Harlee Dean said he hasn’t played a side better than Brentford in the Sky Bet Championship yet this season.
Brentford’s sit third approaching the midway point of their first season back in English football’s second tier since 1992 and face second-place Ipswich Town on Boxing Day.
The Bees have won seven of their last eight league games and face an Ipswich Town side who are unbeaten in nine.
Ahead of the match Harlee admitted it was going to be a great occasion at a packed Griffin Park but said it was important to remember that they were still playing for just the same three points as ever.
Speaking to Bees Player Harlee said: “We take Friday as another game really.
“I wouldn’t say it isn’t a big game but we are only half way through the season.
“After Friday we have played everyone in the league so it will be good to see where we are after the game.
“Boxing Day, second vs third and a packed house it is going to be a big game but they are all big games in this league now.
“We just have to take them one by one and not get too excited by each one.
“It is another game of football and just three points.
“I think Daryl Murphy is quite similar.
“He is quite strong and a big lad who they go quite direct to.
“David McGoldrick works hard and works hard off the ball as well.
“It will be another good test and they are obviously doing really well as well.
“They are a high energy team and they are going to press us, similar to how we do, and we just need to make sure we are on our A game to get a result.
“In every game that I have played in I don’t think there has been a better team.
“When we played Middlesbrough everyone had a bad game.
“It wasn’t just one person it was the whole team and if we had turned up that day and played as well as we could then I think we could have beaten them too.
“AFC Bournemouth are a good side but other than that not many other teams play football like we do and not many teams are as hungry and passionate as us.
“I think that will take us a long way.”
Harlee was a doubt for the game after picking up a knock early on in Saturday’s 3-2 victory over Cardiff City.
The defender, who has made 17 appearances so far this season scoring twice, went down following an early challenge with Adam Le Fondre.
He admitted he thought he would have to come off but felt he couldn’t once Cardiff began their second-half comeback from 3-0 down.
“I have been better,” said Harlee.
“I don’t know what it is: it isn’t my ribs but it seems to be my back.
“It is pretty sore.
“I took a big knee to it and I struggled for the rest of the game.
“It was alright up until half-time and then the 15 minute break it seized up.
“I don’t really know how I got through the second-half.
“In my head I was thinking that I need to come off but when they scored the first goal I couldn’t come off because I thought I would have looked like a coward.
“I dug in and have been trying to get it right with the physios.
“I should be fine for Friday.
“I am not going to miss a game like that for something like this.
“I came through the weekend with tablets so it is not too bad.”
Brentford secured the success at Cardiff City on Saturday thanks to first-half goals from Alex Pritchard, Andre Gray and Jota.
Having led 3-0 at half-time Craig Noone pulled one back for the hosts just after the restart before Kenwyne Jones set up a nervy final quarter of an hour by bundling home.
However The Bees held on to secure what, according to Harlee, was a deserved success.
“I thought we were excellent in the first-half and we played the ball really nicely and defended really well,” said Harlee.
“I thought we defended well in the second-half but we didn’t play as well.
“It shows a lot of character to be winning 3-0 at half-time, concede early on, concede another and still not draw the game with the inexperienced team that we had on the pitch.
“We did really well.
“Kenwyne Jones coming on lifted the crowd and lifted the team.
“Federico Macheda didn’t really cause much of a problem and we kept him quite quiet but when Jones came on he gave them a physical presence.
“He is a good player as well and he made a lot happen for them.”
After Friday’s match with Ipswich Town The Bees will have reached the mid-point of a season which Harlee feels could be another special one.
Harlee thinks there is no reason why, if Mark Warburton’s side keep up their run of form, they can’t do something special in the Sky Bet Championship this season.
“We are doing well,” said Harlee.
“We are sitting third and it is going to be another great season I hope.
“We have got to make sure we keep doing what we are doing and listen to the manager and David Weir.
“We need to keep playing the football they want us to play and that the fans and the owner want to see.
“I am sure if we can do that, keep the tempo up and have a bit of luck you never know what can happen.”
Bees Player subscribers can listen to the full interview here