IT’S NOT ALL HONEY, BEES ‘Bruno Fernandes, the United captain, is all over the place, constantly whining’
BRENTFORD may well be known for their astute use of data but some of the numbers they have generated this season have had an understandably negative impact on their players.
Defender Zanka admitted the Bees’ Premier League-worst 30 points coughed up from winning positions has raised anxiety levels at the business end of games.
So much so, that when Mikkel Damsgaard had what looked like a legitimate second goal disallowed against Sheffield United on Saturday, the fear that a run of nine games without a win could become 10 was real.
Those lost points have also provoked some angry discussions among a group of players who were still in the hunt for a place in Europe this time last season but Zanka insisted the squad never stopped believing in themselves.
The 33-year-old Dane said: “We are humans so thoughts like that go through your head. We know the Premier League is competitive no matter who you play.
“We felt that we were the better team and once we got 1-0 ahead we were committed to keep playing to make it 2-0 and 3-0 to put this game away.
“I am proud of the team for doing that because as has been alluded to, it is a very normal reaction to start to get a little bit nervous when it has been a while since you have won a game.
“When we have given points away the way we have this season, we’ve kind of been unlucky in some games, and in others we have been bad in giving that lead away.
Human
“It is something that we talk about. We are human. We have feelings. We get angry at each other. But we have never lost the belief we are a good football team.”
The Bees needed a slice of fortune to set them on their way as United’s 19-year-old midfielder Oliver Arblaster deflected Damsgaard’s 63rd-minute cross into his own goal.
Zanka had already had a goal chalked off for offside then Damsgaard had his stunning 18-yard volley ruled out when VAR decided Ireland star
Nathan Collins had impeded Oli McBurnie off the ball.
“If you start taking away goals like that, there will not be a lot scored in set pieces any more,” reflected Zanka.
Sub Frank Onyeka sealed the points in stoppage time when he slotted the ball past Blades keeper Ivo Grbic for his first goal since joining Brentford in 2021.
Despite the victory, the Bees still have 15 fewer points than they did after 33 games last season.
No doubt, the fact star strikers Bryan Mbeumo and Ivan Toney have not started alongside each other since last May has played a part in that.
A hip injury saw Toney confined to the bench against the Blades but the deadly duo are expected to start this weekend at Luton, where Brentford can all but confirm their Premier League status with a win.
Zanka said: “We are all hoping to have Bryan and Ivan back together. They are amazing players and play well together so we are hoping they remain fit for the remainder of the season and score goals for us.”
BRENTFORD: Flekken 7; Roerslev 6, ZANKA 8, Collins 6, Reguilon 6; Jensen 7 (Onyeka 90), Janelt 7, Damsgaard 7 (Yarmolyuk 79); Mbeumo 7 (Schade 90), Maupay 6 (Lewis-Potter 79), Wissa 6 (Pinnock 90). SHEFF UNITED: Grbic 7; Holgate 6 (Slimane 90), Ahmedhodzic 6, Trusty 7; Bogle 6 (Archer 76), Hamer 6, Arblaster 6, Osbourn 6, Larouci 6 (McAtee 58, 6); Brereton Diaz 6, McBurnie 6.
TEN HAG GOING WON’T CHANGE A WHOLE LOT
favourites. They had 20 shots, United just eight.
Bournemouth had five on target, United two and two big penalty calls had a significant impact on the game ending in a draw.
The one against Bournemouth was very harsh and the home side had a strong shout for their own spot-kick late on.
Bournemouth will, rightly, feel they should have won the game. They should have added to their victory at Old Trafford.
Here’s a list of teams who have beaten United this season: Tottenham, Arsenal,
Brighton, Crystal Palace, Manchester City, Newcastle United, Bournemouth, West Ham, Nottingham Forest, Fulham, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Galatasaray and Copenhagen.
Opponent
Every opponent feels they have a chance. In nearly every game United play, their opponents look fitter, hungrier and better organised.
In my opinion, quite a few of the United players are not trying.
Look at the acres of space in United’s half for Dominic Solanke’s goal on Saturday.
That shows a lack of effort and desire.
For the second goal, Alejandro Garnacho is in a good defensive position when the ball is played wide to Justin Kluivert.
Garnacho, though, makes zero effort to close Kluivert down. He just jogs aimlessly back for a couple of steps. Kluivert can’t believe his luck and buries the ball.
Bruno Fernandes, the United captain, is all over the place, constantly whining, but his team are still very dependent on him.
Casemiro’s legs are gone. The decision to make him the third-best-paid player in Premier League history was crazy.
Then there’s Antony. There is a strong argument that he is the worst signing in United history, partly because you have to take his fee of €95m into consideration.
He is their second-most expensive-signing of all time and their most expensive forward in history.
What have they got in return for the €95m? Four goals in 25 Premier League games last season, zero goals in 25 Premier League games in this one.
Promises
He was missing through injury on Saturday. No-one was saying he was a loss.
Everything about United now is wrong. Jim Ratcliffe has come in as part owner, making all sorts of boasts and promises. He is a typical rich guy who listens to no-one and thinks he has all the answers.
Ratcliffe doesn’t even know the question.
His big move has been to bring in supposed guru Dave Brailsford.
Google Brailsford. Is he the man you’d want making big calls?
Ten Hag won’t last much longer. Some other unfortunate will come in, inheriting a woeful squad and a broken club.
It’s very sad as this is a club with a truly great history, one that inspired millions all over the world.
Nobody gets inspired by a floundering team. It’s hard to believe that United have fallen so far.
Bournemouth won’t be the last supposed minnows to be favourites against them.
If Liverpool miss out on the Premier League title next month, it’s unlikely to be by a huge margin.
That they dropped five points to this dismal United team may haunt them — and Jurgen Klopp — for a long time.