- Brentford thrashed Southampton 5-0 to earn their first away win of the season.
- Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa took part in the demolition work at St Mary's
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The issue of succession planning has loomed large in the Premier League in recent seasons. There are the good ones: Liverpool, who have made a seamless transition from Jurgen Klopp to Arne Slot, perhaps even improving in the process.
Then there are the calamitous: Manchester United, who are still shaking up the remains of the implosion suffered when Sir Alex Ferguson left Old Trafford in 2013.
The post-Pep Guardiola era at Manchester City is sure to be an exciting installment of Premier League history, but another club that is undoubtedly doing well is Brentford.
Yes, their 5-0 thrashing at Southampton was only their first away win this season, but a closer look at the Bees' method points to something much more impressive.
On Saturday, Yoane Wissa equaled Ivan Toney's record of 36 goals to become the club's top scorer in their short Premier League history. Bryan Mbuemo is just one behind him. The loss of Toney has not shaken Brentford, nor did the loss of Ollie Watkins before him derail their progress.
It's a testament to the hiring of head coach Lee Dykes and the coaching of Thomas Frank. Mbuemo cost just £5.8 million in 2019; chicken feed in the current Premier League market, Wissa, just £8.5 million in 2021.
Bryan Mbeumo (right) scored twice, while Yoane Wissa (left) also found the net in Brentford's 5-0 win over Southampton.
Bees boss Thomas Frank praised his club's recruitment which has developed over the years.
Southampton remains sunk in last place in the Premier League table with only six points
Many other clubs have spent much more to perform much less. Southampton, for example, had Kamaldeen Sulemana and Paul Onuachu leading the line against Brentford and paid £22m for the former and £18m for the latter. Sulemana has only scored two Premier League goals for the Saints, Onuachu none.
Frank explained: “To be a sustainable team in the Premier League year on year, there are a lot of things you have to do and a lot of boxes you have to tick.” One of them is that you need to have enough targets on your team.
“And that's a privilege we've had these four years,” he continued.
“Mbuemo has 13 goals in the Premier League this season, Wissa 10. I don't know how many teams, even the so-called top six, have players like that. I think it's incredible.”