Keith Andrews went into Brentford's meeting with Chelsea on Friday night saying he was comfortable with where Igor Thiago stands and backing the forward to rediscover his goalscoring form.
Andrews said Brentford value Thiago far beyond his goals, describing him as a player in a good place who is enjoying his football, loves being at the club and is loved in return. Brentford were due to face Chelsea at Gtech Community Stadium at 8pm BST, and the manager made clear he wanted the squad focused on the match rather than the noise around it.
The backing matters because Thiago had gone without a goal for a spell before the Chelsea fixture, and Andrews urged people not to lose sight of what he achieved last season. He said the forward had climbed a mountain to deliver that output for Brentford, then added that his return from the World Cup was not as smooth as he would have liked for reasons Thiago would be first to admit.
That was the sharper edge to Andrews' support. He praised Thiago strongly, but did not pretend the forward's recent stretch had been perfect. He said Brentford should not let outside noise shape what they do, and that the club's view of Thiago was built on more than goals alone. In other words, the message was encouragement, but also a reminder that the standard at this stage of the season is still being reset.
Brentford also went into the Chelsea match carrying more than one selection problem. Josh Dasilva, Antoni Milambo, Nathan Collins, Sepp van den Berg, Kaye Furo and Mathias Jensen were unavailable, while Andrews said the team had to stay present after making three half-time substitutions in the 1-1 draw with Sunderland. He said he did not especially enjoy being taken off at the interval as a player, but that those decisions come from what the staff are seeing and feeling in the game.
With Chelsea next and the squad already stretched, Brentford's public support for Thiago reads as more than a confidence boost. It is a sign that they still see him as central to what they are trying to do, even while they wait for the goals to return.
