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#306527 The Brentford Project
Taz.
HARTLEPOOL 2-3 BRENTFORD
Sat 01 Oct - 15:00 - Victoria Park
Brentford extended their unbeaten run to eleven games after a thrilling first-half display at Hartlepool.
The Bees looked to be on their way to another comfortable win following two goals in the opening fourteen minutes from Niall McGinn and Mike Grella. Hartlepool have endured a stuttering start to the season but the hosts rallied well and pegged back Gianfranco Zola's side, eventually equalising thanks to a Colin Nish brace. Clayton Donaldson struck home from the spot in first half stoppage time and Zola's men defended stoutly after the break to capture the win in a pulsating game.
Brentford have scored several early goals this season and the quickest of them all got us off to a terrific start. A mere fifty seconds had passed when McGinn broke the deadlock. Stefan Velev curled in a superb cross for the Northern Irishman to nod past Pools goalkeeper Scott Flinders. The hosts demonstrated some of their resilience moments later as Nish's header bounced off the crossbar. However, Grella soon doubled the lead as Velev set up a superb break for the American to slot the ball home.
Nish proved a thorn in the Bees' side throughout the game and the striker pulled one back in the twenty ninth minute. Gary Liddle spotted Nish free in the box and the Scot punished some slack defending with a low finish. Zola's side didn't learn their lesson and Nish grabbed the equaliser thirteen minutes later. Liddle again picked out a big gap in the Bees backline and Nish raced through to drill past Richard Lee. The Brentford boss looked irate on the touchline but the game was soon to swing the other way once more.
A swift counter-attack found Donaldson free in the area, only for the in-form striker to be brought crashing down by a clumsy challenge from Hartlepool centre-back Peter Hartley. Donaldson rose to take the penalty, smashing the ball into the bottom corner. Zola's side discovered some much-needed defensive solidity in the second half and Lee made a brilliant save from Ritchie Humphrey's long-range drive to ensure a second consecutive league win.
Brentford (4-4-2)
Lee - Westlake (Logan 66), Osborne, Trevisan, Dickson - McGinn (Forrester 75), Douglas, Velev, Gamboa (Diagouraga 45) - Donaldson, Grella.
#306438 The Brentford Project
Taz.
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#306432 The Brentford Project
Taz.
OLDHAM 0-3 BRENTFORD
Sat 24 Sep - 15:00 - Boundary Park
Oldham were no match for Brentford as the Bees continued their unbeaten start to the season.
Gianfranco Zola's side have cruised to the summit of the League One table with an impressive eight victories from the opening ten games and the Bees tightened their grip on top spot with a routine win against the Latics. Strikes from Karleigh Osborne, Harry Forrester and skipper Kevin O'Connor ensured that Brentford returned from Boundary Park with another three points. Zola handed a debut to on-loan striker Marcello Trotta alongside Clayton Donaldson as he opted for two up front for the first time this season.
Despite a two hundred-mile journey to Greater Manchester, the visiting Bees began the game imperiously and Osborne notched the opening goal after just nine minutes of play. The centre-back beat Zander Diamond in the air to meet Stefan Velev's corner with a powerful header. Trotta almost immediately doubled the lead after robbing Nathan Clarke and sprinting clear but the debutant was left disappointed as his weak shot was held comfortably by Oldham goalkeeper Trevor Carson.
Shefki Kuqi produced the save of the match from Richard Lee just before the break but Brentford raised their game considerably in the second half and killed off the game in the final ten minutes to Zola's delight. The diminutive Forrester was left unmarked at the far post to nod Ludovic Gamboa's corner past Carson and claim his first goal in a Bees shirt. Diamond's needless handball from Gamboa's cross then presented captain Kevin O'Connor with the chance to rifle home a penalty with four minutes left on the clock.
Brentford (4-4-2)
Lee - Westlake, Osborne, Trevisan, Dickson (Logan 69) - McGinn (Forrester 23), Douglas, Velev, Gamboa - Donaldson (O'Connor 77), Trotta.
#306153 The Brentford Project
Taz.
WEST HAM 4-2 BRENTFORD
Wed 21 Sep - 19:30 - Boleyn Ground
Two late goals finally saw off a dogged Brentford side on Gianfranco Zola's return to West Ham.
The Bees fought back twice to equalise before two goals in the last five minutes ensured Sam Allardyce's side's safe passage to the fourth round of the Carling Cup. A hat-trick from Austrian international Jakob Jantscher finally ended the Bees' brave resistance, with Julien Faubert adding a fourth in stoppage time. Ludovic Gamboa and Clayton Donaldson had twice levelled for Zola's side, who rarely looked out of their depth against a Hammers side containing several players with ample Premier League experience.
