xG race chart of #BrentfordFC’s 5-0 win over #PNE
Frank’s tactical tweaks paid off in a big way. Forss came in to support Toney at the tip & Fosu replaced Canos to play from the right & behind two forwards giving Bees a midfield 3 with the aim of interfering with the PNE DM line

Almost everything Frank tried came off.

His back 3 of Pinnock, Norgaard and Jansson protected the centre with a leaning to the left hand side of the pitch and Roerslev dropped in to make a back 4.

Mbeumo worked his wing defensively but rarely got outside of Pinnock avoiding the deep flat back 5 teams can be pushed into.
Pinnock held his positioning close to the touchline giving Brentford strong coverage down the left hand side. The right wasn’t bad either.

Janelt and Jensen played a similar midfield role to normal with Jensen filling in the right hand midfield spaces out of possession when Roerslev was deep in the defensive line or Fosu was tucked inside.

Down Preston’s left, Roerslev Toney and Fosu combined high to prevent any short game developing and forced the ball long to be mopped up by the defence.

When Brentford are at their best they are building up with a back 3 pushing a full back high and wide into the forward line and in the space between a central midfielder moves out to the wing offering the first pass to the centre back.

All Mbeumo did early on was perform the regular movements and positioning in the build up phase of Rico Henry. The difference with Mbeumo is he knows when to hit the box supporting from the opposite wing of an attack.

For the opening goal, Fosu drops into the right back area as Roeslev raids forward.
A lofted ball is played into space and Roeslev runs onto the pass and plays a first time ball across the 6 yard box ready for Mbeumo to finish first time.

3 touches from Fosu’s pass to goal.

When Brentford are at their worst it is a static back 4 with two midfielders close to the defensive line and wide forwards are easily marked as they come short halting movement into the middle third.

The fluidity of movement and two strikers making Brentford’s routes forward less obvious because of the rotations of Fosu and Toney having a forward in advance of him when he dropped deeper made Preston look helpless.

Thomas Frank said he’s been thinking about changing #BrentfordFC shape and systems for a while.
If only he’d have had his lightbulb moment a little sooner.