IT HAS been a tough start to the season for new Albion defender Jake Wright and it does not get any easier.
Walsall’s Peter Till gave the centre half turned left-back a few early problems at Withdean last Saturday.
Wright then had a torrid time in the first half at Swansea on Tuesday against the talented Nathan Dyer.
He had his name taken and was withdrawn by Russell Slade at the interval to protect him from the threat of a red card.
Now the six-figure signing from Crawley could face another tricky customer, with form already against the Seagulls, at Brentford today.
The promoted Londoners have added former Scunthorpe right winger Cleveland Taylor from Carlisle to their squad.
Wright only has to have a word in the ear of Adam El-Abd, his replacement at Swansea, to find out how difficult it can be keeping Taylor quiet.
The 5ft 8in Jamaican international scored and shone against El-Abd and Matt Richards in Albion’s 3-1 defeat at Carlisle last season.
Andy Scott’s patient pursuit of Taylor has finally paid off. The Brentford manager said: “I have been after Cleveland literally since this week last year.
“He is a quick and exciting winger who gives us an extra dimension and will provide some competition for Sam Saunders on the right.”
There is not much comfort in that appraisal for Wright but at least he and his team-mates will not be terrorised at Griffin Park by pint-sized former Crawley striker Charlie MacDonald.
Brentford’s top scorer last season dislocated a shoulder in March and is expected to be out until November.
Albion believe their own new right winger, Mark Wright, can be just as much of a threat to Brentford.
Midfielder Alan Navarro, Wright’s former MK Dons team-mate, said: “In the first season at MK he scored a lot of goals.
“In the second season the manager (Roberto Di Matteo) put him in and out but if you get him flying you have got a quality player.
“He’s got pace, he can take people on but, most importantly, he can score goals from out wide.”
Scoring goals has been a headache, both in Albion’s opening two games and in past league visits to Brentford. Ex-boss Dean Wilkins was the last Seagull to strike at Griffin Park, on Boxing Day 1995.
They have suffered four defeats since then, conceding an aggregate of 11 goals in the process.
Assistant manager Dean White said: “It’s a difficult place to go. We haven’t got a great record there.
“They play at a real tempo. We will have to be up for the task and I am sure we will be. We need to get some points on the board.
“I’m a bit disappointed we haven’t created a few more chances in the first two games but it is an inexperienced squad in terms of playing together.
“We need to get them to gel. It doesn’t happen overnight and we are rebuilding but we feel as though we are getting there. Today might be the time that it all comes together.”
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