Development Squad Lee Carsley was left uninspired by Tuesday’s 1-0 win over Ipswich Town and said his players need to perform better if they want to press their case for first-team football at Griffin Park.
A scrappy game between The Bees and The Tractor Boys was settled just ahead of the hour as Jermaine Udumaga calmly slotted home his fifth goal in six matches.
Lee said his players had rightly received a lot of praise for their recent performances but they didn’t hit that standard on Tuesday.
Speaking to Bees Player after the match Lee said: “I thought it was a poor game all round to be honest.
“We have won the game but it wasn’t a great performance.
“It wasn’t inspiring but I don’t think conditions helped and I don’t think the pitch helped but I still expect us to be a lot better than that.
“I thought it was a little bit scrappy and sloppy from the start.
“They were a young team which should make life easier if things are done properly, you move the ball quickly and play with a tempo.
“We could have won comfortably and Richard Lee has had one save to make all game so I expected us to do a lot than better than that.
“In recent weeks I have given the lads a lot of praise because they have played well.
“At times they have been excellent but I felt they were way off it today and way off the ultimate aim which is to get them into our first-team.
“I want to get them into the first-team and on that showing today there wasn’t enough quality there.
“It was a great pass by Josh Clarke and great finish by Jermaine Udumaga.
“We had three or four opportunities in the first-half where we did really well, got into positions and then that final pass, cross or finish wasn’t there.
“I accept that you get days like that and at half-time I made the excuses for them that the pitch was bobbly and it was windy.
“However I still expect the quality because I see them day in day out.
“If I was asking them to do things they couldn’t do then I would understand but they are a lot better than what they showed today.”
One of the positives for Lee was the clean sheet, their third in five matches.
At the heart of the defence alongside Raphaël Calvet was 18-year-old Youth Team player Gradi Milenge.
Gradi was one of four Youth Team players who featured during Tuesday’s match and Lee has been pleased with what he has seen from the Youth Team when playing up this season.
“It is the second-time that Gradi has started when I have been in charge and it is his second clean sheet,” said Lee.
“He still has a bit to work on but you can tell he is playing with a lot more confidence now because the Under-18s are winning every week.
“I am not sure how tested he is at that level and now he needs to play more games with us to see where he is at.
“There is quite a big jump between the Under-18s and Under-21s depending on the day and the side that you are playing against.
“On the whole the Under-18s have done quite well when they have been with us.”
The Development Squad have been boosted in recent weeks by the inclusion of Jermaine Udumaga in the Brentford first-team matchday squad for the game at Charlton Athletic.
For Lee Jermaine’s inclusion in the first-team squad only re-enforces the importance of performances over results at Under-21 level.
Lee said he was very pleased for Jermaine to be given his chance and said it is a good boost for him and the Development Squad players.
The former Republic of Ireland international is hopeful that another Development Squad player will be called up before the end of the season as Brentford continue to strive for first-team football.
“I am not too fussed about the results,” said Lee.
“It is always nice to win and there is a good feeling in the dressing room.
“They were talking amongst themselves today about getting back to winning ways so in that respect but ultimately I want to get them around the first-team.
“It was a big plus for us having Jermaine on the bench against Charlton Athletic and that was a good sign for us.
“It gave the whole group a lift and ultimately that is what this team, and me as well, will get judged on.
“Jermaine’s goalscoring record and the number of assists that he has got in the last eight games is very good.
“He got the goal today and it is good lift because the lads can see there is a pathway into the first-team squad.
“The standard of the first-team, and the pace and tempo that they play at, is really impressive.
“It is important that we try and get as close to them as we can.
“I think it helped last week having Alan Judge come and train with us before he went back into the squad.
“Things like that really lift the group because they can see what a good player he is and what standard he is.
“Hopefully we can try and get another player in and around the first-team before the end of the season.”