Brentford's Christian Norgaard Confident Of European Football After Bournemouth Victory

Add as a preferred source on Google

Brentford's recent victory over Bournemouth has boosted their confidence in competing for European football, according to captain Christian Norgaard. The team came from behind to win 2-1 at the Vitality Stadium, with Norgaard scoring the decisive goal. This marked his second goal in three Premier League matches, highlighting his impact in crucial moments.

The win was Brentford's fifth consecutive away victory in the Premier League, a feat they last achieved when they were a third-tier club in 2010. Initially struggling with no wins in their first nine away games this season, Brentford have now closed the gap on teams vying for European spots. They are just four points behind Aston Villa in eighth place, which could secure them a spot in the Europa Conference League due to strong performances by English clubs in Europe this season.

Set-pieces have been pivotal for Brentford this season. Excluding penalties, they have generated chances worth 11.1 expected goals (xG) from set-pieces, scoring nine times from such situations. Norgaard’s winner against Bournemouth was one of these crucial goals. Head coach Thomas Frank praised set-piece coach Keith Andrews for his contributions, stating that "Keith is doing a very good job, the players are doing a very good job and the coaching is very good."

Frank also expressed pride in reaching their 50th Premier League win faster than all but ten other clubs. He remarked on their journey and size as reasons to celebrate this milestone: "Taking into consideration our journey, our size, I think this is a day we should be proud of." He emphasised the importance of aiming high and looking forward to future challenges.

Bournemouth's recent form has been less encouraging, with only one point gained from their last four league matches. Their aspirations for European football have suffered as a result. Head coach Andoni Iraola acknowledged their current struggles: "Results-wise, we are in the worst moment in the last four games." He noted that despite creating numerous chances throughout the season, they need to be more clinical inside the box.

Iraola stressed the importance of capitalising on opportunities: "You have to value every chance. Football is about small margins." He called for improvement in critical moments to turn their fortunes around.

Norgaard expressed optimism about Brentford's prospects: "It was a must-win game if we want to go for something a bit bigger this season," he told BBC Sport. With relegation fears now behind them, he believes they have the quality to compete for European spots: "There's loads of good teams going for those European spots, but we have the quality to nail one of them."