Niall McGinn's pace and direct style stood out for the Bees early on and the Northern Irishman forced a good one-on-one save from Robert Green. West Ham went ahead against the run of play after eighteen minutes as Jantscher tucked in Lukas Pauschek's cross at the far post, despite the protests for an offside from Zola and his players. Gamboa was the man to hit back for the Bees. The Frenchman drifted inside to meet Stefan Velev's through ball, mesmerising Pauschek before drilling the ball under the former England goalkeeper.
Jantscher put the Hammers in front eleven minutes into the second half, charging down Darryl Westlake's clearance and blasting the loose ball past Richard Lee. Brentford again mounted a brave recovery and McGinn finally got his goal, rising above George McCartney to nod home Gamboa's cross. The match looked to be heading for extra time but the Bees were cruelly punished with two late goals. Jantscher completed his hat-trick with a low drive from outside the area before Faubert converted from Mark Noble's corner.
Brentford (4-2-3-1)
Lee - Westlake (Logan 64), Eger, Trevisan, Dickson - Douglas (Forrester 54), O'Connor - McGinn, Velev (Grella 85), Gamboa - Donaldson.
#306147 The Brentford Project
Taz.
BEES BOSS RELISHES BIG WIN
Published: 20 September 2011 - By Tom Moore
Gianfranco Zola was delighted with his side's performance after Brentford thrashed early rivals Preston.
The Bees claimed an impressive 4-1 win over the Lilywhites at Griffin Park, a result which returns Brentford to the top of the League One table. The typically upbeat Zola had an even bigger smile on his face than usual in his midweek press conference ahead of the Bees' clash with West Ham in the Carling Cup third round. He spoke to journalists about the victory, his hopes for the East vs West cup game and confirmed the arrival of a new striker to take the pressure off the in-form Clayton Donaldson.
"It was an excellent performance," the forty five year old said. "We showed our confidence and I can't see many clubs in this division matching us on that form. We're going into the West Ham game really believing in ourselves. It'll be a good experience to go back, I learned a lot during my time there even though it didn't end particularly well. We've got a bit of competition for a place up front with the new striker joining so hopefully that gives Clayton that extra motivation to keep on scoring."
Fulham striker Marcello Trotta has completed the short trip across West London to join the Bees on loan for three months. The Italian-born youngster has been a regular face in the Cottagers reserve side and Fulham boss Martin Jol was keen for the eighteen year old to gain first-team experience with Zola's men. Brentford lost top scorer Yassin El Azzouzi to a hip injury against Sheffield Wednesday last Tuesday, although Donaldson has stepped into the fold with three goals in the last two games.
#305733 The Brentford Project
Taz.
#305593 The Brentford Project
Taz.
BRENTFORD 4-1 PRESTON
Sat 17 Sep - 15:00 - Griffin Park
Brentford claimed a superb victory over early rivals Preston to reclaim top spot in League One.
The two sides have been neck-and-neck in League One so far this season but it was Gianfranco Zola's side that comprehensively outplayed the visitors, handing Preston only their second defeat of the season in a resounding fashion. Goals from Ludovic Gamboa and Karleigh Osborne and a brace from Clayton Donaldson reflected a dominant performance at Griffin Park. Rob Hulse struck a second-half consolation for Phil Brown's side, who relinquish their grasp on top spot.
Gamboa has been an exciting presence on the left wing since arriving from Reims in the summer and the French winger went close twice in the opening stages before breaking the deadlock in the eleventh minute. After a quick break down the pitch, the Frenchman weaved through the Preston defence and drilled the ball in off the post. Donaldson then hammered the ball into the same post ten minutes later. The towering Hulse was the Lilywhites' main threat and Richard Lee produced a fine mid-air save just before half time.
Karleigh Osborne's aerial threat has seen the centre-back amongst the goals already this season and he headed in from Niall McGinn's corner five minutes into the second half. Preston quickly responded through Hulse eight minutes later as the on-loan QPR striker headed in Barry Nicholson's cross. A quickfire double from Donaldson restored the Bees' commanding advantage. The striker first rifled the ball home after Jonathan Douglas picked him out, then grabbed a second within six minutes from Gamboa's low cross.
Brentford (4-2-3-1)
Lee - Westlake, Osborne, Eger, Dickson - Douglas, Velev - McGinn (Logan 53), Forrester (O'Connor 62), Gamboa (Weston 73) - Donaldson.
#305440 The Brentford Project
Taz.
BRENTFORD 2-1 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY
Tues 13 Sep - 19:45 - Griffin Park
Brentford returned to winning ways against Sheffield Wednesday thanks to Clayton Donaldson's header.
It was a game of fine margins at Griffin Park and either side could have made a case for all three points. In the end, it was the Bees that went away with a priceless win thanks to goals from Niall McGinn and Donaldson. Jermaine Johnson pulled a goal back for the visitors but Gianfranco Zola's men produced a disciplined defensive display in the second half to ensure that Brentford maintain the pressure on current League One leaders Preston, who remain one point ahead of the Bees.
