In an interview for Saturday’s match programme, which is now available at shop.brentfordfc.com, Brentford defender Mads Roerslev discusses playing in the Bees' big games, his toughest opponents, and life as a professional footballer.
The right-back has been praised for his one-v-one defending by his head coach, Thomas Frank, which was evident again in Brentford's recent 2-0 win over Chelsea.
But what has been the key to the Dane honing his impressive defensive abilities?
When asked for his thoughts, Roerslev reveals: “I actually think it came from when I first got here, I was probably like 19 or something and, every day, I was against Said Benrahma in training!
“Everyone who was following us back then knows what sort of player he is - he likes to dribble all the time and he is really good at it.
“So, to be against basically one of the best guys in the whole league, that probably got me a long way in terms of my one-v-one defending.”
Questioned if there was any particularly difficult moments against Said in training, he adds: “There will have been but I can’t remember anything specific right now - I've probably tried to forget them!”
Even before his move to west London from Copenhagen four years ago, Roerslev tells another story of where he learnt his defensive principles and foundations - which came with a slight humbling from a 35-year-old defender at his former club.
He explains: “I got a lot of inspiration for my one-v-one defending from a guy who played in Copenhagen when I was also there - Tom Hogli.
“He wasn’t very quick, he wasn’t very big, and he was also quite old, but no one could get past him. I thought, ‘This can’t be true’.
“So, after training, I told him we’d do some one-v-ones and I’d go against him, I was thinking, ‘I can go past this guy’.
“But he knew the exact distance, he had to have to me so, if I took a big touch, he could slightly put his body in front or accelerate.
“He taught me a lot actually. It’s all about body positions, distances, everything like that. You have to consider where the most dangerous place for the opposition to take the ball is."
Also included in your Brentford v Nottingham Forest match programme
Thomas Frank’s thoughts
Sarah Clapson of Nottinghamshire Live discusses Steve Cooper's side, the Premier League relegation battle, and Forest's key players in Hot off the Press
Our next King of the Castle is former England international Stan Bowles, one of the game's great non-conformists, who concluded his career with Brentford, winning the Bees’ Player of the Year award in 1982
The Nathan Caton Column
It’s been an eventful 12 months for B-team midfielder Daniel Oyegoke. After being part of the England Under-19 group that lifted the European Championship trophy last summer, Oyegoke experienced his first EFL loan with MK Dons earlier this season. Ben Strange sat down with the 20-year-old to reflect on the last year and his return to the Bees
Ethan Pinnock is set to make his 150th appearance for Brentford against Forest on Saturday. Relive the defender's journey, beginning with his debut against Birmingham City in August 2019, in our latest gallery
Printed locally using sustainable materials, this 100-page issue is available online and around the Gtech Community Stadium for £4.
Available inside and outside the ground – as well as from the Bees Merchandise Kiosk and the Bees Superstore – our sellers will be accepting contactless payments only.
Sales locations
Bees Superstore and Bees Merchandise Kiosk (Lionel Road South)
Lionel Road South
Bridge (Bees Superstore end)
Outside Bees Superstore (outside magnet)
2x outside the box office (outside entrance B)
End of Lionel Road (Kew Bridge stadium end)
Away end entrance (outside entrance G)
Stadium
Merchandise kiosks (west, north, east stands and family section)
Programmes are available after the game from the Bees Merchandise Kiosk and the Bees Superstore (Lionel Road South).