How Toney transforms Brentford at both ends of the pitch

Adrian Clarke looks at key tactical points and players who can be influential in Matchweek 22.

Player analysis - Ivan Toney

Brentford are a significantly stronger side when their starting XI contains Toney, and his successful return against Nottingham Forest last weekend outlined why.

The Bees' skipper scored with a well-taken direct free-kick in that 3-2 success, but it was his intelligent movement, distribution and physicality which stood out most.

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Showing very few signs of rust, despite spending eight months on the sidelines, Toney was a consistent outlet for his team-mates, expertly knitting moves together.

Based on what he showed in that contest, the Brentford striker will be a handful for Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur to contain on Wednesday.

Gliding away from his markers

One of Toney’s great strengths is his ability to peel away from central defenders.

Inside the box this trait helps him score goals, and in general play that natural awareness of where the space is helps his side move the ball from back to front with quality.

Against Nott'm Forest he was adept at drifting off the shoulder of his markers, usually but not exclusively to the right-hand side.

Backpedalling into pockets of space before his markers were set, he regularly gave midfielders an option to find him with a pass.

Here are a couple of examples from that encounter where Toney helped to set up attacks by stepping into a right-wing berth.

Spurs left-back Destiny Udogie will need to be wary of the England international making moves to occupy his domain.

Early in the second half Toney floated into a terrific half-space area between Forest’s full-back and central midfield to turn and deliver a wonderful cross for Keane Lewis-Potter, who was unlucky not to score.

The Bees' star also recognises when to drop into space between the lines, where he is capable of producing quality like a top-class No 10.

Playing up front in a 3-5-2 strike pairing with Neal Maupay, a forward who wants to run in behind the last man, is an ideal way for him to take up these positions, as the Frenchman likes to stay as far forward as possible.

During the Forest game there was a moment late on in the match where Toney went short to then spin into space with a bright diagonal run (see below).

Knowing where the patch of empty grass was, he was able to look up and pick out a through-ball for Maupay to chase.

Spurs' aggressive central defenders are not shy of following strikers into midfield, but Toney’s spatial awareness will test them.

Going direct

Brentford 'keeper Mark Flekken had made only two successful long passes into a forward in their previous two Premier League matches.

Toney’s strength and hold-up play allowed him to try lengthier passes more often and he successfully found the returning striker five times with lofted aerial clips into his head, chest or feet.

The Bees’ tally of 31 successful long passes was their third highest total of the campaign.

Flekken's successful passes to Toney

Thomas Frank’s skipper may have only won two of seven aerial duels, but he did unsettle defenders with his trademark tenacity.

Over the course of 90 minutes Toney was fouled four times, winning Brentford free-kicks in good areas of the pitch.

If his markers get too tight and lose out in those physical tussles, he is a player that naturally draws fouls.

Useful at both ends of the pitch

Plenty has been said and written about how Toney moved the ball before curling a free-kick around the wall to beat Matt Turner last weekend.

The debate it created should not detract from the technical quality of the strike, which outlined his class inside the final third.

The 27-year-old also proved to be very useful in the other half of the field too.

Outstanding in the air and always competitive, Toney made several important clearances and ball recoveries when coming back to defend set-pieces.

Toney's defensive performance v Spurs

His aerial prowess will be of assistance at Spurs, who have already scored nine goals from set-plays this season.

Dangerous and elusive

Toney will test Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven’s decision making in this London derby.

He tends to drift left and right, rarely receiving passes in central areas, so the Spurs centre-backs will have to decide when to follow him, and when to pass him on.

The talismanic Brentford forward will want more efforts on goal this time (the goal was from his only shot of the game), but even if he does not get too many sights of goal, Toney still has plenty to offer the rest of the team.

His presence definitely makes this a sterner examination for Spurs.

Also in this series

Part 2: How Mac Allister has embraced role as Liverpool's chief destroyer