Brentford Manager Mark Warburton said he hopes his team can maintain their level of performance against Rotherham United tomorrow, and get the result their play deserves.
The Bees have lost their last three games – Sky Bet Championship games away to Wolverhampton Wanderers and at home to Ipswich Town and an FA Cup loss to Brighton and Hove Albion – but Mark has been happy with their performances.
The Bees are sixth in the Sky Bet Championship table ahead of the visit of Rotherham tomorrow, Saturday January 10, and Mark said he has had to answer questions this week as to whether his side can expect a tough second half of the season.
But he said his team are playing well, having won seven games out of eight before the three losses, and now just need to be more clinical.
“I have been asked countless times in the last few days if we’ve peaked and if we can now expect a tough second half of the season,” said Mark, speaking to Bees Player yesterday.
“To go to Molineux and play in the way we did against Wolves and not get anything was scandalous.
“We played very well last week against Brighton.
“There is no hiding from the fact we didn’t put our chances away and need to be more clinical, the players recognise that.
“We averaged three goals a game on our run.
“We can score goals, we can keep clean sheets and hopefully it will come together on Saturday and we will get the result the performance deserves.”
Mark said he expects to use his squad more in the second half of the season than the first.
The Brentford boss has been consistent in his team selection, using just 12 starting players in nine matches prior to the Wolves loss, but said that would change.
Mark said different opposition would provide different examinations of his team and there may be different players utilised in upcoming games against Brighton, Norwich City, Leeds United and Middlesbrough.
The Brentford boss said he had no injuries ahead of the match, although his team had not finished their preparations yet, and would select a side to meet the challenge posed.
“In the Championship the standard is higher and you have to deal with the physicality,” he said.
“We will utilise our squad.
“We will use our resources in the second half of the season, the right team for the right games.
“We will decide what the best XI is and hopefully make the right choice.
“We will need different things for different games.
“In some games we will need a more physical team, in some we will need cleverness in the final third, the balance might be different.
“In some games we might need width, we have those options.
“We have depth of quality.
“The second half of the season will be different to the first in that we will use the squad more.
“We have three good central defenders and we might rotate them to suit individual games.
“Brighton play a certain way and Rotherham a different way, and then we have Norwich, Middlesbrough and Leeds.
“Consistency of selection is important; we have done that in terms of certain positions and certain personnel.
“Now the pitches get heavier, they are still Championship pitches but they will be heavier.
“Physicality does come in to play, we may not be able to play our football, we will try but it may be more difficult.
“There may be slightly more rotation, if it works, good, if not, we will review it.”
Mark said the weather had affected training this week but he hoped for a good surface for the match against Rotherham.
“The weather is a real problem at the moment,” he said.
“We have found an area to train but many of the pitches are under water.
“Griffin Park was heavy against Brighton and it will be interesting to see how it shapes up after more rain.
“We hope for a pitch to suit our style.
“The wetter it is the harder it is for the Groundsman to get on and cut it.
“There is then surface water on top.
“We hope the forecast isn’t too bad.”
Rotherham beat Brentford home and away last year as both teams were promoted from League One but The Bees gained a measure of revenge with a 2-0 win in Yorkshire in August.
Mark said it was a different Rotherham side now.
He explained they had quality in attack – Jordan Bowery and Jonson Clarke-Harris – cleverness in midfield – Lee Frecklington, Ben Pringle and Richard Smallwood – and full backs that liked to get forward.
They have, however, just sold striker Alex Revell to Cardiff City.
“Rotherham are a team that look to play more now than last year,” said Mark.
“They look to play out, they have clever players.
“They have Harris and Bowery up front, clever players with Pringle and Smallwood, Frecklington.
“They are well-organised, good at set pieces and have a long throw with [Kári] Árnason.
“They are a good quality team and have been unfortunate with some recent results.
“They drew with Blackpool and should have won comfortably.
“They have dropped some points.
“We are aware of their threat.
“Revell may have gone before the game.
“They have strikers with a physical threat and they have full backs keen to get forward.
“They have a physical presence but so do we and we will deal with it.”
Andre Gray scored his first Sky Bet Championship goal in the game between the teams earlier in the season.
He has taken his tally to nine in the league and ten in total since but missed a few chances in the FA Cup defeat to Brighton.
“There was talk last week about Andre, I was delighted he was in the position to miss,” said Mark.
“Strikers miss chances, it happens.
“Andre never shirked and always found the positions.
“He has been very good in training this week.
“He had good success up there and hopefully it will be the same on Saturday.”
The January Transfer Window is open and Brentford have already brought in Lewis Macleod from Glasgow Rangers to their squad.
Mark said he spoke to Sporting Director Frank McParland regularly about players and there was dialogue with Owner Matthew Benham and the Board.
Mark said he wanted to ensure he had a squad to cope with the rest of the season but not too many players frustrated at not playing.
“We talk every day about players,” he said.
“Frank and I have a dialogue and Frank relays that to the owner and the Board.
“We have to make sure we are covered, it is a demanding league.
“All players want to play and get frustrated if they don’t.
“We have high quality players not in the 18.
“We need a squad to deal with injuries and suspensions but not with too many frustrated players.
“We will look at how we use the loan market.”
Bees Player subscribers can see a full video interview with Mark Warburton here.