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Over halfway through the season, The Bees are in fantasy land.

Following victories in five games, and a Samba striker banging in the goals, suddenly supporters are dreaming of thoughts of trips to European capitals next season.

A emphatic three-nil win over the Black Cats moved Keith Andrews' side into the fifth spot in the top flight – a place that was good enough to secure Champions League football last term.

Solely table-toppers the Gunners have accumulated more points over the past six games.

There is a significant distance to go yet but the West London outfit are squarely in the race for European football.

Few was envisioning this last summer.

The former head coach had departed for Tottenham after seven years in charge, a period in which he had not only guided the club to the Premier League but also established them in the elite division.

Skipper their Danish midfielder left for the North London club and attacking duo Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa – who scored a combined of thirty-nine goals in 2024-25 – were also sold, joining United and Newcastle respectively.

Specialist coach Keith Andrews was promoted to succeed Frank, while there was no striker among the off-season arrivals.

A year of struggle, possibly even relegation, was forecast. But here we are in January with the club in the top five.

So, how did they pull it off?

Igor Thiago's Record-breaking Campaign

Brentford's decision not to sign another striker was in part down to circumstance, with one forward's move not being finalized until the final day of the window.

But they also knew they had a £30m striker already waiting to go.

The 24-year-old joined from Club Brugge in the summer for a then club record fee, but was plagued by fitness issues in his debut campaign, going goalless in eight appearances.

Thiago has set about making up for lost time this season, though, with his double against Sunderland taking him to 16 league goals – the highest tally by a Brazilian in a single English top-flight campaign.

Given the countrymen who have come before him, that is some accomplishment, especially with 17 games left to play.

"He's been a breath of fresh air," pundit Danny Murphy said. "He's a physical specimen, fast, strong, but more skilled than people think. Excellent with his feet, both feet, he can score off both. You can see he's brimming with confidence. These numbers are incredible. He must be so pleased. That's a big compliment to him."

That only a trio of global superstars have scored more in any of Europe's top five leagues to this point highlights the standard he is playing at.

And it is not just the quantity but the crucial nature of the goals that have been so pivotal for his team.

His opener against the Black Cats was his 7th opener of the season. Considering how often we are told the importance of the first goal in a game, having someone you can rely on to take that first big chance cannot be underestimated.

Prior to the game against Sunderland, no player to have attempted at least thirty efforts this season has a better shooting accuracy than the striker's 59.1 percent.

He hits the target. Achieve that consistently and the goals will – and have – come.

Given the hardships he had in his youth, where he labored in construction to provide for his family following the passing of his father, perhaps it should be unsurprising that high-stakes situations on the pitch is something he handles with ease.

"Our scouts deserve a lot of credit for the kind of players they bring in and personalities," the manager said. "It is really notable. He is a really special person who has fitted into life very nicely. He has had to forge this path. He has earned his journey and toiled. He has got serious grit about his personality. He is improving his skill set constantly and we are discovering more and more about him. He is a pretty all-round centre-forward."

The Manager Proving Sceptics Incorrect

Their star striker is the headline act but the team are not and have never been a one-man band.

While they had key individuals – a host of talent – under their previous boss, they were always seen as a team more effective than the individual components.

The fear was that once the Dane left, that may not be the case, and that the collective quality of Brentford's parts alone might not be enough to avoid relegation.

Consequently, appointing their set-piece coach, with a blank managerial CV, and just a twelve months at the club was seen by those external observers as a gamble.

A maiden role is a challenge for anyone, especially when it comes in the world's toughest league and having made the leap from set-piece coach to the top job.

But given that Ipswich boss one candidate was the only other option that Brentford looked at, they were clearly convinced they had the correct candidate.

To date, as often seems to be the case with the brains trust at the club, it looks as if they were vindicated.

Andrews won just one of his first five league games in charge but significant home victories against United, the Reds and Newcastle have since occurred.

Wins that, following their brilliant recent form, could prove all the more important in the race for European qualification.

"We are in good form and playing really good. We are playing with courage and conviction in everything we do with and without the ball," he added. "We are happy with how we are going but we want to keep striving."

In a league where the European spots and the lower mid-table are currently separated by just a handful of points, they have no other option, because things could rapidly look very otherwise.

But, for now, Brentford are defying the predictions. And the longer that lasts, the closer to reality those dreams of Europe will become.