Brentford boss Thomas Frank says past wins over Swansea give his side confidence
Brentford head coach Thomas Frank says his side’s Championship victories over Swansea this season will give them confidence in the play-off semi-finals.
After narrowly missing out on automatic promotion following a 2-1 defeat to Barnsley on the final day of the season, Brentford finished third to set up a play-off tie against Swansea, who came sixth.
Brentford finished 11 points above Swansea and delivered two emphatic victories over them during the season – winning 3-0 at the Liberty Stadium and 3-1 at Griffin Park.
„It’s natural for the players (to remember the results),“ Frank said. „They know it, we know it that we won these two games.
„That should give us confidence going into these two games. They will be two different games with two ways of playing and possible extra time.
„It will be slightly different, but we need to take the confidence from those wins with us in these games.“
Frank has vowed that Brentford are ready to „fight“ their way through the play-offs after defeats in their final two games of the season blew their hopes of automatic promotion.
Brentford put together a run of eight consecutive wins either side of the coronavirus lockdown to move within touching distance of the top flight, before the shock losses to Stoke and Barnsley extended their season.
„It was painful and hurt a lot on Wednesday night,“ Frank said, reflecting on Wednesday’s defeat to Barnsley.
„It was a slightly better feeling when I found that the sun actually rose again on Thursday morning.
„There’s only two options in life. You can sit down and cry, think the world is unfair and things are against you.
„Or you can stand up and fight. Of course that’s what we have chosen to do – and we are ready.
„Everybody said before the season Brentford in the top six would be a fantastic result. But we fought for the top two. Remarkable.
„So we need to remind ourselves about this, that we are not the only team in the world that didn’t win that (last) game and move on.“
Frank hailed forward Said Benrahma as „the best player in the Championship“ after Brentford won 3-0 at Swansea in October.
The Algeria international scored one of his 17 league goals that night and the celebrated ‘BMW’ strike force of Benrahma, Bryan Mbeumo and Ollie Watkins have 57 goals between them this season.
But Swansea have their own match-winner in Rhian Brewster, the Liverpool youngster who has scored 10 times since his January loan move.
„Rhian is a top player, I really like him,“ Frank said. „He has a great future ahead of him.
„He has the potential (to play for England) in the future. He is an unbelievable finisher.“
Rhian Brewster has scored 10 times for Swansea since joining on loan from Liverpool in January
While Brewster could be back at Liverpool next season, it is probably now-or-never for Brentford as far as this squad of players is concerned, with reported interest in Benrahma.
Frank said: „I am still convinced this group of players love to fight and do everything they can to go in the Premier League with Brentford.
„If there’s one team they want to play in the Premier League for it’s Brentford.“
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