Brentford suffered a huge setback after their main player, Ivan Toney, received a ban for breaching betting rules. The striker is out of action and will play his first game next year. These were worrying signs for the manager, as Toney was a prolific goal scorer and single-handedly won games for his team. His absence has affected the gameplay, but the Bees have other players who fill in the gap left by Toney’s absence.
His striking partner, Bryan Mbeumo, has stepped up and is the new leader in the attack. The 24-year-old talented forward has been a decent player for Brentford and is playing a huge role in keeping his team in mid-table. Let’s take a look at some of the stats from his current and last seasons.
Goalscorer & Creator
The 24-year-old is playing his third season in the English Premier League. In the first season, Mbeumo scored four goals and created seven. He improved massively in the 2022–23 season. The Cameroon forward scored nine times and created eight goals for his teammates.
Bryan Mbeumo is a set-piece taker and is also decent with his deliveries into the penalty box. Last season, he provided 43 shot assists, and most of these passes landed around the six-yard line. Ivan Toney was on the end of these passes and converted a few chances. Mbeumo averaged 3.1 passes into the opposition penalty box per 90 minutes and had a 44.4% accuracy rate.
The forward chipped in with nine crucial goals. Averaging two shots per 90 minutes, Mbeumo attempted 70 shots in total and had a 44.3% accuracy rate. He scored every goal from inside the opposition’s penalty box. A typical left-footer, Mbeumo targeted the far post of the goalkeeper.
Life without Toney
Bryan Mbeumo has made a decent start to the 2023–24 campaign. He has a new striking partner in Yoane Wissa. Brentford often played with a front three when Toney was in the team. Wissa played on the left wing.
The Cameroonian has scored four goals, with two coming from the penalty spot. His accuracy has been good at 60%, and the xG per shot has seen a significant increase.
The 24-year-old likes to take on defenders and has the speed to get past them. In the current campaign, Mbeumo has made 10 progressive runs from his preferred left wing. Most of these runs were diagonal and made to penetrate the opposition’s penalty box. His dribble success rate is decent at 58%.
Mbeumo is also a good crosser of the ball. He has attempted 24 crosses, and 12 have found a teammate. The above viz shows that some of these crosses have found a teammate on the edge of the six-yard box. He is unlucky to not register an assist. Had Toney been in the squad, Mbeumo would have had two or three assists to his name.
Not only Bryan Mbeumo, but the whole Brentford squad has adjusted well. The 24-year-old has taken on responsibilities and is meeting the expectations of many. He is waiting for his partner to return, but till then, the player has to play a key role for the Bees.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
