A 'changing of the guard' at Brentford?

This is something I do not want to write, but is a changing of the guard starting to happen at Brentford? That was one question to come out of Sunday's goalless draw with Chelsea, for which Ethan Pinnock was dropped to the bench instead of starting for probably the first ever time when he has been fit. Pinnock has been absolutely crucial to the Bees' rise over the past six years and always quite rightly been first choice at centre-half. He is hugely popular, has played more than 200 games for us in all competitions, scored a dozen goals and has been one of our most consistent players since arriving.

Pinnock's timing and reading of the game has always been immaculate and to have only five bookings and one red card in all that time is extraordinary for a centre-half. However, sadly this season at times his powers have seemed to be waning a bit. Mistakes are so rare that when Pinnock does make them, everybody notices.



After a couple early in the season, he was twice outpaced by Beto against Everton in February and then twice gave the ball away in last week's defeat at Newcastle. He was substituted late on in that match and then left out on Sunday, in favour of Sepp van den Berg, who took Pinnock's place when he was out injured at the turn of the year. It could be that Pinnock is still not fully fit and that when he is, he will be as good as new.

But it could also be that Van den Berg, who formed a solid partnership with the now undroppable Nathan Collins in Pinnock's absence, may have moved above him in the pecking order. Find more from Ian Westbrook at Beesotted podcast.