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Keith Andrews reaction: Everton draw, home concerns and more

The Bees led twice against David Moyes' side, but were unable to get their first league win at home since early January.

Whilst they remain seventh, they missed a valuable opportunity to leapfrog Chelsea as they chase European football.

Here is what Andrews had to say in his post-match press conference:

Brentford head coach Keith Andrews (right) spoke to the media after the 2-2 draw with Everton. (Image: PA)

Not getting all three points after excellent second-half?

We're disappointed naturally. You concede that late and then you just alluded to it. Second-half in particular, I thought we approached in a different way those circumstances around the first half pretty disrupted build-up to the game.

Dams [Mikkel Damsgaard] wasn't feeling particularly well. We risk a little bit shoulder bravery to play and he wasn't himself and he was a little bit of a knock on effect to that.

First-half was a little bit slow, a little bit late. But at times, even though I felt we were, we were slightly the better team in the first half. Second half, half hour, 35 minutes, I thought we were outstanding. Control the game, created good opportunities, look more like us.

And to get control against a very good team that I've been playing very, very well was very pleasing and I felt like the goal was going to come a bit, but then, unfortunate we couldn't quite manage those last few moments to, to see out what, what I feel would have been a well deserved win.

Contrasting home form in 2026 (20 points from 27 to seven from 21?)

Good question. Great stats. 90 seconds away from winning, which wouldn't give me those exact stats. Young group.

It doesn't take a genius to look at our bench in terms of, you know, the depth that we have right now.

It's a lot of young players on the bench. Players are given absolutely everything. Maybe, just maybe, the opposition look at us a little bit differently compared to the first period of the season, which you've alluded to. Numerous factors.

Did you and the club expect Igor Thiago to have this calibre of season or was it a welcome surprise?

I think the biggest thing for [Igor] Thiago this season was just staying fit and playing as many minutes as he has. But the obvious reasons he wasn't available for a lot of last season.

So that's your first kind of target. Can we keep him available? Can we work and can we build on his confidence?

Can we integrate them into the team in a way where he becomes effective in the way that we think he can be? But the reality is, you never know that anybody says any different.

I think wouldn't be entirely honest. We always knew we had brilliant attributes. I think he's selfless in the way he plays the game for us.

The goals obviously get all the attention. And for strikers, it does. But his overall performance levels continue to get better and better and he's constantly evolving his game. I think he's proven to be a very, very special player.

How important it is to feel how this season could still be the best in the club's (recent) history?

The reality is today if we win the game, we go sixth in the league ahead of Chelsea.

So it may only be for 24 hours or would have only been for 24 hours.

But to say that with six games to go in the season, I think is, is a nice reminder for what we've achieved so far, the hard work that we've put in collectively to put us in this position, we don't take it for granted.

We know what it takes to stay in that position, and unfortunately, today we weren't quite able to see out the game to put us in a really, really good position.

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