The side have taken on reserve sides which have often included a number of first team players from other Football League clubs like Luton Town and Wycombe Wanderers, as well as academy sides and a men’s team in Beckenham Town in the London FA Senior Cup.
Having also taken on strong reserves sides in Aberdeen and Hibernian, Arthur believes that recent experiences are standing the players in good stead as they continue their progression.
He explained: “It’s good to go from playing against teams like Hibs to playing teams from non-league on a Tuesday night and then playing against a team like Luton at Griffin Park. It’s good because we play against some first teams, but also a lot of strong under-23 teams like West Ham, Aberdeen and Hibs. There are different challenges and I’m enjoying it so far.
“You need to show different ways of playing and it’s good to widen your game, but once you start passing the ball round to get the other team working then they will start to tire, and that’s the key where you start to wear them down.”
Arthur came through the ranks with Luton Town and turned out a handful of times for the first team at Kenilworth Road, but having made the move to Brentford, he feels the club is the right fit for him.
He explained: “The thing that’s most impressed me is the way that you’re treated. Coming from Luton I wasn’t in the team and it was a harder environment for me, but here I feel like I’m really wanted and that’s a big thing. All the coaches and the players have helped me settle in really well and I feel like I get on with everyone.”
Having departed Luton in the summer to move to Griffin Park, Arthur admitted that it’s been tough to adjust in terms of fitness having missed part of pre-season, but says he’s feeling sharp and ready for action having settled well as the club.
“Things are starting to pick up nicely now,” said Arthur. “At the start I wasn’t fully fit because I didn’t have a club in pre-season for a few weeks, so now I’ve got up to full fitness and I feel like I’m building nicely and progressing in the right way. It was hard, I’d done few bits before I joined in pre-season, but going into the football environment was a big step up with a lot of running, but I feel that it’s paid off now because I feel fit.”
Though Brentford B’s fortunes in terms of results have been somewhat mixed over the past month or so, Arthur says the team have put in some impressive performances and are developing a great deal. The 6-0 win over Beckenham Town in the London FA Senior Cup, was then followed up by the recent trip to Scotland where the team put in some strong performances against Aberdeen Reserves and Hibernian Reserves.
Arthur credited the staff and fellow players for the work they’ve put in so far this season and is targeting more improvements going forward, as well as getting more minutes under his belt.
He continued: “Neil (MacFarlane) and Saunds (Sam Saunders) have been really good so far, as have the gym staff who have done so much with little extras to help us. I’ve enjoyed working with all the coaches and the sessions as well.
“It’s a good dressing room and everyone seems to get on. All the boys have helped me to settle in well and I get on with all of them really well. Going from last season I didn’t get as much game time as I’d have liked, so I’m hoping to nail down a position in the B Team and work hard to get as many minutes under my belt as possible.”