Brentford enjoyed a strong 2022-23 season under Thomas Frank, finishing ninth in the Premier League table.
The Bees’ attempts to qualify for Europe fell short at the final hurdle, but if someone had suggested before the start of the campaign that they would be in with a chance of embarking on a European tour, many would have mocked it. That simply tells how finishing ninth in the English top flight and only missing out on the UEFA Europa Conference League playoffs by two points is in itself an incredible achievement.
On top of that, Thomas Frank’s Brentford were the highest-ranked west London side and enjoyed their best season since World War II, finishing above rivals Fulham and Chelsea. However, there are a few areas Frank and co. must improve if they are to guarantee a spot in Europe next term. That said, here are three crucial areas Brentford should focus on improving.
- Address Ivan Toney’s absence
Inarguably, the biggest issue facing Brentford is what to do without Ivan Toney for the first five months of the season.
Toney has been slapped with an eight-month ban by the FA for breaching betting rules, which means he will not be allowed to play again until 17 January 2024. He was the Premier League’s third-highest scorer last season with 20 goals, so to not have him for almost the first half of the campaign is a big blow—an area Brentford cannot afford to go on about their usual business without addressing it.
Bryan Mbeumo has come up with some really good performances after Toney’s ban, while Yoane Wissa has proved a valuable squad player. With the club recently turning Kevin Schade’s loan move from Freiburg into a permanent deal, it will be interesting to see whether Thomas Frank places his trust in the trio or opts to dip into the transfer market to replace Toney’s goals.
- Improve away form
Thomas Frank must improve Brentford’s away form next season. The Bees won only five games on their travels, losing seven and drawing seven. Incredibly, they were the only side in the Premier League to beat champions Manchester City home and away.
22 points from a possible 57 isn’t a record Frank and his team will be proud of. Obviously, the team have improved in so many aspects, one being that the home form has been fantastic and yielded only two defeats.
However, the away form isn’t great and the Bees must look to improve on next season if they are to realistically compete for a spot in Europe.
- Beef up the squad
After an impressive ninth-place finish, now comes the task of reinforcing the Brentford squad—a task that will involve many more moving pieces.
Having signed goalkeeper Mark Flekken as a potential replacement for David Raya, Thomas Frank would be wise to turn his focus to strengthening the defensive options. He could do well by bringing in a central defender to challenge Ben Mee and Ethan Pinnock.
The jury is out on the balance of Brentford’s midfield. Mikkel Damsgaard endured a tough first season in England, and it will be interesting to see how he regains his confidence and lives up to the lofty expectations next term. Brentford’s other midfield options include Christian Norgaard, Mathias Jensen and Vitaly Janelt; so it is clear improvements to the first XI and squad options are required in the engine room.