UWE ROSLER can’t wait to see the wide-open spaces of the Galpharm once again.
Brentford’s boss was a 3-1 winner as a Manchester City player on his last visit to the stadium back in March 1998.
And with his side performing better on the road than at Griffin Park this season, he believes the Bees can pass their way to victory tomorrow.
Even though Brentford are eighth in League I and pushing for the play-off positions, they were booed off after last week’s goalless draw against Walsall.
It was a third successive stalemate on home turf for a team who have picked up 20 of their 37 points this season in away games, despite having played two fewer than at home.
Rosler believes the surface at their West London ground, where Town won 4-0 in October, isn’t helping his cause.
“The pitch didn’t allow us to play the way we wanted to on Saturday. Players needed three touches to control the ball and didn’t have the time,” said the 43-year-old German who took over in the close-season after catching the eye in charge of a trio of Norwegian clubs.
“On a relatively small pitch as we have, you get closed down. Some players lost a little confidence on the ball and our game never really matched how we had trained.
“That is not a criticism of the groundsman. He is doing a terrific job. He inherited the pitch and needs time to get it right.
“When we play away from home the pitches are bigger and surprisingly for me in this league, they are very good. That is some explanation why we play better away from home.”
While handily placed in the table, the Bees haven’t won in six games, and former striker Rosler, who played internationally for the old East Germany, admitted Brentford remain a work in progress.
“I think it is very difficult to get technically very good players with an aggressive attitude and at a price which we can afford,” he said.
“But I am happy with the squad I have. We are building and started that last summer and continue that. I defend my players because there is no lack of desire.”
Bees fans will be keen to see whether highly-rated centre-back Karleigh Osborne is involved.