Bees lose to Sunderland 2-3

An uncharacteristic sloppy defensive performance in the first half saw Brentford concede three goals in rapid succession. The Londoners dominated much of the game but could not bounce back from the three goal deficit.

Good, better, best

While it was a difficult night to watch for Bees fans, here at Correlation FC, we strive to find positives in the game.

Good: Expected goals

The Bees dominated possession throughout the game and were unlikely to not be up by at least one, if not two goals, before Sunderland scored their first. The Bees kept pressing until the final whistle, rewarded for their persistence with late goals in each half.

Also good: Diouf's passing

Malick Diouf started at left-back for the Bees and was a dangerous provider throughout the game. His 9 crosses into the box was second-best in the game. He also created two big scoring chances, tied for the best in the game.

Better: Collins and Schuster back

Nathan Collins played his first minutes for the Bees since leaving the September Premier League fixture against Sunderland early in the first half. His replacement in that game was Jannik Schuster who filled in admirably for five games before picking up an injury of his own. If both stay healthy, it should mean that the Bees have all four of their centre-backs healthy and ready to compete for playing time.

Best: Strikers scoring

The Bees started with a 2-striker formation, with both Igor Thiago and Callum Wilson on the pitch at the start of the game. The pair combined for two goals from six shots, four of which were on target.

Brentford goal contributions