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The Bees present a fascinating example of the outcome when a well-run club loses its long-term manager and key personnel. Will the systems that drove the club to success weather such change? Is it possible for their renowned analytics-based scouting system find suitable new talent? Hiring a head coach with no frontline background, Keith Andrews, further stress-tests the strength of the club's structure.

Varied Indications but Positive Trends

Early indicators thus far are varied but positive on balance. As sainted as the former manager is in Brentford history, his exit to join Tottenham highlighted that development was not straightforward or a fully upward trajectory. The team with a stated salary expenditure of £50m a year, among the smallest in the top flight, has significant challenges to swim against. The previous campaign's 10th place came accompanied by frustration in missing out on continental competition suggests how far expectations had climbed.

Challenging Times and Statement Wins

This weekend, the reigning champions visit a side kicking off in the moderate security of thirteenth position, though with fluctuations from defeat 3-1 at Fulham a fortnight ago to a deserved three-one at their ground victory over the Red Devils recently. With the caveat that many find United a vulnerable opponent, and one of the previous manager's last games was a 4-3 defeat of Ruben Amorim’s squad, defeating them nonetheless carried cachet for Andrews. No club have defeated both Manchester clubs in consecutive fixtures since Spurs in the mid-nineties.

Familiar Face in a Fresh Position

Andrews was no stranger to the club. In the previous campaign, he patrolled the dugout as Frank’s set-piece specialist. The Tractor Boys' their manager, the Norwegian side's Kjetil Knutsen and the Sheffield Wednesday boss were considered. The likeliest in-house option was assistant coach Justin Cochrane, but he followed Frank to North London.

Shifts On and Off the Pitch

The summer was a time of transformation on and off the field. The owner, with an analytics approach stems from his achievements in the gambling industry, divested a minority share to ex- a company chief executive and Labour party supporter Gary Lubner and the film-maker Sir Matthew Vaughn, whose wife, Claudia Schiffer, has been drawing photographers to the directors’ box.

Stability and Leadership

The continuity at the organization is provided by Jon Varney, and the sporting director. Giles, who has been at the club for a ten years, spoke publicly last week, stating Brentford can not become complacent with the management congratulating itself for successes. “You can never say we are established,” he said. “It’s not even a football word. When are we established? Probably never. For a club of our stature, it's unlikely you can ever become comfortable.”

Rebuilding and New Players

The team kicked off against United in 17th place, the safety spot. Losing Frank, and leading players such as the attackers the Cameroonian winger and the forward, the engine-room and captain the Danish international plus goalkeeper the Dutchman, looked like a squad's core was being torn away. The owner, the CEO and the sporting director had a strategy; the new boss inherited ability to utilize. Igor Thiago was at the team, the prior off-season's big signing lost to Frank through injury. The forward's quartet of strikes from ten attempts have come at the best conversion rate of every top-flight player this season.

Squad Assets and Tools

Rapid Kevin Schade was entrenched in the attack; he combined with the forward and Mbeumo in netting ten or more goals last season. Jordan Henderson brings top-level know-how in the center of the park where stats indicate the Ukrainian, twenty-one, as among the leading defensive workers in the Premier League. The Ukrainian can pick a pass, as well. The Danish playmaker's unorthodox gait masks real inventiveness and the full-back is a marauding back who launches the long throws that are key part of the weaponry. The goalkeeper, who produced a penalty save from United’s the playmaker, is enjoying being a No 1 goalkeeper and the winger, the departed star's replacement on the right, netted the winner versus the Midlands club in August that secured the manager's maiden home win.

Style and Philosophy

Under the new boss, Brentford continue to be high-tempo, resilient, difficult to face. Although a slightly guarded publicly than his preceding manager, the head coach – a ex- radio host on the Irish Newstalk network who previously held a longstanding position as among Sky’s EFL analysts – handles the media game well. After his side secured a draw from the Blues after a the forward's set-piece that raised havoc, he considered the set-piece specialism, and the “carnage” it creates, that is now part of the majority of sides' makeup. “I felt there is a little bit of elitism in the game around situations such as that, but if the top teams employ it then it seems to be accepted,” the coach said.

Inspirational Figures and Criticism

The head coach has sought to reinvigorate the squad by bringing in two Irish sporting icons, the rugby player the former captain and Ryder Cup-winning captain Paul McGinley, to address to his team. Not everyone in his homeland is supportive on Ireland’s initial top-flight coach since Chris Hughton. The head coach criticised the international regime of Martin O’Neill and the ex-captain during his media career. The former boss has been highly critical; Keane a somewhat conciliatory towards someone he confronted aggressively in recent years. “I’ve heard a lot of unreliable talkers over the last decade and the coach is up there with the top ones,” were Keane’s words. Andrews taking on the Brentford challenge is the truest test of those claims and the robustness of his team's structures.