'naive' Brentford Add To Concerns For New Boss Andrews

As acold arsenic first impressions go, Keith Andrews' debut arsenic caput coach was nan balanced of forgetting your sanction aliases spilling reddish vino connected your carpet.

The erstwhile Wolves and Blackburn midfielder took complaint successful June pursuing Thomas Frank's departure to Tottenham Hotspur.

It was a large measurement up for nan 44-year-old Andrews, who was set-piece coach nether nan Frank regime.

But pinch Brentford keen to name from wrong - conscionable arsenic they had erstwhile Frank stepped up to switch Dean Smith successful 2018 - nan erstwhile Republic of Ireland world took nan basking seat.

And having appointed their set-piece coach arsenic caller manager, Brentford conceded nan first of 3 goals astatine Nottingham Forest successful nan 5th infinitesimal of his opening Premier League crippled successful charge.

Andrews could only watch successful vexation arsenic Chris Wood took advantage of slack defending to listen location Forest's earliest extremity connected nan opening time of nan Premier League to group them on their measurement to a comfortable 3-1 victory.

It came from a needless corner, conceded pursuing a mix-up betwixt goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher and skipper Nathan Collins. From nan resulting set-piece, 3 Brentford players surrounded Wood, but grounded to woody pinch either man aliases ball, and nan New Zealand striker opened his relationship for nan campaign.

It group nan reside for a lacklustre first-half show and, contempt Igor Thiago's punishment consolation, a first conclusion connected nan opening time of a Premier League run for nan Bees since their promotion successful 2021.

It was besides nan first clip Brentford person conceded 3 goals connected nan opening time astatine immoderate level since 2004-05 - a 3-1 nonaccomplishment astatine Chesterfield successful League One.

As fans fearfulness a play of struggle, Andrews was forthright astir Brentford's request to amended erstwhile speaking to BBC Match of nan Day afterwards.

"It was ever going to beryllium difficult but we made it harder for ourselves," he said. "We knew their strengths and we knew nan problems they would cause. Set-pieces were ever going to beryllium a threat.

"Get backmost to basics. Basics successful nan crippled is simply a soiled connection astatine times, but you person to person an separator and do nan disfigured broadside of nan crippled and compete arsenic a team. I didn't deliberation we did that.

"I saw it a batch successful nan first half and it's thing we request to address. The 2nd half was a batch amended connected a batch of fronts."

The quality of this defeat, successful which Brentford created only 0.46 xG from unfastened play, will adhd to nan interest for supporters.

The Bees were chasing shadows throughout, conceding doubly arsenic galore fouls arsenic Forest pinch Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson controlling proceedings.

It will besides raise questions astir Andrews' competency arsenic a Premier League manager. Not only has he ne'er led a squad before, but his coaching profession has not been stellar.

His first domiciled was adjunct to Karl Robinson astatine Milton Keynes Dons successful 2015-16, erstwhile they were relegated from nan Championship. Andrews besides worked pinch Stephen Kenny successful his ill-fated reign arsenic Republic of Ireland manager, and his erstwhile top-flight acquisition was astatine Sheffield United nether Chris Wilder, erstwhile they vanished bottommost successful 2023-24.

He moved to Brentford aft that, wherever their penchant for succession readying played successful Andrews' favour.

"Keith Andrews was successful and astir nan coaching, but his main attraction was set-pieces," erstwhile Brentford defender Ben Mee told BBC 5 Live.

"I felt it was a continuity constituent for nan nine [appointing Andrews]. He has been an adjunct to a mates of coaches, and I deliberation he'll do a bully job.

"For nan club, it was nan correct decision. Brentford for illustration to do things a spot different there."

In Andrews' defence, moreover nan astir knowledgeable coaches would person a reliable task astatine Brentford pursuing a summertime successful which overmuch of their value and acquisition has been stripped.

Star guardant Bryan Mbeumo, skipper Christian Norgaard and first-choice keeper Mark Flekken were each sold. Striker Yoane Wissa looks to beryllium heading retired too, pinch nan Newcastle target near retired of nan squad connected Sunday.

"It's a day-by-day 1 successful position of Wiss," Andrews said afterwards. "As acold arsenic I know, thing other has happened today.

"I person nary thought what nan business will be, I person been up present since yesterday truthful we will woody pinch that during nan week. Hopefully it tin resoluteness itself sooner alternatively than later."

Brentford were further hampered astatine Forest by midfielder Mikkel Damsgaard being absent arsenic his woman gave birth, while German guardant Kevin Schade was only fresh capable to beryllium a substitute.

So Andrews' first starting XI was inexperienced and yet exposed. It included 3 players aged 21 aliases younger, nan first clip this has happened successful a Premier League crippled for Brentford.

It was besides nan youngest mean property for nan squad successful nan Premier League – 24 years and 98 days.

This included 20-year-old attacking midfielder Antoni Milambo, their astir costly summertime signing truthful acold astatine £17m from Feyenoord.

The Dutchman endured a torrid debut, ineffective and good controlled by Anderson, and could person fixed distant a punishment aft handling a free-kick but was saved by nan video adjunct referee (VAR).

Milambo was replaced astatine half-time by Schade, while nan Bees improved erstwhile immoderate acquisition was introduced successful nan 2nd half done 35-year-old midfielder Jordan Henderson.

The England international, returning to nan Premier League pursuing spells astatine Al-Ettifaq successful Saudi Arabia and Ajax, brought much-needed aggression and reassuring beingness successful his 432nd top-flight appearance.

That alone, though, will not beryllium capable to support Brentford from a relegation conflict based connected this evidence.

"No squad is astatine their champion connected nan opening weekend, it takes a number of weeks to build that familiarity and strength again," erstwhile Scotland world Rachel Corsie told Radio Five Sports Extra.

"Brentford person a concession successful immoderate ways, but I did conscionable consciousness though that they were naive and they request to study very quickly."

First impressions aren't everything, but Andrews needs to fine-tune his broadside quickly. More set-piece coaching could beryllium a bully start.