IVAN THE TERRIBLE!
Toney marks his comeback after ban with cheeky free-kick
THE Big Dog has not lost his bite. Ivan Toney gave himself that nickname last week and he backed it up in style by making the perfect return to Premier League action.
‘When it matters, I deliver,’ Toney declared after this triumph and who can blame him? Despite eight months on the sidelines for 232 breaches of FA betting regulations, Toney played like he had never been away. He scored a comeback goal, bullied Nottingham Forest centre back Andrew Omobamidele and was at the heart of every positive attacking move.
Toney is probably not quite as good as he thinks he is but that does not matter a jot. Brentford’s self-belief had been eroded by five straight defeats that had taken them to the cusp of the relegation scrap.
In that situation, a player who considers himself the Bees’ knees is exactly what you need. Brentford boss Thomas Frank played this one to perfection by making Toney captain and he responded spectacularly.
Frank’s men had to work hard for it, though, against a Forest side fearing a points deduction and missing numerous key men. They even took the lead through Danilo and after Toney and Ben Mee had put Brentford ahead, Chris Wood equalised. Three minutes later, though, Neal Maupay hit the winner and Toney’s welcome home party had its ideal ending.
Brentford and Toney had milked the attention during the week like Mick Jagger before one last comeback tour and neither were about to stop here.
During his exile, Toney’s status has grown from ‘admired Premier League striker’ to ‘£100million guarantee of the title’, apparently without the man himself needing to kick a ball. Rarely has expectation on a returning player been so great. Perhaps Diego Maradona or Eric Cantona had this level of anticipation when they came back from bans and while Toney certainly talks the talk, even he might concede he is not quite of their standard. His importance to this club, however, is beyond doubt and they must surely resist all offers to take him away this month.
An hour before kick-off, a breathless announcer delivered the team news excitedly to a near-empty stadium and the build-up accelerated from there. We saw Toney’s last Premier League goal — against the same opponents last April — on the big screen. Then the inevitable pre-kick-off montage of more goals, this time with vocals from Eminem. All this and still a football match to play but it was Forest who seized the advantage.
Vitaly Janelt’s clearance was wild and when Mee’s header barely cleared the area, Danilo controlled it on his left knee and volleyed into the corner with his right foot. The travelling supporters loved that, just as they enjoyed baiting Toney about his gambling suspension.
In case you hadn’t noticed, Toney is the sort of bloke who likes to prove people wrong and he did just that in the 18th minute.
Orel Mangala was booked for a foul on Mikkel Damsgaard just outside the penalty area. As Toney stood over the ball, Forest formed a four-man wall with Danilo as ‘draught excluder’ behind it to stop the low shot.
Then Toney moved the ball twice, a fraction each time, to give himself a better sight of goal. Neither the referee nor VAR spotted it and Toney promptly curled the ball around the wall and inside Matt Turner’s near post. The Big Dog has learned a new trick. The 27-yearold striker raced to hug Frank and his staff and then held up a Bees shirt bearing the message ‘For You Uncle Brian’.
‘The scorer, of course, Ivan Toney!’bellowed the stadium announcer.
Having claimed the first, Toney was inches from creating the second. He hooked an overhit corner back into the box and, after the ball had rebounded off Ryan Yates, Keane Lewis-Potter smashed it against the underside of the bar.
That combination was at it again early in the second half as Toney crossed for Lewis-Potter, who sneaked ahead of Gonzalo Montiel but shot too close to Turner.
At the other end, Mangala tried to backheel in Danilo’s cross and then Lewis-Potter miskicked six yards out. Toney’s influence was growing now and Brentford did not have to wait long to move ahead.
Mee drifted away from Montiel and ran in front of Murillo at the near post, just in time to head home Mathias Jensen’s corner. That should have set the stage for Brentford to cruise clear as Forest were struggling for rhythm.
Then Jensen missed a tackle on Danilo in midfield, Callum HudsonOdoi crossed from the left and the unmarked Wood glanced it past Mark Flekken. Suddenly Brentford looked fragile and Mangala went close from the edge of the box after a swift break.
Forest’s optimism did not last long. Toney was again at the heart of the move, spreading play to the right where Mads Roerslev delivered and Neal Maupay held off Omobamidele before volleying in impressively.
When the goal stood after a VAR check, Forest were furious and after Maupay had celebrated provocatively in the face of Montiel, Forest assistant Rui Silva was booked. Replays suggested it was a fair call.
There was still time for Mangala to shoot just wide and the ten added minutes produced anxious cries among the home fans, but the Big Dog had his day. He needs a few more displays like this now — and you wouldn’t bet against him.
BRENTFORD (3-5-2): Flekken 6; Collins 6, Pinnock 6, Mee 6.5; Roerslev 6 (Ajer 90min), Damsgaard 7 (Baptiste 74, 6), Janelt 6.5, Jensen 6.5 (Yarmoliuk 90), Lewis-Potter 7 (Dasilva 90); Toney 8.5, Maupay 6.5 (Reguilon 74, 6).
Booked: Toney. Subs (not used): Strakosha, Zanka, Peart-Harris, Olakigbe.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST (4-2-3-1): Turner 6; Montiel 5 (Aguilera 86), Omobamidele 5, Murillo 6, Tavares 6.5; Mangala 6.5, Danilo 7; Dominguez 5.5, Yates 6.5 (Williams 62, 6), Hudson-Odoi 6; Wood 7. Booked: Mangala, Montiel, Rui Silva (coach). Subs (not used): Vlachodimos, Worrall, Toffolo, McKenna, Osong, McDonnell, Gardner.
Referee: D England (Doncaster) 6.