We’re reviewing the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) fortunes of all 17 surviving teams from the 2022/23 campaign, continuing here with Brentford.
Attacking and defensive team stats from last season are analysed, while we also take a look at the individual players who posed the biggest goal threat and carried the most assist potential.
Each club will also be previewed nearer to Gameweek 1 as we look more closely at new transfers, pre-season results and fans’ expectations.
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BRENTFORD IN 2022/23: ATTACK
| Total | Rank v other clubs | |
| Goals scored | 58 | 7th= |
| Shots | 408 | 18th |
| Shots in the box | 299 | 11th |
| Shots on target | 155 | 8th |
| Big chances | 91 | 7th |
| Expected goals (xG) | 57.89 | 7th |
| Non-penalty expected goals (NPxG) | 51.58 | 8th |
Brentford’s underlying numbers were mostly consistent with their tilt at European qualification and ninth-placed finish.
The eye-popping figure is the 18th ranking for overall goal attempts. Perhaps we shouldn’t be too surprised, though: the Bees famously place a lot of emphasis on underlying data, so the fashioning out of high-quality chances and the absence of low-percentage shots may be by design.
Thomas Frank’s side could mix it with the big boys, with more wins coming against the clubs in the UEFA Champions League qualifying spots (four) than against those finishing 17th or lower (three). In six of their eight fixtures against Arsenal, Newcastle United and the two Manchester clubs did they register more than 1.0 xG – no mean feat.
Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbeumo both reached double figures for attacking returns against sides finishing in the top half.
| Team | Goals from pens/set plays |
| Brentford | 25 |
| Manchester City | 23 |
| Spurs | 21 |
| Fulham, Liverpool | 20 |
| Arsenal, Newcastle | 18 |
Another line of note is that no other top-flight side could match Brentford’s total of 25 goals from set plays and penalties. Over 43% of the Bees’ Premier League goals, indeed, came from this source.
Frank’s troops were ranked second for xG from set plays (18.51).
Above: Brentford’s goal threat home (left) and away (right) in 2022/23
There is no shock that there’s a slight drop-off in underlying numbers away from the Brentford Community Stadium; most teams aren’t quite as attacking on the road.
But the positive news to report is that the Bees were still ranked ninth for xG and eighth for big chances in away games, so the relative threat remained fairly consistent.
BRENTFORD IN 2022/23: DEFENCE
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