Brentford’s former Barcelona graduate seems to have found a spiritual home at Griffin Park and is looking forward to taking on Arsenal in the Carabao CupAfter reeling off a long list of La Masia alumni, Sergi Canós smiles before puffing his cheeks as he recalls life inside the goldfish bowl of Barcelona’s famed talent factory, having joined aged 13. “It was when [Pep] Guardiola won six trophies in a season,” he says. “It was amazing because La Masia became ‘Wow, La Masia’. And we were living in La Masia. I laugh now but we used to look out of the windows of the rooms and you would see the tourist bus. Everyone was taking photos because it became where Messi...
Using statistical analysis to sign players, ditching their academy and scrapping the captaincy are some of the innovations that have turned Brentford into Championship contendersWith the transfer deadline looming on Thursday, you could forgive scurrying rivals for peering over the wall at Brentford in envy. It may seem an odd thing to say given they have lost their captain, John Egan, and the winger Florian Jozefzoon to Championship competitors this summer but few clubs navigate transfer windows better.Brentford do not panic but rather rebuild and, once more, Dean Smith’s stimulating side – top of the tree after a thumping 5-1 first-game win – have plans for surprising the field. Related: Middlesbrough cope without Traoré in home win over Sheffield United...
Big-spending Nottingham Forest will hope they can do a Wolves but the English second tier remains unpredictable Related: League One 2018-19 preview| Ben Fisher Related: League Two 2018-19 season preview | Ben Fisher Related: Number of clubs sponsored by betting firms is ‘disturbing’, say campaigners Related: Football League 2018-19: 20 things to watch out for this season | Jacob Steinberg Continue reading...
My dad and Frank de Boer had similar experiences at Brentford and Crystal Palace, and a manager transfer window could change the three-games-from-the-sack environment that is inhibiting coaches’ development across the boardMy dad laughs about it now but having his name against the record for the shortest managerial reign is no joke. I very much doubt Frank de Boer, having been sacked by Crystal Palace after four games in charge, is feeling too jovial either.For those who don’t remember, Leroy Rosenior was holding his press conference on returning to Torquay United for a second spell while behind the scenes the club had been bought by new owners. He was fired later that day and even now people ask him incredulously: “Aren’t...
Liverpool’s defence needs to find cohesion fast, Lincoln felt the force with Alan Power and Bastian Schweinsteiger is welcomed back by José MourinhoIt was an afternoon when the ball would not go in for Ruben Loftus-Cheek. The Chelsea attacking midfielder was twice denied by the Brentford goalkeeper, Daniel Bentley, and, when he clipped over him on 58 minutes, the effort came back off the crossbar. Loftus-Cheek had two other moments when he jinked inside the area but could not find a finish. It was, nonetheless, an eye-catching performance from the 21-year-old – in front of the watching England manager, Gareth Southgate – in which he advertised both his power and the deftness of his touch. Could it offer him a...