PREVIEW: BRENTFORD (A)

15 September 2020

All you need to know for Town’s trip to Brentford on Saturday

- Preview ahead of Brentford vs Huddersfield Town
- Insight on Thomas Frank’s side
- Watch the game on iFollow HTAFC

Huddersfield Town make the trip to the Brentford Community Stadium for their first away match of the 2020/21 season on Saturday 19 September 2020; 3pm kick-off.

The Terriers will be hoping to swiftly turn the season around with a win against Brentford after the loss against Norwich City last weekend.

Still in search of a first win under Head Coach Carlos Corberán, Town will be looking to carry the positives from the defeat against Norwich to the first away game of the season at Brentford.

THE OPPOSITION

Thomas Frank’s side will be hoping for their first victory as well as they welcome Huddersfield Town to the Brentford Community Stadium for their first home game of the campaign.

Thomas Frank Brentford.jpg

After being beaten in the Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Final, Brentford will be looking to go one better this season and win promotion to the Premier League

Since their opening league fixture at Birmingham City ended in defeat, the Bees will be looking to secure a home win against Town before facing Millwall and Preston North End before the October international break.

However, before they face the Terriers, Brentford have a midweek EFL Cup fixture at Southampton on Wednesday 16 September 2020.

This is Brentford’s first game at their new Stadium!

FORM GUIDE

Town will be looking to gain their first win of the 2020/21 campaign.

The Terriers were knocked out of the Carabao Cup against Rochdale and then beaten by Norwich following an 80th minute goal from Adam Idah at the John Smith’s Stadium.

The home side have to play Southampton in the Carabao Cup before welcoming Town to the Brentford Community Stadium as they knocked Wycombe Wanderers out of the Cup on penalties.

However, they suffered a defeat on the first game of the Sky Bet Championship season as Birmingham City won 1-0 after Jérémie Bela scored in the 37th minute.

ONES TO WATCH

Henrik Dalsgaard
The Danish international right-back made Brentford his third professional side in 2017 when he made the move from Belgian side Zulte Waregem. Since joining Brentford, Dalsgaard has made over 100 appearances for the Bees and has scored four goals. One of those goals came as a consolation as they lost 2-1 to Fulham in the Championship Play-Off Final in 2020. The right back has been playing internationally for Denmark since 2016.

Josh Dasilva.jpg

Josh Dasilva
The young midfielder joined Brentford from Arsenal in 2018 and has so far made over 60 appearances alongside scoring 11 goals. The England Under -21 international contributed to last season’s successes by scoring 10 goals overall, six of which came in a 10-match spell.

Sergi Canos Brentford.jpg

Sergi Canós
Canós joined Brentford from Norwich in 2017 for his second spell at the Club, after spending a season on loan with the Bees during 2015/16. Including the loan, the Spanish winger has so far made over 140 appearances for the Club and has scored 21 goals. During his youth career, Canós spent three years at Barcelona’s Academy from 2010 until 2013 when he joined Liverpool FC.

PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS

In the 67 competitive meetings since 1920 both sides have won their share of the games with Town having the slight upper hand. Out of the 67 fixtures, Town have won 26 of the matches, the Bees have won 24 and 17 have been drawn.

Even in the last decade, out of the 14 matches that have been played between the two sides, the Terriers have one half of them and lost four of them.

The last Town win came in November last season as they beat Brentford away at Griffin Park as Karlan Grant scored a 62nd minute goal.

ACTION ELSEWHERE

As well as our fixture with Brentford, there are 11 other fixtures this weekend for you to look out for. Here is this weekend’s full list of fixtures:

Friday 18 September 2020
Coventry vs QPR (7.45pm KO)

Saturday 19 September 2020
Nottingham Forest vs Cardiff City (12.30pm KO)
Brentford vs Huddersfield Town
Middlesbrough vs Bournemouth
Reading vs Barnsley
Blackburn Rovers vs Wycombe Wanderers
Rotherham United vs Millwall
Sheffield Wednesday vs Watford
Luton Town vs Derby County
Norwich City vs Preston North End
Swansea City vs Birmingham City

Sunday 20 September 2020
Stoke City vs Bristol City (2pm KO)

TEAM NEWS

Town Head Coach Carlos Corberán will provide an update on his side ahead of the game during his virtual press conference on Thursday 17 September 2020.

Unfortunately, Terence Kongolo, Tommy Elphick, Naby Sarr, Ryan Schofield and Lewis O’Brien are all unavailable for the Brentford game.

Danny Ward also missed the game against Norwich City.

