IVAN OFF TO OASIS BUT BEES STILL ELECTRIC
No looking back in anger as Toney shoes are filled
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BRYAN MBEUMO got a big hug from Ivan Toney as the pair left Brentford’s ground – and with it, the passing of the goalscoring baton.
Toney’s final act before leaving the Gtech Community Stadium for the last time was to wish his former strike partner all the best and send Mbeumo out to take the acclaim of the fans.
The 28-year-old’s decision to head for the riches on offer in Saudi Arabia may leave some cold but, surprisingly, no top English clubs fancied a £40million price tag.
What cannot be in doubt is Toney’s legacy in west London where he scored 72 goals, most of them in just three seasons before last term’s long ban for breaching betting rules. However, with Mbeumo scoring twice and Yoane Wissa (celebrating together, circle above) once here, and an attacking support cast of Kevin Schade, Keane Lewis-potter and new signing Igor Thiago, the future may offer even more.
There were emotional farewell speeches in the dressing room afterwards. But the
Bees did not look like a team worried about where the next goal is coming from.
Midfielder Mathias
Jensen (right) said: “Ivan has been brilliant for us but we also have other really good players.
“Ivan came into the dressing room after the game and gave everybody a high five and a hug. There was a small speech.
“He is a big character and everybody knows that so we are going to miss him a lot in the dressing room.
“But there are plenty of other big characters in the team and it is going to be exciting to see how it is going to be in the future. We are very happy with Bryan getting two goals and Wissa one.”
Thomas Frank’s team were everything the Saints were not in this game – ruthless, efficient and free of major and costly errors.
It is three games and three defeats for Russell Martin’s men since promotion, and the commitment to playing out from the back is in the spotlight after bad mistakes led to Mbeumo’s two goals.
Kyle Walker-peters got away with one first and then either side of half-time errors from Taylor Harwood-bellis and Jan Bednarek handed Mbeumo his double.
Keeper Aaron Ramsdale, in a miserable debut after his move from Arsenal, might have done better as Wissa bundled the ball in from close range.
A stoppage time goal from Yukinari Sugawara was of little consequence for Southampton.
Frank praised Toney for his contribution in getting the Bees into the Premier League and keeping them there.
But he admitted: “In Bryan, Yoane, Kevin, Keane and now Igor we have plenty of attacking options.
“I love talking about Ivan but not when it has been about when he is going to leave, or some kind of ban! But his performances and how he is as a person? I have loved talking about that.”
Maybe a small part of the Dane is even a little relieved that the spotlight could be shared around more evenly in the post-toney era.
BRENTFORD (4-3-3 ): Flekken 7; Ajer 7 (Roerslev 39, 6), Collins 7, Pinnock 7, Janelt 6 (Lewis-potter 74); Norgaard 6, Jensen 7, Damsgaard 7 (Carvalho 81); Mbeumo 8, Wissa 7, Schade 7 (Van den Berg 74) SOUTHAMPTON (3-5-2): Ramsdale 5; Harwood-bellis 5 (Dibling 56, 6), Bednarek 5, Stephens 5; Walker-peters 5, Downes 6, Smallbone 5 (Fernandes 46, 6), Aribo 5 (Lallana 82), Sugarawa 7; Brereton Diaz 5, Armstrong 4 (Archer 46, 6)