Dazed Frank draws blank
No goals... and Maupay’s off, too
BRENTFORD manager Thomas Frank will wonder how his side did not score at least three times here but then will remember that the striker who was so influential last season was not on the pitch or, in fact, anywhere near it.
Neil Maupay, who scored 25 goals in the Championship last season, did not play any part in pre-season and his days at Griffin Park are numbered. The 22-year-old French striker is expected to join Brighton — the club he turned down two years ago to sign for Brentford — in a deal worth about £20million before the summer transfer window closes on Thursday.
Losing a player of Maupay’s calibre will be hard to take, particularly when they are beaten by the narrowest of margins, such was the case against Birmingham.
Kristian Pedersen’s headed goal in the first half was enough to separate the sides and leave the home fans bitterly disappointed.
There was so much hope and expectation before this opening fixture — the last time the west London club will start a campaign at Griffin Park before moving to their new 17,250-capacity home, less than a mile away at Kew Bridge.
Brentford shone bright in the opening stages as they toyed with Birmingham’s defence. Sergi Canos played in striker Ollie Watkins — the man who is expected to score goals in Maupay’s absence. Watkins spun round to get a sight of goal and struck a left-footed effort that beat goalkeeper Lee Camp but cannoned off the upright.
Camp was well beaten just as he would be again a few seconds later when Emiliano Marcondes rattled the crossbar. The frame of the goal was struck a third time when Watkins cut inside and cracked an effort down to Camp’s right. There could be no questioning who were the better team and Brentford only have themselves to blame for the way t hey s witched off when Birmingham were awarded a freekick.
Steve Seddon’s delivery was dangerous but Brentford’s defence should have done better to pick up Pedersen as the defender headed past David Raya after being left unmarked.
It l ef t Frank s earching f or answers after what had been a dominant performance. ‘ How frustrating was it?’ he said. ‘Quite frustrating.
‘ We put i n one of t he best performances in the first half for a long time at Griffin Park — we outplayed them, out-battled them, everything.’
For Birmingham, this was the type of victory they will need to avoid the type of relegation scrap they have been involved in for four of the last five seasons.
Manager Pep Clotet said: ‘I’ve got mixed feelings. We could have done better in some parts of the game and others we did very well.’