Following last weekend’s victory over Chelsea, Brentford face another London derby this Saturday (3pm kick-off) and like many games in the capital, it’s a fixture the Bees have enjoyed in recent seasons.
In four Premier League games against West Ham United, Thomas Frank’s side have won all four, most recently enjoying a 2-0 victory at Gtech Community Stadium thanks to goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa.
Pre-match analysis
Richard Cole, Playmaker Stats: Brentford must guard against West Ham’s counter-attacking threat
While the recent head-to-head record favours Brentford, there are some similarities between the Bees and West Ham this season.
Just one point separates the two sides after 10 games played with both having scored 16 goals each, although the Bees have had the more resolute defence by conceding just 12 compared to the Hammers’ 17.
Both sides are also among the best in the Premier League when it comes to using their heads. David Moyes’ team have had the second-most headed attempts with 34 throughout the season, just two more than the Bees on 32 (Luton Town have the most with 36).
However, West Ham have been clinical with their headers, scoring five – the joint-most in the division alongside Nottingham Forest – while Brentford have converted two so far.
Similarly, the two teams are among the top for aerial duels won. West Ham’s 151 aerial duels won puts them sixth in the rankings while Brentford top that with 170 (putting the Bees fourth).
The Hammers, who didn’t win any of their Premier League games in October, are far more comfortable without possession, something that is also associated with Brentford. Perhaps West Ham are even more economical without the ball, though – a fact backed up by their relatively low average possession this season (40.6 per cent – the fourth lowest and behind Brentford’s 47 per cent).
That low possession might also explain why West Ham are generally on the receiving end of a lot of opposition shots – on average 17.4 per game - so the home side on Saturday will get chances.
In fact, only rock-bottom Sheffield United have had opponents fire off more attempts (20.3 per game) while Brentford concede 13.2 shots per game on average.
Brentford will need to be cautious when building their attacks against West Ham, who have the highest interceptions per game (10.1) in the league.
Those interceptions are very useful for kickstarting a potentially deadly counter-attack with only Liverpool having scored more on the counter (4) than West Ham (3) this campaign.
Indeed, West Ham do have some dangerous players that the Brentford defence will have to look out for. In particular, there's the threat of Jarrod Bowen, who has six Premier League goals so far this season – only Erling Haaland and Son Heung-Min have scored more non-penalty goals.
Scout Report
Cup success provides West Ham fans with a welcome distraction
After sixth and seventh-place finishes, there was little doubt West Ham were looking to be there or thereabouts in the Premier League last term.
The good times were back in east London after several comfortable, if underwhelming, years finishing in the middle of the pack.
But that’s not the way things worked out. The notable inconsistency in their performances and results meant they briefly dropped into the relegation zone on a handful of occasions on the way to a 14th-place finish, only six points above the relegation zone and with their joint second-lowest tally of the last decade (40).
Yet while their league form faltered, the Europa Conference League was their saving grace. In UEFA’s newest club competition, they delivered near-perfection.
David Moyes’ Hammers won 14 of their 15 games in the competition – drawing 1-1 with Belgian side Gent in the first leg of the quarter-final - and lifted their first piece of major silverware in 43 years after a 2-1 win over Fiorentina in June.
“I’ve had a long career in football and you don’t get many moments like this,” said a delighted Moyes in Prague. “If somebody had said three years ago when I took the job that we’d avoid relegation and finish in Europe, I’d have said they were mad.”
While West Ham fans were treated to the success they have long craved, perhaps the icing on the cake was that Declan Rice reiterated his dedication to the club shortly after the full-time whistle, despite lingering rumours of interest from higher up. “I’m captain of this club, I love it to pieces and I cannot speak highly enough of this place.”
Ultimately, the hope was dashed. In mid-July, the midfielder joined Arsenal for an initial fee of £100 million and £5 million in add-ons. Moyes wanted to use the funds available to strengthen, but friction between himself, technical director Tim Steidten and co-owner David Sullivan over targets reportedly left his job hanging in the balance with days until the start of the new season.
There was movement in the end, with ex-Arsenal defender Konstantinos Mavropanos brought in from Stuttgart, as well as James Ward-Prowse from Southampton and Edson Álvarez and Mohammed Kudus from Ajax. The pursuit of Manchester United’s Scott McTominay would have to be put on the back-burner.
Ward-Prowse in particular looks to be a superb signing. The 28-year-old – who played more than 400 games for Saints – has appeared 12 times for the Hammers, scored twice and provided six assists. Somehow, a return to the England squad has evaded him thus far.
Overall, on the pitch, things were looking pretty rosy before the September international break, which they went into fourth in the Premier League. “It’s incredibly satisfying,” said Moyes after a 2-1 win at Luton on 1 September – their third in a row.
Things started to slip a tad after it. They lost 3-1 to both Manchester City and Liverpool, but, as had been the case the year before, cup competition provided a distraction. In beating Backa Topola and Freiburg, the Hammers took their unbeaten run in European competition to 17 games – a British record – while also seeing off Lincoln City to progress in the Carabao Cup.
But now things appear to be turning ever so slightly sour. West Ham were booed off after a 1-0 defeat at home to Everton, which followed losses against Aston Villa and Olympiacos, and they have kept just two clean sheets in 14 games in all competitions.
