Highlights, report and reaction: Brentford 3 Southampton 1
"Bryan Mbeumo Scores Twice In Brentford's 3-0 Win Over Southampton"
Thomas Frank decided to shake up the team that faced Liverpool by bringing in Kevin Schade and Mikkel Damsgaard instead of Roerslev and Keane Lewis-Potter.
The game got off to a strong start. Damsgaard passed the ball through Flynn Downes' legs at the center of the field, then made a quick pass to Mbeumo on the right side before heading towards the goal.
Mbeumo spotted Damsgaard with room to run, but his control wasn't precise enough and Ramsdale, who was signed on Deadline Day, managed to deflect the ball away. The Bees continued to push forward, and Ajer's pass along the ground was cleared out for a corner by Bednarek.
On the opposite side, Kyle Walker-Peters ran onto Taylor Harwood-Bellis' pass, cut inside from the right, and challenged Mark Flekken near the goal post.
The ball was delivered into the box by Sugawara and accidentally hit Joe Aribo's back before hitting the crossbar. Will Smallbone sent a cross from the left side that was headed towards the goal by Ben Brereton Díaz, but Flekken made an easy save.
Kristoffer Ajer smoothly received Wissa's pass and quickly sent a hard-driven cross into the penalty area. Harwood-Bells managed to outmaneuver Schade to reach the ball, while Wissa skillfully chipped it over the advancing Ramsdale and away from the goal.
Shortly after, Wissa turned past Brereton Díaz cleverly and attempted a curling shot from 20 yards, but Ramsdale managed to save it.
Wissa had two additional opportunities within just a few minutes as the game neared the thirty-minute mark. The first chance came when he redirected Mathias Jensen's free-kick just wide of the goal, and the second was a long-range shot from outside the box that went over the crossbar.
At the 35th minute, Vitaly Janelt, Wissa, and Christian Nørgaard worked together near the penalty area. Nørgaard attempted a shot but it was blocked by Bednarek.
Jack Stephens missed a great opportunity for the Saints when he headed Will Smallbone's corner just over the crossbar.
Just before the break, Damsgaard worked hard to intercept Walker-Peter's careless pass. He then passed the ball low to Wissa, but Harwood-Bellis made a crucial move to block the play.
It was a play that hinted at the first goal. Right after that, Damsgaard took the ball from Stephens and passed it to Schade, whose shot hit the post. Mbeumo capitalized on the rebound, scoring low into the bottom corner without hesitation.
The Saints quickly tried to score a goal to even the score. Sugawara got the ball near the penalty area after a corner kick and shot straight into Flekken's hands.
In the last moments of the game, Sugawara's crossed ball from the right side was redirected and fell nicely for Adam Armstrong near the goal, but he wasn't able to kick the ball cleanly and missed the opportunity to score.
Just moments into the second half, Damsgaard made a smart pass to Jensen with a backhanded ball, but unfortunately, the midfielder's shot went wide of the goal.
Following a period where Saints had the ball, Sugawara made a pass along the ground that nearly connected with Cameron Archer, who had come on as a substitute just before half-time. Archer was positioned near the back post, hoping to score.
The Bees quickly moved to the opposite side of the field. Mbeumo changed direction and sent a cross from the right side, and Schade jumped up and headed the ball directly at Ramsdale.
In the 62nd minute, Brereton Díaz took a powerful shot from outside the box that hit Mbeumo and went out for a corner kick.
Damsgaard and Nørgaard both tried to score, but their shots were stopped as the Bees tried to increase their advantage.
Frank's team managed to score a second goal despite Southampton's defense trying to play from their own half. Bednarek attempted a pass to Stephens, but Damsgaard intercepted it and quickly passed it forward. Jensen then smoothly passed the ball to Mbeumo, who skillfully scored with a well-placed shot into the far corner.
Not long after the game started again, Tyler Dibling, who had just come in as a substitute, took a shot from far away that Flekken managed to save.
Brentford sealed the game by scoring another goal against Southampton. Jensen threw the ball long, Collins passed it on, and Wissa managed to score the Bees' third goal at the back of the net.
Wissa attempted a shot but it was blocked by Bednarek after a great play involving Roerslev and Mbeumo on the right side. Collins' header from Jensen's throw-in was caught well by Ramsdale, as the Bees started to have fun.
Dibling attempted another long-range shot, but the ball narrowly missed the left post of Flekken. Nørgaard, after a fast transition from Brentford, fired the ball over the bar and into the west stand with a pass from Wissa.
Southampton scored a late goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time. Dibling passed the ball into the penalty area where Adam Lallana controlled it and Sugawara, using the outside of his foot, kicked it past Flekken and into the net off the post.
Brentford: Flekken; Ajer (subbed out for Roerslev in the 39th minute), Collins, Pinnock, Janelt (replaced by Lewis-Potter in the 75th minute); Nørgaard, Jensen, Damsgaard (substituted for Carvalho in the 81st minute); Mbeumo, Wissa, Schade (subbed out for van den Berg in the 75th minute)
Blog Post: Unfortunately, we were unable to utilize Valdimarsson, Mee, Yarmoliuk, Konak, and Trevitt in our latest game. They were not included in the line-up for reasons beyond our control. We hope to have them back on the field in the future to contribute to the team's success.
Southampton started the game with Ramsdale in goal, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, and Stephens in defense. Sugawara, Smallbone, Downes, Aribo, and Walker-Peters made up the midfield, while Armstrong and Brereton Díaz were up front. Dibling came on in the 56th minute, Fernandes at half time, Lallana in the 82nd minute, and Archer at half time for substitutions during the match.
Blog Section: Today, we wanted to highlight some of the players who have been impressing us in training. These players have been putting in the hard work and showing great potential on the field. We are excited to see how they continue to develop and contribute to the team. Keep an eye out for these rising stars as they make their mark in the upcoming matches.
Frank Boasts About Our Elite High Press
Thomas Frank had nothing but positive things to say about his team following their 3-1 win against Southampton.
"The emotions that come after a victory are indescribable," stated the Bees manager. "It's a mix of feeling relieved and joyful."
We did really well and had a great game. It was obvious that we should have won. We should enjoy our victory for a whole day because winning in the Premier League is very challenging.
Frank stated that our high press during the game was top-notch. We were extremely aggressive, well-coordinated, and the players showed a lot of dedication.
"We pressured Southampton into making errors, and we took advantage two times. To be critical, we could have generated even more scoring opportunities. In general, I am pleased."
Damsgaard's Gameplan Triumphs Vs. Saints
Mikkel Damsgaard also emphasized Brentford's strategy for the game.
In the game, the Bees scored two out of their three goals thanks to Damsgaard making interceptions near the opponent's goal. The player from Denmark shared that this was something the team had been concentrating on before the match.
"He mentioned that we had a strong performance and were able to generate many scoring opportunities," he added.
I made an effort to put in a lot of effort and gain possession of the ball. We were aware that they enjoy taking chances in their passing game, so we saw a chance to capitalize on that.
Today, we seized those opportunities. The strategy was effective.