[jjamez]

   

So here it is ladies and gentlemen, summer is finally upon us* and the season is finally coming to a close after many ups and downs for both sides. Thankfully both come into this game with nothing to play for, which at varying points of the season may have looked far from the truth.

Brentford started the season in rather shakey fashion, considering the year before they reached the playoffs under Mark Warburton, who for one reason or another left during the summer. Marinus Dijkhuizen was appointed manager in his place and the dutchman didnt get off to the greatest of starts, in fact not many did worse, apart from us and a couple of others. the dutch manager came in from his native land and brought a few players from the continent with him, however, as mentioned before the start was shakey with the dutchman winning 2 of the 9 games played, losing 5, giving him a healthy win % of 22.22 (take note DH and be cautious). They were not living up to expectations that was set of them, come the end of september he was axed and replaced with former Everton midfielder and then academy coach Lee Carsley on an interim basis. Carsleys tenure saw an improvement in fortunes, with the irishman winning 50% of his games in charge, losing three, this saw his side rise up the league table into a more comfortable position before new manager Dean Smith took over after severing ties with possible championship new boys Walsall. Smith has had a decent but not spectacular time so far at the buzzy bees, winning 11 of 29 games in charge and they currently sit 10th in championship, a more than solid base for next season, although we all know that this season really counts for nothing come August.



Brentford have been playing decent football and one thing that is for certain is that when they play well they are more than a match for anyside in the league, but likewise when they are off the boil it is very noticeble, in fact both they and town are fairly similar clubs in many ways both on and off the field and should possibly be comended for the different ways they are trying to operate their club.

Brentford have been trying to use the 'moneyball' method, perhaps known to some on here via the movie by the same name starring Brad Pitt, although focusing on the way it can be used in baseball. The moneyball theory roughly revolves around finding something in a player that often the naked eye may not, notibly through the use of stats ie they may find value in a midfielder with a 30% pass completion which would normally see said player put to one side, but what they may see is that player attempts more passes and ambitious passes than anyother player ect. it is also an idea for the less wealthy teams who cannot match the bigger clubs spending power with a key phrase being 'adapt or die' essentially meaning find a new way to be as successful as those clubs instead of being left behind picking from the big teams scraps ect. All in all it isnt the worst idea to take up, if used by the right people in the right way, however, it is also the sort of idea that you would use alongside other methods. Brentford have chosen the european method ie finding cheaper, better players on the continent, much like we are trying although we are also looking at specific traits too, ie higher fitness levels and leadership abilities.



Huddersfield town on the other hand finished last season fairly strongly, however a poor preseason both on and off the field saw the club bending their necks looking upwards at other clubs with a bit of a ladder to climb. after just over a year in charge Chris Powell was shown the door, leaving with a win % of 25.86 and the knowledge that he would definately have kept this side in the championship...
however his departure opened the door for huddersfield to try something different and appoint a foreign manager in David Wagner with the intent of playing a new style of football whilst opening new avenues in the transfer realm. I need not go through this story but suffice to say the side have run a lot more, played better football in large parts, and a good preseason on and off the pitch this summer and we may see the side push up to the higher echalons of the league, but as a realist I would prefer it if we made steady strides rather than big leaps, thus not getting too far ahead of ourselves and ultimately putting our longer term future at risk.



Back to this weekends game, after the shambles away at bristol i fully expect town to have had a rocket this week and the thoughts of taking their foot off the pedal will have blasted off with them. I also expect that to mean that their will be a full strength side on show with none of the younger academy players getting a brief run out.

last week saw hogg return to the bench and i expect that he will be staying put there, the main changes that could happen would be tommy smith to take back the right back role, whilst pato will start behind wells up top. otherwise it will be as you were.

it is also going to be the last time we see a fair few of the town players in the blue and white stripes, such as huws, skippy and steer, so surely they will want to go out on a high right? or am i overthinking the mind set of a professional footballer?

personally i think both have been solid enough for the large part of the time that they have spent at the club, huws scored some great goals in the early stages of the season and showed a good eye for a pass, however injuries hampered his season and at times consistency wasnt always there. Steer has proved to be a decent replacement for Murphy and Smithies and whilst he has his negatives he has largely been more than capable over the course of the season and i hope he doesnt go back to villa and get wasted both in terms of playing and being around grelish too much  

   


Last weekend saw town announce their end of season awards, strange seeing as the season isnt over yet.. although not as bad as nottingham forest's deluded fat cat deciding to have a squad photo now, which would have been fine had it been to comemorate a good season, but truth be told it wasnt and again it shows how lucky we are to have someone like DH rather than the bad publicity some of the foreign owners unleash upon their club.

But anyway, awards, Nakhi Wells got player of the season, golden boot (quel suprise) and players player (with Mark Hudson in second, again meaning people see more than what some of the moaning fans do!)



PhilBill was awarded young player of the year, Joel Lynch the community player of the year, Jack Boyle academy player of the year and finally Skippy was awarded the worst dress player of the year.



