Following a terrific Premier League campaign in which Brentford finished safely inside the top half in ninth, the Bees will be hoping for more of the same in the new season.

Manager: Thomas Frank
Stadium: Gtech Community Stadium
Captain: Christian Norgaard
Top League Scorer last season: Ivan Toney (20)
Last season's finish: 9th
 

Brentford 2023/24 odds

To Finish in Top 6: 12/1
To Finish in Top Half: 9/4
To Finish in Bottom Half: 1/3
Not to be Relegated: 1/14
To be Relegated: 8/1
To Finish Bottom - 20/1
 

Brentford's 2022/23 performance

Recording the club's best league finish since 1938 last term, ending up in 9th place in the table in the top flight, Brentford continue to punch above their weight in the Premier League.

Their second year in the Premier League following promotion via the Championship play-offs in 2021, the Bees' mixture of physicality and incisive counter-attacking play proved fruitful throughout the duration of the campaign.

Brentford have become renowed as a side you can never expect a straightforward match against, with the West Londoners remarkably taking the scalp of Pep Guardiola's Treble-winning Manchester City not once but twice on league duty last season.

Going 12 Premier League matches unbeaten between October and March, Brentford looked like launching an unlikely charge for European qualification before a dip in form in the spring.
 

Brentford 2023/24 prospects

Although Brentford have now established themselves in the Premier League, the first goal of a club of their size will always be to maintain their top flight status before building from there.

There is no liberty to rest on your laurels in an ever competitive Premier League, a fact Danish boss Thomas Frank will be all too conscious of.

The Bees will back themselves to enjoy another strong season, however, with the club investing heavily in the transfer market with Nathan Collins arriving from Wolves and goalkeeper Mark Flekken joining from Freiburg along with Kevin Schade who signed initially on loan in January.

With no regular starters from last season having departed, Brentford have been able to retain the bulk of the squad which has served them so well which will delight the club's supporters.

The West London side's progressive high pressing game and positional flexibility going forward is combined with more than a touch of rudimental aggression which saw Brentford score 16 goals from set plays last season - the joint-second most in the division behind Liverpool on 17.

It is this intensity off the ball and aerial dominance which makes Brentford such awkward and uncomfortable opponents, with Man City (twice), Man United, Liverpool and Chelsea all stung by the Bees last term.

Brentford will know they will have to continue to improve and evolve if they are to continuing progressing as a Premier League team, but it's difficult to foresee them falling off any time soon.
 

Brentford manager - Thomas Frank

A universally popular figure, Thomas Frank has been a revelation at Brentford since joining the club in 2018.

Since leading Brentford to the Premier League via the play-offs two years ago, Frank has helped the Bees grow into a formidable top flight side who even the most wealthy clubs in the land don't relish facing.

A charismatic man manager, the Dane is also an extremely astute tactician, with Brentford regularly changing their formation from 4-3-3 to 3-5-2 last season depending on the needs and demands of each particular fixture.

Capable of putting together fast and exciting patterns of play, especially in counter attacking situations where the dynamism of forward talents such as Bryan Mbeumo and Kevin Schade can be used most effectively, Brentford have also grown into a side who can physically bully their opponents under Frank.

This aggression and aerial dominance has benefited the Bees at both ends of the pitch, with Brentford scoring 16 of their 58 Premier League goals from set pieces last year, and only last year's top four having conceded less goals in total than the West Londoners.

Articulate and likeable, with a track record of maximising the talent of players at his disposal and getting the better of some of the best coaches in the game such as Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp, it would come as little surprise if Frank was to be lured away by a club with greater resources in the not too distant future.
 

Brentford Key Player - Mathias Jensen

A key part of Brentford's journey from promotion hopefuls in the Championship to overachievers in the Premier League, signing from Celta Vigo in the summer of 2019, Denmark international Mathias Jensen is a vital cog in Thomas Frank's midfield.

Capable of operating as a deep lying playmaker dictating the tempo of matches, Jensen adopted more of a creative role for the Bees last season following the departure of Christian Eriksen, contributing a commendable five goals and six assists from midfield.

An almost ever present in the Premier League last season, making 37 appearances, Jensen provides the link between midfield and attack for Brentford, a technically proficient operator within what is a very physical team.

Jensen's dead ball taking ability is also hugely important for the set piece specialists, with the Dane taking his fair share of corners and free kicks for the Bees.
 

Brentford One to Watch - Kevin Schade

When it comes to recruitment, Brentford's 'Moneyball' utilisation of statistics and data analytics has rarely failed them in recent years, and they'll be hoping £20m signing Kevin Schade can have a big impact in his first full season at the club.

21-year-old Schade is a versatile attacker who can play all across the front three, and the German interchanging with the likes of Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa in a fluid frontline at Brentford seems a promising prospect for the Bees ahead of the new season.

Former Freiburg man Schade is a dynamic forward who is dangerous running in behind, and also possesses clinical finishing instincts inside the box.

Making his full international for Germany in a friendly against Peru in March, Schade will be striving to enjoy a breakout season in the Premier League to force his way into Hansi Flick's squad for his country's home Euros next summer.
 

Brentford transfers

In: 

• Nathan Collins (Wolves - £23m)
• Kevin Schade (Freiburg - £20m)
• Mark Flekken (Freiburg - £11m))

Out:

• Halil Dervisoglu (Galatasaray - Undisclosed)
• Pontus Jansson (Malmo - Free)
• Joel Valencia  (Zaglebie Sosnowiec - Free)
• Fin Stevens (Oxford United - Loan)
• Ryan Trevitt (Exeter City - Loan)
• Saman Ghoddos (End of contract)
• Tarique Fosu (End of contract)
   

Brentford potential XI

(4-3-3): Flekken, Hickey, Collins, Mee, Henry, Norgaard (c), Janelt, Jensen, Mbeumo, Wissa, Schade.

Brentford opening fixtures 2023/24

Brentford's opening six Premier League fixtures for the 2023/24 season are as follows:

• 13th August 2023 - Tottenham (H)
• 19th August 2023 - Fulham (A)
• 26th August 2023 - Crystal Palace (H)
• 2nd September 2023 - Bournemouth (H)
• 17th September 2023 - Newcastle (A)
• 23rd September 2023 - Everton (H)
   

Brentford - last five seasons

The below table illustrates Brentford's league finishes over the past five seasons:

Season	League finish
2022/23	9th (Premier League)
2021/22	13th (Premier League)
2020/21	3rd (Championship)
2019/20	3rd (Championship)
2018/19	11th (Championship)

View all Brentford Premier League 2023/24 odds

Odds correct at time of publishing and subject to change.