Date Joined: Jun 24, 2015 16:58:16 GMT -5
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Post by mikemarshall on Jan 6, 2020 18:32:47 GMT -5
The last few seasons my team, Brentford FC, has been coming agonisingly close to promotion to the Premier League.
Even when we make it to the play-offs we always lose.
We lost our top scorer Neil Maupay to Premier League Brighton; other Premier League clubs are now looking at Ollie Watkins (another of our strikers); and Joe Hardy, our youth team striking star, has just been poached by Liverpool.
When you keep having to sell your best players it is very frustrating always being a 'nearly' team.
But I remain a loyal fan.
We beat Stoke 1-0 in the Third Round of the FA Cup (though I doubt if we will progress much further. We have drawn Leicester in the next round!)
We are currently third in the Championship but I believe that Leeds and West Brom are too far ahead to be caught and the only question is which one will win the title.
Our only hope (and lying third it remains a strong possibility) is the play-offs. Surely our luck must change eventuallY?
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Date Joined: Mar 30, 2015 20:22:20 GMT -5
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Post by kronks on Jan 6, 2020 20:29:04 GMT -5
The last few seasons my team, Brentford FC, has been coming agonisingly close to promotion to the Premier League. Even when we make it to the play-offs we always lose. We lost our top scorer Neil Maupay to Premier League Brighton; other Premier League clubs are now looking at Ollie Watkins (another of our strikers); and Joe Hardy, our youth team striking star, has just been poached by Liverpool. When you keep having to sell your best players it is very frustrating always being a 'nearly' team. But I remain a loyal fan. We beat Stoke 1-0 in the Third Round of the FA Cup (though I doubt if we will progress much further. We have drawn Leicester in the next round!) We are currently third in the Championship but I believe that Leeds and West Brom are too far ahead to be caught and the only question is which one will win the title. Our only hope (and lying third it remains a strong possibility) is the play-offs. Surely our luck must change eventuallY? Forest are in a similar position. Maybe they will meet in the play off.
I wonder how much money Brentford have available?
The average home gate is 11,421 forest is 27,000, hardly surprising they struggle to hold onto their best players, but if they can get good money for them it is not so bad.
They are already punching well above their weight, if Forest fail to grab a promotion spot I be happy to see it go to Brentford.
Forest have a game in hand so they are 6 points behind the leaders.
Even the 9 point gap for Brentford might be bridgeable if one of the top two have a bad run, but it is a very tall order.
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Date Joined: Jun 24, 2015 16:58:16 GMT -5
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Post by mikemarshall on Jan 11, 2020 10:53:53 GMT -5
In our local derby against QPR we won 3-1. We were 3-0 up at half-time but QPR pulled a goal back in the second half.
Ollie Watkins scored our third and continues to attract interest from Premier League sides, unfortunately.
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Date Joined: Mar 30, 2015 20:22:20 GMT -5
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Post by kronks on Jan 11, 2020 17:46:50 GMT -5
In our local derby against QPR we won 3-1. We were 3-0 up at half-time but QPR pulled a goal back in the second half. Ollie Watkins scored our third and continues to attract interest from Premier League sides, unfortunately. Forest scored to lead 6 mins into injury time but then conceded in the 7th minute!
They still have a game in hand and if won would take them a point above Brentford.
West Brom and Leeds are wobbling a bit, 0 wins in 6 for West Brom and one in 6 for Leeds.
If they carry on like that they are definitely catchable for the automatic spots.
Forest away to Bretford on the 28th, could be a key game.
Both the top two have to visit Brentford in February, again key games.
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Date Joined: Mar 30, 2015 20:22:20 GMT -5
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Post by kronks on Jan 19, 2020 11:05:40 GMT -5
Forest beat bottom of the table Luton after going a goal down, they move level with Brentford on 47 points, Fulham 3rd with 48 points but forest have a game in had putting them on a potential 50 points 2 points behind Leeds. Forest looked poor against Luton initially but grew stronger.
Seems odd Brentford are evens for promotion but Forest are 5-1, I guess forest have a tougher run in, anyhow worth sticking 70p on them.
