2023/24 season review: How Brentford braved brutal Premier League | OneFootball

Burnley, Sheffield United and Luton Town came up from the Championship last season - and all three have found themselves headed straight back down to the second tier after a solitary season in the Premier League.

With just 14 victories between three sides that managed 78 between them last year, there is a clear discrepancy growing between the top two English divisions; that is not the Championship getting weaker, but the Premier League becoming ever stronger.

In this context, Brentford coming up and staying up three seasons ago was remarkably impressive.

Avoiding ‘second-season syndrome’ to finish in the top half in 2022/23 was a huge success and, although they finished 16th this season, the Bees steering themselves 13 points clear of the eventual drop zone despite major injury and suspension issues (and a related dip in form) is one hell of an achievement.

Last season, when the Bees finished ninth, they had the league’s third-top goalscorer banging in 20 goals in 33 appearances, with only Erling Haaland and Harry Kane managing more than the prolific Ivan Toney.

However, for more than half of the 2023/24 season, the Bees had to deal without their talismanic leader up-front. Toney's absence was compounded by a horrendous spate of injuries, whose impact is reflected by the fact that only two players managed more than 30 starts for Brentford this season: goalkeeper Mark Flekken and midfielder Vitaly Janelt.

What made Brentford so impressive in their first two seasons in the top flight was the way in which Thomas Frank built a side that could be pragmatic and flexible; each and every player knew their exact role in and out of possession, dependent on opposition and how the Bees approached each game tactically.

What has made Brentford so impressive this time around is the manner in which they have adapted and overcome adversity to once again secure their Premier League status.

Just eight players scored more than a goal each in the 2022/23 campaign, as opposed to 11 this time around. 18 players provided assists this season, in comparison to 14 the year before.

Brentford, as is their wont, found a way.

Both in defence and attack, Brentford’s full-backs and wing-backs have been of paramount importance over recent years, however, with both Rico Henry and Aaron Hickey long-term absentees, the Bees had to use all of their tactical versatility and collective strength to adapt - the loan signing of Sergio Reguilón in January reinforcing the club's reputation as shrewd operators in the transfer market.

It has been the highest-scoring Premier League season of all time, with half of the top six conceding over 60 goals, yet Brentford have managed to concede fewer than six sides and the same amount as another, despite losing David Raya in the summer and the aforementioned injury curse striking the likes of Henry and Hickey, as well as Ben Mee, Ethan Pinnock, Nathan Collins and Kristoffer Ajer.

Key attacking outlets Bryan Mbeumo and Toney have been unavailable for large chunks, yet Frank's men have notched just two goals fewer than the year in which they finished ninth - Yoane Wissa timely emergence as a double-digits Premier League striker and Neal Maupay's important stint on loan helping to fill the void.

Leads were lost and margins were - and always will be - very fine at this level, but margins and detail is something Brentford pride themselves on, both on and off the pitch.

Although the Premier League table will record a drop of eight places, the resilience shown and ability to continue evolving in trying times can only serve the Bees greatly going forward into their fourth campaign.

Brentford have been ravaged in defence and attack in one of the most demanding leagues in the world, in one of its most demanding seasons. To come away unscathed is a great testament to the work of Frank, his staff and his players.