Thomas Frank backs Kevin Schade to shine for Brentford after Yoane Wissa injury blow

Brentford head coach Thomas Frank believes Kevin Schade is well placed to fill the void left by injury to Yoane Wissa.

Wissa has been sidelined until November with an ankle problem sustained in last weekend's defeat to Manchester City - the eighth player now unavailable.

Schade has been restricted to just 18 appearances since his £22million summer 2023 move after an adductor injury forced him to miss seven months of last season, but he has started four of their six fixtures in the current campaign.

"Kevin is in a good place. He's getting into good positions and has been a little bit unlucky," Frank told a press conference ahead of the trip to Tottenham.

"He hit the post against Southampton and Bryan (Mbeumo) scored - that was a good action.

"He had a fantastic run with the ball and finish against Leyton Orient (in midweek) which was saved by the keeper, and then Fabio Carvalho scored with a bicycle kick.

"So, he's getting into those positions and doing a lot of good stuff for us. I think he can do more but I'm pleased with his progress.

"Both Kevin and Wissa are good at running in behind; Kevin is obviously quicker. Both are good in the air; I think Kevin is a little bit better.

"Wissa probably links the game a bit better; Kevin is a better pressing player. So there are different pros and cons."

Frank has not looked for excuses on the injury front and with two Premier League wins in line with expectations after travelling to both Liverpool and Manchester City in the first four matches of the season.

"When it rains, it definitely pours. They are unlucky injuries; they are not because we have trained players too hard or we haven't made them strong enough," he added.

"Of the eight players out, probably five would be starting - depending on the opponent.

"But it is what it is, and we need to deal with it. It's a big part of a head coach's job to find those solutions and make the team as competitive as possible.

"Every time a key player goes out and another comes in, it makes the team a little bit different; no two players are the same."