Lewis Hancock introduces the latest ‘Inside Line’:
City’s
five-match unbeaten run came to a halt on Saturday and sees us remain a
languishing ‘sleeping giant’ in League One’s relegation zone. The defeat to Wolves was unsavoury but
regrettably anticipated by many in BS3 considering City haven’t won at Molineux
since 1931!
But what better
way for Steve Cotterill to refocus the squad with a match just three days later,
you might say? Unfortunately, it doesn’t come much tougher than a
team unbeaten in 16 league matches – including an amazing 14 wins – league
leaders, Brentford.
Since the last
encounter between the sides, the Bees’ are under new management in Mark
Warburton following Uwe Rosler’s departure to Wigan, and their rich vein of
form has seen them climb to the League One summit.
If last season’s
near-miss is anything to go by, it comes as little surprise to supporters of
League One clubs to see the West London club challenging for promotion. There’s no doubt City will have to produce an
excellent display to take all three points from Griffin Park and I spoke to
Bristol Post’s City correspondent – and lifelong Bees fan – Andy Stockhausen,
to hear his views on how the match may pan out.
Brentford have been on a very healthy
unbeaten run in the league since October, skyrocketing into the automatic
promotion places. How has Mark Warburton kept the side in such a rich vein of
form since Uwe Rosler’s departure?
Continuity is the name of the game. Promoted
from within following Uwe Rosler’s defection to Wigan, Mark Warburton has not
changed a thing in terms of tactics, selection and overall approach. An
intelligent man, he has made a seamless transition from director of football to
first team manager. His mantra is “if it is not broken, don’t mend it.”
Warburton won League One manager of the
December in his debut month in charge. What does he bring to Griffin Park as a
manager? How tactical is he?
Untried as a manager previously, it is
difficult to say what Mark Warburton stands for at this early stage. So far, he
has maintained a steady ship, declining to make changes and deviate from the
path set by his predecessor. I have been told he is a good man manager and motivator,
while his clever use of substitutes in recent games suggests an astute football
mind.
It’s common for a team to hit good form towards
the end of the campaign and look to sneak into the play-offs. Do you think
Brentford have peaked too early or is there more to come from them?
I thought even before the start of the
season that this Brentford squad ought to be up there challenging for automatic
promotion. After missing out in such dramatic and heart-breaking fashion last
season, nobody connected with the club is prepared to contemplate another spin
of the play-off roulette wheel.
So, after narrowly missing out on promotion
(need I say what happened!) last season, have the Bees got what it takes to go
one further?
The disappointment of last season is driving
the entire club forward, from the directors, staff and players, through to the
fans and right down to the tea lady! There is a fierce determination to make
amends and take a place in the Championship that should have been theirs’ last
May. In my opinion, this is the strongest Bees squad since the one assembled by
Steve Coppell in the 1990s and automatic promotion is a realistic goal. The
team continues to improve and definitely has the ability to sustain its
challenge until the end of the season.
Who has stood out so far this season and
could cause City some problems?
Clayton Donaldson is an obvious danger. Top
scorer in each of the last three seasons, he is once again proving deadly in
front of goal. George Saville is another who could cause City problems with his
pace and movement, but Adam Forshaw is the heartbeat of this team. If fit, he
will dictate terms from the middle of the park. City will also have to stop
Brentford’s full-backs from advancing if they are to disrupt the supply lines
to in-form forwards Marcello Trotta, Will Grigg and Donaldson.
Talking of top scorer Donaldson, he was the
key man for Brentford in the reverse fixture but now City have strengthened at
the back by signing Karleigh Osborne and Adam El-Abd and have changed their
formation, do you think Donaldson will be less of a threat?
City have definitely improved, but continue
to concede sloppy goals and Donaldson is sure to fancy his chances, having
scored against better teams previously this season. An elusive runner, his pace
and ability to come inside from wide positions renders him difficult to mark.
But he is nothing without good service and the key for City will be to close
down in midfield and deny Brentford room.
City also have a different man at the helm
since the 2-1 loss to Brentford at Ashton Gate in October. How do you think the
game will pan out because of the changes and can I please have a score prediction?
Taken at face value, most punters will back
a home win. But we all know football seldom goes to plan and I anticipate City
giving Brentford a difficult game.
Steve Cotterill has identified City’s
strengths and come up with a system (first adopted by Sean O’Driscoll) that
suits the players at his disposal. As a result, City keep the ball for longer,
move it more effectively and create more goal-scoring chances. But their
failure to take a higher percentage of those chances has cost them and they
will need to be clinical against a Bees defence that prides itself on keeping
clean sheets. I anticipate a hard-fought encounter, but feel Brentford have the
attacking quality required to nick a result.
Sorry City fans, but home advantage,
confidence and momentum all point to a Brentford win. I’m going for 1-0 to the
Bees.
Many thanks to Lewis and also to Andy for taking time out of
his busy schedule to answer these questions. As football fans I’m sure we can
understand if this is the one game in City’s season he’d rather we didn’t win,
but equally all runs must come to an end and someone has to beat Brentford, at
some point. Why not us?
COYR!
The Exiled Robin
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