Keith Andrews is looking for his first win with **Brentford**in the Premier League. Against an outfit in Aston Villa who often faltered away from home last year, both clubs can take a first step toward key agendas for the campaign. The Villans are the stronger of the two squads, but Andrews has been pleased to see the "resilience and determination" of his group drive them into the weekend.
‘Home form is always key'
Some supporters of **Brentford**were worried about life without Ivan Toney last year, but their home form was integral to a season of safety. The Bees had the ninth best points tally at their ground of all 20 outfits last term, and were unbeaten at home in their first eight fixtures, picking up 22 points.
"The club's home form is always key. We want to make our environment an uncomfortable place for clubs to come and try to compete. It's been a key aspect of the club in recent seasons and one we're looking to continue.”
Andrews asserted he would like to see similar success at the Gtech Community Stadium this season. Most of all, he wants to see a response from the team to a poor performance in the first half last week.
"I'm just itching to go. The second the previous game ends, you just can't wait for the next one. The group have been really focused on starting home form in a positive manner, I've felt that in training."
Nottingham Forest flourished in the first 45 minutes. Elliot Anderson and Morgan Gibbs-White were walking over their guests in the middle of the park, while Chris Wood would hit a brace and **Dan Ndoye**netted a flying header on debut to put the hosts three goals ahead at the City Ground.
“We were disappointed with how we went about things in the first half last week. We have to learn.”
Andrews asked his men to "get back to basics" after the break on Sunday afternoon, and they have sustained the reaction through the week, hoping to reap the reward of their work in front of their fans.
“The reaction from the players on Monday morning didn't really surprise me. There's a real resilience and determination about this group: straight back to it. We dusted ourselves down, debriefed the game, recognised what we could've done better. There's a real togetherness about how we do things”
‘He's a Brentford player right now’
It has been a disruptive summer for the Bees, stung by several exits. Thomas Frank has moved on to Tottenham Hotspur after six and a half years in the dugout, Christian Norgaard is now at Arsenal, and their top scorer, 20-goal getter Bryan Mbeumo, has set off North-West to sign for Man United.
Yoane Wissa, who only netted two fewer goals last term in the Premier League, has also been trying to set sail from West London. However, he may have to accept another campaign with Brentford.
"He's been training with the team. In terms of being involved this weekend, I'll make a decision on the squad tomorrow. But he has been a part of the group this week.”
Andrews is adamant that he would like to hold onto the player past the closure of the transfer window.
"He's a Brentford player right now. My stance all along has been that I don't want him to leave. That hasn't changed. I don't want to lose a player of that quality. If he is here in the next 12 days then that is, as head coach, what I would like.”
On the other hand, the club can look forward to the integration of Dango Ouattara. He signed for a record fee of £42.5 million from **Bournemouth**and is making a massive impression on his manager.
"I'm really excited. It's a real shrewd bit of business from the football club. He's got serious pace, a level of ability that hasn't been showcased consistently enough, for whatever reason that is, and he's got the bit between his teeth. He feels this is the right platform for him to flourish. I agree with that."