Analysis: Can Brentford’s direct style keep delivering big wins?

Football writer Adrian Clarke identifies the key players, team tactics and where matches could be won and lost in Matchweek 10.

Team and player analysis: Brentford and Igor Thiago

Brentford’s appointment of Keith Andrews as their new head coach was questioned in some quarters, but early-season wins against Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool have quickly silenced the doubters.

The Bees have been lining up in either a 4-2-3-1 (six matches) or 5-3-2 (three matches), mimicking the horses-for-courses approach taken by former boss Thomas Frank.

Brentford's 4-2-3-1 against Liverpool

Brentford's 5-3-2 against Chelsea

Andrews switched to five at the back for their 2-2 draw with Chelsea, using Kevin Schade and Igor Thiago as a front two.

He retained it for their next outing, a 3-1 loss at Fulham, before bringing 5-3-2 back in the 1-0 home defeat against Manchester City.

Interestingly, the Irishman opted against starting a back five when entertaining champions Liverpool last weekend, backing his players to handle that test with his preferred 4-2-3-1.

Given how superbly they performed in that 3-2 victory, we may see him stick with that formation moving forward.

 What is Brentford's playing style?

Brentford are an intense, hardworking outfit, designed to unsettle opponents.

Only four teams have covered more distance in 2025/26, but it is the way they apply pressure on rivals that stands out most.

Proving they do not just sit back and hassle in deep areas, they rank fourth for high-intensity pressures in the opposition half.

Overall, they produce the second highest number of pressures (see below).

Teams with most high-intensity pressures PL 25/26

As producing turnovers in this way is such a core strength, it is no surprise Brentford are a low possession outfit, averaging just 40.14 per cent possession in 2025/26 – dipping from 47.7 per cent last season.

When they win it back, they are keen to play the ball forward.

Rather than constantly moving the ball from side to side, no one has made fewer sequences of 10 or more passes (52) than the Bees.

They actually make a higher percentage of forward passes than all 19 of the other top-flight teams.

Teams with highest proportion of forward passes PL 25/26

Interestingly, that tactic is reaping rewards across the division.

Two of the Premier League’s surprise packages of 2025/26, Sunderland and Bournemouth, are also among the most direct teams.

Key strengths: Long passes and fast breaks

Andrews is not overseeing a "long-ball side" but when they do break, Brentford have achieved defined success with long-range passes for their pacy forwards to run onto.

Two brilliant balls over the top from Jordan Henderson set up goals against Chelsea and Man Utd.

Watch: Henderson's assist for Schade v Chelsea

Both stemmed from turnovers that were forced when opponents had pushed all 11 players into the opposition half, just like their second goal last weekend when hosting Liverpool.

Schade, clocked as the fastest player in the division this season, is a fabulous outlet when there is an entire half of empty space available to sprint into.

These strikes (above and below) against Liverpool and Chelsea are near identical in their execution.

When you analyse the data, it is clear Andrews is in the process of building a side that hurts opponents on the counter.

The direct speed of their attacks is second only to their next opponents Crystal Palace, and they have scored four times from 10 fast breaks already.

Teams with most fast-break threat in PL 25/26

Thiago is a Golden Boot contender

Igor Thiago’s first season in English football was ruined by injury, but the Brazilian striker has returned in 2025/26 with a point to prove, scoring six goals in Brentford's first nine matches.

Watch Thiago's two goals against Man Utd

Only Erling Haaland (11) has scored more times in the Premier League than Thiago, who shares second place in the race for the Golden Boot with Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo. 

The 24-year-old is a determined forward, who wins a lot of duels, especially in the air.

Everton’s Beto is the only striker to have been successful in more aerial duels than Thiago (27) so far this season.

Thiago is also a varied finisher, able to score with both feet and his head.

Thiago's goal types in PL 25/26

That adaptability has helped him lethally convert 54.15 per cent of the "big chances" that have fallen his way, which have included two penalties.

Thiago has the best strike rate of the 11 players who have registered at least five big chances, proving how calm he is at key moments. 

This header at the Stadium of Light against Sunderland (below) was top class, and it came off the back of some quality movement, drifting between central defender and full-back.

He also showed intuitive movement in the home win over Man Utd when pulling away from Harry Maguire to stay onside and receive Henderson’s superb through ball, racing through to score with an emphatic left-foot strike.

Thiago’s numbers are terrific, and his bustling style of play is perfectly suited to the tactics deployed by Andrews.

Thiago statistics in PL 25/26

*Ranked 8th among players who have scored minimum two goals

What else are Brentford doing well?

We know plenty about Michael Kayode’s threat from long throws, but they are strong in lots of other areas too.

Watch Kayode's long throw create Dango Ouatarra's goal v Liverpool

They built a reputation for fast starts under Thomas Frank, and there has been a continuation of that under their new manager.

Brentford have scored the first goal in seven of their nine Premier League matches this season, so Palace must concentrate right from the start to avoid conceding the opener at Selhurst Park.

The Bees carry a threat in the air too, producing the highest number of headed shots (34).

At the other end of the pitch, defensive mistakes have been kept to a minimum with just three errors leading to shots.

Letting in just one set-piece goal, Brentford are also very well organised when defending corners, free kicks and long throws.

There is no doubt that Andrews is doing a fine job in this, his first role as a head coach.

His Brentford team will not make life easy for Palace this weekend.

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