Brentford boost as Thomas Frank issues verdict on West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui

Evening Standard

·27 September 2024

Brentford boost as Thomas Frank issues verdict on West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui

Christian Norgaard could return for Bees ahead of Premier League clash with Hammers

Christian Norgaard's potential return for injury-hit Brentford against West Ham this weekend will be a "close call", according to manager Thomas Frank.

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The Bees could be without eight players for Saturday's Premier League match, with Josh Dasilva, Yoane Wissa, Gustavo Nunes, Mathias Jensen, Rico Henry, Aaron Hickey and Thiago all on the injury list.

Norgaard returned to training this week after missing last weekend's 3-1 loss to Tottenham but Frank admitted the club's captain is not fully fit.

"It's going to be a close call," Frank said. "He's been training today and yesterday, so we need to see if he's ready to start...

"I'd definitely prefer to have less injuries. We have been unlucky but it happens and it is part of football. Some teams can be more hit than others.

"How can we get them back playing? How can we accelerate that process? We are working on that.

"But it is up to me and the players who are fit and available to perform and find the best solution."

Brentford could put yet more pressure on under-fire West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui, who has won only one of his five league games in charge since taking over this summer.

But Frank, whose side have only two more points than West Ham, sounded bemused when asked about suggestions this could be a must-win game for his opposite number.

"Who writes articles like that? I think it's way, way, way too early," he said. "In such a volatile and complex world of football, you can't just rely on five games to talk about that."

Brentford have won two of their opening five league games but in their last two fixtures they lead early at Manchester City and Tottenham, only to come away with nothing.

"We work on (scoring early)," Frank said. "No doubt about it. We have a clear plan for it. Obviously we know it's difficult to score every single time from a kick-off.

"We have players around where the ball drops and then we play from there and then maybe teams are not ready. We were definitely ready, I think that's the most important thing.

"Our aim is always to try and score one more goal. You get two up - that's the aim and the philosophy - that can be a little bit difficult sometimes against any team in the Premier League but especially, for example, the two sides we faced, in City and Tottenham."