The Brilliant South American Talent & Contradicting the Odds – Brentford's Continental Quest

Over the midpoint of the season, Brentford find themselves in fantasy land.

With victories in their last five outings, and a Brazilian striker scoring the goals, suddenly supporters are envisioning thoughts of trips to Milan, Munich and Barcelona next season.

A comprehensive three-nil win over Sunderland moved Keith Andrews' side into the fifth spot in the Premier League – a position that was sufficient to secure Champions League football last term.

Solely leaders Arsenal have gathered more points over the past six games.

There's a long way to go yet but Brentford are firmly in the race for continental football.

Few was envisioning this last off-season.

The former head coach had departed for Tottenham after a seven-year stint in charge, a period in which he had not only got the club promoted but also established them in the top flight.

Club captain Christian Norgaard left for the North London club and goal-scoring duo two key forwards – who scored a combined of thirty-nine goals in the previous campaign – were out the door, joining United and Newcastle United respectively.

Set-piece coach Andrews was elevated to succeed the Dane, while there was no striker among the off-season arrivals.

A year of struggle, possibly even the drop, was forecast. Yet here we are in the new year with Brentford in the upper echelons.

So, how have they managed it?

Igor Thiago's Record-breaking Campaign

Brentford's decision not to bring in another striker was in part down to timing, with Wissa's move not going through until deadline day.

But they also were aware they had a £30m striker already waiting to go.

Igor Thiago joined from Club Brugge in July 2024 for a then club record fee, but was plagued by injury in his debut campaign, going goalless in eight appearances.

The 24-year-old has set about compensating for lost time this season, though, with his double against the Wearside club taking him to 16 league goals – the highest tally by a Brazilian in a single English top-flight campaign.

Given the fellow Brazilians who have preceded him, that is some accomplishment, especially with seventeen matches left to play.

"He's been a revelation," former Liverpool midfielder an analyst said. "He is physically intimidating, fast, strong, but technically better than people think. Excellent with his feet, either foot, he can score off both. You can see he's full of confidence. These numbers are incredible. He must be so proud. That's a huge compliment to him."

That only a trio of global superstars have scored more in any of the continent's major leagues to this point shows the level he is playing at.

And it is not just the volume but the timing of the goals that have been so pivotal for his team.

His first goal against the Black Cats was his 7th opener of the season. Considering how often we are told the importance of the initial strike in a game, having someone you can rely on to take that first big chance cannot be overstated.

Prior to the game against their opponents, no player to have attempted at least 30 shots this season has a better shooting accuracy than Igor Thiago's 59.1%.

He finds the target. Do that often enough and the goals will – and have – come.

Considering the hardships he had in his youth, where he worked as a bricklayer to provide for his family following the passing of his father, perhaps it should be unsurprising that pressure on the pitch is something he takes in his stride.

"The recruitment team deserve a lot of credit for the type of players they bring in and personalities," Andrews said. "This is really notable. He is a really unique person who has fitted into life very well. He has had to forge this path. He has worked for his journey and toiled. He has got serious grit about his personality. He is improving his abilities constantly and we are learning more and more about him. He is a largely all-round centre-forward."

The Manager Showing Sceptics Wrong

Igor Thiago is the man of the moment but Brentford are not and have never been a single-player team.

While they had star players – a host of talent – under their previous boss, they were always seen as a team more effective than the individual components.

The fear was that once the manager left, that may not be the case, and that the collective quality of their parts alone might not be enough to avoid relegation.

Consequently, appointing their set-piece coach, with a blank managerial CV, and just a twelve months at the club was seen by those external observers as a gamble.

A first managerial job is a test for anyone, let alone when it comes in the Premier League and having made the jump from set-piece coach to the manager's office.

But given that Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna was the only other option that Brentford looked at, they were clearly convinced they had the correct candidate.

So far, as often seems to be the case with the brains trust at the club, it looks as if they were vindicated.

Andrews won just one of his first five league games in charge but significant home victories against Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle have since occurred.

Results that, following their brilliant recent run, could prove all the more important in the race for European qualification.

"We are in good form and playing really well. We are playing with bravery and conviction in everything we do with and without the ball," he added. "We are happy with how we are going but we want to keep striving."

In a league where fourth and 15th are currently separated by just a handful of points, they have no other option, because things could quickly look very otherwise.

But, for now, The Bees are defying the odds. And the longer that lasts, the closer to fruition those dreams of the continent will become.