Football Season Guide

With Bryan Mbuemo netting 20 league goals and Yoan Wissa bagging 19, Brentford ended last season as the joint fifth-best attack in the league (66 goals - their best-ever return in a single Premier League campaign). Yet, only one team who finished in the top-10 conceded more goals than the Bees (57), with Thomas Frank’s side competing for a European spot but finishing tenth. Important changes have taken place during the off-season, as Frank left Brentford after seven years at the club, Mbuemo joined Manchester United in what is a club-record sale for the Bees, Christian Nørgaard left for Arsenal and Mark Flekken signed for Bayer Leverkusen. Caoimhín Kelleher, arguably last season’s best backup keeper, has joined Brentford, who are looking to strengthen their attack. Meanwhile, Frank has been succeeded by his former set-piece coach, Keith Andrews, who’s been promoted from his previous role at the club. Judging from the friendlies so far, Andrews is expected to maintain both the 4-2-3-1 formation and Frank’s style of play, building on the foundation laid by his predecessor. Antoni Milambo and experienced Jordan Henderson joined to beef up what looks like a solid midfield that also features last season’s top performer Mikkel Damsgaard, as well as Mathias Jensen and a prodigious Yegor Yarmolyuk, who has already earned important Premier League experience. Their main weakness, though, lies on their defensive frailties, as relegated Southampton and Ipswich were the only sides to concede more than Brentford at home (35) last term. Andrews needs to find a much-needed cohesion, as Brentford are not expected to strengthen their backline this summer.