Also put 25p on Forest winning the league at 20-1, ever the optimist!!( a minor miracle required though!).
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Date Joined: Jun 24, 2015 16:58:16 GMT -5
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Post by mikemarshall on Jan 19, 2020 18:06:36 GMT -5
We drew away with Huddersfield. We could and should have won but missed a sitter.
On the other hand Huddersfield are rather a bogey team for Brentford beating us in most of our previous encounters.
So a draw is a good result especially with Leeds losing to QPR. We are now only five points behind Leeds and six behind West Brom so a possible automatic promotion place is not impossible.
Especially with our appalling record in the play-offs having lost eight out of eight!
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Date Joined: Mar 30, 2015 20:22:20 GMT -5
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Post by kronks on Jan 19, 2020 19:02:35 GMT -5
Just puzzles me a bit why Brentford are much shorter odds for promotion the Forest.
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Date Joined: Jun 24, 2015 16:58:16 GMT -5
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Post by mikemarshall on Jan 19, 2020 19:24:32 GMT -5
No idea, Kronks. I'll check the fixture list and see if we have an easier run-in than Forest.
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Date Joined: Jun 24, 2015 16:58:16 GMT -5
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Post by mikemarshall on Jan 20, 2020 6:39:10 GMT -5
Looking at the next few fixtures for Brentford and Forest, both of us appear to have some difficult games ahead.
On Saturday we face Leicester in the FA Cup which I anticipate will see us out of the competition.
Then on 28th we face Forest at Griffin Park which will be a very tough match for both sides.
On 1 February we are away to Hull.
On 8 February we are home to Middlesbrough who are a very physical side and will try to stop us playing football.
On 11 February we are home to Leeds which, like Forest, will be a real 'six-pointer.'
Then on 15 February we are away to Birmingham - never an easy game.
On 22 February Forest face Reading.
On 28 they are away to us.
On 1 February they are away to Birmingham.
On 8 February they are home against Leeds.
On 11 February they are home to Charlton.
On 15 they are away to West Brom.
So from my perspective both Brentford and Forest have some pretty tough fixtures ahead and I predict a defeat to Leicester, a score draw between Brentford and Forest at Griffin Park, an away win at Hull, a home win against Middlesbrough, a score draw against Leeds and an away win against Birmingham.
For Forest I predict a home win against Reading, a score draw against us, an away win against Birmingham, a score draw against Leeds, a home win against Charlton and a score draw against West Brom.
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Date Joined: Mar 30, 2015 20:22:20 GMT -5
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Post by kronks on Jan 20, 2020 18:57:32 GMT -5
I watched Forest v Luton, Forest looked poor initially but got better. History say forest will fail they always seem to fade after a good run.
Mind you West Brom lost today.
Leeds and West Brom's current form is pretty much relegation form.
It might just be both Brentford and Forest get promoted.
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Date Joined: Jun 24, 2015 16:58:16 GMT -5
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Post by mikemarshall on Jan 25, 2020 16:39:10 GMT -5
We lost 1-0 to Leicester but it was no disgrace. We came close to an equaliser but hit the post. Six of our players were under 20 as Thomas Frank rested key players (including our main strikers) to keep them ready for the crucial game against Forest. We can hold our heads up high and though Leicester also rested some players we dropped more of our first choice team than they did so it was a good result in the circumstances. Frankly, I want us to concentrate on the important business of finally winning promotion. Three points against Forest will not be easy but we are facing them at home rather than at their stadium. I have to admit our supporters' song is wildly optimistic! www.fanchants.com/football-songs/brentford-chants/our-name-brentford/
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Date Joined: Jun 24, 2015 16:58:16 GMT -5
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Post by mikemarshall on Jan 29, 2020 11:52:38 GMT -5
One of our crucial 'six-pointer' games has come and gone. Forest came to our ground and beat us 1-0. Ollie Watkins ought to have equalised for us but Forest also missed a clear chance on goal and had a disputed penalty claim rejected.
