Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
TONEY FLAIR
Prolific Ivan nets another double but Bees boss Frank wants even more
BRENTFORD boss Thomas Frank heaped praise on Ivan Toney – then demanded more from the 22-goal striker. Toney, signed for an initial £5million last summer from Peterborough, scored twice to make it six goals in three games as the Bees hit back from 1-0 down to rack up 20 straight Championship outings without defeat. Former Newcastle man Toney, 24, also teed up Vitaly Janelt, whose midfield partner Mathias Jensen netted too – as keeper David
Raya atoned for a third-minute own goal with a string of outstanding saves.
Frank (above), celebrating second-top Brentford’s “togetherness” in taking Toney to west London, said: “Big praise goes to the recruitment team and Matthew Benham, the owner.
“The biggest value we have is togetherness. The recruitment team, Matthew, the two sporting directors, Phil Giles and Rasmus Ankersen, me and my coaching team... we all agreed to take the player.
“Ivan only needed a few games to adapt and then he hit the ground running.
“It also says a lot about the club, our style of play and how we do things because you can’t hit the ground running if the team is not working.
“But Ivan has his personality and character and his ability in the No.9 position – and for that he deserves a lot of praise.
“He has a massive desire but I want even more. I would never set him a goal target, only ways I want him to improve.”
Boro were crestfallen (below, left) but Neil Warnock (below) is calling on Yannick Bolasie to inspire an all-out promotion assault now.
On-loan Everton winger Bolasie was a threat in his second game – but Warnock’s men failed to profit from his service and ruthless Brentford showed them how to finish.
Bolasie, 31, played under him at Crystal Palace but Warnock felt let down in October when his first attempt to lure him on loan fell through.
Boss Warnock said: “Bolasie has been working very hard and he owes me – he owes me big time.
“So I’m expecting big things from him and I don’t think he’ll disappoint me.
“Some of his crosses... we will eventually put them in. We haven’t had that quality. People will write us off but we have to play without fear.
“We’ve played the best two teams – I don’t think there’s anything else in the League.”