Express & Star

Preview: Brentford boss Dean Smith not surprised by Wolves' good start

On paper, Wolves face their easiest league fixture so far this season tomorrow – but Dean Smith’s Brentford are surely in a false position.

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The Bees currently sit bottom of the Championship pile after picking up just one point from four matches.

But a 4-1 Carabao Cup victory over QPR on Tuesday might just be the result to get Brentford’s campaign up and running.

Smith certainly hopes so.

“There are certainly a lot of smiles on faces after Tuesday night,” he said.

“It was a good win and a good performance for us. The players have deserved that with a number of performances this season.

“For it to come against our local rivals is always pleasing. I was keen to stress to the players about not losing the belief or confidence.

“I felt that we had a lot of belief in what we were doing but we just weren’t getting the results.”

The Bees have been hit by a number of injuries in the opening weeks of the campaign with Jota, Sergi Canos and Rico Henry all absent of late.

But the trio are close to returning and Jota, for whom the club have turned down a number of offers, could feature tomorrow.

“Rico Henry is very close while Jota and Sergi Canos are back training with us,” Smith added.

“That is a big boost for everyone. The two Spanish boys bring a big goal threat with them.

“Speaking to the directors of football there have been a couple of bids from a couple of different clubs for Jota – none of them are anywhere near the value that we put on him.

“The football club have stood firm before and they will certainly do so again unless that valuation is met.

“Jota is good and trained today. We asked him if he was ready for Saturday and he said that he was looking forward to it.”

Wolves endured miserable successive trips to Griffin Park, losing 4-0 and 3-0 in 2014/15 and 2015/16 – and last season looked set to follow the same pattern with Paul Lambert’s team 1-0 down with five minutes to go, before a dramatic late comeback led to a 2-1 win.

Smith is expecting a tough test.

“They have started the season really well,” he added.

“It is not unexpected to be honest. They have spent a lot of money and signed some really good players in the likes of Ruben Neves and Diogo Jota.

“They have some very good players in their ranks now and it would be very much a different team to the one we played last season.

“The fact that they haven’t changed their team once in four league games this season tells you how they might go against us. It is about concentrating on us and what we do.”

Likely line ups

Brentford (4-2-3-1): Bentley; Dalsgaard, Dean, Barbet, Henry; Mokotjo, Yennaris; Jota, Sawyers, Watkins; Maupay.

Wolves (3-4-3): John Ruddy; Batth, Coady, Boly; Doherty, Neves, Saiss, Douglas; Enobakhare, Bonatini, Jota. Subs: Norris, Bennett, Miranda, Price, Ronan, Cavaleiro, Dicko.

Brentford key man – Jota

Spanish wing wizard who scored 12 goals in just 23 appearances last season including a hat-trick in a 4-2 win over Rotherham. The 26-year-old former Celta Vigo player had left Griffin Park for personal reasons to play for Eibar on loan but returned in January to relive his 2014/15 form. An in-demand forward.

Wolves key man – Diogo Jota

Helder Costa was Wolves’ match-winner on their last visit here and Diogo Jota could make the difference this time in the battle of the Jotas.

Memory lane

Matt Doherty and Helder Costa scored late goals as Wolves came from behind in dramatic style to win 2-1 at Griffin Park back in March.