Brentford defender Andreas Bjelland felt The Bees showed good character to come from behind to pick up three points against Birmingham City this afternoon. Lukas Jutkiewicz gave Blues a first-half lead at St Andrew's but The Bees roared back in the second-half to take the points: Scott Hogan, a David Davis own goal, and Nico Yennaris on target after the break.
Speaking to Bees Player after the match, Andreas said: “We played a poor first-half and it was important for us to come out and do better in the second-half. We did that and controlled the game so I think it was a good win. At half-time Dean told us to liven up and get better. We had to be better on the ball, play faster, and do what we are good at. We were better in the second-half. With two games that close it is physically very tough so you have to step up mentally. We did that as a group in the second-half and played really well. We talked about how it would be good if we could come from behind and it was good for us to achieve that as a team. It was a great win for us today.”
Andreas played a key role in The Bees second and third goals this afternoon: it was his header which David Davis turned into his own net before winning the ball back to set up Nico Yennaris to secure the points. After an injury hit first year at Griffin Park the Danish international has started 18 of The Bees last 20 matches and, although now fully fit, feels he still has more to come
“I think it will go down as an own-goal but as long as I can put down two assists as mine with Nico Yennaris’s goal and that flick then that will be fine by me,” said Andreas. “I feel I am more or less fully fit. I have been playing regularly for a period of time so I feel good. I have some ankles that need some work but it is good to be back and feeling good over 90 minutes. I still feel that I have some progress in me. I need to play games and show over a full season that I can do that and be better every game.”
This afternoon’s three points mean The Bees have now taken 11 points from their last six games, including five points over an unbeaten Christmas period. After defeats to both Birmingham City and Norwich City first time round, Andreas said it was also nice to turn the tables on those sides and continue the move back up the table.
“We had some tough games over that period,” said Andreas. “It was really good to come to Birmingham and win. It was important for us to end this period well and we did. In this tough period you know that you have to get the points to stay at the right end of the table. It was important for us to have some good games over this period and it was nice to bounce back against two teams that we lost to as well.”