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Over halfway through the campaign, The Bees are in dreamland.

With victories in five games, and a Brazilian striker netting the goals, suddenly supporters are dreaming of thoughts of trips to European capitals next season.

A convincing three-nil win over Sunderland moved their manager's side into fifth in the Premier League – a place that was sufficient to secure Champions League football last term.

Only leaders Arsenal have collected more points over the past six games.

There is a significant distance to go yet but the West London outfit are firmly in the fight for European football.

No one was forecasting this last summer.

The former head coach had left for Tottenham after a seven-year stint in charge, a period in which he had not only guided the club to the Premier League but also cemented them in the top flight.

Club captain Christian Norgaard left for Arsenal and goal-scoring duo two key forwards – who scored a combined of 39 goals in 2024-25 – were also sold, joining Manchester United and Newcastle United respectively.

Set-piece coach Andrews was promoted to succeed the Dane, while there was a notable absence of a centre-forward among the off-season arrivals.

A year of struggle, possibly even the drop, was forecast. But here we are in January with Brentford in the top five.

So, how have they managed it?

The Brazilian's Historic Season

Brentford's decision not to bring in another striker was in part down to timing, with Wissa's move not going through until the final day of the window.

But they also knew they had a £30 million striker already ready and waiting.

Igor Thiago joined from Belgium in July 2024 for a then club record fee, but was plagued by injury in his debut campaign, going without a goal in his initial outings.

The 24-year-old has set about compensating for lost time this season, though, with his double against Sunderland taking him to sixteen league goals – the highest tally by a player from Brazil in a single Premier League campaign.

Considering the fellow Brazilians who have preceded him, that is a remarkable feat, especially with seventeen matches remaining.

"He has been a revelation," pundit Danny Murphy said. "He's physically intimidating, quick, strong, but more skilled than people think. Excellent with his feet, either foot, he can score with both. You can see he's brimming with confidence. His statistics are incredible. He must be so pleased. That's a huge compliment to him."

That only a trio of global superstars have scored more in any of the continent's major leagues to this point highlights the level he is operating at.

And it is not just the quantity but the timing of the goals that have been so pivotal for his team.

His opener against the Black Cats was his seventh first goal of a game of the season. Given how often we are told the significance of the first goal in a game, having someone you can rely on to take that first big chance cannot be overstated.

Before the game against Sunderland, no player to have attempted at least 30 shots this season has a better shot accuracy rate than Igor Thiago's 59.1%.

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

Considering the struggles he had earlier in life, where he worked as a bricklayer to support his family following the death of his father, perhaps it should be unsurprising that high-stakes situations on the pitch is something he handles with ease.

"The recruitment team deserve a lot of credit for the type of players they bring in and personalities," Andrews said. "It is really notable. He is a really unique person who has adapted to 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 skill set constantly and we are discovering more and more about him. He is a pretty all-round centre-forward."

The Manager Showing Doubters Incorrect

Their star striker is the man of the moment but Brentford are not and have never been a one-man band.

While they had key individuals – a host of talent – 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 sum of Brentford's parts alone might not be enough to stay up.

Consequently, appointing their set-piece coach, with no previous managerial experience, and just a twelve months at the club was seen by those outside the club as a gamble.

A maiden role is a test for anyone, let alone when it comes in the Premier League and having made the jump from specialist coach to the manager's office.

But given that Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna was the only other alternative that the hierarchy looked at, they were clearly convinced they had the correct candidate.

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

The new boss won just one of his first 5 league games in charge but significant home victories against Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle have followed.

Wins that, following their brilliant recent form, could prove all the more important in the race for Europe.

"We are in fine fettle and playing really well. We are playing with bravery 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 pushing."

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

But, for now, Brentford are defying the odds. And the longer that lasts, the closer to reality those aspirations of Europe will become.