Anyway, I thought I would issue some of my own awards and you are more than welcome to add your own to the list

first award.

worst decision of the season... it was a toughy, notable contenders were taking up ish miller's extension clause and me deciding to go watch town v mk dons at home on a cold tuesday night, i had been struggling to sleep around that time and found it incredibly hard to keep awake during the game it was so so dull.

but the winner for me was selling Alex Smithies, we may have got a couple of bob for him but he was the best keeper we've had for a long while (not hard I know) but he was more to the club than just a goalkeeper, he had come through the system and lets face it yes he made mistakes, players do, but he saved/kept us in games way more than fans give him credit for and i feel that had he stayed he would have been good enough for wagner and would have quite possibly found more aspects to his game.



award 2.

this award is for decision of the year. a few notable mentions first, deanos decision to go with cheap season tickets, attendances have been dropping and this should see them go back on the up, whilst also being cheap enough to bring fans back and get new ones through the door, another mention is allowing fans behind the goal more this season, it adds to the atmosphere of the game and at times that helps boost players and can help get the result we are after.

however, the decision i have gone for is the sacking of powell. i dont mean that in a harsh way, but the club was really stagnating and there was essentially no buzz whatsoever around the place, there was almost a cba attitude from the players on the pitch and also on the training ground, when they were actually on it. dont get me wrong he seems like a decent guy and by all accounts took the decision on the chin and fair play to him. i hope he finds a new job, but i feel he needs to be closer to home and closer to his family in london town, i think thats where he becomes more successful as he can put more time in on the pitch ect, there were mentions of him becoming nigel pearsons assistant at villa, that too wouldnt be a bad move as he gets a chance to learn from another decent manager etc.

award 3 is for signing of the season and i think there is only one candidate, whitehead and pato joining the club are too good signings and on another season would have been prime caendidates. But the best signing is that of Wagner and whilst his current win % isnt smashing, there has been more of a buzz around the club, more fans getting excited about events, better football in the large part on the pitch, more effort on and off the pitch, more players being linked to the club, better standard of players being linked to boot and perhaps most importantly fans are beginning to start dreaming again and the Leicester story probably just makes those wild daydreams seem a little more closer to grab. we're still a work in progress dont get me wrong and as i have said higher up i would still say smaller steps and make it all add up rather than make a giant leap and perhaps land smack on our faces. but the potential is definately there, we can see it and a few improvements here and there brings it even closer to being a reality. the feeling is we can dare to dream because now there is more of a feeling that the dream will be achievable one day in the next few years...the step after that?? who knows??










*according to the calendar and not what has been occuring on the otherside of the window

[WakeyTerrier]

I see this weekend as a opportunity to relax whilst watching Town, don't get upset with players performances, don't get upset with Wagners team selection and don't get upset by any officials. Just sit back relax and enjoy the game of football with the knowledge that we will be back next season playing Villa/Newcastle/Sunderland and hopefully not Norwich.

What team do I expect to play...couldn't care less. The lads proved they were halfway to Magaluf last Saturday so maybe give the fringe players a chance.

I won't be invading the pitch at 90mins as we've nothing much worth celebrating and I won't be hanging around for any "lap of honour" afterwards...I'd much rather get back to the pub and besides no bigger lines up and applauded me at the end of my working year.

Roll on the Euros I say

[Lord Snooty]

Nice one, jjamez.

Will Wells be playing on Saturday given what DW said about his dodgy knee last week? Why not give FloBo a start, see how he gets on.

[SHEP_HTAFC]

Great thread jjamez.....

Warburton leaving was due to a difference of opinion with the owner over the future direction of the club.
Either way, he came up here to be Rangers' manager. Got them into the Premiership as well....buggers.
I'm expecting Brentford to be real strugglers next season though.....relegation fodder I think.

As for this game.....meh...it matters little.

[jjamez]

I wouldn't be too sure shep. If they keep hold of judge then they could be dangerous. Think we are both in similar boats tbf, but then again a lot of teams are!

[theo_luddite]

Nice one jjamez not easy to drum up some interest in a game that means nowt.

SHEP - don't forget Warburton will have two big time former Town players to pick from next season.
http://www.skysports.com/football/news/1...gers-deals

I bet Celtic are quaking in their boots.

[St Charles Owl]

I wouldn't be too sure shep. If they keep hold of judge then they could be dangerous.  Think we are both in similar boats tbf, but then again a lot of teams are!

Judge is the one player of quality that they have and ironically him breaking his leg may be a blessing in disguise for Brentford as I would have expected him to leave in the summer, something that is unlikely now until he has proved his fitness again.

[jjamez]

Yes according to waggers wells is out but i dont think pyke or any other younger player will be given their bow. Seems like rajiv, bunn or matmour will be up top.

He's also alluded to a possible change in formation and one can only think it would be a spanish system of zero strikers but an overload of attacking mids ie bunn pato lolley rajiv all rotating around the front line

[theo_luddite]

Change the world and go back to 2-3-5. It will never happen mind.

[jjamez]

5 changes made for todays game

steer, smith, hudson, lynch, cranie, whitehead, huws, scannell, pato, rajiv, matmour. or that is what i think seeing as rajiv is the only left winger in the line up.

bench of allinson, davidson, hogg, bunn, billing, lolley, dempsey