After captain Jonathan Douglas went close with a long-range effort, McGinn opened the scoring in the twelfth minute. A well-worked passing move found Donaldson on the edge of the box and the striker played an inventive through ball for the on-loan Celtic winger, running down the left-hand channel. The Northern Irish international drilled the ball across Richard O'Donnell from an acute angle to grab his first goal in a Bees shirt. Stefan Velev almost made it two within a matter of minutes only to be denied by a good save.
Brentford's link-up play has looked impressive all season and Zola would have been delighted with a move that almost presented Myles Weston with his first goal of the season following Mike Grella's bustling run and pinpoint pass. Donaldson eventually doubled the Bees' lead six minutes after the break, nodding in from a Douglas free-kick. Johnson punished Darryl Westlake's indecision for the Owls to ramp up the pressure with seventeen minutes remaining but Brentford held firm at the back to ensure victory.
Brentford (4-4-2)
Lee - Westlake, Osborne, Eger, Dickson - McGinn (Logan 75), Douglas, Velev (O'Connor 67), Weston - Donaldson, El Azzouzi (Grella 26).
#305421 The Brentford Project
Taz.
CARLISLE 1-1 BRENTFORD
Sat 10 Sep - 15:00 - Brunton Park
Brentford made the long trip home from Carlisle disappointed after the Bees let the lead slip.
Yassin El Azzouzi's seventh goal of the season gave the Bees the advantage just after the break after Gianfranco Zola's side dominated the first half against the Cumbrians. Lee Miller equalised from the penalty spot to ensure a second straight game without a win for the League One pacesetters, who were also held to a surprise draw at home to bottom side Bury last weekend. Brentford slip to second in the league after the result, one point behind new leaders Preston.
El Azzouzi has been in prolific form since joining from Bastia in July and the French striker was on the hunt for more goals in the opening stages. He forced Adam Collin into two saves in the first ten minutes after being set up by skipper Jonathan Douglas and Niall McGinn. The Northern Irish winger went on to hit the post in the first half after some good work from Stefan Velev in midfield. Francois Zoko posed the biggest threat for the home side, testing Richard Lee with a low drive just before half time.
The Bees took the lead after forty eight minutes as Darryl Westlake superbly picked out El Azzouzi's run behind the defence. The striker took the ball around Collin and finished calmly. Ten minutes later, Carlisle levelled as Velev was penalised for a foul in the area on substitute Paddy Madden. Lee Miller stepped up and stroked the spot kick past Lee. The introduction of Madden caused problems for Brentford late on and an excellent save from Lee ensured that Zola's side travelled home with a point.
Brentford (4-4-2)
Lee - Westlake, Osborne, Trevisan, Dickson - McGinn, Douglas (O'Connor 61), Velev, Forrester (Weston 79) - Grella (Donaldson 61), El Azzouzi.
#304990 The Brentford Project
Taz.
SLIP-UP FRUSTRATES BEES BOSS
Published: 4 September 2011 - By Tom Moore
Gianfranco Zola cursed a series of missed opportunities after Brentford were held to a draw by Bury.
The Bees failed to make their dominance count as their perfect record was ended by Richie Barker's side, who currently sit twenty fourth in League One with just one point. Brentford saw two goals contentiously ruled out but Zola refused to blame referee Mark Clattenburg for the result. The official was booed off by the home support at Griffin Park after the final whistle. Zola's side had nine shots on target to Bury's three efforts but a speculative effort by Mark Cullen earned a draw for the visiting side in the closing stages of the match.
"It was a bad day for us," the forty five year old said. "We were maybe a little unlucky with the goals that were disallowed but we should have made sure that we won the game before that. We've finished off teams well so far this season but I think Bury were more up for it than we were, which is frustrating. Looking at our records, we should have won comfortably. The players were maybe thinking about the winning run, not the quality of the performance, and we took our eyes off the ball."
Brentford remain top of League One after early rivals Chesterfield were held to a 1-1 draw at home against Colchester. The Bees will face the long journey to Carlisle next weekend hoping to maintain their impressive unbeaten record, which has seen Zola's side yet to lose in all competitions. French striker Yassin El Azzouzi is expected to return after missing the previous two games with a dead leg. El Azzouzi is the Bees' top scorer this season with six goals.
#304941 The Brentford Project
Taz.
BRENTFORD 2-2 BURY
Sat 3 Sep - 15:00 - Griffin Park
Brentford's winning run was ended by struggling Bury thanks to a late goal at Griffin Park.
The Bees were hot favourites going into the sixth game of the season as the early pace-setters in League One but endured a frustrating afternoon. The visitors sat at the foot of the table after five consecutive defeats, still without a goal since their return to the third tier for the first time in nine years. The away side fought well and surprised Gianfranco Zola's men by taking the lead in the first half. Clayton Donaldson and Myles Weston put the Bees ahead but Bury claimed a point through Mark Cullen's late strike.
