Summer Series: Can Schade seize a spot in Brentford's attack?

With the Premier League Summer Series starting on Saturday 22 July in the USA, Adrian Clarke assesses the six clubs involved, highlighting the key questions that could be answered during the tournament.

Team analysis: Brentford

All eyes will be on how Brentford adapt to life without suspended striker Ivan Toney during the first half of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign.

Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo partnered each other up top in a 1-0 win against champions Manchester City on the final day of last season.

Will that be Thomas Frank’s first-choice pairing in attack in the absence of Toney?

We may get our first glimpse of how the Dane is thinking when the Bees take on west London rivals Fulham on Sunday in their Summer Series opener in Philadelphia.

Earlier this summer Brentford signed Germany international Kevin Schade from Freiburg, having initially brought him in on loan in January.

Although he failed to find the back of the net in 728 minutes of action last season, the wholehearted forward still impressed at times, showing glimpses of real potential.

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The 21-year-old, who is viewed as a top prospect in Germany, is especially strong in the air.

He did not operate down the centre of the pitch too often when Toney was in the side, but on a per-90 minute basis he was the Bees’ best aerial presence in forward areas.

Schade had more headed efforts than any other Brentford attacker and won more aerial duels.

Brentford attackers' aerial stats 2022/23

If Frank wants to stick with a target-man centre-forward, either in a 3-5-2 or 4-3-3, then Schade has an opportunity to make a starting berth his own.

It will be fascinating to see if he can make a positive impression during the Summer Series.

See: Frank: Summer Series is key to our preparations

Fantasy Premier League managers will certainly be watching with interest given Schade's £5.5m price tag and classification as a midfielder in the game due to the wide roles he has occupied in the past.

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It is hard to be too critical of a Brentford side that finished in ninth place as west London’s most successful club last season, improving their points tally by 13 on the previous campaign.

It was an outstanding achievement for a squad put together on a relatively low budget by their astute head coach and recruitment team.

Finishing with five wins in their last six matches, a run that included victories against Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Man City, they head into the Summer Series with fantastic confidence.

Brentford's Summer Series fixtures

See: Summer Series schedule

Going forward, despite the excellence of Toney and Mbeumo, there is scope for more development, though.

Sixteen of the team’s goals came from set-pieces, and seven more from the penalty spot, combining to make up 40 per cent of their total output.

In open play they did not always impose themselves as well as they might have done inside the final third.

Surprisingly, Brentford made the joint-fewest direct attacks last season, and ranked second-lowest for build-up attacks.

This impacted their ability to manufacture chances, so after 38 matches Nottingham Forest were the only side to have registered fewer shots than the Bees.

Lowest attacking stats 22/23

The Bees' results were not impacted too much because they managed a superb 18 per cent conversion rate, the fourth-best in the league. 

But over the long term they must develop a formula which helps them create more openings.

After having the summer to ponder fresh ideas, it will be interesting to see if Frank tweaks Brentford’s style of play against Fulham, Brighton & Hove Albion and Aston Villa on US soil.

See: Why Brentford are a club to target in Fantasy

Also in this series

Part 1: How will Torres improve Emery's defence?
Part 3: Can Brighton teenagers become key men?
Part 4: Will young Chelsea defenders make their mark?
Part 5: Willian deal allows Silva to now focus on defence
Part 6: Why Howe is targeting Barnes