Brentford made it four league wins in five with an assertive and deserved victory over West Ham on Sunday afternoon. The Bees were comprehensive winners over David Moyes' side, and were totally deserving of their victory on the day with goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Ivan Toney proving vital.
It was a game that Thomas Frank's side dominated from start to finish, and they could have had more if they had taken their chances in the first half. The Bees are now 13th in the table and can slowly prepare for another season of Premier League football.
Brentford reporter Uzzi Majid takes a look at some of the key talking points from the win over the Hammers.
READ MORE: Brentford player ratings as Mbeumo and Toney seal huge derby victory for Bees
Strong first half
Brentford started the first half like a house on a fire and were unlucky not to be rewarded for their superb start. Ivan Toney exquisitely played through Bryan Mbeumo, but the Frenchman was denied by Hammers 'keeper Lukasz Fabianski at his near post. Admittedly, Mbeumo was culpable of wasting a number of good openings which he should have done better with, but it did not prove too costly.
As well as being on top, the Bees gave very little away. The Hammers rarely threatened in the first half although David Raya had to be aware to keep out Tomas Soucek's tame header before the break. Yesterday was arguably one of the best halves of football Brentford have put together this season.
Turning the game on its head
The message from Thomas Frank won't have been as heated as what David Moyes said to his players at the interval, but one could be forgiven for thinking that dominating a half and not making dominancy count, could possibly result in the other taking advantage despite not being at the races. Thankfully for Frank, that was not the case as Brentford turned the game on its head in a flash.
Kristoffer Ajer's quickly taken thrown-in found its way to Ivan Toney, whose first-time touch found the onrushing Mbeumo who finished empathetically past Fabianski to score his first Premier League goal from open play, which coincidentally last came against West Ham on October 3. Mbeumo turned supplier following his cutback to Toney, via Rico Henry's cross, who doubled Brentford's lead to give them a well deserved victory.
Mbeumo rewarded
One man who would have been relieved as anyone, was Bryan Mbeumo. It has been a difficult time for the young Frenchman, with his last goal prior to yesterday coming from the penalty spot against Watford on December 10. Up until the victory against Chelsea last weekend, the Frenchman had only managed three assists in the league since the start of the new year.
However, Mbeumo's fortunes have changed drastically for the better since the resumption of Premier League football this month, with the forward scoring once and assisting three times in the last two games. On another side note, all of his Premier League goals have come against sides beginning with "W" - Frank will be hoping he continues that trend when the Bees head to Vicarage Road on Saturday.
Finishing strongly
Many Brentford fans perhaps saw their run of April fixtures and thought the worst, but to have taken six points from Chelsea and West Ham is something that would have been considered inconceivable a number of weeks ago. Frank's side have won four of their last five league fixtures, and were unlucky not to take at least a point from their trip to Leicester three weeks ago. Nonetheless, 12 points from 15 is a fantastic return.
Frank will be hoping that Brentford can transfer these past two performances and implement them against Watford and Tottenham, both of whom are fighting for very different objectives. The Hornets' chances of survival are looking relatively slim, but Frank will be demanding the Bees don't take them lightly on Saturday. The following week sees Antonio Conte's Spurs arrive in TW8, who are in the driving seat for Champions League football but Frank and his players will be hoping to throw another spanner in the top four works.
