🔗 Share this article

More than halfway through the season, Brentford find themselves in fantasy land.

With victories in their last five outings, and a Brazilian striker netting the goals, suddenly supporters are envisioning thoughts of trips to European capitals next season.

A comprehensive 3-0 win over the Black Cats moved their manager's side into fifth in the Premier League – a place that was good enough to secure European football last term.

Solely table-toppers Arsenal have accumulated more points over the past six games.

There's a significant distance to go yet but Brentford are squarely in the race for European football.

No one was forecasting this last summer.

The former head coach had departed for Tottenham after a seven-year stint in charge, a period in which he had not only got the club to the Premier League but also established them in the top flight.

Club captain their Danish midfielder left for Arsenal and attacking duo two key forwards – who scored a combined of 39 goals in 2024-25 – were out the door, joining United and Newcastle United respectively.

Specialist coach Andrews was promoted to replace the Dane, while there was no striker among the off-season arrivals.

A season of difficulty, possibly even relegation, was widely predicted. But here we are in January with Brentford in the top five.

So, how have they managed it?

Igor Thiago's Record-breaking Campaign

Brentford's decision not to bring in another striker was in part down to timing, with Wissa's move not being finalized until the final day of the window.

But they also were aware they had a £30m striker already waiting to go.

Igor Thiago joined from Belgium in the summer for a then club record fee, but was hindered by injury in his debut campaign, going without a goal in his initial outings.

The 24-year-old has set about compensating for lost time this season, though, with his brace against the Wearside club taking him to 16 league goals – the most by a player from Brazil in a single Premier League campaign.

Given the fellow Brazilians who have come before him, that is some accomplishment, especially with seventeen matches left to play.

"He has been a revelation," pundit an analyst said. "He is a physical specimen, quick, powerful, but technically better than people think. Excellent with his feet, both feet, he can score off both. You can see he's brimming with confidence. These numbers are fantastic. He must be so pleased. That's a huge compliment to him."

That only Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe have scored more in any of the continent's major leagues to this point underscores the standard he is playing at.

And it is not just the quantity but the timing of the goals that have been so pivotal for Brentford.

His opener against the Black Cats was his 7th opener of the season. Considering how often we are told the importance of the initial strike in a game, having someone you can depend on to take that early opportunity cannot be overstated.

Prior to the game against their opponents, no player to have attempted at least 30 shots this season has a better shot accuracy rate than Igor Thiago's 59.1 percent.

He finds the target. Do that often enough and the goals will – and have – come.

Considering the hardships he had earlier in life, where he labored in construction to support his family following the death of his father, perhaps it should be no surprise that pressure on the pitch is something he handles with ease.

"The recruitment team deserve a lot of credit for the type of players they bring in and characters," Andrews said. "It is really notable. He is a really special person who has fitted into life very nicely. He has had to forge this path. He has earned his journey and toiled. He has got real determination about his personality. He is developing his abilities constantly and we are learning more and more about him. He is a largely all-round centre-forward."

Andrews Proving Sceptics Wrong

Igor Thiago is the headline act but the team are not and have never been a one-man band.

While they had key individuals – Ivan Toney, Christian Eriksen, Mbeumo and Wissa – under their previous boss, they were always seen as a team more effective than the sum of their parts.

The fear was that once the Dane left, that may not be the case, and that the sum of their parts alone might not be enough to stay up.

Consequently, appointing Andrews, with a blank managerial CV, and just a year at the club was seen by those external observers as a gamble.

A maiden role is a challenge for anyone, let alone when it comes in the world's toughest league and having made the leap from specialist coach to the manager's office.

But given that Ipswich boss one candidate was the only other alternative that Brentford looked at, they were clearly confident they had the correct candidate.

To date, as often seems to be the case with the key decision makers at Brentford, it looks as if they were vindicated.

Andrews won just a single of his first 5 league games in charge but significant home victories against United, the Reds and the Magpies have followed.

Results that, following their brilliant recent form, could prove increasingly important in the race for Europe.

"We're in good form and playing really good. We are playing with bravery and conviction in everything we do with and without the ball," Andrews added. "We are happy with how we are going but we want to keep improving."

In a league where the European spots and the lower mid-table are currently separated by just eight points, they have no other option, because things could quickly look very different.

But, for now, Brentford are beating the odds. And the longer that lasts, the closer to reality those aspirations of Europe will become.