City Watch: Blues edge past Brentford

The game against Brentford over the weekend proved to be quite the challenge for Manchester City, not unexpected of course, as the Bees were the last team to beat the reigning champions at the Etihad back in December 2022, our treble winning season. 

Having conceded after just 22 seconds, it was clear that Thomas Frank had set out a clear game plan from the off and his players executed it to perfection. I’ve been going home and away with City for as long as I can remember and I can’t recall a game where the Blues not only conceded so early, but also looked so poor in the opening period.

I have to give huge credit to Brentford, I thought City could’ve conceded two or three goals in the opening ten minutes, we really were on the backfoot. However, a particular Norwegian striker made his presence known not long after, needing just a half chance in the 19th minute to level up the scoring. We’re four games into the season and I’m beginning to run out of words to describe Erling Haaland, who not only bagged his eighth for the campaign, but also his ninth, cleverly nudging off Brentford’s Ethan Pinnock from a superb Ederson kick to give himself a one-on-one. 

Nine goals in four games. Just think about that. City’s all time goal scorer, Sergio Aguero averaged a goal every 108 minutes in the Premier League. Haaland is scoring one every 79 minutes, more than a goal per game. Doubts were raised by some last season as his numbers didn’t quite reach the heights of his first, but I believed he was just a victim of his own success, and his performances so far are proving me right. He’s on for 88 League goals this season if he carries on at this rate.

One huge positive from the game on Saturday, besides the win of course, was that Spanish midfielder, Rodri, made his anticipated return to action, coming on at half time. Despite having won all three games prior to Brentford, our team looked so much more secure with the Spaniard back in the team. 

I believe the sign of a great player is not only when they make an impact on the game and provide in important moments, but also when they make the players around them better. As soon as Rodri came off the bench, the team looked so much more secure and composed, almost as if they had more trust in themselves.