Stat Attack – Brentford v AFC Bournemouth

Written by Matt Stevenson

Here is the xG from the Brentford game. I was driving, so I had intermittent radio reports and only seen brief highlights. We dominated the first 20 minutes, with first a big chance for Senesi who put it over the bar from very close range (68%) and then a goal courtesy of Brentford, with a poor back pass, latched onto by Evanilson who sat Flekken down before going round him for a tap in (97%). Brentford got back into it with unsurprisingly from a set piece, a long throw-in with two contested aerial battles ended up with Wissa heading well into the far corner (1 in 7). Not much happened between this and half time with the xG at interval being Brentford 0.34 AFCB 1.90.

The second half started with two quick goals. In the 49th minute, a well-worked AFCB corner (look at Kerkez’s block) resulted in Kluivert being played through by Cook to score at the near post (1 in 8). Immediately Brentford hit back, and with AFCB not looking organised, Mbeumo fed Damsgard, who beat both Senesi’s block and Kepa at his near post. (rated 1 in 20). Brentford had more chances with Bournemouth creating little, there was a big chance for Schade who had a header blocked (1 in 4). In injury time AFCB did create some chances, with Huijsen having a header (22%) clipping Unal and hitting the bar and Semenyo having a shot blocked right at the end (1 in 7). We hadn’t created enough in the second half. The final xG was Brentford 1.48 AFCB 2.61 with understat having it slightly it closer with Brentford 1.56 and AFCB 2.49.

MAN OF THE MATCH AGAINST BRENTFORD Evanilson Vote Cook Vote Christie Vote Kluivert Vote Tavernier Vote Semenyo Vote Adams Vote Huijsen Vote Kepa Vote Kerkez Vote Zabarnyi Vote Someone else Vote

There were 2 changes to the team that beat Man City. Adams replaced Tavernier, pushing Christie (and Cook if the forum is to be believed) forward, and Kepa replaced Travers in goal. Apart from the back 4, which was as expected, although, surprisingly, Smith (15) and Kerkez (3) were equally high, the rest looked a blobby mess, presumably as players were rotating positions. The first subs in the 67th minute were Tavernier (16) for Adams (12) with Tavernier dropping into CAM and Christie (10) and Cook (4) moving back and a straight swap with Huijsen (2) replacing Senesi (5). In the 75th minute, Brooks (7) replaced Christie (10), and Unal (26) replaced Kluivert (19). Not having watched the game, I’m not confident who was where, particularly in centre midfield, as Adams and Christie had been substituted. In the 84th minute, Araujo replaced Smith who had just been booked.