Milk sadly spilled as Bees’ record goes sour
Brentford 0, Nottingham Forest 2; 21.12.24
The Bees’ splendid home run that saw them put together an unbeaten record at the Gtech Community Stadium stopped when Forest came to call. Despite a spirited display that saw the home side dominate long periods of play, one of the hottest properties in the Premier League showed a resilience that left Brentford trailing in their wake.
Aficionados agreed it quite likely that this was the best team to visit the Bees this season. But there is no crying over spilled milk, if Nottingham Forest don’t mind the dairy comparison. So let’s look at the good things about the afternoon, even though it was one when Brentford finished very much in second place.
To site individual performances may sound invidious following an occasion when every Bee was buzzing his socks’ off throughout. Still, some of those displaying bravura beyond the call of duty deserve doing all they could to stem the flood.
Number one in the list of valiant soldiers was Mikkel Damsgaard. The midfielder signed a five-year contract with Brentford in August 2022, having scored a goal for Denmark in a 4–1 win over Russia in the UEFA Euro 20 to become the youngest Danish player to score at the European Championship – he was aged 20 and 353 days at the time.
And Mikkel never looked back, gaining in skills and confidence until he arrived in Thomas Frank’s pool of first-team regulars and, soon after, a dominant figure in the starting-lineups most weeks. Against Forest he again shone, on several occasions leaving defenders stranded for speed and finesse and harassing the visiting rearguard.
Yoane Wissa also impressed, bouncing his shot off the top of keeper Matz Sels’ crossbar, while Bryan Mbeumo was in top form when it came to penetrating the visitors’ defence and cutting in from the wing to the penalty area.
Then there is Christian Nørgaard, a fine midfielder and a first-rate captain who exudes authority as well as excellent ball distribution.
But enough already. Brentford’s home record – the best in the League – was likely to seize up some time and for those studying Forest’s recent performances could have constantly concluded that it might well be when challenged with this polished outfit.
Seven minutes prior to half-time, that theory proved to be accurate: Callum Hudson-Odoi bustled into the striking area and provided Neco Williams with the cross that Aina converted simply at the far post.
A goal behind was not a situation the Bees found themselves in very often but the second, six minutes into the second period, had a finality about it when a breakaway by Forest saw Anthony Elanga raced most of the way to the opposition box before curling a cute drive beyond Mark Flekken. Done and dusted, thought the full-voiced Forest crowd, and indeed the visiting supporters were able to settle down and sing while Brentford raided Sels’ goal with determination but little luck.
What with some tough challenges ahead – Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur all loom in the near or thereabouts future. Happy New Year? Maybe!
In the meantime, a relatively subdued Charlie, my mate and confidant, took advantage of the players on either side collapsing with sheer exhaustion as the final whistle sounded. ‘Can’t wait for the return match in April,’ he said, ‘although it should have been scheduled for February 11’. Why so? I inquired. ‘Because that’s National Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk Day,’ said Charlie.
It is, too.
Brentford (4-3-3): Flekken; Lewis-Potter, Mee, Collins, Ajer (sub Roerslev 67’); Damsgaard, Nørgaard, Janelt (Maghoma 67); Schade (Fábio Carhalho), Wissa, Mbeumo.
Nottingham Forest (3-4-2-1): Sels; Morato, Murillo, Milenković; Williams (Toffolo 92), Anderson (Dominguez 64), Gibbs-White (Jota Silva 75), Aina (Yates 64); Hudson-Odoi, Elanga (Yates 64); Wood (Awoniyi 92).
Bill Hagerty is a contributing editor to the Chiswick Calendar website