As expected, Brentford were on top for much of the early stages. Mike Grella linked up with Clayton Donaldson to produce a diving save from Cameron Belford and the Bees saw a goal disallowed for a push on Bury defender Mark Hughes after Karleigh Osborne's header was deflected into the back of the net. Despite continued pressure on the Shakers defence, the opening goal arrived against the run of play as veteran centre-back Efe Sodje headed in from Peter Sweeney's free kick.
Donaldson drew the Bees level within six minutes, as Harry Forrester spotted the striker unmarked in the penalty area. He rifled the ball past Belford to score his second goal of the season. Zola's side then saw another goal dubiously ruled out in the second half following a marginal offside call. When Myles Weston nodded in Shaleum Logan's cross with six minutes remaining, Brentford seemed to have stolen the win but Cullen curled home from long range in the eighty-seventh minute to grab an unlikely point for the Shakers.
Brentford (4-4-2)
Lee - Westlake, Osborne, Trevisan (Eger 62), Dickson - Saunders (Weston 79), Douglas, O'Connor, Forrester - Donaldson, Grella (Logan 79).
#304916 The Brentford Project
Taz.
I'm playing this on FM2012 - I've never really been able to get into the later games (possibly due to me being shit at them) so I thought I'd stick with what I knew, it gives it a nice alternate history thing as well. (I've played a couple of seasons in and LVG is Man City manager, for example)
#304810 The Brentford Project
Taz.
BRENTFORD 1-0 CRAWLEY
Tues 30 Aug - 19:45 - Griffin Park
Brentford secured a routine win against Crawley in the first round of the Football League Trophy.
Gianfranco Zola named a heavily-changed starting line-up at Griffin Park as the newly-promoted visitors made their debut in the competition. A single goal in the first half from Clayton Donaldson was enough to see off the Bees' League Two opponents, who were reduced to ten men late on after referee Lee Probert handed a straight red card to defender John Dempster. Zola's side will take on League One rivals Colchester in the next round.
Brentford tested Crawley goalkeeper Michel Kuipers on several occasions in the first half as the Bees sought a sixth consecutive victory under Zola. Mike Grella and strike partner Donaldson dovetailed well to produce a good chance for the eventual matchwinner, only to find Kuipers to be equal to Donaldson's placed effort. Grella also forced a good save from the visiting keeper after Stefan Velev broke down the right wing and sent a teasing cross to the American at the far post.
Donaldson finally broke the deadlock in the forty fourth minute. Grella's through ball looked to have been swept up by Reds centre-back Abdelaziz Kamara but the defender failed to control the ball, allowing Donaldson to fire it into the back of the net. The away side's best chance of the match came on the hour but Simon Moore got a firm hand to Scott Davies' effort, before Dempster was sent off for a professional foul on Yassin El Azzouzi with two minutes left on the clock.
Brentford (4-4-2)
Moore - Logan, Spillane, Legge, Woodman - Saunders (McGinn 59), Reeves, Velev (Osborne 61), Weston - Donaldson (El Azzouzi 86), Grella.
#304728 The Brentford Project
Taz.
NOTTS COUNTY 0-1 BRENTFORD
Sat 27 Aug - 15:00 - Meadow Lane
Yassin El Azzouzi struck from the spot to seal three points from Brentford's trip to Notts County.
After the drama of the Bees' 6-4 extra-time victory over Millwall on Tuesday, it was a far more sedate affair at Meadow Lane but Brentford managed to come away with a fifth win from the opening five games. The victory sees Gianfranco Zola's side remain at the summit of League One, ahead of Chesterfield on goal difference. El Azzouzi's penalty in the nineteenth minute was enough to see off the home side, who ended the game with ten men after midfielder Neal Bishop was sent off in the second half.
Jonathan Douglas went closest for the Bees in the early stages. The Irish midfielder has a reputation for his long-range efforts and Douglas narrowly missed out on a spectacular first goal of the season on two separate occasions. With nineteen minutes played, Douglas was tugged down in the area by Michael Stewart and referee Mike Dean pointed straight to the spot. The in-form El Azzouzi stepped up confidently and blasted the penalty into the top corner to claim his fourth goal of the season.
Stewart looked to make amends for his error in the second half as the Scottish midfielder connected with Alan Judge's deep cross, only to head the ball over the crossbar. Richard Lee also made an excellent save from Karl Hawley's powerful strike. After a series of high-scoring games, Zola's side finally produced a solid defensive performance to protect their slender lead. County lost Bishop to a straight red card late on following an ugly challenge on Bees right-back Darryl Westlake.
Brentford (4-2-3-1)
Lee - Westlake, Osborne, Trevisan, Woodman (Logan 70) - Douglas, O'Connor - McGinn (Eger 74), Forrester, Gamboa (Donaldson 45) - El Azzouzi.
#304722 The Brentford Project
Taz.
Cheers for the comments, I've always preferred doing this style of story, even if it does take a while I love reading this sort of thing.
