🔗 Share this article

Over the midpoint of the campaign, Brentford find themselves in dreamland.

With four wins in their last five outings, and a Brazilian striker banging in the goals, suddenly supporters are dreaming of thoughts of trips to Milan, Munich and Barcelona next season.

A convincing three-nil win over Sunderland moved Keith Andrews' side into fifth in the top flight – a place that was sufficient to secure Champions League football last season.

Solely table-toppers Arsenal have gathered more points over the past six games.

There is a significant distance to go yet but the West London outfit are squarely in the race for continental football.

Few was forecasting this last off-season.

Thomas Frank had departed for Spurs after seven years in charge, a period in which he had not only got the club to the Premier League but also established them in the elite division.

Club captain their Danish midfielder left for Arsenal and attacking duo two key forwards – who scored a total of thirty-nine goals in the previous campaign – were also sold, joining Manchester United and Newcastle United respectively.

Set-piece coach Andrews was promoted to replace the Dane, while there was no striker among the summer signings.

A season of difficulty, possibly even the drop, was forecast. Yet here we are in the new year with Brentford in the upper echelons.

So, how did they pull it off?

The Brazilian's Record-breaking Season

Brentford's decision not to sign another striker was in part down to timing, with Wissa's move not being finalized until the final day of the window.

But they also were aware they had a £30 million striker already waiting to go.

Igor Thiago joined from Belgium in July 2024 for a then-record fee, but was hindered by fitness issues in his first campaign, going without a goal in his initial outings.

The 24-year-old has gone about compensating for lost time this season, though, with his brace against Sunderland taking him to sixteen league goals – the highest tally by a player from Brazil in a single Premier League campaign.

Considering the countrymen who have preceded him, that is some accomplishment, especially with 17 games remaining.

"He has been a revelation," former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy said. "He's physically intimidating, quick, strong, but technically better than people think. Good with his feet, both feet, he can score with both. You can see he's full of confidence. These numbers are incredible. He must be so proud. That's a big compliment to him."

That only Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe have scored more in any of the continent's major leagues to this point shows the level he is operating at.

And it is not just the quantity but the timing of the goals that have been so vital for Brentford.

His first goal against the opposition was his 7th opener of the season. Considering how often we are told the importance of the first goal in a game, having someone you can rely on to take that early opportunity cannot be overstated.

Prior to the game against their opponents, no player to have attempted at least 30 shots this season has a better shot accuracy rate than the striker's 59.1 percent.

He finds the target. Do that often enough and the goals will – and have – come.

Given the hardships he had in his youth, where he worked as a bricklayer to provide for his family following the passing of his father, perhaps it should be unsurprising that high-stakes situations on the pitch is something he takes in his stride.

"Our scouts deserve a lot of credit for the kind of players they bring in and characters," Andrews said. "This is really notable. He is a really special person who has adapted to life very well. He has had to forge this path. He has earned his journey and toiled. He has got real determination about his personality. He is improving his abilities constantly and we are learning more and more about him. He is a pretty all-round centre-forward."

Andrews Showing Sceptics Incorrect

Their star striker is the headline act but the team are not and have never been a single-player team.

While they had key individuals – a host of talent – under their previous boss, they were always seen as a team stronger than the sum of their parts.

The concern was that once the Dane left, that may not be the case, and that the collective quality of Brentford's parts alone might not be enough to avoid relegation.

Consequently, appointing Andrews, with no previous managerial experience, and just a year at the club was seen by those external observers as a huge risk.

A first managerial job is a test for anyone, especially when it comes in the Premier League and having made the leap from set-piece coach to the manager's office.

But given that Ipswich boss one candidate was the only other option that the hierarchy looked at, they were clearly confident they had the correct candidate.

To date, as often seems to be the case with the key decision makers at the club, it looks as if they were correct.

Andrews won just one of his first 5 league games in charge but significant home victories against Manchester United, Liverpool and the Magpies have followed.

Wins that, following their brilliant recent form, could prove all the more important in the race for Europe.

"We're in good form and playing really well. We are playing with bravery and conviction in everything we do with and without the ball," Andrews added. "We are pleased with how we are going but we want to keep striving."

In a league where fourth and 15th are currently separated by just eight points, they have little choice, because things could quickly look very otherwise.

But, for now, Brentford are defying the predictions. And the longer that lasts, the closer to reality those dreams of Europe will become.