Keith Andrews' Brentford are sixth after seven league games, beaten for the first time by Liverpool on 17 October, finishing with nine men; in their first five games they spent barely three minutes behind. A side that gives up the ball, wins with set pieces and fast breaks, and keeps letting leads slip. How it works, four goals animated, and how to copy it in FM26.
Updated 18 Oct 2026 · after Premier League matchday 7 (Liverpool, 17 Oct)
| 22 Aug | PL | vs TottenhamLewis-Potter, Janelt, Kayode; 40% possession | 3–0 | 3.870.57 |
| 25 Aug | EFL | at BirminghamCollins 2, Wilson, Hickey, Damsgaard, Thiago | 6–1 | 1.980.40 |
| 30 Aug | PL | at LeedsSchade; Calvert-Lewin equalised at 79' | 1–1 | 1.671.46 |
| 5 Sep | PL | vs SunderlandJanelt; Le Fée penalty late on | 1–1 | 1.211.71 |
| 12 Sep | PL | at BournemouthSchade 2; 8 shots to 20 | 2–2 | 0.501.75 |
| 15 Sep | EFL | at ReadingWilson, Carvalho; into round four | 2–1 | 3.171.48 |
| 18 Sep | PL | vs ChelseaAnthony, Thiago, Carvalho; 40% possession | 3–0 | 2.650.83 |
| 10 Oct | PL | at Aston VillaYarmoliuk, Ajer; behind for two minutes | 2–2 | 1.062.28 |
| 17 Oct | PL | vs LiverpoolLewis-Potter; ten men from 45+8', nine from 90+2' | 1–2 | 0.881.64 |
FotMob logged a 4-2-3-1 in all seven league games. Against Chelsea it was Kelleher; Kayode, Schuster, Ajer, Lewis-Potter; Yarmoliuk and Janelt; Anthony, Damsgaard and Schade; Igor Thiago up front. Brentford had 40% of the ball in both 3-0 wins and under 46% across the seven league games, yet those two wins brought 3.87 and 2.65 xG (FotMob). The chances matter to them, not the ball.
Keith Andrews was Brentford's set-piece coach until he replaced Thomas Frank in the summer of 2025, and took them to ninth last season. This summer Jordan Henderson left for Chelsea on a free and Frank Onyeka joined Coventry. In came Mamadou Sangaré from Lens for a club-record fee (reported as €48m), Jaidon Anthony from Burnley, centre-back Jannik Schuster and Callum Wilson on a free. Anthony has started five of the seven league games and Sangaré four; Schuster started three in a row before missing the Liverpool game (not in the squad).
What it is. Andrews ran the set pieces before he ran the team, and it shows. After four league games Brentford had 2.34 xG from set pieces (penalties excluded), second only to Leeds (Opta). Three of their 13 league goals came from corners, and none was a clean first-contact header.
The pattern. The corner goes deep, beyond the crowd at the near post. A tall defender wins it and heads it back or on, and runners attack what falls. Against Tottenham, Janelt's deep corner was headed on by Collins, Sangaré's shot was parried and Kayode scored the rebound. Against Chelsea, Schuster nodded Damsgaard's deep corner back across for Anthony; in stoppage time Chelsea failed to clear another corner and Carvalho finished Schade's low ball across.
Why it works. Defences set up to win the first header. The second one comes from an angle they did not plan for, and finds defenders facing their own goal. Last season Brentford were also the league's throw-in side, with Kayode's long throws singled out as a threat (Premier League); so far this season the goals have come from corners.
How sure is this? The second-ball pattern rests on match-report descriptions of three goals (club report, TNT Sports, Opta Analyst). We have not found a full set-piece breakdown for 2026/27, and the corner side in the animation is for illustration.
Less ball, better chances. In both 3-0 wins Brentford had 40% possession and still took more shots: 26 to 9 against Tottenham, 13 to 12 against Chelsea (FotMob). Andrews' first season set the template. In his first nine games Brentford had the highest share of forward passes in the league and the second-fastest direct speed, with four goals from fast breaks (Premier League, Oct 2025).
The route. Once the ball is won it goes forward quickly: to Damsgaard between the lines, or straight into the channel for Schade's pace, with Thiago attacking the box. The second goal against Chelsea (83') is the template. Damsgaard released Schade, Emiliano Martínez blocked the shot and Thiago turned in the rebound (TNT Sports, AP).
How sure is this? Reports describe the last three touches of that goal, not where the ball was won. The start of the animation is an illustration of the route, not a replay.
Brentford's 13 league goals have come from nine different players and several routes: a 15-pass move, a corner, and balls won high up the pitch. Each is animated below, with Brentford attacking up the page.
Goal animations are reconstructed from match reports; positions are approximate. Brentford (filled dots) attack up the page.
Top scorer with three league goals (FotMob), two of them at Bournemouth. Won the ball for Yarmoliuk's goal at Villa Park and laid on Carvalho's goal against Chelsea. Named the fastest player in the league early last season (Premier League).
Club-record signing from Lens, the Mali international arrived after Henderson left. Set up Lewis-Potter's opener against Tottenham, and after four games had 127 high-intensity pressures in his own half, the fourth-most in the league (Opta).
The link between regain and attack, and one of the corner takers. Took the corner for Anthony's goal and released Schade for the second against Chelsea; his cross started Janelt's goal against Sunderland.
22 league goals last season, one so far this time (club profile). Still central to how Brentford attack: he set up Yarmoliuk's goal at Villa and finished the counter against Chelsea. Hit the post with a penalty against Tottenham.
Two league goals, and the only player to score in each of Brentford's six Premier League seasons (Opta). Took the deep corner that led to Kayode's goal against Tottenham.
Leads that don't last. Brentford have scored first in all seven league games and won two. Eight points had gone from winning positions by 10 October, second only to Bournemouth (beIN), and three more went against Liverpool. Leeds equalised at 79', Sunderland from a late penalty, Villa twice (the first time two minutes after Brentford scored), and Liverpool came from behind after Yarmoliuk's red card at 45+8'.
Away from home. Three away games, three draws. At Bournemouth Brentford had 8 shots to 20 and 0.50 xG to 1.75; at Villa Park 1.06 to 2.28 (FotMob). The second goal at Bournemouth came from a goalkeeping error. Andrews after Villa Park: The grit, the resilience, some of our play was really good at times.
The numbers behind the defence. Brentford have scored 13 from 11.84 xG, about what the chances were worth, but conceded 8 from 10.24 (FotMob). Gaps that size usually close. And Thiago, 22 league goals last season, has one so far.
Liverpool won 2-1 at the Gtech on 17 October, Brentford's first league defeat of the season. Lewis-Potter headed them in front from Thiago's cross (44'), but Yarmoliuk was sent off for violent conduct after a VAR review at 45+8'. Muñoz (62') and Isak (70') turned it round, and Janelt was sent off for a second yellow card at 90+2'. Liverpool had 60% of the ball, 21 shots to 10 and 1.64 xG to 0.88 (FotMob). Andrews: “I do think they were cute, clever - but Yarmo needs to do better, so I can understand why it was a red” (Sky Sports). Next: Hull away on 25 October, Sunderland away in the EFL Cup fourth round on 28 October, Nottingham Forest at home on 31 October and Brighton away on 8 November (FotMob).
What did you make of it? Short takes from readers.
Facts cross-checked in at least two sources where possible. Goal build-ups come from match reports (club, TNT Sports, AP, Opta Analyst); where they disagree, both versions are given. Goal minutes follow FotMob and the club reports where they agree.