I'm rather surprised at how well it's going, I thought it'd take a bit longer to really hit top gear.
#304526 The Brentford Project
Taz.
ZOLA SPEECHLESS AFTER THRILLER
Published: 23 August 2011 - By Tom Moore
Gianfranco Zola saluted the spirit of his Brentford players after their extraordinary win over Millwall.
Zola's side recovered from 4-1 down going into the final fifteen minutes at The Den to win 6-4 after extra time and earn a place in the third round of the Carling Cup for the second consecutive season. The Bees will travel to Zola's former side West Ham in the next round and their Italian coach couldn't quite believe the circumstances of his side's shock victory, their fifth straight win in all competitions. The forty five year old has a perfect record from his opening five games with the Bees.
"I don't know what to say," the Brentford boss said in his post-match interview. "It was absolute madness out there and I'm proud of the players. They didn't give up and in those fifteen minutes, I think we could have beaten most teams, it was unbelievable how we kept pressing and creating chances. We've got a great draw for the fans in the next round and the lads are brimming with confidence after the way we played. Maybe there is also a little to improve defensively but we will have time to work on that."
The Bees equalled their record performance in the competition last season, making it all the way to the fourth round after claiming the scalps of Cheltenham, Hull and Premier League side Everton. Their longest run since 1982 was ended in a penalty shoot-out by the eventual champions Birmingham following a 1-1 draw at St. Andrew's. Their reward in this year's third round is a trip to West Ham, where Zola will aim to take revenge on the club that sacked him in May 2010.
#304506 The Brentford Project
Taz.
MILLWALL 4-6 BRENTFORD (AET)
Tues 23 Aug - 19:45 - The Den
Brentford recovered from 4-1 down to win an extraordinary game against Millwall in the Carling Cup.
The hosts looked to have comfortably sealed a place in the third round after going into half time with a three-goal lead. Few could have predicted a stunning fightback in the final fifteen minutes from the Bees to level the scores at 4-4 and send the match to extra time. Goals from Yassin El Azzouzi and Marcel Eger capped off an unbelievable comeback from Gianfranco Zola's side, who will play the manager's former club West Ham in the next round.
The Lions took the lead in the fourteenth minute as Liam Trotter sent a powerful volley crashing past Richard Lee from outside the area. In a game that saw an amazing twenty nine shots on target, it was no surprise when the Bees equalised five minutes later. Ludovic Gamboa floated in a corner and Eger rose highest to nod the ball past goalkeeper David Forde. Millwall regained the lead when Jay Simpson pounced on Lee's fumble from Scott Barron's corner after twenty eight minutes.
Dany N'Guessan tapped in a third goal seven minutes later and Darius Henderson clipped Barron's cross into the back of the net to ensure Millwall went in at the break with a commanding lead. As the clock ticked towards the final whistle, few could have expected the late comeback that saw the Bees force the game to extra time. Harry Forrester grabbed a goal back in the seventy fifth minute, then El Azzouzi rounded the goalkeeper five minutes later to leave the Bees chasing just one more goal.
The unlikely equaliser arrived with four minutes remaining. Forrester picked out Gamboa on the edge of the box and the French winger hammered the ball past Forde to leave the substantial travelling support in ecstasy. There was only going to be one winner after such a superb comeback and El Azzouzi slotted home Clayton Donaldson's through ball to finally give Brentford the lead. Eger headed in his second from another Gamboa set-piece in the closing minutes of extra time to seal an extraordinary win.
Brentford (4-5-1)
Lee - Westlake, Eger, Trevisan, Dickson - Douglas (Forrester 73), O'Connor (Grella 59) - McGinn (Donaldson 59), Velev, Gamboa - El Azzouzi.
#304146 The Brentford Project
Taz.
BRENTFORD 4-0 TRANMERE
Sat 20 Aug - 15:00 - Griffin Park
Another ruthless display ensured a comfortable fourth straight league win for Brentford.
The Bees have been the early pace-setters in League One and top the table alongside Chesterfield, who have also collected maximum points so far. Gianfranco Zola's men raced to a four-goal win for the second time in a week at Griffin Park with a superb performance against Tranmere, who were reduced to ten men after Ian Goodison's dismissal in the first half. Mike Grella's brace and two late goals from Clayton Donaldson and Stefan Velev sealed another dominant victory.
Brentford fans have celebrated nine goals in the first three games and the Bees' impressive striking form was clear from the kick-off. Grella gave us the lead after just thirteen minutes. Captain Jonathan Douglas spotted a gap in the Tranmere defence and the American striker skipped through to slot the ball past Owain Fon Williams. The Welsh keeper recovered to deny Yassin El Azzouzi with a smart low save before Goodison saw red for a second yellow card following a foul on the Frenchman in the twenty fourth minute.
