Brentford sign Christian Eriksen on deal until end of the season
Midfielder has not played since suffering cardiac arrest in June
He was released by Inter as rules barred him from Serie A games
Christian Eriksen in action for Denmark against Finland at Euro 2020, before his cardiac arrest
Christian Eriksen has made an emotional return to football with Brentford after the trauma of the Euro 2020 finals last summer when, in his words, he “died for five minutes” on the pitch. The Denmark midfielder suffered a cardiac arrest during his team’s opening game of the tournament against Finland in Copenhagen on 12 June and received life-saving treatment from medics
Eriksen has been motivated by the dream of returning to the highest level and playing for Denmark at the World Cup finals in Qatar at the end of the year. He has taken another step towards it by signing for Brentford until the end of the season. If things go well, he could be offered a deal for the following season.
A Wednesday evening trip to the stadium against one of the best teams around.
A 0-1 loss was, in the end, not surprising. Considering the recent form of City it could gave been an avalanche. Some fine players on display but at the same time plenty of modern footballer antics with feigning injury and complaining to the referee to make one mad.
After the game, in the pub, the lads were pragmatic.
Friday night football at ‘ new Griffin Park’. Not a great performance but periods of proper football and pressure. A win in the end with two late goals.
Against another potential relegation team the wind may turn out to be very important.
A Sunday afternoon visit for football rather than athletics and only 9 years late for the latter.
Brentford were playing West Ham and managed to pull out a last minute win when really a draw would have been reasonable.
I think this was the first away game I have been to since seeing them play Cheltenham Town when in League 1 about 20 years ago when I took Joseph. And then In was in the side stand with the home supporters.
The stadium was full which I think means 60,000 with about 5,000 of us. A strange experience. The stadium is clearly not designed for football with the pitch a long way from the fans. I was ‘on my own’ with 5,000 others, ie. no AP to discuss the finer points or moan to.
Brentford’s Yoane Wissa claims win against West Ham with last kick of game
Yoane Wissa (left) celebrates scoring Brentford’s winner at West Ham with Ivan Toney. Photograph: Tony Obrien/Reuters
Last weekend, Yoane Wissa emerged from the bench and equalised against Liverpool within four minutes. It took the man from the Democratic Republic of Congo double the length of time to hurt West Ham, but a winner with the game’s final action was a stunning outcome when his team appeared content with a point.
A little late as the game was on Saturday, but all the same, it needs to be recorded. So, after so many times when we ‘dreamed’ of playing in the top flight, we though of playing Manchester United and Liverpool and the likes of them. So now Liverpool came to visit. Before I assumed that a tight loss was likely. In the end a great draw after a great event, a great game with noise and ambiance.
It was a great game to be at, somewhat unbelievable, taking the lead, fighting back and with such great noise. Keep enjoying the ride!
At the final whistle, Jürgen Klopp could not stop shaking his head in disbelief. Somehow his Liverpool side had contrived to throw away victory against a Brentford side that simply never stopped believing.
It’s what we dream for’ – Mohamed Salah’s big Liverpool moment spoilt by brilliant Bees
Last updated on 25 September 202125 September 2021.From the section Premier League 3-3 Liverpool: Thomas Frank delighted with ‘fantastic’ performance
It was described as a “crazy game”, a “wild ride” and something Brentford could only dream of as the newly promoted side came from behind twice to draw with title-challengers Liverpool.
“That’s football,” Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said afterwards.
In a memorable and topsy-turvy encounter at the Brentford Community Stadium, the hosts scored a dramatic late equaliser to make it 3-3 after Curtis Jones looked to have sealed victory for Liverpool.
Former Arsenal and England striker Alan Smith was impressed, claiming on Sky Sports: “If Brentford can do this to Liverpool, they can do this to anyone.”https://emp.bbc.co.uk/emp/SMPj/2.43.13/iframe.htmlMatch of the Day analysis: How Brentford’s ‘perfect’ gameplan caused Liverpool problems
Brentford manager Thomas Frank said they “went toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in Europe”.
His players did a lap of honour at full-time, the fans were singing long after the final whistle and Brentford goalscorer Vitaly Janelt was in disbelief.
Well. possibly against expectations the Bees wind their opener in the Premier League against one the big boys. A team as one of the articles noted who considered themselves big enough to be one of the original participants of the proposed Super League in Europe.
Well the evening was great; the atmosphere great, full stadium and with a solid win to boot.
An it would seem the game, the event and the whole positive feel of the win and Brentford making an impact has been appreciated and the emotional side noted.
At the end there was a lap of recognition, if you like, with the singing accompanying it.
An of course, now for a few moments, maybe, top of the table:
Punchy, front-foot style will be a welcome addition to the top flight and plenty of the team should take step up in their strideby Ben FisherTue 3 Aug 2021 00.01 BST
Guardian writers’ predicted position: 18th (NB: this is not necessarily Ben Fisher’s prediction but the average of our writers’ tips)
Last season’s position: 3rd in the Championship
Odds to win the league (via Oddschecker): 750-1
The plan
These are exciting times at Brentford. A couple of months on from Thomas Frank being ambushed by his players during his pitchside interviews at Wembley, and conducting his press conference with a towel draped over his shoulders, it is time for a club that outperformed heavyweight rivals in the Championship to put to the test in the biggest league in the world an intriguing theory built on smart thinking and shrewd recruitment.
How will they measure up? Everything points to Brentford being a welcome addition to the Premier League. They play a punchy, front-foot style, promote youngsters from a novel and budding B team, established after they scrapped their academy five years ago, and in Frank they have a box-office head coach. Before May’s play-off semi-final comeback victory against Bournemouth he embarked on a pre-match lap of the pitch to rev up the crowd and, last year, he got a ticking off from the English Football League for using drinks breaks to fine-tune tactics on a magnetic whiteboard.
Brentford have a core of players who seem destined to take the step up in their stride, from the goalkeeper David Raya to Rico Henry, a force from left-back, the classy Christian Norgaard, Vitaly Janelt, a defensive midfielder picked up from Bochum for £500,000, Bryan Mbeumo and, of course, Ivan Toney. For the first summer in a while, Brentford did not have to worry about losing their best players to predators. They have received no offers for their talisman Toney and instead have focused on strengthening in key areas.
