Dean Smith believes that the disappointment he saw in the dressing room after today’s 0-0 draw with Wigan Athletic shows just how far his side have come and the standards that they are setting for themselves. Smith’s side dominated much of the game against The Latics but failed to unduly test Adam Bogdan in the visitors goal as The Latics held on to leave West London with a point. Speaking to Bees Player after the match, Dean felt his side were the better side but they didn’t turn that domination into chances or goals.
“The reaction is one of disappointment really,” said Dean. “We were excellent in the first half hour and should have punished them. We didn’t take our chances and they defended manfully. Over the game we created the better chances and looked the better team but unfortunately today wasn’t our day. I don’t think we hit the heights of Tuesday night. I like the fact that we are disappointed that we kept a clean sheet and looked the better team for the majority of the game but didn’t get the win. I like the fact that we are disappointed by that in what is a tough league. We created enough chances but we just didn’t take them today. It was a performance that was ok. It had real good bits but also average bits as the game went on. You have to give credit to them though for stifling us a little bit as well.”
Dean named an unchanged XI from Tuesday night’s 4-1 win over Reading with Ryan Woods returning to the bench after serving a one game suspension. The Bees Head Coach admitted it was an easy decision to name the same starting line-up two matches running especially given how well the team played against The Royals.
“It was an easy decision to make,” said Dean. “It was disappointing for the lads who didn’t play. With Ryan Woods coming back there were a number of players who could arguably have been in the team. However, the performance was that good on Tuesday that it would have been very unfair of me to change that team for today. The players are playing well and it is a squad game, we all know that. We have a break now before two tough away games against Newcastle United and Derby County. If we take anything from this last spell it is that we are a good team. The fact that we are disappointed to not concede a goal and not concede many chances at home to Wigan shows how far we have come.”
This afternoon’s draw made it 11 points from six matches for Smith’s side since the last international break. Now, with another two week pause in the league schedule ahead of them, Dean wants his players to rest and recover before gearing up for another tough run of matches, starting at Newcastle United in a fortnight’s time.
“I am really pleased with the points total but the performances have been good as well,” said Dean. “From performances you can get results and we have certainly been doing that. The break gives us a chance to rest and recuperate. It has been a big effort to have the last five or six games in such a short space of time. They can rest up and then we will be back on the training ground doing some good tactical work ready for the games coming up. We feel that we are up there competing against the likes of Newcastle United and that shows, as a football club, where we have come from and where we are going.”