Grella scored his third goal of the season five minutes after the break, easily outpacing veteran Chris Perry to fire the ball deftly into the bottom corner. A late flurry of goals reflected an imperious performance from the Bees, who looked dangerous throughout. Kevin O'Connor clipped the ball through for late substitute Donaldson to bag a first league goal of the season in the eighty fifth minute. Velev added a fourth goal in added time, ghosting in at the far post to divert Darryl Westlake's well-placed cross past Fon Williams.
Brentford (4-4-2)
Lee - Westlake, Osborne, Trevisan, Dickson - McGinn (Forrester 45), Douglas (O'Connor 75), Velev, Gamboa - Grella, El Azzouzi (Donaldson 82).
#303999 The Brentford Project
Taz.
#303976 The Brentford Project
Taz.
COLCHESTER 0-4 BRENTFORD
Tues 16 Aug - 19:45 - Weston Homes Community Stadium
Brentford made it three wins from three in League One by demolishing Colchester.
The Bees ran riot at the Weston Homes Community Stadium as four different players got their names on the scoresheet. Trevor Trevisan ensured that Gianfranco Zola's side went in to half time ahead before a lethal second half display secured the points. The shellshocked home side were no match for Brentford's clinical attacking football after the break as they went on to add another three goals through Karleigh Osborne, Yassin El Azzouzi and Marcel Eger.
Zola called for his side to continue their confident performances ahead of the game and Brentford's superiority was clear in the opening stages. Ludovic Gamboa hit the side netting with a powerful drive in the fifth minute and El Azzouzi forced Mark Cousins into two saves in the first half as they looked to open the floodgates. Italian defender Trevisan finally put the Bees ahead with a minute of the half left, bundling the ball over the line after El Azzouzi's header hit the crossbar.
Osborne nodded in Sam Saunders' corner twelve minutes after the break to double the lead. El Azzouzi finally got his goal in the seventy eighth minute as Harry Forrester broke down the left wing and crossed low for the French striker, who fired the ball past Cousins. The former Bastia man now has four goals in four starts since arriving in the summer. The Bees continued to cause havoc at set pieces and German centre-back Eger headed in from Saunders' corner kick with four minutes remaining.
Brentford (4-5-1)
Lee - Logan, Osborne, Trevisan, Dickson (Eger 64) - Douglas, Velev - McGinn (Saunders 45), Grella, Gamboa (Forrester 73) - El Azzouzi.
#303816 The Brentford Project
Taz.
ZOLA TAKES HEART FROM BEES START
Published: 15 August 2011 - By Tom Moore
Gianfranco Zola believes that Brentford's strong start is a good omen for the rest of the season.
The Bees have breezed through their opening three games and sit at the top of the League One table with six points. Zola, who has targeted promotion to the Championship following substantial investment by new owner and lifelong Bees fan Matthew Benham, called on his side to see their perfect record as a confidence booster instead of a burden ahead of their trip to play Colchester tomorrow evening.
"We've had a few difficult moments but it feels great to start the season off with a couple of wins," the forty five year old said. "Looking at our opponents, they are games that we would expect to win if we want to really challenge this season but the entertainment factor has been there as well. The players are keen to play attractive football and I've hugely enjoyed working with them so far. We've had some good reviews in the media and I want to channel those nice comments into something that can really build the players confidence."
The Bees will take on Colchester at the Weston Homes Community Stadium tomorrow evening searching for a third straight win in the league. Striker Yassin El Azzouzi will be hunting for his fourth goal in as many games, continuing a prolific start after his summer arrival from French side Bastia. Northern Irish international Niall McGinn is expected to replace Sam Saunders in the Bees' starting line-up after the on-loan Celtic winger recovered from a knock sustained in training.
#303770 The Brentford Project
Taz.
BRENTFORD 3-2 EXETER
Sat 13 Aug - 15:00 - Griffin Park
A determined performance from Brentford ensured that they came out on top in a five-goal thriller.
The Bees delighted the home faithful with an entertaining first league win at Griffin Park this season, which preserves Gianfranco Zola's perfect record and sees Brentford sit at the top of the table in the very early stages of the campaign. Mike Grella gave the Bees a second-minute lead with his first goal of the season before Benik Afobe's leveller for Exeter. Karleigh Osborne and Trevor Trevisan earned a two-goal lead before Osborne's late own goal handed the visiting side a consolation.
After a mere two minutes, summer signing Ludovic Gamboa laid the ball off on the edge of the box for Grella, who drove forward purposefully and blasted a powerful strike past Grecians goalkeeper Artur Krysiak. Arsenal loanee Afobe posed the biggest threat for Exeter and the pacy striker grabbed an equaliser for Paul Tisdale's side in the sixteenth minute, bursting through the offside trap to latch onto strike partner Daniel Nardiello's pass and turn the ball past Richard Lee.
