Nathan Collins D Brentford b.2001

[Rayzor]

Yes, that's just how I see them, unlikely to be a top 6 side going forward. Where they finished this year was a one off, but I don't see them as a consistent Champions League side, they just don't spend enough to match the big guns and some other teams spend smarter as well.

To be fair, they should be competing for champions league football every year, they have 9th largest revenue in world football. Right manager ,some decent signing and there's no reason they shouldn't be competing for the top 4/5.

[Eirambler]

Frank is just a cog in the Brentford wheel though, they have a specific type of manager that they go for - someone who coaches and leaves the business of transfers to others. They'll have someone similar lined up to replace him that fits their model.

OK, so I might have to walk back this comment if they go and give the job to Keith Andrews!

[Eirambler]

Collins named as Brentford captain. There might only be about six Irish players in the Premier League this coming season, but half of them are club captains as things stand.

Hopefully for Brentford an Irish manager, an Irish captain and an Irish goalkeeper doesn't mean a relegation battle.

[tetsujin1979]

First Irish captain under an Irish manager since Gary Breen and Mick McCarthy at Sunderland in 2005/06

[Eirambler]

Pete O'Rourke reporting that Brentford are lining up Coventry City centre back Bobby Thomas as a potential Collins replacement, as they're expecting interest in Collins before the end of the transfer window.

[EalingGreen]

Pete O'Rourke reporting that Brentford are lining up Coventry City centre back Bobby Thomas as a potential Collins replacement, as they're expecting interest in Collins before the end of the transfer window.

I could of course be wrong, but I would be astonished if BFC sold NC this window. Maybe Thomas is being seen as a future replacement for 2026/27, say, so they want him in before then to get him accustomed to the set-up? Or might agree a season-long loan back to Coventry?

Anyhow I was at the Villa game on Saturday and NC was very accomplished, in keeping with the rest of the defence. While Kelleher had surprisingly little to do, bar one (excellent) reaction save with his foot from close range.

[EalingGreen]

"Twenty two, twenty two, Nathan Collins,
Twenty two, twenty two, I say,
Twenty two, twenty two, Nathan Collins,
Playing football the Brentford way"

Brentford fans after five mins of yesterday's 2-2 draw at home to Chelsea.

First half, Chelsea dominated possession and territory, but BFC were quite happy to let them do so and hit them on the break - leading 1-0 at H-T was quite deserved.
Second half was very different - CFC made 3 substitutions after the break, some tactical tweaks and the BFC defence was suddenly stretched hard, after having been comfortable earlier.
With CFC able to bring on Cole Palmer after 55, then Garnacho after 79, it show you what quality they had, yet even after going behind 2-1 late on, they didn't panic and (just about) deserved their injury time equaliser (6 mins of injury time, after the worst case of faked "injury" by gk Sanchez I've seen since Carlos Valderama at Italia 90!).

Anyhow, NC was very solid, as was Pinnock alongside, with Van Den Berg the pick of the defence with a great display. Kelleher was excellent too, while Keith Andrews looks to have got his selection, tactics and substitutions spot on - that's now 3 wins, 4 draws and 2 defeats for Bees against CFC since promotion to the PL.