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Over halfway through the campaign, The Bees are in a dream scenario.

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

A emphatic three-nil win over Sunderland moved Keith Andrews' side into fifth in the top flight – a position that was sufficient to secure Champions League football last season.

Only table-toppers the Gunners have gathered more points over the past half-dozen matches.

There's a significant distance to go yet but Brentford are squarely in the battle for continental football.

No one was envisioning this last summer.

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

Club captain Christian Norgaard left for the North London club and goal-scoring duo two key forwards – who scored a total of 39 goals in 2024-25 – were out the door, joining Manchester United and Newcastle respectively.

Specialist coach Andrews was elevated to succeed Frank, while there was a notable absence of a centre-forward among the off-season arrivals.

A season of struggle, possibly even the drop, was widely predicted. Yet here we are in the new year with the club in the upper echelons.

So, what is behind their success?

The Brazilian's Record-breaking Season

Brentford's decision not to sign another striker was partly down to timing, with one forward's move not going through until the final day of the window.

But they also knew they had a £30m striker already chomping at the bit.

Igor Thiago joined from Belgium in July 2024 for a then club record fee, but was plagued by fitness issues in his debut campaign, going goalless in his initial outings.

Thiago has gone about compensating for lost time this season, though, with his double against the Wearside club taking him to 16 league goals – the most by a player from Brazil in a single English top-flight campaign.

Given the fellow Brazilians who have come before him, that is some accomplishment, especially with seventeen matches remaining.

"He's been a breath of fresh air," former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy said. "He's a physical specimen, quick, powerful, but more skilled than people think. Good with his feet, both feet, he can score with both. You can see he's full of confidence. His statistics are fantastic. He must be so proud. That's a huge compliment to him."

That only a trio of global superstars have scored more in any of Europe's top five leagues to this point highlights the standard he is operating at.

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

His first goal against the Black Cats was his 7th opener of the season. Considering how often we are told the importance 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 their opponents, no player to have attempted at least 30 shots this season has a better shot accuracy rate than the striker's 59.1 percent.

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

Given the hardships he had earlier in life, where he labored in construction to support his family following the passing of his father, perhaps it should be unsurprising that high-stakes situations 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 characters," Andrews said. "It is really impressive. He is a really special person who has adapted to life very well. He has had to forge this path. He has earned his journey and grafted. He has got serious grit about his personality. He is developing his abilities constantly and we are learning more and more about him. He is a largely all-round centre-forward."

Andrews Showing Sceptics Incorrect

Igor Thiago is the man of the moment but Brentford 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 concern 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 stay up.

As a result, appointing their set-piece coach, with no previous managerial experience, and just a twelve months at the club was seen by those external observers as a huge risk.

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 manager's office.

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

To date, as often seems to be the case with the key decision makers at the club, it looks as if they were correct.

The new boss won just one of his first five league games in charge but big home victories against United, the Reds and the Magpies have followed.

Results that, following their excellent recent run, could prove increasingly important in the race for European qualification.

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

In a league where fourth and 15th are currently separated by just a handful of points, they have little choice, because things could quickly look very different.

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