Zola's recent work on set pieces in training proved profitable on the hour mark as the visitors struggled to deal with the Bees' aerial threat. Jonathan Douglas' corner was poked past Krysiak by Bees centre-back Osborne for his second goal of the season. Ten minutes later, Trevor Trevisan headed in his first Brentford goal from Harry Forrester's corner to establish a two-goal advantage. Exeter made the final six minutes a little more nervy as Osborne's attempt to clear Nardiello's chip resulted in a painful own goal.
Brentford (4-4-2)
Lee - Westlake, Osborne, Trevisan, Dickson - Saunders (McGinn 47), Douglas, Velev, Gamboa (Logan 77) - Grella (Forrester 66), El Azzouzi.
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BRENTFORD 3-1 CHELTENHAM
Tues 09 Aug - 19:45 - Griffin Park
Brentford advanced to the second round of the Carling Cup in comfortable fashion against Cheltenham.
Gianfranco Zola's side enjoyed a straightforward evening against their League Two opponents. Yassin El Azzouzi kept up his good start to life with the Bees with his second goal in as many games before Marcel Eger headed in a second. David Bird struck back for the visitors in the closing stages before Harry Forrester opened his account for the season to cap off a comprehensive victory for Brentford and seal a potential tie against Premier League opposition in the second round.
It required just seven minutes for the Bees to break the deadlock. The Frenchman linked up with Mike Grella in his own half before racing through a sudden gap in the Robins' defence to finish off his American strike partner's placed through ball. El Azzouzi returned the favour by crafting an excellent chance for Grella to score his first goal of the season. The former Leeds striker was left with his head in his hands after firing wide despite being clean through on goal.
Eger headed in Sam Saunders' corner on the stroke of half time to double our lead but the away side came out in spirited fashion and goalkeeper Richard Lee had to be on top form to make a stunning save from Darryl Duffy's long-range drive. The Bees stopper could do little about David Bird's curling twenty-five yard strike in the eighty fourth minute but Forrester quickly ended any chance of a comeback within a minute with a well-taken half-volley at the far post from a Saunders cross.
Brentford (4-4-2)
Lee - Logan, Eger, Spillane, Woodman - Saunders, O'Connor, Douglas (Reeves 45), Weston (Gamboa 81) - Grella, El Azzouzi (Forrester 67).
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SCUNTHORPE 1-2 BRENTFORD
Sat 05 Aug - 15:00 - Glanford Park
Ten-man Brentford hung on to secure three points in the first game of the season against Scunthorpe.
A debut goal from French striker Yassin El Azzouzi and centre-back Karleigh Osborne's tap-in looked to have sent Gianfranco Zola's men on their way to a comfortable opening-day victory. Ryan Dickson's second-half own goal gave a glimmer of hope to the hosts. New signing Stefan Velev's red card looked to have put the victory in jeopardy but the Bees weathered the storm late on to earn a first win at Glanford Park in nearly six years.
El Azzouzi was the club's second most expensive summer signing at £190,000 and the Frenchman showed his class by forcing Josh Lillis into a smart save after weaving through the defence. The home side looked dangerous on the counter and hit the post in the first half through Chris Dagnall. Bees captain Jonathan Douglas teed up the opening goal in the thirty ninth minute, swinging in a deep cross for El Azzouzi to nod into the back of the net.
Osborne added a second two minutes after the break. Man of the match Douglas created havoc with a well-worked free kick and the centre-back stabbed the ball past Lillis. Five minutes later, Scunthorpe hit back in an unfortunate fashion as Richard Lee parried a corner into the back of Ryan Dickson into the net. The Bees defended well late on to protect the lead, despite Velev seeing red on his debut for a second yellow card with thirteen minutes left.
Brentford (4-4-2)
Lee - Westlake (Logan 47), Osborne, Trevisan, Dickson - McGinn (Forrester 71), Douglas, Velev
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ZOLA TARGETS STRONG START
Published: 5 August 2011 - By Tom Moore
Gianfranco Zola has called on his Brentford players to come racing out of the blocks against Scunthorpe.
The Bees will travel to Glanford Park tomorrow afternoon for the first game of the season in League One. Former West Ham boss Zola surprised many by dropping down the divisions to take charge at Griffin Park but the Italian is confident that he has joined a team on the rise. The forty five year old has brought in six players in the transfer window and he expects a positive start against the Iron.
"We've got a clear set of goals for the season ahead," Zola told the Hounslow Chronicle. "The owner has put his money into the team over the summer and I think we've built a squad that can challenge at the top of the table. The boys are confident and they have worked very well in pre-season. I don't want to take the result for granted but I know we have the quality to win tomorrow and anything else would be disappointing."
All six of Zola's new signings are in contention to start against Scunthorpe. Bulgarian midfielder Stefan Velev is League One's most expensive transfer this summer at £250,000, while the Bees also splashed out £190,000 on Bastia striker Yassin El Azzouzi and £75,000 on Walsall defender Darryl Westlake. Zola's dealings mean that Brentford have the highest net spend in the division so far this season at just over half a million pounds.
