Development Squad Manager Jon De Souza said Brentford’s Under-21 side were beaten by a team that were simply better than them last night.
The Bees were beaten 3-1 by Cardiff City in an Under-21 Professional Development League Two South game in South Wales last night.
Jon, speaking to Bees Player after the match, said ultimately Cardiff were the better team.
He said he could not fault his players’ work rate but Cardiff played well and were better in every department.
“We played against a team that ultimately had better players than us and were better than us,” said Jon.
“I couldn’t fault our work rate.
“I said to the players at the start that all I could ask was that they worked hard, and they did.
“But I thought we played against a team that were better than us in every department.
“They played well, credit to them, I was very impressed.
“I very rarely credit teams, wrongfully sometimes.
“They were very, very good and from start to finish were the better team.
“We had patches where we contained them a little bit but even when we did OK they were the better team.
“I don’t feel we were on top at any stage.
“We might have got something but we wouldn’t have deserved it.”
Cardiff dominated almost exclusively and Brentford goalkeeper Jack Bonham was called in to action on numerous occasions to make saves.
Some of them, including a triple save in the second half, were out of the top drawer.
The hosts took the lead late in the first half but Brentford levelled with 20 minutes to go when Luke Norris won and scored a penalty.
Cardiff scored two late on to take the points while Simon Moore in the Cardiff goal was rarely tested.
Jon said the work each goalkeeper was required to do told the story of the match.
“Our goalkeeper probably made in excess of 20 saves – Jack did really well,” he said.
“But how many times did we test Simon Moore?”
“From Jack’s perspective, he probably couldn’t have asked for a better game.
“Simon didn’t really get tested.
“Jack had to make saves and he made some terrific ones.
“I was really pleased with him.”
Jon said it was not a negative night as his players worked hard and that was all he really asked for.
He praised Luke Norris for his threat in Brentford’s attack and 17-year-old Montell Moore, who came on as a substitute
“I thought the work rate was good,” said Jon.
“Luke Norris looked a threat up top and scored a good goal.
“Montell came on and didn’t get phased.
“There were a few positives.
“Overall, it is not a negative day for me.
“It’s only negative if we don’t work hard enough.
“I told the players they should look at the Cardiff team, look at the players in it, a lot of who have been bought for money, and have to work hard to get to that level.”
Jon said strikers Luke Norris and Farid El Alagui were a threat but only when Brentford played direct to them.
He said he wanted Brentford to be able to impose their philosophy on the opposition and they couldn’t do that against Cardiff.
“The front two were a threat when we got it in to them,” said Jon.
“But we didn’t open them up at all through playing football.
“You want to impose your philosophy on the opposition.
“We would come away knowing how they wanted to play.
“If they talk about us they wouldn’t recognise what we did.
“We didn’t pass with quality or go long with quality, we did everything OK.
“We want to pass the football and open them up.”
Brentford have taken seven points from their first four Under-21 Professional Development League Two South matches but have played them over the course of nearly two months.
First Team players have also been involved in the Under-21 fixtures and Jon said Alfie Mawson had gone out on loan to Maidenhead United in order to get some game time.
The Development Squad play Queens Park Rangers next week and have a run of games, including behind closed doors friendlies, until the end of November.
“I never make excuses but a lot of the players out there today haven’t played a lot in the past few weeks,” said Jon.
“That is why we felt it was important get Alfie out on loan.
“There are two or three others that will do that in the future.
“We have six games in a row, some friendlies and league games.
“Hopefully our players will build up some match fitness and match sharpness.
“We go to QPR next Tuesday and they will have a stronger squad than us.
“We have a First Team game the same day so will have a younger squad.
“Those are the tests you want.
“Today was a real test for our players.”
A full post-match interview with Jon De Souza is available here for Bees Player subscribers.