Football Season Guide

Last term was a season to forget for Brentford, who went from ninth place and 59 points in 2022/23 to 16th and 39 points. Thomas Frank had to manage the first half of the season without Ivan Toney, and the second half with his star performing below his best. Injuries also paid their toll on the team. Brentford released some squad players but all their starters have stayed put. Talented forward Igor Thiago has joined from Club Brugge on a club-record fee, while Toney’s future remains uncertain after being linked with several Premier League powerhouses. Yet, Brentford were unlucky enough to see Thiago pick up an injury in preseason that will sideline him for the rest of the calendar year. This means that the Bees could explore the market in order to add another player to beef up their attack or may even keep Toney with the risk of losing him for free next summer. Despite the numerous injuries, Brentford boast a squad full of talented players in various positions and Frank is the right person to help them fulfil their potential. Yet, the main weakness he needs to work on is Brentford’s shaky defence. Last season the Bees conceded as many as 65 five goals, which is an alarming 19 more than the previous campaign.