Bournemouth Sets Unwanted Record as Brentford Maintains Unbeaten Streak
Bournemouth walked off with a point, a sense of frustration, and a slice of Premier League history they never wanted.
The draw leaves them 15th and makes them the first side ever to lead in each of their opening four league fixtures without winning a single one. Four fast starts. No victories. The pattern is starting to grate.
Even so, Rose refused to dwell on the statistic. Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, he chose to lean into the fight his players showed.
"We were behind for the first time this season, we reacted well, and lucky me, we didn't concede a late goal. We had more chances, more possession, we were the best team."
He knew exactly what his side had been up against.
"Brentford is a tough opponent, they are good for second balls and have quite big guys and ballers as well. I liked how we competed, the way we defended in most situations. I like the way we attacked, our attitude. We were unlucky in a couple of situations, so we just get a point."
That single point, hard-earned and a touch bittersweet, stretches Brentford’s unbeaten Premier League run against Bournemouth to nine matches. Five wins, four draws. The Bees simply do not lose to the Cherries in the top flight.
It also mirrors Brentford’s four-game unbeaten start from last season. Different campaign, same sturdy platform.
Yet Andrews, standing in the opposite technical area, cut a figure of mild dissatisfaction despite the record staying intact. He demanded more.
"I thought we could have done better. We did not hit the levels we set for ourselves," the Bees boss admitted.
The game plan, he suggested, never fully clicked.
"We come to a difficult place. They play a very specific way, and it was difficult to deal with at times. Equally, we did not make life easier for ourselves by certain things we were doing. Overall, I think it's a point game."
If Brentford fell short of their usual standard, one man still burned brightly. Andrews reserved his warmest words for his two-goal forward Schade, whose form is fast becoming a key storyline in Brentford’s season.
"He [Schade] was electric, he really has. The second he has come back in pre-season, the way he has attacked everything. He's in a good rhythm with his game. He looks very free at the moment, so long may that continue."
Bournemouth cling to the positives: resilience, control, chances created. Brentford cling to the numbers: unbeaten again, their grip on this fixture as tight as ever.
One side chasing a first win to match their performances. The other quietly building another solid start. How long before those early Bournemouth leads finally turn into something more?