KIT

The Terriers will be sporting the new purple and yellow third kit on Saturday – CLICK HERE to buy yours ahead of this weekend’s match!

HOW TO WATCH

With the game being played behind-closed-doors, Town supporters will be able to watch live and in full on iFollow HTAFC.

Supporters can purchase a Match Pass for £10 – CLICK HERE for more info!

Match Reports

REPORT: BRENTFORD 3-0 TOWN

19 September 2020

Three second half Brentford goals condemned Huddersfield Town to a 3-0 defeat at the Brentford Community Stadium.

The hosts picked up all three Sky Bet Championship points from the encounter courtesy of goals after half-time from Josh Dasilva, Marcus Forss and Bryan Mbeumo.

Carlos Corberán made one change to the starting XI from last weekend’s league opener against Norwich City with Isaac Mbenza coming in for his first start of the campaign, in place of Ben Jackson.

Elsewhere in the Town line-up, there was landmark appearances for former Bees Ben Hamer and Jonathan Hogg. The latter brought up his 350th career appearance whilst Town’s ‘keeper made his 300th career start in West London.

The Terriers were the visitors for the first ever league game inside the new Brentford Community Stadium that was soaked in the early-Autumn sun as Mbenza got the ball rolling at kick-off.

The hosts nearly marked the occasion with an opener inside the first 10 minutes. Rico Henry’s low cross from the left found the run of Bryan Mbeumo but the forward couldn’t connect with it properly and his effort trickled wide of the posts.

Town, sporting their new yellow and purple third kit for the first time, matched that neat passage of play from Brentford and nearly had their own early opener soon after.

Alex Pritchard’s low cross took some good awareness from Bees ‘keeper Luke Daniels to stop it reaching an unmarked Isaac Mbenza at the back post.

Prior to the half-hour mark, it was the hosts that piled up the opportunities with the minutes ticking by. Bees forward Ivan Toney had a quickfire duo of one-on-ones, the first denied by Ben Hamer’s outstretched leg before his second attempt went inches wide of the post.

Mbeumo then curled wide having cut in from the right, but despite the hosts’ raid of attacks, the Terriers continued to have openings on the break, including one through Juninho Bacuna who fired a low effort straight at Daniels.

After a smart free-kick from Pritchard, Town were presented with another opportunity through Mbenza on the right side of the box but the ‘keeper was once again equal to the attempt, tipping the high strike over the crossbar.

Once the players returned from the interval, the half’s first real chance came at the same end, but for Brentford, who made it count to go ahead.

Henry surged down the left before finding the run of Josh Dasilva on the edge of the area who finished on the run to give the Bees the lead.

Despite going a goal behind, Town continued to threaten at the other end and went close to getting an equaliser through Bacuna.

The midfielder leapt highest to meet Pritchard’s drifted corner from the right but his strong header from range only kissed the base of the near post before going behind for a goal-kick.

Brentford weren’t done pushing for goals either. Attempting to put the encounter out of sight, substitute Marcus Forss fired over moments before Emiliano Marcondes forced a save out of Hamer to keep Town in the game.

The hosts did get their second however, with just under five minutes left to play. Mbeumo shielded the ball inside the area before picking out Forss who fired past Hamer to double the lead.

Inside the three minutes of stoppage time, Mbeumo got in on the act himself, picking out the top corner with a left footed strike to make it 3-0 and seal all three points for the hosts.

Next up for Town is a return to the John Smith’s Stadium to host Nottingham Forest in the Sky Bet Championship on Friday 25 September 2020; 7.45pm kick-off.

BRENTFORD (4-3-3)

Luke Daniels; Rico Henry, Ethan Pinnock, Pontus Jansson, Henrik Dalsgaard; Christian Nørgaard, Emiliano Marcondes, Josh Dasilva (Shandon Baptiste, 80’); Sergi Canós (Tarique Fosu, 69’), Ivan Toney (Marcus Forss, 72’), Bryan Mbeumo

Unused subs

David Raya; Dominic Thompson, Mads Bech Sørensen, Jan Žambůrek

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN (4-3-3)

Ben Hamer; Harry Toffolo (Jaden Brown, 35’) Richard Stearman, Christopher Schindler (c) (Romoney Crichlow, 45’), Pipa; Jonathan Hogg, Juninho Bacuna, Alex Pritchard; Josh Koroma, Isaac Mbenza, Adama Diakhaby (Fraizer Campbell, 62’)

Unused subs

Joel Pereira; Demeaco Duhaney, Ben Jackson, Matty Daly

REFEREE

Craig Pawson