ALEX JENNINGS: Brentford are a band missing front man without Toney

Brentford are a band missing a front man without suspended striker Ivan Toney as the Bees are held to a draw at home by Bournemouth

• Brentford drew 2-2 with Bournemouth on Saturday after an injury time equaliser
• The Bees remain unbeaten after a win and three  draws so far this season
• They have started well but are missing their suspended striker Ivan Toney 

Thomas Frank turned to the evidence in his case for the defence of Brentford’s attack. When it was put to him that his side might be lacking cutting edge without the suspended Ivan Toney, he answered with facts.

‘We scored eight goals in four games — that’s pretty good,’ replied Frank, more curtly than usual. ‘We’re up there in the league for goals, so I wouldn’t say that.’

He had a point. Brentford’s tally of eight goals is the joint-sixth highest in the top flight, and they added two more in Saturday’s pulsating home draw with Bournemouth.

But here was another fact. Brentford hit the woodwork three times in the same game, one they had the opportunities to win several times over, while Bryan Mbeumo couldn’t even get that close with the easiest chance of the lot.

And even though Mbeumo atoned with a stoppage-time equaliser, after Dominic Solanke and David Brooks had hit back for Bournemouth following Mathias Jensen’s opener, this was a second home game in a row where two points were needlessly dropped.

Bryan Mbeumo secured a point for Brentford with an injury time equaliser against Bournemouth on Saturday

Thomas Frank’s side remain unbeaten but have dropped points wastefully in their last two games

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Brentford have had a decent start to the season, no question. They are still unbeaten. But you get the feeling that if Toney were in the mix, they may have 12 points from 12, rather than six. 

Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa and Kevin Schade are all fine players — but backing singers in a band missing its front man.

Frank turned to former Bee Neal Maupay on deadline day in a bid to ease the burden. ‘Neal knows me, he knows the club,’ Frank said. ‘We know him, the club knows him.’

But while Maupay might know his way around Brentford’s training ground, he hasn’t looked like a man who knows where the back of the net is for some time. Another pesky fact — the Frenchman has one goal in his last 40 league games. 

They could do with him rediscovering the form of his prolific first spell if they are to turn a promising start into something special.

Bournemouth, meanwhile, are still winless in the league under new manager Andoni Iraola. ‘We were so close to three points,’ said the Spaniard. ‘To lose them the way we did hurts.’

They are a band without a front man in the absence of suspended striker Ivan Toney

MATCH FACTS 

BRENTFORD (4-3-3): Flekken 5.5; Hickey 7 (Olakigbe 82min), Pinnock 6.5, Mee 6.5 (Collins 81), Henry 6; Janelt 6 (Onyeka 71, 6), Norgaard 7.5, Jensen 7.5 (Ajer 81); Mbeumo 7, Wissa 6, Schade 6.5 (Lewis-Potter 71, 5.5). Scorers: Jensen 7, Mbeumo 90+3. Booked: Jensen. Manager: Thomas Frank 6.5.

BOURNEMOUTH (4-2-3-1): Neto 5.5; Aarons 6.5, Zabarnyi 7, Senesi 6, Kerkez 6.5; Cook 6, Billing 7.5; Semenyo 6.5 (Brooks 60, 7.5), CHRISTIE 8 (Mepham 87), Kluivert 6.5 (Tavernier 71, 7); Solanke 7.5. Scorers: Solanke 30, Brooks 77. Booked: Aarons, Neto.

Manager: Andoni Iraola 6.5.

Referee: Bobby Madley 6. Attendance: 16,973.

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