Brentford 2022/23: The team with the best defensive behavior in the Premier League – scout report

This season, the Premier League has presented two unique examples of teams that have shown that success can come either through attractive, possession-based football or a compact, defensive approach. Brighton and Hove Albion and Brentford. Two teams with different approaches but with identical success in results.

Brentfords efforts to secure a place in next years UEFA Europa League or UEFA Conference League were commendable. They have a strong squad, a skilled manager, and impressive performances, making them serious contenders for European qualification for a significant part of this season.

The title of the article may be slightly misleading. There is a need to explain why we considered Brentford as the best defending team, even though its not the best team in the league in terms of goals conceded.

This tactical analysis will look to provide a comprehensive scout report of some of the defensive principles and tactics deployed by Thomas Frank’s side.

Brentford in numbers

In terms of pure numbers, Brentford has the eighth-best record for goals conceded in the Premier League.

To evaluate defensive behaviour, we need to categorise the teams into two big groups: possession-based and non-possession-based teams.

Over the last 15 years, and after the appearance of Pep Guardiola in world football, a new trend has emerged in how teams defend: defending with the ball. In simple words, the team with the ball does not have to defend, thus minimising the danger of conceding a goal. On the other hand, teams that are unable to retain possession for extended periods during a game are not destined to concede goals and lose matches. If these teams can excel in the art of defending without the ball, they will also succeed.

To find the be