Brentford Manager Uwe Rösler said his players showed the signs of playing three intense games in six days during their New Year’s Day draw with AFC Bournemouth.
The Bees drew 0-0 with the south coast side at Griffin Park to extend their unbeaten run in npower League One to 12 games.
It also gave them five points from three games over the festive period after a 3-1 win at Colchester United on Boxing Day and a 0-0 draw with Shrewsbury Town.
Uwe said he gambled to try and win the game, switching to two strikers, and it almost cost his side but praised the way his side dug in to get a point.
“Today, you could see the Christmas programme took its toll on us,” said Uwe, speaking after the match.
“I felt we were not as fresh, as mobile, as energetic, as sharp mentally as we normally are.
“That is understandable.
“The first half was not a great game of football in general.
“Both teams cancelled each other out.
“Second half I felt we were in the game.
“I went for it in the last 20 minutes, playing two strikers, and it nearly cost us the game.
“It allowed them to take over.
“They had some big chances.
“We have nothing to lose, everything to win, so sometimes you gamble.
“That is what I did in the last 20 minutes.
“The boys dug in, gave everything they had.
“When you can’t win, make sure you don’t lose and 18 months ago we would have lost that game.”
Uwe said opening the game up at the end almost cost his team.
He said he had hoped his three central midfield players – Jonathan Douglas, Adam Forshaw and Tom Adeyemi – would have more control of the game.
He added he took Adam Forshaw off in the second half as he had taken a kick to the back.
“Two strong teams cancelled each other out,” said Uwe.
“We never got the ball down to play.
“They played on the counter attack and made it difficult for us.
“They pressured us well.
“We were more open in midfield towards the end and it nearly cost us the game.
“Sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn’t.
“We played three central midfield players from the start and I hoped we would have more control of the midfield.
“We didn’t really achieve that.
“The game ended up a bit like a basketball game, especially in the second half.”
Uwe praised the way his team made sure they did not lose the game against a Bournemouth side now unbeaten in 16 in all competitions.
He had special words for Harry Forrester’s defensive display on the left of Brentford’s midfield.
“Our mentality is very strong,” said Uwe.
“I want to highlight Harry Forrester.
“He maybe did not have his best defensive game but really put a shift in defensively.
“He helped Jake Bidwell on that side.
“Defensively today, he reflected the mentality of the team.
“We don’t want to get beaten; we want to keep our run going.
“Maybe we did not do enough to win the game today but we made sure we did not lose.”
Uwe said he was happy with a point and happy to have earned two draw against Bournemouth in two matches.
The teams drew 2-2 on the south coast in September.
Bournemouth went in 2-1 up at half time that night but Brentford had the better of the second half and equalised through Harry Forrester.
“We have come out of two games with Bournemouth with two draws against the team that has a massively big budget compared to us,” said Uwe.
“Money is not always decisive.
“Our squad is as good as their squad.
“I am happy with a point.
“We were not physically at our best as we did not have a lot of time to recover so I am happy with a point.”
A full video interview with Uwe Rösler is available here for Bees Player subscribers.