce then it will propel you to the upper echelons of this league which is where we want to be. The players have set the standard now and it would be very difficult for them to lower that now because I will be right on them if they do.”
The Bees were dealt an injury blow earlier today when it was confirmed that Lewis Macleod would likely miss the rest of the season after sustaining a knee injury late on in the win over Queens Park Rangers on Saturday. The Scottish midfielder has suffered a catalogue of injuries during his time at Griffin Park but, with the staff and players fully behind him, Dean is sure he will make a full recovery.
“Lewis Macleod was starting to show the potential he has and his talents as a footballer,” said Dean. “He was just starting to get into the team and have a run of games, having come to the club and then having a catalogue of injuries. He came through that and I am sure he will come through this. We are deeply disappointed for him but we will be there to support him. He only has to look at Andreas Bjelland and Scott Hogan who have come back from serious knee injuries and come out the other side. He can see that the club have been supportive with both of them and they will be with Lewis as well. At the moment it will be very raw for him but he already knows the process as he has been through a long spell out of the game and hopefully he will come back stronger. All the players and the staff feel for Lewis and have been in touch with him. He knows the feeling around the camp.”