Brentford manager Thomas Frank believes there is a lot to learn from his side’s 4-1 defeat to Southampton at St Mary’s on Tuesday night. 

Jan Bednarek’s early goal stunned the Bees, but they equalised through Vitaly Janelt and the game seemed more even suddenly, before Alvaro Fernandez’s own goal saw the home side take the lead at half-time. 

After the break it was more of the same as Armando Broja made it 3-1, before Che Adams finished the rout 20 minutes from time, leaving Brentford to go home with nothing. 

Frank said: “There’s a lot to learn from this game, Southampton are an experienced Premier League side but I think we are more even than we showed today which is why it’s so disappointing. 

“In a Premier League game if we’re not 100% at it every second of the game you can be trouble, which we saw tonight.” 

A positive for Frank and the travelling Bees supporters was Janelt’s equalising goal, although the ease with which the Saints regained the lead has frustrated him. 

“We came back into the game, scored a fantastic goal through Vitaly (Janelt), and then the 2-1 goal is so avoidable, it just kills you because you’ve just worked so hard to get back into the game,” said Frank.

“Then we adjust, go into half time and two minutes into the second half, they score and completely kill the game. 

“I think the first one is fair play to Southampton but the other three are avoidable. 

“A lot of it was the timing of the goals, they scored four goals from five chances, so in general we need to be 100% at it in future.” 

Looking ahead though, Frank is not disheartened, as Brentford prepare for a tough set of fixtures which sees them face Liverpool, Manchester United, Wolves and Manchester City next in the Premier League. 

He said: “I need to look inside and the players need to be better on the ball and better on the second balls.”