Brentford news: Opinion – Kevin Schade ‘needs to improve decision-making’

We have been asked this week to say who at our club needs to step up for the rest of the season.

Nobody at Brentford has really been playing poorly this campaign – but as I have to pick someone, one man who could improve in a certain area is Kevin Schade.

There is no doubt that this is his best season for the Bees so far. He has played in every league game – starting 17 and coming on as a substitute in the other 12 – and is third top scorer with seven goals. He also has two assists to his name.

Schade has also taken on the role previously undertaken by Ivan Toney of being the target for goal-kicks or goalkeeper clearances when we go long, as he is great in the air and wins those flick-ons.

However, the area in which he could do better is his decision-making.

Schade is a brilliant, instinctive player – it seems that when he doesn’t have time to think, the quality of his finishes is superb. Good recent examples of this came when he scored at both Southampton and Crystal Palace.

However, when he runs at defences down the left wing and gets into the area, the extra time to think almost gives him too much choice and often he gets caught trying to decide whether to shoot or cross – and ends up doing neither.

You end up thinking that if he received a pass in the area, rather than running in there himself, what he did next with the ball would be of high quality.

Despite this, there is no doubt that Schade, our record signing when joining in 2023, is a huge talent.

Find more from Ian Westbrook at Beesotted podcast