Dean Smith has not ruled out a move into the loans market after seeing his side fall to a third defeat in a row this afternoon.
The Bees took the lead against Derby at Griffin Park but conceded three goals in the final 10 minutes to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Smith lost James Tarkowski, Toumani Diagouraga and Jota during the January transfer window and failed to strengthen his side, who have won just once in 2016.
He said: “Everybody talks about the recruitment policy, but people forget when I came in I was nominated for manager of the month with the same group of players.
“We've lost Tarkowski, Jota and Diagouraga, who are big players to lose, but they're players who wanted to go for one reason or another.
“We have to move on and move forward. We're still looking at the loan system, but it's got to improve what you've already got.”
Although Brentford were unlucky in the manner in which they lost after a much improved second half performance, in truth, Derby would have been out of sight in the first half if not an inspired David Button performance.
Smith said: “They were much more powerful than us and started the game like a house on fire, and with the players they've got you expect that a little. We found it really tough and played too much in our own half in the first half, and Butts kept us in it.
“We spoke at half time about getting in behind them a bit more and stretching the game, and we did second half. We were competitive and played in their half. We looked very organised, brought the ball down well and broke well.
“But we never converted our opportunities. At 1-0 up with 10 minutes to go, the game is about fine margins. Marco (Djuricin) should have scored with his header and Jake (Bidwell) had one cleared off the line, and then you're coming in at 2-2 rather than 3-1. For me, the third goal is irrelevant as we're going for it and everyone is in their box.
“It looks a handball (in the build up to Derby's first goal). Goals change games and change teams' emotions. We lose half a yard after that and they gain it. But you only have to look at the substitutions they were making – Chris Martin, Tom Ince and Nick Blackman – and it shows the gulf you're competing against.”
