Brentford Assistant Manager David Weir said The Bees have been working on aspects of their game that they were unhappy with after Saturday’s Sky Bet Championship win over Brighton and Hove Albion.
David, speaking to Bees Player earlier this week, said everyone at Brentford was delighted with the win but admitted there was a slight sense of disappointment afterwards with aspects of the performance.
Andre Gray scored the only goal on Saturday but Brentford failed to take a number of chances, particularly when Brighton were reduced to ten men.
David said the result was the most important thing and everyone was aware of that.
He said the game had been analysed and the group was now looking ahead to the next match, away to Norwich City.
“The reaction after the game probably shows how far we have come,” said David.
“Ultimately, we were delighted to win but the group, including staff, are looking at what we can do better and how we can improve.
“That was the case on Saturday.
“There are some aspects of the game we are disappointed in but we have been in the game long enough to know the result is most important.
“There are aspects of the game we have worked on this week that we weren’t entirely happy with, but overall, it was a great result.
“The performance could have been better but it was a great result against a good team.
“Training has been good.
“We have addressed the issues we weren’t entirely happy with, both with analysis and on the training field.
“We have spoken about a lot of things and started to look towards Norwich.
“We are constantly assessing and measuring ourselves.”
The win at Brighton followed a victory over Rotherham United, also 1-0.
The back-to-back clean sheets followed six games without one.
David said The Bees had defended better than they did in the past two games and conceded goals and that was why he did not judge clean sheets as the be-all-and-end-all.
He said overall performance was more important.
“Clean sheets are important but in some games we have played better and not got clean sheets,” said David.
“We were quite fortunate to get away with a clean sheet on Saturday, a clean sheet doesn’t tell the full story.
“We are not judged purely by clean sheets.
“We want to concentrate on performance, there is an element of luck in clean sheets and decisions by officials can affect it as well.
“We speak about it and sometimes we are exposed because we try and score a goal.
“The best form of defence is attack.
“Our games are open and there are chances at both ends.
“We feel by trying to win the games we have a better chance of not losing as well.”
Brentford’s consecutive wins came after three defeats on the spin – to Brighton in the FA Cup and to Wolverhampton Wanderers and Ipswich Town in the Sky Bet Championship.
“The two games prior to the last two – Wolves at Molineux and Brighton in the cup game – we played really well but lost,” said David.
“Against Rotherham and Brighton we played well but not as well as in those previous two.
“You don't always get what you deserve in an individual game.
“We try and look over a longer term and try to look at performance and trying to do the right things.
“We feel by doing that we will be a decent team.”
Brentford face a Norwich team on Saturday that changed manager earlier this month.
Neil Adams, who was in charge when Brentford were beaten 3-0 by Norwich at Griffin Park in September, has been replaced by Alex Neil.
“A change of manager definitely changes things,” said David.
“There are some aspects that will change.
“Mark and myself are keen to focus on ourselves; we can control that and work on things that will be relevant.
“Sometimes you can prepare all week for something that’s not relevant if personnel, manager or systems change.
“We don’t do that, focus on yourself, improve yourself but we look at the opposition and give them the respect they’re due.”
Brentford considered themselves hard-done-by after the home defeat.
The Bees dominated for long stages but were hit by a sucker punch goal, then conceded seconds after a clear penalty was turned down and a third was scored moments later.
“We have spoken about the home game,” said David.
“People will look at the result, who weren’t at the game, and see a comfortable away win.
“Anybody who saw the game will know that’s not the case.
“We have to drill in to the players how well they played, how unfortunate they were but that we will need to play even better to get a result there.”
Brentford have added to their squad this week, signing Chris Long on loan from Everton.
David worked with Long when he was at the Liverpool club and said he would compete with Andre Gray, Nick Proschwitz and Betinho for a place and could help The Bees
“Chris is a young, very exciting, very talented striker,” said David.
“He has all the attributes to be a top striker at a high level.
“He had a brief loan at Milton Keynes Dons and a couple of injuries.
“He can come here to a good environment and be involved on a Saturday – competing with Andre, Nick and Betinho.
“He gives us another option.
“He is a young lad so we can’t expect too much but if things go well he can really help us.”
A full video interview with David Weir is available here for Bees Player subscribers.