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More than the midpoint of the season, The Bees are in dreamland.

With four wins in their last five outings, and a Brazilian striker banging in the goals, suddenly Bees fans are envisioning thoughts of trips to European capitals next season.

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

Only table-toppers Arsenal have accumulated more points over the past six games.

There's a long way to go yet but Brentford are squarely in the race for continental football.

No one was forecasting this last summer.

Thomas Frank had left for Tottenham after seven years in charge, a period in which he had not only got the club to the Premier League but also cemented them in the top flight.

Skipper Christian Norgaard left for Arsenal and goal-scoring duo two key forwards – who scored a total of thirty-nine goals in the previous campaign – were also sold, joining United and Newcastle respectively.

Specialist coach Keith Andrews was promoted to replace Frank, while there was a notable absence of a centre-forward among the summer signings.

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

So, how did they pull it off?

The Brazilian's Record-breaking Season

Brentford's decision not to bring in another striker was in part down to circumstance, with one forward's move not being finalized until deadline day.

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

Igor Thiago joined from Club Brugge in July 2024 for a then-record fee, but was hindered by injury in his first campaign, going goalless in his initial outings.

Thiago has gone about making up for lost time this season, though, with his brace against Sunderland taking him to sixteen league goals – the most by a Brazilian in a single English top-flight campaign.

Given the countrymen who have come before him, that is some accomplishment, especially with 17 games remaining.

"He has been a revelation," former Liverpool midfielder an analyst said. "He is a physical specimen, fast, powerful, but technically better than people think. Excellent with his feet, both feet, he can score with both. You can see he's full of confidence. These numbers are fantastic. He must be so proud. That's a big 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 level he is operating at.

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

His first goal against the opposition was his 7th opener of the season. Given 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 Igor Thiago's 59.1%.

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

Given the hardships he had in his youth, where he labored in construction to support his family following the death of his father, perhaps it should be no surprise that high-stakes situations on the pitch is something he takes in his stride.

"The recruitment team deserve a lot of praise for the type of players they bring in and personalities," Andrews said. "This is really notable. He is a really special person who has adapted to life very well. He has had to earn this path. He has worked for his journey and toiled. He has got real determination about his personality. He is developing his abilities constantly and we are discovering more and more about him. He is a largely complete centre-forward."

Andrews Showing Sceptics Incorrect

Their star striker is the headline act but the team are not and have never been a single-player team.

While they had key individuals – a host of talent – under Frank, they were always seen as a team more effective than the individual components.

The concern was that once the Dane left, that may not be the case, and that the sum of Brentford's parts alone might not be enough to avoid relegation.

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 maiden role 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 alternative that Brentford looked at, they were clearly confident they had the right man.

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

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

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

"We're in fine fettle and playing really well. We are playing with bravery and belief in everything we do with or without the ball," he added. "We're happy 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 different.

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