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On Wednesday night, Griffin Park will be a memorable night as a familiar face returns to town.
Dean Smith spent nearly three years as head coach of Brentford, where he truly established himself as one of the most popular leaders in the Bees' history.
The opportunity to join his childhood club, Aston Villa, was simply too beautiful to be denied, and the natural successor to the harness at Griffin Park was Smith's number two, Thomas Frank.
For the Danish head coach, the start was difficult, but an undefeated race that lasted nearly two months put the nerves early at the beginning of his appointment.
Frank's approach is largely identical to that that Dean Smith instilled, but some adjustments were crucial to help Brentford move forward.
We look at how the two head coaches compare before Wednesday's shock.
(Image: Get Reading)
Philosophy
Having worked together under Dean Smith, it was a game in paradise: Smith and Thomas Frank shared a similar approach to the game.
This was based on a game based on possession and high rhythm, which allowed the team to progress with rhythm and intelligent movement.
It was an approach that served Brentford particularly well under Dean Smith, and when he left to join Aston Villa, it seemed self-evident to pbad the torch to Thomas Frank who could simply continue the work already started at Griffin Park. .
Although strong in attack, Dean Smith often struggled to defend himself, his Brentford team being prone to a leaky defense – something that Thomas Frank continued to face, especially in his early days.
However, thanks to intense field workout, Frank was able to adapt his team to these weaknesses, which certainly led to a turnaround in form.
Training
This is a key area where Smith and Frank stand out.
Dean Smith has always worked with a 4-3-3 system, which easily goes into a 4-2-3-1 when he is climbing.
It's a training that has worked wonders for a coach who has founded his team on the principle of attacking in numbers and, in simple terms, surpbading opponents.
It's a system that has worked in Brentford and has been slightly adapted, it's Smith's favorite training since taking over at Aston Villa.
Thomas Frank sought to use a similar system in his early days, but a series of defensive weaknesses forced a change.
The Danish head coach is now operating with three center-backs, using side-defenders to give the team a wider field that is also operating in a rather narrow format.
This is a different approach than the one that was so successful under Dean Smith, but it certainly works since the Bees continue to play their part in the second half of the campaign.
Games approach
We discussed the changes in training that took place at Griffin Park, but that's only the beginning of the changes made under Thomas Frank.
While Dean Smith's system was based on advancing the ball quickly and using the fast pbades to work in the opposing half, Frank put more emphasis on playing the ball. # 39; s back.
In addition to including the entire team in the game based on the possession that they have played, it is also a hallmark of Frank's team that his team also works as a defensive unit.
Dean Smith exploited a high press that was largely led by Neal Maupay in attack.
However, under Thomas Frank, it's all the team that presses up the field, exerting tremendous pressure on the opponent, what the head coach has inspired to the tactics of Marcelo Bielsa who had studied it thoroughly in the past.
On this basis, it is not surprising that Frank's possession statistics are equally impressive.
Staff changes
Thomas Frank largely kept faith with the same players who operated so effectively under Dean Smith.
However, there have been some changes.
The main change comes from the departure of Chris Mepham to join Bournemouth in the Premier League.
This saw Ezri Konsa and Julian Jeanvier establish themselves as the main options for the center back, Yoann Barbet joining them when Frank opted for a system with three center backs.
Another important change was the change of role of the line man Romaine Sawyers.
Previously used in a more advanced role under Dean Smith, Sawyers took on the role of a deep playmaker under Dean Smith, sitting in the center circle for large spells and spraying the ball to advance the team. .
Sawyers has been a key element of Brentford's recent success under Thomas Frank, and hope will be that the captain's changing role will continue to play a key role for the Bees, who will continue to watch closely.
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