If Brentford have a club motto, it’s probably: “Trust the Process. Ignore the Optics.”
Brentford have made their move. With Thomas Frank swapping the bees of west London for the lilywhites of north London, the club has turned inwards — handing the reins to Keith Andrews, the Republic of Ireland international and, until now, Brentford’s set-piece coach. Back in 2015, they binned off Mark Warburton after Brentford’s best finish in decades. They didn’t sign a striker to replace Neal Maupay, they made Ollie Watkins one. When Ivan Toney left, they doubled down on Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa. Two left-footed keepers? Sorted. Four left-footed defenders? Not a problem. It’s Brentford, they do things a little differently.
Andrews is no stranger to the pitch. With 35 caps for Ireland and a coaching CV that includes stints with Sheffield United, the Irish national team, and Milton Keynes Dons, he’s clocked up the miles. But this is his first senior head coach role — and in the Premier League no less.
For Brentford, it’s about continuity. “Keith’s not starting from scratch,” said Director of Football Phil Giles. “He knows the players, the culture, and the system — and he’s already respected inside the building.”
It’s Brentford. Of course they did this. So… what does it all mean for fantasy managers?
Brentford: Always One Step Ahead
Thomas Frank didn’t just leave a seat warm, he left a full instruction manual. And Andrews was in the room when it was written. He wasn’t just putting cones down last season. The Irishman helped lead the club’s season review alongside Frank and performance director Ben Ryan. His fingerprints were already on the game model. This isn’t a manager thrown into the deep end it’s a carefully measured handover.
Phil Giles (Brentford DoF) spelled it out:
“Keith isn’t starting from scratch. He’ll bring his own evolution. But the foundation is already there.”
It’s bold. It’s Brentford. And it might just be genius… again.
Set-Piece Royalty: The Real Reason He’s Here
Brentford were England’s original set-piece nerds. Before everyone else was hiring dead-ball analysts, they’d already created an assembly line of elite tactical obsessives.
Former Bees set-piece coaches:
-
Gianni Vio → Spurs → USA
-
Nicolas Jover → Man City → Arsenal
-
Andreas Georgson → Man Utd → Spurs
-
Bernardo Cueva → Chelsea
Add Keith Andrews to that Hall of Fame. In 2024/25, he was the man behind:
-
Goals straight from kick-offs — four of them in a row
-
League-best long throws — 6 goals from that route alone
-
Aggressive second-ball pressing patterns from set restarts
You want marginal gains? Brentford created the bakery everyone else is now buying their set-piece pie from.
FPL & Draft Fantasy: What Changes Under Andrews?
Let’s be honest, Andrews isn’t about to rip up the Brentford blueprint and go full Pep. This is evolution, not revolution. Expect the Bees to remain organised, defensively solid, and very set-piece savvy. But there are fantasy wrinkles worth watching:
Set-Piece FC Just Got Stronger
Andrews was the set-piece coach. So you can bet Brentford will continue to squeeze every drop out of corners, free-kicks, and long throws. Their delivery routines already carried high xG value — and under Andrews, it could get even deadlier.
Watchlist:
-
Mathias Jensen – reliable delivery, could top the league in set-piece assists.
-
Ben Mee / Ethan Pinnock – aerial monsters. Big value for bonus-point hoovers in draft formats.
-
Kristoffer Ajer: If he starts, he could be the cheeky differential in set-piece scenarios.
- Mikkel Damsgaard: Most frequent presser in the league. Sleeper pick for bonus returns in draft.
No Drastic Tactical Overhaul… Yet
Expect Brentford’s classic 4-3-3 or back-three flexibility to remain. But Andrews may push for:
-
More midfield rotation.
-
Slightly more conservative full-back positioning.
-
Greater focus on defensive structure first, especially with Thomas Frank’s high-press man now gone.
Who Might Suffer?
-
Yoane Wissa could find himself rotated more with the expected midfield shift.
-
Kevin Schade and the attacking fringe may need time to earn Andrews’ trust.
- Oh, and Andrews has never managed a senior team before.
The fixture gods weren’t kind either — the opening run includes Arsenal (A), West Ham (H), and Man United (A) within the first five GWs. One of Andrews’ biggest advantages is continuity. He knows this squad. He knows their routines. Unless he suddenly develops Big Bielsa Energy, we’re not expecting crazy changes.
StatrDraft’s Final Word: The Premier League’s Most Informed Gamble
Brentford don’t panic. They plan. Andrews isn’t a last-minute wildcard, he’s a spreadsheet-era, process-approved, data-backed decision. It’s what Brentford do. Andrews isn’t here to reinvent Brentford, he’s here to evolve it. That means smart fantasy managers should keep faith in core assets, especially in set-piece-heavy matchups, Brentford under Andrews could be sneaky gold in your draft.
He’s already coached, consulted, and shaped what this team does best: disrupt, unsettle, and punish the sloppy.
As ex-analyst Marc Orti Esteban told Sky:
“It’s not just about set-pieces. It’s aggression, timing, flooding zones — and scoring while the opposition are still waking up.”
But tread carefully with fringe attackers until we see how Andrews handles rotation and in-game tweaks. As a rookie Premier League boss, game management and adaptation will be where the pressure lands hardest.
Still… for a guy who once helped Ireland shut down world champions Italy, we’re not betting against him.
Watch the opening weeks. Scout the dead-ball routines. And as ever, get ready to play the Statr way and join the waiting list ahead of the latest Premier League Season.
Jon Harrison, July 2025
Comments are closed