Manager Uwe Rösler admitted his selection for Brentford’s npower League One game against Stevenage did not work.
The Bees were beaten 1-0 in Hertfordshire last night and the Brentford boss accepted his share of the responsibility for the team he selected.
Brentford started with three central midfield players – Jake Reeves, Jonathan Douglas and Tom Adeyemi – with Bradley Wright-Phillips on the left and Clayton Donaldson as a lone striker.
Uwe said he thought his team would take control of the game but said that did not happen.
He switched to 4-4-2 midway through the first half, brought on Shaleum Logan and Harry Forrester at half time and said The Bees were better after the break.
But Marcus Haber scored the winning goal with 15 minutes left when he out-muscled Harlee Dean and poked home.
“The formation we set up did not work as well as I hoped,” said Uwe, speaking after the match.
“We had three guys in the centre of midfield and I felt we would get control from that.
“We had Jake Reeves, a very good passer of the ball, to try and turn them.
“But we did not compete.
“In the first half we had only three or four players who could withstand Stevenage’s physical strength, power, determination and desire in the duels.
“We made changes in the second half and we were a lot better.
“We had three or four good chances, shots from in and around the box.
“They had one shot in the second half and scored.
“The goal summed it up.
“We could not clear the ball, they put us under pressure.
“They won a header, put it in our box and out-muscled one of our centre halves.
“That sums it up.
“Stevenage wanted it a bit more than us.
“That is difficult to understand.
“They did not want to get dragged in to the relegation fight but we have a lot to fight for.
“The second half was OK but the first half we didn’t compete.
“I take my share of the blame; the formation did not work as well as I hoped.”
Uwe said he selected a team to deal with the threat Stevenage would pose.
The home side had lost six in a row and were starting to slide down the table.
Uwe said he expected to have to fight for control of the game and withstand pressure but his team did not compete well enough.
He added Stevenage’s James Dunne should have been punished for a late tackle on Liam Moore that left the defender hobbling through the rest of the game.
“We knew what we would come up against,” said Uwe.
“I warned the players, they play percentage football.
“When teams are fighting not to get dragged in to a relegation fight, they play like that.
“They have big boys; they hassle and fight, pick up the pieces and play for set pieces.
“They have Luke Freeman, a player who can make a difference.
“In the first half he was very good; Shaleum Logan had control of him in the second half.
“That was enough to beat us.
“We have to be more resilient.
“We knew what we would face, it was not a surprise.
“If we want to do something this year we have to come to places like this, withstand the pressure, compete and play out game, like we did in the second half.
“I thought the extra man in midfield would give us an advantage but they caused us problems.
“Their strikers worked well - Haber was physical, he put our defenders under pressure.
“We couldn’t clear the ball far enough and they picked up the pieces.
“That sums it up.
“We have to be more competitive.
“They overwhelmed us.
“We wanted to take the game to them in the beginning, to start well.
“We felt they were low on confidence.
“They did it to us with fighting and power, we have to learn.”
Brentford now sit fifth in the npower League One table and have played a game fewer than the teams behind them.
They have also have a game in hand on leaders Doncaster Rovers, the only other team in the top seven to play last night.
Doncaster were beaten 3-0 by Milton Keynes Dons and Uwe said Brentford had missed the chance to make ground.
He added it was important only to look at how his team were doing and they had to go to Carlisle United on Saturday and put it right.
“This was a golden opportunity,” said Uwe.
“Nobody else played apart from Doncaster.
“It was a chance for us to make ground up.
“Nothing has happened but MK Dons have games in hand on us now and can come close.
“The position for us, nothing has happened.
“We should always look at ourselves and when you look at the table you lose focus and concentration.
“We need to compete better, like we have done many times this season.
“I was surprised we lost this game.
“We are disappointed.
“We have to go to Carlisle and make up for it.”
Bees Player subscribers can see Uwe’s full post-match interview here.