Fulham give Bees new boys the runaround (From Your Local Guardian)

Fulham give Bees new boys the runaround

10:26am Friday 16th July 2010 in Sport By Stuart Amos

Brentford's new boys have been left in no doubt as to the work needed to be done, according to boss Andy Scott.

The Bees fielded a brand new back five for the first half against Fulham on Wednesday and were handed a lesson by the Europa League finalists at Griffin Park.

Full-backs Craig Woodman and Michael Spillane, goalkeeper Richard Lee and centre-back David McCracken all started the match, but returned to the dressing room with a 3-0 deficit at the break.

It was the first time the quartet had linked up in a game and it sparked what would become a 5-0 mauling - thanks to goals from Chris Baird, David Elm, Damien Duff, Eddie Johnson and Simon Davies.

But Scott insists he wouldn't have had it any other way.

“It was difficult for them, but the more they play with each other the better,” he said.

“If we had hidden them by putting one or two into an established back four then we wouldn't have seen where the work was needed.

“I wanted to see where the deficiencies were and what they were doing wrong.

“They've been doing things right at their previous clubs, but that is not the way we do things and that has to change.

“The only way to see that was to expose them a little bit. It is perhaps not the greatest way of doing it, but it gets the fastest results.

“I think they realise that work needs to be done and from seeing them in the dressing room at half-time it is obvious they understand what is required.”

Scott's squad is still a work in progress with the Griffin Park chief expecting to bring two or three new faces by the weekend.

A move for Peterborough United's Toumani Diagouraga is a deal that is still not dead with the Frenchman a face in the stand for the Fulham mauling.

“There are still areas where we think we are a little bit light,” added the manager.

“We've been moving a few things along fairly quickly and hopefully they will come to fruition.

“Peterborough's numbers don't start with the same ones as ours.

“It is one that may or may not happen, but it has been like that for the last three months. He came to watch the game and see what happens.”

Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was also an interested onlooker as he took a seat with the Brentford fans in Braemar Road.