It was a tight game but sadly we lost. We are still fifth and with West Brom losing again Forest are now only two points behind them.
We must hope that we perform better against Leeds and West Brom when they visit Griffin Park.
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Date Joined: Jun 24, 2015 16:58:16 GMT -5
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Post by mikemarshall on Jan 29, 2020 19:04:49 GMT -5
More bad news; Chelsea are now talking about signing Ollie Watkins. At 24 he would have many years ahead of him as a striker and yet again the Premier League are poaching our best players!
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Date Joined: Mar 30, 2015 20:22:20 GMT -5
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Post by kronks on Jan 30, 2020 6:34:37 GMT -5
One of our crucial 'six-pointer' games has come and gone. Forest came to our ground and beat us 1-0. Ollie Watkins ought to have equalised for us but Forest also missed a clear chance on goal and had a disputed penalty claim rejected. It was a tight game but sadly we lost. We are still fifth and with West Brom losing again Forest are now only two points behind them. We must hope that we perform better against Leeds and West Brom when they visit Griffin Park. Yes forest got the result they needed, however despite that Brentford are much shorter odds to go up than first. I don't understand that at all, nobody seems to fancy forest for promotion! It will be a shock for them if forest win the league as I suspect they might! If forest can beat Brentford they can beat anyone.
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Date Joined: Mar 30, 2015 20:22:20 GMT -5
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Post by kronks on Jan 30, 2020 6:58:26 GMT -5
One of our crucial 'six-pointer' games has come and gone. Forest came to our ground and beat us 1-0. Ollie Watkins ought to have equalised for us but Forest also missed a clear chance on goal and had a disputed penalty claim rejected. It was a tight game but sadly we lost. We are still fifth and with West Brom losing again Forest are now only two points behind them. We must hope that we perform better against Leeds and West Brom when they visit Griffin Park. Hope so too would suit forest.
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Date Joined: Jun 24, 2015 16:58:16 GMT -5
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Post by mikemarshall on Feb 1, 2020 11:37:56 GMT -5
Back to winning ways again! We thrashed Hull away 1-5 with a hat trick for Benrahma, another goal for Burke and another one for Watkins. That will boost our goal difference as well as giving us an invaluable three points ahead of our crunch games against Leeds and West Brom!
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Date Joined: Mar 30, 2015 20:22:20 GMT -5
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Post by kronks on Feb 1, 2020 17:00:29 GMT -5
Back to winning ways again! We thrashed Hull away 1-5 with a hat trick for Benrahma, another goal for Burke and another one for Watkins. That will boost our goal difference as well as giving us an invaluable three points ahead of our crunch games against Leeds and West Brom! Yes totally reversed the forest Brentford result. Bad day for forest, missed a penalty then conceeded, back to square one.
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Date Joined: Jun 24, 2015 16:58:16 GMT -5
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Post by mikemarshall on Feb 8, 2020 13:35:09 GMT -5
Brentford v Middlesborough was a difficult game; it always is because they try to kick us out of the match and stop us playing football.
For a long time the fortunes ebbed and flowed and it looked as if we would have to settle for a draw. Then, in the 87th minute, Ollie Watkins scored the winner so we got all three points with a 3-2 victory.
Elsewhere Forest and Leeds drew 0-0.
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Date Joined: Jun 24, 2015 16:58:16 GMT -5
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Post by mikemarshall on Feb 11, 2020 17:02:54 GMT -5
Our tricky six-pointer match with Leeds at Griffin Park ended all square. Benrahma gave us the lead but Leeds equalised from a corner.
A draw against Leeds is not a bad result; they stay second but we remain in contention for promotion. A loss would have severely damaged our chances of reaching the Premier League but I suspect Leeds will rue the dropped three points more than we will.
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Date Joined: Apr 28, 2024 21:58:36 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Feb 11, 2020 17:32:03 GMT -5
A loss would have severely damaged our chances of reaching the Premier League but I suspect Leeds will rue the dropped three points more than we will. Keep fighting, Brentford; who knows, they might be the next Wolverhampton or Sheffield United to grace the Premier League!
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