Tom Field said confidence in the Youth Team dressing room is high after back-to-back wins to start the new Under-18 Professional Development League Two South season.
A 2-1 opening day victory at home to Millwall was followed up on Saturday by a fine 4-1 victory away at Barnsley thanks to Bradley Clayton’s brace and goals from Seika Jatta and Courtney Austin.
The results leave Brentford and Ipswich Town as the only two sides with perfect records in the South division of the Professional Development League.
The Bees next fixture is a West London derby away at a QPR side who recorded their first win of the season, at the third attempt, on Saturday with a 1-0 success against Sheffield Wednesday.
Speaking to Bees Player after the win over Barnsley Tom said that confidence in the dressing room was high after the fast start to the season.
Tom added that the team can’t wait to get back in and prepare for the game against QPR.
“It is a very pleased dressing room in there,” said Tom.
“Last year we didn’t have the greatest of starts but now we have got two wins out of two so far and six points on the board.
“There will be a lot of confidence leading into QPR next week.
“It will be a massive game but we have got a lot of confidence and hopefully we can get another three points.
“The local derby always adds that little bit extra and a little bit more spice.
“We go to every game in the same mental state and just because it is QPR we aren’t going to fight more or battle more, it is still just another game.”
Brentford took an early lead against Barnsley on Saturday when Bradley Clayton reacted fastest to prod home from close range but that lead was cancelled out before half-time when Matty Templeton glanced home from close range.
It took until 20 minutes from time for Brentford to re-take the lead as Seika Jatta finished coolly into the bottom corner before the result was put beyond doubt late on as Clayton grabbed his second before Courtney Austin scored his first of the season.
Tom said that the four goals were especially pleasing given the fact they had been working on those periods of play in training.
Overall Tom felt that The Bees were well worth their victory and it sets them up well moving forwards.
“Anthony Hayes and Jeremy Steele have been working with us on the training pitch on our combinations,” said Tom.
“The last goal was like a training moment for us it was perfect.
“That was what we work on in training and it was great to get it out in the games.
“Anthony and Jeremy told us just to play well and we will win.
“We had to defend well and stick to our game and that is what we did.
“Everyone is buzzing for training now.
“It is at such a high tempo now and that is a change from last year.
“There was a stage in the first-half where they had 15 minutes of good possession.
“It shows how good we are at defending and that we have a strong back four.
“We dominated the rest of the game and moved them side to side.
“We must have had 60% possession and we were clinical as well.”
In the system which Brentford play there is a lot of responsibility on the full-backs to get forward and give the team its width.
In the first-half Tom regularly found himself getting forward in support of Brentford’s attacks, a role he said he really enjoys.
A tactical change at half-time saw Tom switch to centre-back, a new position for him, and he said that while he found it tough to start with having Seth Owens alongside him was a big boost.
“As a full-back they want you to bomb on because they want the wide players to roll inside,” said Tom.
“They usually play right footers on the left and left footers on the right.
“They want the full-backs to get crosses into the box and cut in and shoot.
“It is a good position for me because I like to attack as well as defend.
“It was tough at centre-back but Seth Owens helped me a lot because he is an out and out centre-back.
“I just needed to get into the right positions and win my headers and my tackles and keep the ball.
“I think I did that alright.”