xG race chart of #ReadingFC v #BrentfordFC
How do you stop Brentford?
A second away win in a row makes it 21 unbeaten with all manner of styles and formations having tried and failed. Barnsley are next.
Reading put in one of the best all round performances we’ve seen for a while yet still ended up on the bad side of a 3-1 game.
So how do you do it? How do you beat Bees right now?
Try and control the shots?
Press high from the start and impose yourself on the game?
What is for certain is that teams are no longer sitting in that awkward or futile mid-block waiting for Brentford to dismantle them.
Keep Brentford building up deep in their own half and hope they run out of patience or make mistakes? Make the short passes into midfield as difficult as possible. Force Pinnock onto his right foot, give him no space or angle to open up his body to use his left. Force Raya long to Toney, or test the GKs range and hope he hits a few out for throws?
Hope the wide players have an off day? Force them into duels, don't give them time to turn or get their head up.
Win the ball and impose yourself on the game.
From a Reading open play perspective it was all working.
How much of that was to do with Reading being exceptional versus a rusty Mbeumo fumbling his way up and down a wing added to Josh Dasilva feeling his way back to what starting a Championship match feels like is debatable.
Paunovic’s side did get their pressing line spot on with Josh Laurent breaking into the box to get shots off, cleverly exploit Dalsgaard's positioning to win a penalty and offer support to Lucas Joao.
Defensively, Royals were compact and strong for 80 minutes. Pre-game we highlighted a potential detachment of attacking and defensive players in a 4-2-3-1 system.
https://beestactical.substack.com/p/reading-fc-v-brentford-fc-tactical-106?r=3fgtb&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&utm_source=copy
It didn’t happen often and there was no clear sign of issues until Canos’s late introduction.
Brentford didn't manage a shot between Dasilva’s goal on 36 minutes right through to his 2nd goal on 86 for 2-1.
For Reading, all of the good work only gets you so far.
What it now takes to beat Brentford, let alone come away with a draw, is a full game of concentration, fitness and a good dose of luck. If you do switch off, hope for a forward off day or a goalkeeper being in the right place at the right time. Swansea managed to come away with a point because of how many bodies they keep between ball and goal. The Swans gave up two thirds of the pitch to preserve their goals against column.
To conclude, Dasilva goes and scores from both of his shots on goal and Toney scores with his only shot of the game.
Reading will be stunned because with off days like this, who needs on days?