Brentford have suffered yet another injury blow with the news that Ben Mee will miss the rest of the season with an ankle fracture, leaving Thomas Frank without his entire regular back four.
Mee was substituted just after the hour mark of Brentford’s 4-2 defeat to West Ham on Monday, the Bees’ 10th loss in their last 12 Premier League games.
He will join fellow defenders Ethan Pinnock, Rico Henry and Aaron Hickey in missing the remainder of the campaign, adding to Frank’s woes as the Bees face up to the prospect of a relegation battle.
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Speaking at a press conference to preview Saturday’s West London derby against Chelsea, Frank said: “It’s our entire back four from last season now out.
“Ben Mee got a fracture to his ankle against West Ham and is out for the rest of the season.
“Sky ran a story and we have had the second-most injuries in the league, with the way they calculated it.”
Thomas Frank with the latest on Ben Mee
“Unfortunately, Ben Mee is injured and out for the rest of the season. That is our entire back four out. He got a fracture to his ankle in the contact at West Ham”
We’re all supporting you, Ben ???? pic.twitter.com/EhMLNOzObT
— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) March 1, 2024
Brentford sit five points clear of the relegation zone, having played one game more than 18th-placed Luton Town, and Frank says no analysis of their season can be complete without a mention of their injury troubles.
“Last year, around this time, we were on a 12-game unbeaten run and everyone thought, ‘wow, Brentford are the best’,” Frank said.
“We still have the same staff, same owner, the same very good players, so why have we now lost 10 out of 12?
“Sometimes the performances were not as good, sometimes it was fine margins, sometimes momentum going against us, and definitely injuries.
“If you look at key players, I have potentially seven starters out: the back four, Bryan [Mbeumo], Kevin [Schade] and Josh Dasilva. We have a good squad, we have good players, but that makes it a little bit more tough.
“It’s up to me and the players to find a way out of it, and we will. We are ready to fight.”
Into our MD-1 work ????
???? @ivantoney24 pic.twitter.com/Z1AEGVLb2V
— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) March 1, 2024
