We continue our Scout Notes from Wednesday night, with Brentford’s dominant 3-0 win against Sunderland.
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THIAGO BRACE + KNOCK
A swift counter-attack, led by Vitaly Janelt (£4.9m), put Brentford ahead on the half-hour mark. The move ended predictably, with the in-form Igor Thiago (£7.1m) finishing from close range with a left-footed strike inside the six-yard box.
Thiago doubled his tally 20 minutes after the restart, taking his season total to 16 goals. Kevin Schade (£7.1m) nodded the ball across the box, allowing Thiago to power a header into the net. Schade now sits on 10 goal contributions for the campaign.
The brace also saw Thiago become the highest-scoring Brazilian across a single Premier League campaign, achieved with 17 matches remaining.
With five goals across his last two appearances, Thiago currently leads the form charts among forwards, although Brentford face a mixed run of fixtures ahead.
There was a slight note of concern late on, however, as Thiago left the pitch in the 82nd minute. Keith Andrews said this:
“I need to look after you (speaking to Thiago). He’s precious to us. This is the first time he’s gone game, game, game, and in a short period of time. We’ve kind of looked after him and nurtured him as the season’s gone on.
“So when he took that knock, it was always in my mind to look after him and take the edge off the full game. But when he’s on two goals, he’s obviously looking at back-to-back hat-tricks. And I know what way he’s wired, so that was always a difficult dilemma. So I had to just make that decision, which obviously wasn’t entirely popular with him. But I think he’s understood it.” – Keith Andrews
We could therefore see Thiago handed a rest in this weekend’s FA Cup third round.
Thiago would then have a full week off before facing Chelsea. Fixtures that follow include clashes with Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Arsenal. It’s a period in which many owners could question his potential.
However, considering his recent form, price rises and general lack of consistency among alternatives, Thiago could gain more appeal rather than lose it.
COLLINS ASSIST
While Schade and Thiago once again caught the eye, they were not the only contributors in the final-third.
Defender Nathan Collins (£5.0m) played a decisive role in putting the game to bed, laying the ball perfectly for Yehor Yarmoliuk (£5.0m) to finish from close range.
Collins continues to offer more than just defensive security. He arrived in the match fresh from a goal and an assist against Everton, underlining his growing attacking involvement.
Those three attacking returns do not appear to be a one-off either. Collins now ranks among the top 10 defenders for big chances this season, with four to his name, although it is worth noting that he has converted just one of those opportunities so far.
From a defensive perspective, Brentford rank among the league’s most in-form sides, with three clean sheets across their last five matches.
Even with a mixed run of fixtures to come, the combination of attacking involvement, clean-sheet potential, and a limited pool of standout defensive options could see Collins attract increasing interest from FPL managers.
KELLEHER PEN SAVE
Goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher (£4.5m) played a major role in maintaining Brentford’s defensive run. The former Liverpool stopper denied Enzo Le Fée (£4.9m) from the spot, saving yet another penalty to preserve the clean sheet.
That performance earned Kelleher a 13-point haul, his second double-digit return of the season and another reminder of his value across recent weeks.
Strong contributions from Thiago, Schade, Collins and Kelleher helped reinforce Brentford’s status as the fourth-best home side in the league. Only Arsenal, Manchester City, and Aston Villa have collected more points at home this season.
Defender Keane Lewis-Potter (£4.9m) once again started out of position and came close to an attacking return after striking the woodwork. He failed to deliver a decisive moment but still banked six points thanks to the clean sheet.
It proved another frustrating afternoon for Sunderland, though, who remain without a win in five league matches. Effort was not the issue. The Black Cats generated 1.72 expected goals (xG) and created two big chances, but their failure to convert continues to define their problems in front of the goal. Blanks in three of their last five league outings underline that concern.
