'Naive' Brentford add to concerns for new boss Andrews

As far as first impressions go, Keith Andrews' debut as head coach was the equivalent of forgetting your name or spilling red wine on your carpet.

The former Wolves and Blackburn midfielder took charge in June following Thomas Frank's departure to Tottenham Hotspur.

It was a big step up for the 44-year-old Andrews, who was set-piece coach under the Frank regime.

But with Brentford keen to appoint from within - just as they had when Frank stepped up to replace Dean Smith in 2018 - the former Republic of Ireland international took the hot seat.

And having appointed their set-piece coach as new manager, Brentford conceded the first of three goals at Nottingham Forest in the fifth minute of his opening Premier League game in charge.

Andrews could only watch in frustration as Chris Wood took advantage of slack defending to thump home Forest's earliest goal on the opening day of the Premier League to set them on their way to a comfortable 3-1 victory.

It came from a needless corner, conceded following a mix-up between goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher and captain Nathan Collins. From the resulting set-piece, three Brentford players surrounded Wood, but failed to deal with either man or ball, and the New Zealand striker opened his account for the campaign.

It set the tone for a lacklustre first-half display and, despite Igor Thiago's penalty consolation, a first defeat on the opening day of a Premier League campaign for the Bees since their promotion in 2021.

It was also the first time Brentford have conceded three goals on the opening day at any level since 2004-05 - a 3-1 loss at Chesterfield in League One.

As fans fear a season of struggle, Andrews was forthright about Brentford's need to improve when speaking to BBC Match of the Day afterwards.

"It was always going to be difficult but we made it harder for ourselves," he said. "We knew their strengths and we knew the problems they would cause. Set-pieces were always going to be a threat.

"Get back to basics. Basics in the game is a dirty word at times, but you have to have an edge and do the ugly side of the game and compete as a team. I didn't think we did that.

"I saw it a lot in the first half and it's something we need to address. The second half was a lot better on a lot of fronts."

The nature of this defeat, in which Brentford created only 0.46 xG from open play, will add to the worry for supporters.

The Bees were chasing shadows throughout, conceding twice as many fouls as Forest with Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson controlling proceedings.

It will also raise questions about Andrews' competency as a Premier League manager. Not only has he never led a team before, but his coaching career has not been stellar.

His first role was assistant to Karl Robinson at Milton Keynes Dons in 2015-16, when they were relegated from the Championship. Andrews also worked with Stephen Kenny in his ill-fated reign as Republic of Ireland manager, and his previous top-flight experience was at Sheffield United under Chris Wilder, when they finished bottom in 2023-24.

He moved to Brentford after that, where their penchant for succession planning played in Andrews' favour.

"Keith Andrews was in and around the coaching, but his main focus was set-pieces," former Brentford defender Ben Mee told BBC 5 Live.

"I felt it was a continuity point for the club [appointing Andrews]. He has been an assistant to a couple of coaches, and I think he'll do a good job.

"For the club, it was the right decision. Brentford like to do things a bit different there."

In Andrews' defence, even the most experienced coaches would have a tough task at Brentford following a summer in which much of their quality and experience has been stripped.

Star forward Bryan Mbeumo, captain Christian Norgaard and first-choice keeper Mark Flekken were all sold. Striker Yoane Wissa looks to be heading out too, with the Newcastle target left out of the squad on Sunday.

"It's a day-by-day one in terms of Wiss," Andrews said afterwards. "As far as I know, nothing else has happened today.

"I have no idea what the situation will be, I have been up here since yesterday so we will deal with that during the week. Hopefully it can resolve itself sooner rather than later."

Brentford were further hampered at Forest by midfielder Mikkel Damsgaard being absent as his wife gave birth, while German forward Kevin Schade was only fit enough to be a substitute.

So Andrews' first starting XI was inexperienced and eventually exposed. It included three players aged 21 or younger, the first time this has happened in a Premier League game for Brentford.

It was also the youngest average age for the team in the Premier League – 24 years and 98 days.

This included 20-year-old attacking midfielder Antoni Milambo, their most expensive summer signing so far at £17m from Feyenoord.

The Dutchman endured a torrid debut, ineffective and well controlled by Anderson, and could have given away a penalty after handling a free-kick but was saved by the video assistant referee (VAR).

Milambo was replaced at half-time by Schade, while the Bees improved when some experience was introduced in the second half through 35-year-old midfielder Jordan Henderson.

The England international, returning to the Premier League following spells at Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia and Ajax, brought much-needed aggression and reassuring presence in his 432nd top-flight appearance.

That alone, though, will not be enough to keep Brentford from a relegation fight based on this evidence.

"No team is at their best on the opening weekend, it takes a number of weeks to build that familiarity and intensity again," former Scotland international Rachel Corsie told Radio Five Sports Extra.

"Brentford have a concession in some ways, but I did just feel though that they were naive and they need to learn very quickly."

First impressions aren't everything, but Andrews needs to fine-tune his side quickly. More set-piece coaching could be a good start.