A Exceptional Brazilian Talent and Contradicting the Expectations – Brentford's Continental Charge

Over the midpoint of the season, Brentford are in a dream scenario.

Following four wins in five games, and a Samba striker netting the goals, suddenly supporters are envisioning thoughts of trips to European capitals next season.

A emphatic three-nil win over Sunderland moved Keith Andrews' side into fifth in the Premier League – a position that was good enough to secure Champions League football last season.

Only table-toppers Arsenal have gathered more points over the past six games.

There is a significant distance to go yet but Brentford are firmly in the battle for continental football.

No one was predicting this last off-season.

The former head coach had left for Spurs 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.

Skipper Christian Norgaard left for the North London club and goal-scoring duo two key forwards – who scored a total of thirty-nine goals in the previous campaign – were out the door, joining United and Newcastle respectively.

Specialist coach Andrews was promoted to succeed the Dane, while there was a notable absence of a centre-forward among the off-season arrivals.

A year of difficulty, possibly even relegation, was forecast. Yet here we are in the new year with the club in the upper echelons.

So, how did they pull it off?

The Brazilian's Historic Campaign

The club's decision not to sign another striker was partly down to circumstance, with one forward's move not being finalized until deadline day.

But they also were aware they had a £30 million striker already ready and waiting.

The 24-year-old joined from Club Brugge in July 2024 for a then-record fee, but was plagued by fitness issues in his first campaign, going goalless in his initial outings.

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

Considering the fellow Brazilians who have preceded him, that is some accomplishment, especially with seventeen matches left to play.

"He's been a breath of fresh air," former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy said. "He's a physical specimen, quick, strong, but more skilled than people think. Excellent with his feet, either foot, he can score with both. You can see he's full of confidence. His statistics are incredible. He must be so proud. That's a big compliment to him."

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

And it is not just the volume but the crucial nature of the goals that have been so pivotal for his team.

His opener against the Black Cats was his seventh first goal of a game of the season. Given how often we are told the significance of the first goal in a game, having someone you can rely on to take that first big chance cannot be underestimated.

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

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

Considering the struggles he had in his youth, where he worked as a bricklayer to support his family following the passing of his father, perhaps it should be no surprise that pressure on the pitch is something he takes in his stride.

"Our scouts deserve a lot of credit for the kind of players they bring in and personalities," the manager said. "It is really impressive. He is a really special person who has adapted to life very well. He has had to forge this path. He has worked for his journey and toiled. He has got real determination about his personality. He is developing his skill set constantly and we are learning more and more about him. He is a largely all-round centre-forward."

Andrews Showing Sceptics Incorrect

Their star striker is the headline act but Brentford are not and have never been a one-man band.

While they had star players – a host of talent – under Frank, they were always seen as a team stronger than the sum of their parts.

The concern was that once the manager left, that may not be the case, and that the collective quality of their parts alone might not be enough to stay up.

As a result, appointing their set-piece coach, with no previous managerial experience, and just a year at the club was seen by those outside the club as a huge risk.

A maiden role is a test for anyone, let alone when it comes in the world's toughest league and having made the leap from set-piece coach to the top job.

But given that Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna was the only other option that the hierarchy looked at, they were clearly convinced they had the correct candidate.

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

The new boss won just a single of his first 5 league games in charge but big home victories against Manchester United, the Reds and the Magpies have followed.

Wins that, following their brilliant recent run, could prove increasingly important in the pursuit for European qualification.

"We are 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're 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 a handful of points, they have no other option, because things could quickly look very different.

But, for now, The Bees are beating the predictions. And the longer that continues, the closer to reality those aspirations of Europe will become.