Keith Andrews praised Brentford’s energy and second-half game management after their 3-0 Premier League win over West Ham.
Keith Andrews said Brentford’s 3-0 win over West Ham United was a “huge game” for his side after they ended their six-match winless run in the Premier League.
Brentford went into the fixture needing a response after a frustrating spell of results, and delivered one at the Gtech Community Stadium. An own goal from Konstantinos Mavropanos gave Andrews’ side a first-half lead before Igor Thiago scored from the penalty spot and Mikkel Damsgaard added a composed late third.
West Ham had chances of their own, particularly before the break, but Brentford were more clinical in the key moments and managed the second half with greater control.
Speaking to Brentford’s media team after the match, Andrews said the afternoon carried major importance for his players.
“I’m not sure really where to start, to be honest,” Andrews said. “It was exactly that, really special. Loved the energy from the off.
“The fans were sensational, understanding of the magnitude of the game for us. I think a lot was made around the magnitude of the game for them. This was a huge game for us.”
That was a significant message from Andrews. West Ham’s position near the bottom of the table meant much of the pre-match focus was on the visitors, but Brentford had their own pressure to handle. Their European hopes had not disappeared, but another dropped result would have left the run-in looking far more difficult.
Andrews said he had made the importance of the game clear to the squad in the build-up.
He added: “Stressing to the players over the last few days the importance that we needed to win. We just needed to find the way to win. I feel like we performed pretty well and obviously we haven’t had the points that we feel we deserve. Nice to get the win.”
Brentford’s first-half performance had strong attacking moments, but it was not without risk. West Ham hit the woodwork and had a goal ruled out, with Andrews admitting some of their opportunities came from Brentford’s own mistakes.
The second half was where Brentford turned the match into a more complete result. Thiago’s penalty gave them breathing space, while Damsgaard’s late finish removed any remaining uncertainty.
“I thought we managed the second half really well,” Andrews said. “Game management from the players, the maturity, the subs that came on played a real part in managing the game and obviously getting the third goal just calmed everything down.”
That maturity mattered today. Brentford had produced several competitive displays during their six-game winless run, but this was a different kind of outcome. Twice in that spell they had been pegged back from winning positions and dropped points, so managing the lead properly against West Ham was significant.
This time, they found the first goal, survived moments of pressure, then controlled the game well enough after the break to finish with a clean sheet and a convincing scoreline. It was not just the win that mattered, but the way Brentford protected and built on their advantage.
Andrews felt Brentford deserved the win, even if he accepted there were moments that could have changed the rhythm of the game.
“I just think it was important to win the game,” he said. “We deserved to win the game. I don’t think there’s any doubt about that.”
For Brentford, the result offers more than three points. It gives Andrews’ side a reset after a difficult run, keeps them in the European conversation and provides a timely reminder that their performances can still be turned into wins when they manage the key moments properly.