Multiple tried and tested footballing systems ready to be deployed at any time will be crucial for Brentford’s success next season, according to Harlee Dean.

Bees’ head coach Dean Smith has tinkered with the formation in each of the four pre-season fixtures thus far, with the usual 4-2-3-1 being used as well as a 3-5-2 most recently seen against Wycombe last Tuesday.

The adoption of the latter could allow three of Brentford’s four central defenders – Dean, Andreas Bjelland, Yoann Barbet and John Egan - to occupy the back line and Dean believes this can only have a positive effect on the competition within the squad.

He said: “Having other formations ready gives us something else to go to in the season if need be. We’ve got two or three different systems that we can adapt to quickly and cause opponents problems.

“We’ve got a lot of good centre-halves here who are all competing for a place and with three at the back, it gives an extra person a chance to play – I have enjoyed it”.

Harlee Dean

He added: “But for me personally, I want to be able to score some goals; I have to do that. Last year I didn’t score one and goals get you points and wins – I want to finish as high as we can”.

Competition for places this season is looking increasingly likely to come from the newly formed Brentford B Team and Dean had nothing but praise for those of Flemming Pedersen’s youngsters who featured against in the friendly against Kaiserslautern.

“I think Meps [Chris Mepham] is a good player, and Bradley [Clayton] is as well. Fieldy [Tom Field] is a first-team player now, but he’s still only a young kid.

“They all come in, they step up and they do well; they keep hold of the ball and they are always willing to learn. The boys have got great attitudes and are a pleasure to be around, too”.