To say Moyes’ job is under threat would perhaps be an overreaction; the bookies currently have the Scot priced at 33/1 to be the next top-flight manager to leave his post.
West Ham are in the top 10 and he certainly has enough credit in the bank after last season’s European glory. But an important stage of the season is upon us and Hammers fans’ expectations are elevated and not about to drop.
In the Dugout
David Moyes
Like the majority of his managerial colleagues in the Premier League, David Moyes had a long and successful playing career before turning his hand to coaching.
He started at Celtic as a professional in 1980 – where he won the Scottish Premiership in 1981/82 – and went on to play for Cambridge United, Bristol City, Shrewsbury, Dunfermline Athletic, Hamilton and Preston North End.
He was part of the North End squad that won the Third Division in 1995/96 and he retired at the age of 35, having played his last game in February 1998.
By this point, he had been appointed manager, a role for which he was well-equipped, having started his coaches badges in his early 20s.
Just over four years later, in March 2002, he was approached by Everton and soon swapped Division Two for the Premiership.
During his nine-year spell on Merseyside, Moyes brought a 16-year-old Wayne Rooney into the first team and, between 2006/07 and 2012/13, steered the Toffees to seven-straight top-eight finishes as well as reaching the 2008/09 FA Cup final, which they lost 2-1 to Chelsea.
In the summer of 2013, he was given the unenviable task of replacing Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, but lasted less than 12 months of the six-year deal he signed and was sacked in April 2014.
A year in La Liga with Real Sociedad followed, where he won only 12 of his 42 games in charge, before he returned to England with Sunderland. He won only eight of his 43 games there, with his spell ending in the Black Cat’s relegation after a decade in the top flight.
Moyes was handed a six-month deal to take over at West Ham in November 2017 and tasked with securing survival after the sacking of Slaven Bilić, which he did. However, his contract was not extended in the summer, and he departed London Stadium after 31 games and a 29 per cent win ratio.
The Scot returned to east London in December 2019 and has been in charge ever since.
The 60-year-old is one of a select group of managers who have reached 1,000 games in management and one of an even smaller group to still be adding to their tally.
Team News
Damsgaard and Lewis-Potter edging closer to return
Brentford head coach Thomas Frank delivered a positive squad update in his pre-match press conference.
The Bees boss confirmed that Mikkel Damsgaard and Keane Lewis-Potter are both expected to return to training next week. Damsgaard has been absent since August with a knee injury, while Lewis-Potter (calf) last appeared for the Bees against Nottingham Forest on 1 October. Midfielder Josh Dasilva (hamstring) is also progressing well.
“Josh Dasilva, Keane and Mikkel Damsgaard have been running on the grass this week,” said Frank.
“Damsgaard should part-train with the team next week. Keane’s scan was positive, and I imagine he’ll start training with the team next week also.
“Josh was a hamstring injury so he will maybe not train with the team next week.
“It should be more weeks than months [for all three players to return], without me nailing an exact time.”
Frank continued: “Myles Peart-Harris and Shandon Baptiste got 45 good minutes on Tuesday with the B team, but they’re still just undercooked in terms of being available for selection this weekend. But they’re progressing well, which is positive.”
The Gameplan
With The Athletic’s Roshane Thomas
Roshane Thomas, West Ham correspondent for The Athletic, explains how David Moyes is likely to set up his side on Saturday:
“It is Moyes’ preference to play a 4-2-3-1 formation with a starting XI of Alphonse Areola, Vladimír Coufal, Kurt Zouma, Nayef Aguerd, Emerson Palmieri, James Ward-Prowse, Edson Álvarez, Lucas Paquetá, Tomáš Souček, Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio.
“It would be a huge surprise if he were to alter his formation for the Brentford game, although his hand is forced in terms of personnel, with Álvarez and Paquetá suspended for Saturday’s game against Brentford.”
Read the full interview with Roshane Thomas here
Match Officials
Bramall handed Brentford assignment
Referee: Thomas Bramall
Assistants: Simon Bennett and Mark Scholes
Fourth Official: John Busby
VAR: Michael Salisbury
Thomas Bramall officiated his first Premier League fixture in August 2022: Fulham’s 2-1 victory over Brighton and Hove Albion.
Including that game at Craven Cottage, Bramall refereed 33 matches last term, showing 100 yellow cards and two reds.
Bramall’s most recent Brentford assignment was the Bees’ goalless draw with Bournemouth in October 2022.
Last Meeting
Brentford 2 West Ham United 0 (Premier League, 14 May 2023)
Thomas Frank registered his 100th win as Brentford head coach, confirming a top-10 Premier League finish in the process, thanks to a 2-0 victory over West Ham United at Gtech Community Stadium.
Despite the absence of top scorer Ivan Toney due to a minor hamstring injury, the Bees created chances at will against a much-changed Hammers side.
Bryan Mbeumo’s crisp finish opened the scoring after 20 minutes with Yoane Wissa flicking home a second just before the break.
The visitors briefly threatened after the break, Danny Ings having a goal chalked off by VAR for handball, but it was an otherwise comfortable afternoon in the west London sunshine for Frank’s Bees.