Keith Andrews – Taking Brentford’s Analytical Approach Forward

Jack Whelan - 11th December 2025

Credit - Sky Sports

Brentford have found themselves using data and a savvy recruitment model which has reaped its rewards, keeping the West London outfit in the Premier League for four seasons prior. Despite this, there was an array of questions posed to Brentford at the start of the season following the loss of key members of staff and players.

After the departure of Thomas Frank to Tottenham, the pressure of appointing the correct manager with the three promoted teams looking stronger than the previous two years was massive. Pair this with the departure of star duo Mbeumo and Wissa, and Brentford were perceived to have a vital summer to prepare for a relegation battle.

The appointment of Dublin-born Keith Andrews was met with a mass of scrutiny. Andrews was seen as lacking experience, having progressed through the Brentford system, going from Set-Piece coach to the vacant head coaching role.

In his first season as a head coach after stints as an Assistant Manager at Sheffield United, MK Dons, and the Republic of Ireland, Andrew was expected to struggle and was considered the favourite to go down after the three newly promoted sides. Andrews has quietly begun to enjoy some success at Brentford, however, picking up wins against Manchester United, Liverpool and West Ham.

Andrews’ experience as a set-piece coach has shone through with the implementation of the highly discussed long-throw. Not only a massive threat due to the lack of offside and chaos that it can cause, but it’s also an incredible means to waste time, too, which can be crucial for a team that likes to sit back after taking a lead, like Brentford has displayed this season.

Despite their proficiency in set pieces, Brentford have only gotten two goals from set pieces this season; their lowest return for set pieces at 14% of their goals have come from such. Showing tactical nous throughout this season and a willingness to change personnel, Andrews’ side has grown in confidence and has emerged as a difficult team to play against.

To examine just the set up for the Manchester United game, Brentford displayed the formation as a 4-3-3 in the lead-up but in the game when set up in their defensive shape as a 5-2-3, with Kayode dropping into the right centre back area and Ouattaro dropping back to mark Dorgu in defensive phases which worked well alongside the front five being compact and forcing Manchester United to go wide. With the defensive solidity and the aforementioned threat of Henderson’s long balls, Brentford would nullify United mostly while capitalising on two counterattack chances, beating the Manchester club 3-1.

A Snapshot of Brentford’s Defensive shape Against Manchester United  

There is no better showcase for this than after Man City’s nervy 1-0 victory over Brentford, Haaland made the comparison of this Brentford team and the Stoke City team that utilised similar tactics and Irish international Rory Delap.  

Andrews has implemented a rigid system where counter-attacking phases are seen to be considerably important. Effective use of this has shown itself in the Man United and Liverpool games,where the signing of Jordan Henderson has allowed Brentford to launch diagonal long balls to quickly transition between phases.  

Henderson has been one of many players who have benefited from this shift of the system. Igor Thiago, who was signed from Club Brugge last season, did not get the chance to play due to injury. This injury has seemingly had little effect on the Brazilian striker, considering he has had a fruitful campaign thus far, bagging six goals, meaning he is second on the top goal-scorer list,joint with Semenyo.  

Of course, it would be ignorant not to evaluate how well run Brentford have been, using their “Moneyball” approach to punch above their weight by using data to decide who would be a suitable purchase.  The owner of Brentford, Matthew Benham, had established a sports betting company that allowed him to grow his wealth, subsequently buying the club he was a lifelong fan of. 

From the founding of the club, we can see the roots of where Brentford would become the club that they today. Benham uses data to inform bettors which markets would be the most optimal to bet on.  From here we can see the mind of Benham and how he has shaped the club, introducing data into recruitment and alongside the development of AI as a tool for performance or recovery.  

Using underlying metrics before other clubs, such as xG, to scout for players to replace their outgoings. The club itself has received huge fees for players and has replaced them efficiently,spending a fraction of what they have sold players for.  Some key successes of this strategy have been Ivan Toney, who was purchased from Peterborough, who would go on to bag 20 goals in his second Premier League season. Watkins, who was purchased from Exeter before being sold to Aston Villa became a stalwart in their front line and a perennial England national team feature in recent years.  

The recruitment in the last summer will prove to be a success for the club too; losing Wissa and Mbeumo so late in the window put a lot of doubt on Brentford. Brentford managed to snap up Kelleher, Kayode and Henderson, who have all made immediate impacts. Overall, the average age of signings for Brentford is 23.5 compared to the outgoings of 25.6. Between this factor and net spend, which lies at -56.6 million, shows the advantages of the data-driven system of Brentford in full swing.  

Seeing the data dedicated to Brentford’s sustained success, it’s a wonder that anyone doubted their decision-making process when they decided to promote Andrews to the head coaching role over the summer.  However, time will tell if his success is down to how Brentford have established themselves as a smart, forward-thinking club or if Andrews will establish himself as a notable place in football management. From what is seen so far, it looks promising for the former Ireland international.