This is a snapshot review of the BFC Squad - Midfielders
Christian Nørgaard - 26yrs Defensive Midfield
Josh Dasilva - 21yrs Central / Attacking Mid
Mathias Jensen - 24yrs Central / Attacking Mid
Kamohelo Mokotjo - 29yrs Defensive / Central / Att Mid
Shandon Baptiste - 22yrs Central / Attacking Mid
Dru Yearwood - 20yrs Defensive / Central / Att Mid
Emiliano Marcondes - 25yrs Central / Attacking Mid
Prior to the break, Brentford’s most used midfield combination was Nørgaard, Dasilva and Jensen and we expect this to continue to start the most difficult games.
Christian Nørgaard functions as a central pivot switching between the defensive and midfield lines as the team move in and out of possession.
His selection is a given if fit. Christian’s size at 6ft is vital when the team faces defensive set pieces as well as providing a deeper threat in profitable attacking set piece moves developed this season.
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His progressive passing in possession and work on second and third phase balls is unrivalled across the squad.
After a tricky season in Italy, in England, the question is not who is pushing him for a starting place, it’s who comes in to replace Nørgaard if he picks up an injury or serves a ban.
Second to only Kalvin Phillips for consistent defensive midfielder performance, Nørgaard and the Leeds midfielder have shown more than enough signal that they are ready for the Premier League.
In a possession heavy side, Nørgaard is averaging over 5 interceptions per 90 minutes of football according to our friends at Wyscout.
Nørgaard gets a lot of publicity as he fills a void missing for a number of years, but the main man in Brentford’s midfield is Josh Dasilva, who has quickly turned into the complete central midfielder.
Size, dribbling ability, tricks, pressures, ball winning and a lethal shot if not closed down added to the ability to arrive in the box, at 21, there isn’t much he cannot do. His stronger side is his left, where he possesses the ability to terrorize unsuspecting goalkeepers from range. Don’t discount his right foot though. His goal tally in the league of 8 way exceeds what you’d expect to score with shots from similar distances and locations and it doesn’t look like it will be long before he is subject to bids from big Premier League sides.
Alongside Jensen, as one of the two advanced 8s to the left and right or Nørgaard, Brentford’s midfield triangle is a progressive passing and receiving machine.
Let’s talk about Mathias Jensen, the summer signing from Celta Vigo, who like Nørgaard came to England off the back of a difficult season.
Labelled as the heir to the Sawyers throne, the 24yr old Dane had huge boots to fill. As his body got used to the league and Brentford moved back to a system of 3 central midfielders in the 1-3 win vs Barnsley, Jensen’s technical ability started to shine. Getting the ball forward and consistently into dangerous areas is the real value in the game. Opta’s professional arm, StatsPerform (for a small fee) , is providing + / - values on possessions p90.
Sawyers always scores high in these areas, pass value models have long pinpointed him as one of the most valuable midfielders in the second tier, but Jensen, in an improved Brentford side has himself improved on the numbers Sawyers was producing.
Smart business from Brentford, and something we saw again with the double signing of Fosu and Baptiste, is the attempt to re-link successful partnerships from previous clubs. Jensen and Marcondes combined so well in a previous life at FC Nordsjælland, how much extra value is there to be gained in bringing a playing duo from one club to the next. It’s not something that is always feasibly possible for a huge number of reasons so we watch on with intrigue.
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Up next is Kamohelo Mokotjo, who is Brentford's oldest and most experienced midfielder.
Good news for Brentford and the player is the South African midfielder has signed a small extension to his current deal that sees him remain a part of the squad for the mini-season run in. Proving his fitness, management must feel the demands are there for him to remain at the club and that he can also meet the playing demands if called upon. Promotion through the Playoffs could mean 12 games and with new safety rules increasing in game substitutions to 5 and named substitutes up to 9, every ounce of the squad could be called upon. He’ll be looking to compliment the most used three midfielders as a starting option or a direct change from the bench.
Signing back in 2017, The General showed, alongside Romaine Sawyers, that he can consistently perform demands placed upon a modern midfielder. Injuries have always marginally held him back, but in a variation to the formation now played, Kamo combined clever off the ball play to be a danger on the edge of the oppositions box with shots, goals and passes into the box.
On the defensive side, Mokotjo favours pressurising opponents into mistakes. Rather than hunting for physical contact, he can turn away form opponents pressing and uses his positioning to perform interceptions to win the ball back. Last season’s insurance of a 3rd centre back behind him squeezed the space between defence and midfield making it more difficult for opposition to create central attacks in open play than previous Brentford sides.
Without that luxury for most of this season we are starting to get a picture of midfield life beyond the South African.
The signing of Shandon Baptiste in January looked both to cover the loss of Mokotjo thorugh injury, as well as plan for The Generals future beyond Brentford.
Baptise displays a similar all round skillset to Josh Dasilva. Comfortable carrying the ball under pressure, Baptise is pushing for one of the two advanced central midfield positions. Shooting, retaining possession or more adventurous progressinve passing to defensive pressure, there's more of an in-built natural responsibility to the defensive side of the game compared to Dasilva.
A rumoured target for Brentford way before the 21yr old picked up a devastating ACL injury which kept him out for almost a year (ironically playing for Oxford against Brentford in the cup), Shandon has shown resilience to fight back from a huge set back.
In fairness, he doesn't look like he’s been away. Some big performances in cup games for Oxford against Premier League sides has confirmed what many suspected, Baptise is all set and ready to perform at the top of the Championship or in the mid to low regions of the top flight. Stepping into Brentford’s midfield from January onwards has been largely seamless. The team suffering and no longer able to keep clean sheets has more to do with the absence of Pontus Janson than the integration of the Oxford graduate.
If injuries or fatigue affect the squad during the run in, there are players who could be used to see out games and keep starters fresh. This season may come too soon for Dru Yearwood to dominate, but already at just 20, has a vast amount of league experience from his time at Southend. The blueprint and influence of Lee Dike's knowledge of the lower leagues looms positively over recent scouting and acquisitions from English football. Players, not just comfortable in possession, must now be good in 1v1 situations, drive forward into any space but also the engine to affect the game in both boxes. Yearwood has shown this as the shining light playing multiple seasons in poor Southend teams. Improving his technique and the timing of when to support attacks or hold his position appear the next stages of his development. His best midfield position is still up for debate although edging towards a Nørgaard understudy.
Emiliano Marcondes has been left from midfield positional analysis as he is an anomaly in the squad in that he can and has featured in multiple positions apart form in the starting defensive line. Defensive midfield, the advanced midfielder, both wings, and forward positions, he is an example of why players should not be thought of as positions, but instead what they can do and the varying parts of the pitch they can positively influence the team.
Striking from range, set-piece delivery and arriving late in the box combined with good short passing linking midfield and attack, Marcondes is another player that possesses every tool in the box.