Thomas Frank backs Brentford’s past play-off misery to help them reach Wembley
Bournemouth have injury worries after key duo Steve Cook and Ben Pearson limped out of the first leg.
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Your support makes all the difference.Thomas Frank believes Brentford’s play-off heartbreak last year will help them overturn Bournemouth’s first-leg lead.
The Bees, beaten play-off finalists last season, trail 1-0 going into Saturday’s return leg on home turf.
Frank said: “Everyone is fit, energised and ready, it’s almost like Christmas Eve.
“It’s different, but it helps us, it’s a tiny bit more calm, when you know what you’re facing.
“The experience will give us calmness and we know are a good team.
“It’s going to be crucial having the fans back in, where it comes into the fine margins.
“We need to win the next important moment, like a tackle. The team coolest in the next moments of the match will win the match.
“The atmosphere in this group is extremely good, and the confidence, but also extremely humble.
“We know we need to play a football match and play it well.”
Midfielder Josh Dasilva will be missing due to a hip injury but Frank has an otherwise full squad to pick from, including 31-goal top scorer Ivan Toney.
Bournemouth have injury worries after key duo Steve Cook and Ben Pearson limped out of the first leg.
Manager Jonathan Woodgate told his press conference: “Steve Cook is 50-50 for the game, so is Ben Pearson. Let’s see how they are.
“Cook is an important player like any other player, he’s the leader, he’s the captain but we’d have an equally good replacement coming in with Chris Mepham a Wales international.
“He was really good when he came on against Brentford in the second half I thought he was fantastic. It would be a loss injury-wise, but Meps is a really top player for us.
“The mentality is to try and win the game. We don’t want to sit back and try and soak the pressure up, that’s not us or how we play.
“We know they’re going to come out and try to win the game, I’ve heard Thomas Frank say after the game that they think they can win the game and maybe think we’re a bit scared – but let’s see how the game unfolds.
“They’ll have 4,000 fans there, so it’s going to be a big game and I’m really looking forward to it.”