Thomas Frank admitted Brentford will have to do something remarkable to make 2022 better than this year but has urged his side to keep pushing to build on the success they have enjoyed over the last 12 months.
The Bees will play their final match of 2021 when defending champions and table-topping Manchester City visit on Wednesday night.
The year began with a first-ever appearance in a major cup semi-final when then-Championship Brentford lost 2-0 to Tottenham in the Carabao Cup.
Then followed promotion to the top flight for the first time in 74 years via the play-offs, and Frank’s side have wasted little time in looking comfortable in the Premier League, taking 20 points from 17 games, including victory over Arsenal and a pulsating 3-3 draw with Liverpool.
“We need to do something really special to beat this year,” Frank said. “Hopefully we can have a fantastic finish to this year and start the new year very well.
“Going into the best league in the world for the first time and getting back to the top-flight for the first time in 74 years is very special.
“We’ve continued doing well in the Premier League and that is quite remarkable. I am very proud and privileged that I’ve been part of that.”
Finishing the year on a high note will be an uphill challenge. City are in scintillating form, having won nine in a row in the league, with 17 goals in their last three games.
To make Brentford’s life harder, the Bees go into the game short on numbers due to a lengthy injury list, coupled with a positive Covid-19 test for Vitaly Janelt and a suspension for Christian Norgaard.
“We need to be smart,” Frank said. “A full-strength Chelsea team struggled against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge and that tells the whole story.
“We need to defend fantastically throughout the game with unbelievable mentality and structure. Then we need to pick our moments on the counter-attack as it will be the counter-attack, or set-pieces, where we can threaten them.
“These games against teams that are better than you, you need to defend very well and nail that low block. Then you need to counter. That will be the main idea. I don’t think that’s any secret; I don’t think (Pep Guardiola) is expecting anything else.
“In one game anything can happen. We’ve seen this season that City lost to Crystal Palace at home. Manchester City must have one of the best records against teams in the lower end of the table because they just dominate so much.”
Though the odds are against them, Frank will not accept anything less than a committed performance and belief that Brentford can get something from the match.
“I take it game by game and I want to do everything I can to get three points from this game,” he said.
“Maybe it is even more important to have a full-strength team against teams other than Manchester City because most likely you aren’t getting anything. I would have preferred not to be missing six of my normal starters, but it is what it is.
“We will put a team out that will run and fight. We will do everything we can to get three points.”
