“We had to adapt”- Brentford boss Thomas Frank gives survival advice ahead of Premier League clash with Southampton
Brentford are looking for back-to-back home wins in the Premier League for the first time since November as they prepare to face newly-promoted Southampton at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Last time out in the league, Brentford fell to defeat against Liverpool, losing 2-0 in Arne Slot’s first game in charge of The Reds at Anfield. The Bees have lost every game at Anfield since their promotion in 2021, failing to find the net in four visits.
However, Brentford’s next opponents come in the form of newly-promoted Southampton, who have lost both league games while failing to score.
Saturday provides the perfect opportunity for Brentford to bounce back and build on their 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace on the opening day and their 1-0 victory over Colchester United in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.
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Bees boss Thomas Frank stated in his press conference that striker Ivan Toney will play no part in Saturday’s fixture. He was keen to comment on the performances of recruits Fabio Carvalho and Sepp van den Berg as both players made their full competitive debuts on Wednesday.
When speaking about their performances and what chance they’ve got of starting against Southampton, Frank said:
“Both of them pleased me with what I saw.
“They’re growing into the team, as Fabio has been here for three weeks now and getting more involved in training. He’s adding more and more to his game, and there’s still much more to come.
“As for Sepp, he’s taken a bit more time to adjust with the team. He had to deal with the aerial bombardment from Colchester, and he got better as the game went on.
“It’s a very short time he’s been here, and I feel he needs to learn more about us before he starts.
“They will start when I feel they’re ready, but I have big expectations for both.”
Is possession-based football sustainable for a new side?
Frank mentioned the aerial bombardment of Colchester on Wednesday, but they have to face a different proposition on Saturday.
Southampton averaged more possession than any other Championship team last season, according to FBref.com, a style of play Saints boss Russell Martin has operated with since beginning his managerial career.
However, the Premier League has been unforgiving to newly promoted sides, with each of the three promoted teams going down last season.
When asked if newly promoted teams can succeed in playing possession-based football, Frank replied:
“I don’t want to judge a coach based on their playing style, but all I know is that Southampton were unplayable in spells last season.
“I respect what Russell is doing massively. Is it good enough to stay up? We will know in the next 36 games.”
Thomas Frank’s survival guide
With survival odds unkind to Southampton and their shaky start, advice from a manager who has guided his team through a first Premier League season in the current climate may help.
Frank’s Bees finished 13th in their first Premier League season, and he explained the main factor he leaned on when settling into the biggest league in world football.
“We tried to be as adaptable as possible”, said Frank.
“Another big thing was that we had more or less the same squad.
“We signed three players that summer: Frank Onyeka, Kristoffer Ajer, and Yoane Wissa. Only Kristoffer Ajer went straight into the lineup in a back three, and the other ten players were mainly the ones that got us promoted.
“We tried to be good enough in possession or build-up, but we also needed to defend well. There was a focus on the intensity of our pressing and being good on set-pieces.”
