A Outstanding Brazilian Talent and Defying the Odds – Brentford's European Quest

More than the midpoint of the season, Brentford are in a dream scenario.

Following four wins in their last five outings, and a Samba striker netting the goals, suddenly supporters are dreaming of thoughts of trips to European capitals next season.

A emphatic three-nil win over Sunderland moved Keith Andrews' side into the fifth spot in the Premier League – a position that was sufficient to secure Champions League football last season.

Solely leaders Arsenal have gathered more points over the past half-dozen matches.

There is a significant distance to go yet but Brentford are squarely in the battle 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 got the club promoted but also established them in the top flight.

Skipper their Danish midfielder left for Arsenal and goal-scoring duo two key forwards – who scored a total of 39 goals in the previous campaign – were also sold, joining United and Newcastle respectively.

Set-piece coach Andrews was elevated to succeed the Dane, while there was a notable absence of a centre-forward among the off-season arrivals.

A season of difficulty, possibly even the drop, was widely predicted. But here we are in the new year with Brentford in the upper echelons.

So, how have they managed it?

The Brazilian's Record-breaking Campaign

The club's decision not to bring in another striker was partly down to timing, with one forward's move not going through until deadline day.

But they also were aware they had a £30 million striker already chomping at the bit.

The 24-year-old joined from Belgium in the summer for a then-record fee, but was hindered by fitness issues in his debut campaign, going goalless in his initial outings.

The 24-year-old has gone about compensating for lost time this season, though, with his double against Sunderland taking him to sixteen league goals – the highest tally by a Brazilian in a single English top-flight campaign.

Given the fellow Brazilians who have preceded him, that is some accomplishment, especially with 17 games left to play.

"He has been a revelation," former Liverpool midfielder an analyst said. "He is physically intimidating, fast, strong, but technically better than people think. Excellent with his feet, both feet, he can score off both. You can see he's brimming with confidence. His statistics are fantastic. He must be so proud. That's a big compliment to him."

That only Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe have scored more in any of the continent's major leagues to this point underscores the level he is playing at.

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

His opener against the opposition was his 7th opener of the season. Given how often we are told the importance of the initial strike in a game, having someone you can rely on to take that early opportunity cannot be underestimated.

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

He finds the target. Do that often enough and the goals will – and have – come.

Considering the hardships he had earlier in life, where he labored in construction to support his family following the passing of his father, perhaps it should be no surprise that high-stakes situations on the pitch is something he handles with ease.

"The recruitment team deserve a lot of credit for the kind of players they bring in and personalities," the manager said. "This is really notable. He is a really unique person who has adapted to life very nicely. He has had to earn this path. He has earned his journey and grafted. He has got serious grit about his personality. He is developing his abilities constantly and we are learning more and more about him. He is a pretty complete centre-forward."

Andrews Proving Doubters Wrong

Igor Thiago is the man of the moment but the team are not and have never been a single-player team.

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

The concern was that once the manager left, that may not be the case, and that the collective quality of their parts alone might not be enough to avoid relegation.

As a result, appointing Andrews, with a blank managerial CV, and just a year at the club was seen by those outside the club as a huge risk.

A maiden role is a test for anyone, let alone when it comes in the Premier League and having made the leap from specialist coach to the top job.

But given that Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna was the only other option that Brentford looked at, they were clearly convinced they had the right man.

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

Andrews won just one of his first 5 league games in charge but significant home victories against United, Liverpool and Newcastle have since occurred.

Wins that, following their brilliant recent run, could prove increasingly important in the pursuit for Europe.

"We are in fine fettle and playing really good. We are playing with bravery and conviction in everything we do with and without the ball," he added. "We're pleased 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 little choice, because things could quickly look very different.

But, for now, The Bees are defying the predictions. And the longer that continues, the closer to reality those dreams of the continent will become.