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DICKSON RETURNS ON LOAN
Published: Sun 31 Jul 2011 - By Ciaran Brett
Ryan Dickson has rejoined Brentford on loan from Southampton until the end of the season.
The left-back enjoyed three successful seasons at Griffin Park under Andy Scott, making thirty nine appearances as Brentford lifted the League Two title in 2009. Dickson joined Southampton last summer in a £150,000 deal but after being informed by Saints boss Nigel Adkins that he was unlikely to be part of his starting line-up this season, Gianfranco Zola has brought the popular defender back to the Bees on a season-long loan deal.
"I had the best couple of years of my career here," the twenty four year old said. "I've got a lot of fond memories here at Brentford and even though the manager has changed, there's still a lot of the lads here that I played with last time. The boss made it clear that he was targeting promotion this season and I don't see it as any step down from Southampton. I've got a massive amount of respect for him from his playing days. He's an ambitious kind of person and he has big plans for the club."
Zola has also returned to his homeland to bring centre-back Trevor Trevisan to the club. The twenty seven year old has joined on loan until the end of the season from Serie B side Padova. Trevisan, who can also play at left-back, has represented several clubs in Italy's lower leagues including Pisa, Vicenza and Venezia. The defender is known for his tough tackling but he is also comfortable playing the ball out from the back.
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#303319 The Brentford Project
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ZOLA CONTINUES BEES REBUILD
Published: 23 July 2011 - By Tom Moore
Brentford have announced the departure of Sam Wood and the signing of French striker Yassin El Azzouzi.
Gianfranco Zola's attempt to put his own stamp on the squad he inherited from Nicky Forster earlier this month has continued as Wood joins League Two side Macclesfield. The Bees have also confirmed the arrival of French striker Yassin El Azzouzi in a £190,000 deal. This follows Zola's signings of midfielders Stefan Velev and Ludovic Gamboa and defender Darryl Westlake.
El Azzouzi has agreed a three-year deal at Griffin Park. The twenty eight year old played in the third tier of French football last season with Bastia, earning promotion with the Corsican side. The striker was described by Zola as a quick and physical forward with a clinical eye for goal. El Azzouzi will compete with the likes of Mike Grella and Clayton Donaldson for a space up front.
Wood has been with the Bees since 2008 after joining from non-league side Bromley. He was part of the Brentford side that lifted the League Two title a year later and won the Bees' Player of the Season award following an inspired start to life under former boss Andy Scott. Wood mostly featured as a substitute over the past two seasons and the versatile midfielder has joined Macclesfield in a £10,000 switch in search of regular first-team football.
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BUSY DAY AT GRIFFIN PARK
Published: 14 July 2011 - By Tom Moore
Brentford have seen two players depart Griffin Park and a new signing arrive on the same day.
Gianfranco Zola has continued to put his stamp on the squad and his most expensive new signing yet was confirmed this afternoon. Bulgarian midfielder Stefan Velev has agreed a £250,000 move from Beroe in his homeland, joining fellow new arrivals Darryl Westlake and Ludovic Gamboa. The Bees have also allowed midfielder Marcus Bean and striker Gary Alexander to leave the club.
Velev is a versatile central midfielder who can play in both an attacking or defensive role. The twenty two year old has signed a four-year deal with the Bees. He represented Beroe in the Europa League last season and is another example of Brentford's willingness to look further afield for new signings, an increase in scope credited by Zola to new owner Matthew Benham.
Bean has joined League One rivals Walsall in a £20,000 deal. The former QPR man has been a mainstay in the Bees line-up over the past three seasons and was a regular under Nicky Forster but was told that he was unlikely to see as much game time this season. Alexander has joined Bury in a £50,000 move after just one season at Griffin Park, where he scored twelve goals in all competitions.
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BEES SWOOP FOR DUO
Published: 11 July 2011 - By Tom Moore
Brentford have completed the signings of defender Darryl Westlake and winger Ludovic Gamboa.
Walsall right-back Westlake has signed a four-year deal with the club after a fee of £75,000 was agreed with the Saddlers. The twenty year old made twenty eight appearances for Walsall last season after breaking into the first team but couldn't turn down a move to Gianfranco Zola's ambitious Bees side. Westlake won the Saddlers' Young Player of the Season award in 2010.
French winger Gamboa has joined on a two-year deal from Ligue 2 side Reims. The left-sided player was on the transfer list at his side in France and arrives for a cut-price £10,000. The twenty five year old has represented several sides in the French lower leagues and helped Reims win promotion to the second tier in 2010. He is described as a quick, agile winger with an accurate cross.
"We've brought in two young, hungry players," Bees boss Zola said. "We need a bit more pace in the team and both Darryl and Ludo are comfortable breaking forward quickly. We've tried to look a little further afield in the transfer market, the owner's connections abroad have helped us considerably and we're working on a few deals at the moment. We want to build a team capable of promotion and we think we've found players with the skills that we need."