🔗 Share this article

More than the midpoint of the season, Brentford are in a dream scenario.

Following four wins in five games, and a Brazilian striker scoring the goals, suddenly supporters find themselves drifting off with thoughts of trips to Milan, Munich and Barcelona next season.

A emphatic three-nil win over the Black Cats moved their manager's side into the fifth spot in the Premier League – a place that was sufficient to secure Champions League football last season.

Solely leaders the Gunners have collected more points over the past six games.

There is a significant distance to go yet but Brentford are squarely in the fight for European football.

Few was envisioning this last summer.

The former head coach had left for Spurs after seven years in charge, a period in which he had not only got the club to the Premier League but also established them in the elite division.

Club captain their Danish midfielder left for Arsenal and goal-scoring duo two key forwards – who scored a combined of 39 goals in the previous campaign – were also sold, joining Manchester United and Newcastle United respectively.

Specialist coach Andrews was promoted to replace the Dane, while there was no striker among the off-season arrivals.

A year of difficulty, possibly even relegation, was widely predicted. Yet here we are in the new year with the club in the upper echelons.

So, how did they pull it off?

The Brazilian's Record-breaking Campaign

Brentford's decision not to bring in another striker was in part down to timing, with Wissa's move not being finalized until deadline day.

But they also were aware they had a £30 million striker already chomping at the bit.

The 24-year-old joined from Belgium in the summer for a then-record fee, but was hindered by fitness issues in his debut campaign, going goalless in eight appearances.

The 24-year-old has gone about compensating for lost time this season, though, with his double against the Wearside club taking him to sixteen league goals – the most by a player from Brazil in a single Premier League campaign.

Given the countrymen who have come before him, that is some accomplishment, especially with 17 games remaining.

"He has been a breath of fresh air," pundit an analyst said. "He is physically intimidating, quick, strong, but technically better than people think. Excellent with his feet, both feet, he can score with both. You can see he's brimming with confidence. These numbers are fantastic. He must be so proud. That's a huge compliment to him."

That only a trio of global superstars have scored more in any of the continent's major leagues to this point highlights the standard he is playing at.

And it is not just the quantity but the timing of the goals that have been so important for his team.

His opener against the opposition was his 7th first goal of a game of the season. Considering how often we are told the importance of the first goal in a game, having someone you can depend on to take that early opportunity cannot be overstated.

Before the game against their opponents, no player to have attempted at least thirty efforts this season has a better shot accuracy rate than Igor Thiago's 59.1%.

He finds the target. Achieve that consistently and the goals will – and have – come.

Given the struggles he had earlier in life, where he labored in construction to support his family following the death of his father, perhaps it should be unsurprising that pressure on the pitch is something he handles with ease.

"The recruitment team deserve a lot of credit for the kind of players they bring in and characters," the manager said. "It is really notable. He is a really special person who has adapted to life very well. He has had to forge this path. He has worked for his journey and grafted. He has got real determination about his personality. He is developing his abilities constantly and we are learning more and more about him. He is a largely complete centre-forward."

Andrews Proving Doubters Wrong

Their star striker is the man of the moment but the team are not and have never been a single-player team.

While they had key individuals – Ivan Toney, Christian Eriksen, Mbeumo and Wissa – under their previous boss, they were always seen as a team stronger than the individual components.

The fear was that once the Dane left, that may not be the case, and that the collective quality of their parts alone might not be enough to stay up.

As a result, appointing their set-piece coach, with no previous managerial experience, and just a twelve months at the club was seen by those outside the club as a gamble.

A first managerial job is a test for anyone, especially when it comes in the Premier League and having made the leap from specialist coach to the top job.

But given that Ipswich boss one candidate was the only other alternative that the hierarchy looked at, they were clearly convinced they had the right man.

So far, as often seems to be the case with the brains trust at Brentford, it looks as if they were vindicated.

Andrews won just one of his first 5 league games in charge but significant home victories against Manchester United, Liverpool and the Magpies have since occurred.

Results that, following their excellent recent run, could prove all the more important in the pursuit for European qualification.

"We're in good form and playing really well. We are playing with courage and conviction in everything we do with and without the ball," Andrews added. "We're happy with how we are going but we want to keep pushing."

In a league where the European spots and the lower mid-table are currently separated by just a handful of points, they have no other option, because things could quickly look very different.

But, for now, The Bees are beating the predictions. And the longer that lasts, the closer to fruition those dreams of Europe will become.