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Over the midpoint of the campaign, The Bees find themselves in fantasy land.

Following victories in five games, and a Samba striker banging in the goals, suddenly Bees fans find themselves drifting off with thoughts of trips to Milan, Munich and Barcelona next season.

A comprehensive 3-0 win over the Black Cats moved their manager's side into fifth in the Premier League – a place that was good enough to secure European football last term.

Solely table-toppers the Gunners have gathered more points over the past six games.

There's a significant distance to go yet but the West London outfit are firmly in the fight for continental football.

No one was forecasting this last off-season.

The former head coach had departed for Spurs after seven years in charge, a period in which he had not only guided the club to the Premier League but also established them in the top flight.

Skipper Christian Norgaard left for Arsenal and attacking duo two key forwards – who scored a total of 39 goals in 2024-25 – were out the door, joining United and Newcastle United respectively.

Set-piece coach Andrews was elevated to replace the Dane, while there was a notable absence of a centre-forward among the summer signings.

A year of difficulty, possibly even relegation, was widely predicted. But here we are in the new year with Brentford in the top five.

So, how did they pull it off?

Igor Thiago's Historic Campaign

The club's decision not to sign another striker was partly down to timing, with Wissa's move not being finalized until deadline day.

But they also knew they had a £30m striker already waiting to go.

The 24-year-old joined from Belgium in the summer for a then-record fee, but was hindered by fitness issues in his first campaign, going without a goal in his initial outings.

Thiago has gone about compensating for lost time this season, though, with his brace against the Wearside club taking him to sixteen league goals – the most by a player from Brazil in a single English top-flight campaign.

Considering the countrymen who have come before him, that is a remarkable feat, especially with seventeen matches remaining.

"He has been a breath of fresh air," former Liverpool midfielder an analyst said. "He's a physical specimen, fast, strong, but technically better than people think. Excellent with his feet, both feet, he can score off both. You can see he's brimming with confidence. These numbers are incredible. He must be so pleased. That's a huge compliment to him."

That only Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe have scored more in any of the continent's major leagues to this point shows the level he is playing at.

And it is not just the volume but the timing of the goals that have been so pivotal for Brentford.

His first goal against the opposition was his seventh opener of the season. Considering how often we are told the significance of the first goal in a game, having someone you can depend on to take that early opportunity cannot be underestimated.

Prior to the game against their opponents, no player to have attempted at least thirty efforts this season has a better shot accuracy rate than Igor Thiago's 59.1 percent.

He hits the target. Do that often enough and the goals will – and have – come.

Considering the hardships he had in his youth, where he labored in construction to support his family following the passing of his father, perhaps it should be unsurprising that pressure on the pitch is something he takes in his stride.

"The recruitment team deserve a lot of credit for the kind of players they bring in and personalities," the manager said. "It is really notable. He is a really special person who has fitted into life very well. He has had to forge this path. He has worked for his journey and toiled. He has got real determination about his personality. He is improving his abilities constantly and we are discovering more and more about him. He is a pretty all-round centre-forward."

The Manager Showing Sceptics Incorrect

Igor Thiago is the headline act but the team are not and have never been a one-man band.

While they had key individuals – Ivan Toney, Christian Eriksen, Mbeumo and Wissa – under Frank, they were always seen as a team stronger than the sum of their parts.

The fear was that once the manager left, that may not be the case, and that the collective quality of their parts alone might not be enough to avoid relegation.

Consequently, appointing their set-piece coach, with a blank managerial CV, and just a twelve months at the club was seen by those external observers as a gamble.

A first managerial job is a challenge for anyone, especially when it comes in the Premier League and having made the jump from set-piece coach to the top job.

But given that Ipswich Town manager one candidate was the only other option that Brentford looked at, they were clearly confident they had the right man.

So far, as often seems to be the case with the key decision makers at the club, it looks as if they were vindicated.

Andrews won just one of his first 5 league games in charge but significant home victories against Manchester United, Liverpool and the Magpies have since occurred.

Wins that, following their excellent recent run, could prove all the more important in the pursuit for European qualification.

"We're in fine fettle and playing really well. We are playing with courage and conviction in everything we do with and without the ball," he added. "We're pleased with how we are going but we want to keep striving."

In a league where the European spots and the lower mid-table are currently separated by just a handful of points, they have no other option, because things could quickly look very otherwise.

But, for now, The Bees are beating the predictions. And the longer that lasts, the closer to fruition those aspirations of Europe will become.