How Toney took centre stage to shine on Brentford return
Rarely, if ever, has the Brentford Community Stadium hummed with such anticipation. It’s a ground that’s still practically newborn - it only opened in 2020 - but it’s one that’s already seen some incredible things: a thumping win over Arsenal for the 2021/22 Premier League season opener; a riveting playoff semi-final win over Danjuma’s AFC Bournemouth; and the glorious return of Christian Eriksen to a football pitch.
And yet, Ivan Toney’s first game back from an eight-month suspension might have just topped the lot. It really was the only show in town - something Toney himself made absolutely sure of. He spent the week leading up to the match offering various interviews and delivering killer lines, even going so far as stating "it's obvious I want to play for a top club" when asked about a January transfer. It was like Super Bowl media week… but for Brentford vs. Nottingham Forest, and all the questions were about one player.
The pressure that built up on Toney’s return performance was incredible. Some likely considered him mad for drawing such an intense gaze upon a game he was likely never going to be fully fit or sharp for, but then again: That’s Toney all over. A veneer of extreme confidence punctuates every single thing he does in life, which we catch glimpses of in his achingly slow penalty run-ups and abrasive goal celebrations.
Heading into Saturday’s bout with Forest, we’d all seen the clips of Toney scoring in behind closed doors friendlies and against youth sides. That suggested a certain level of sharpness, but the step-up from that to a Premier League game is high. He couldn’t just waltz in and pick up where he left off, eight months ago, could he?
Short answer: Yes. Yes he could.
His free-kick goal has sparked much debate, as it’s clear he bends the rules to breaking point by moving the ball to create a better angle to beat the (badly set-up) wall, but that’s Toney to a tee: Clever, inventive, willing to colour outside the lines. His touch map from the game hands us a lovely reminder of how unconventional he can be. For a "target man," that sure is a whole lot of touches outside of the central column of the pitch.
He totalled two key passes and one big chance created, along with one tackle and one interception. That’s a nice rounded performance on the stat sheet, showcasing a bit of everything from a forward that can, well, do a bit of everything.
The real allure of this returning performance, though, was the aura it carried. Every time he touched the ball, it felt like something might happen; listen attentively enough and you might have been able to hear bums sliding forward onto the edges of their seats when he was on the ball.
Take a step back and consider Brentford’s form - Toney helped them snap a five-game losing streak on Saturday - and that does make some sense. Without him, Bryan Mbeumo and a handful of others, football games have been tough for the Bees of late. They’ve lacked a threat and, to some extent, lacked a bit of belief.
Toney changes that, giving them an X-factor in attack that’s been missing for a little while. Brentford fans are rightly over the moon that he’s back, although likely won’t enjoy the intense speculation over his immediate future. Because that’s the flipside of this coin: Everyone saw his return. Everyone was impressed.
