Jake Bidwell believes there is a buzz around the Brentford training ground and a noticeable difference as Lee Carsley makes the most of his two weeks without a game.
The Bees go into Saturday's clash against Rotherham just above the relegation zone and in need of a win.
The squad have worked hard during the international break and the captain is hoping the results will come off the back of it.
He said: “Lee has picked it up at a difficult point. He's tried to instil energy back into everyone. There's a bit of a buzz about the place.
“Anyone who has seen training then and now will notice the difference. Hopefully we'll see the results of it.”
Bidwell believes the break came at a good time for the squad as it has allowed them to regroup and improve their fitness.
He explained: “The break came at a good time for us as it gave us time to regroup. We've got to look at it as if it's the start of the season. We've got to use this as the start of our season to get going.
“The gaffer said he didn't think we were fit enough. We've had a break but we've had a tough couple of weeks at the same time.
“It's been an opportunity for us to work on things and hopefully you'll see the benefits on Saturday.”
Because of all this, Bidwell believe he and his team-mates have no more excuses and must improve results now.
“The lads that have come in have been here since August now so that settling in period has gone. There's no excuses.
“The lads who were here last year can't sit back and say we had a good year last year. As a collective, we've got to start performing.”
