Keith Andrews: Brentford squad is in a good place ahead of Spurs opener

BEES ARE BUZZING: Brentford head coach Keith Andrews is confident his squad is “in a good place” as they prepare to face big-spending Tottenham in their first game of the new Premier League season. Pic: Lucas Bronchart/Sportsfile

Brentford head coach Keith Andrews is confident his squad is “in a good place” as they prepare to face big-spending Tottenham in their first game of the new Premier League season.

Spurs are set to take their own summer spend beyond the £300millon mark with the expected arrival of Brazil winger Savinho from Manchester City, while talks also continue over a deal for forward Omar Marmoush.

The Bees – who finished ninth last season, just missing out on European qualification – may have seen England midfielder Jordan Henderson leave for Chelsea, but Andrews believes the arrivals of Jaidon Anthony and Callum Wilson along with Jannik Schuster and a club-record £41m move for Mali midfielder Mamadou Sangare will stand the club in good stead for the challenges ahead.

“The squad is in a good place,” Andrews said at a press conference. “We knew where we were last season and knew we were keen to add in certain areas.

“We have brought four players in from other clubs, and we are really happy with the business that we have done.”

Andrews added: “The squad depth that we have now is better than we had 12 months ago. We were already a team that has really good cohesion, a really good understanding of the way we want to play the game.

“We have started (this year) from a much better place. The players are in a good place and very, very ambitious to achieve something special this season.”

Defender Sepp van den Berg is set for a spell out as he manages a groin issue, while midfielder Antoni Milambo continues his rehabilitation from an ACL knee injury. Bees left-back Josh Stephenson, 20, who was promoted to the first-team squad over the summer, has been loaned out to Crewe until January.