Stats at a glance: Brentford (H) League Cup: 28/10/2026
Average home goals predicted: 1.71
Average away goals predicted: 1.57
Confidence of Roker Report’s writers: 6.1/10
Predicting a win for the Lads: 25%
Martin Wanless (Cautious Optimist) says…
Score prediction: Sunderland 3 Brentford 3 (Sunderland win on pens)
We’ll see an open game tonight with a few goals, with Régis Le Bris naming a completely different team to the one that started against Leeds.
I do want to go through in the league cup.
I know lots of people are indifferent but hopefully a much-changed team will get the job done — on penalties,
I reckon.
Key differentiator: Jules Ahoka
Confidence: 5/10
Bold call: Our winning pen to be scored by a player who’s never scored for us before.
Malc Dugdale (Scarred happy clapper) says…
Score prediction: Sunderland 0 Brentford 0 (Sunderland lose on pens)
The performance against Leeds was a good step up and I was happy with the point, while being hopeful of more and frustrated we didn’t get that. The way the Lads applied themselves brought a lot of positives, and Brian Brobbey being back was a big part of that.
This evening, I think we’ll rotate massively, resting Brobbey and many others for the Coventry game, and as a result I can’t see us scoring. I expect similar from the visitors, and hence a 0-0 is my call, which will lead to a shootout.
If we progress to the quarter-finals with a win any old way — and no more bloody injuries — I’ll take that. But I’d also be happy to duck out at this point, focus on league recovery and Europa League progress, and take the FA Cup seriously when that arises.
Only Mickey Mouse clubs win this little vase anyway…
Key differentiator: We’ll rotate like a catherine wheel and as a result will be back to being more disjointed and misifiring — I am fine with that, because this one doesn’t matter a jot to me, other than any win encouraging improvement.
Confidence: 4/10
Bold call: One of the goalkeepers will get Man of the Match, first by helping to force the shootout, and then by gathering more heroics for the side that ultimately progresses.
Jack Howe-Gingell (Eternal optimist) says…
Score prediction: Sunderland 3 Brentford 1
Difficult one to call, as I presume like in the Europa League, we’ll ring the changes.
I’m excited to hopefully see Jules Ahoka in person for the first time as I’ve been impressed with what he he’s shown so far.
The big question is whether Brentford also make similar changes, affecting the balance of the game. They’re doing well in the league, though I think we outmatched them in our last game, and could do so again.
Key differentiator: Jules Ahoka (assuming he plays!). The lad has it, and I’m excited to see him against likely a better standard of opposition.
Confidence: 7/10
Bold call: Chemsdine Talbi to start and to score from twenty five yards-plus.
“Champion” Will Jones (Heart over head) says…
Score prediction: Sunderland 1 Brentford 3
A goalless draw against Leeds wasn’t exactly a thriller, and now we’ve got a cup tie in the middle of the week before another big game on Saturday.
I’d rather see us rotate heavily here than risk key players picking up injuries for a match that matters more in the league. Brentford are a decent side and if we make plenty of changes, I can see them having too much for us.
Obviously, it’d be nice to have a cup run, but sometimes you have to be sensible. Get through Wednesday with no injuries, keep the squad fresh and focus on Saturday.
Key differentiator: How well the rotated side copes with Brentford’s intensity.
Confidence: 6/10
Bold call: Ahoka gets MOTM.
Matty Foster (Pragmatist) says…
Score prediction: Sunderland 1 Brentford 1 (Sunderland win on penalties)
I’m expecting to see wholesale changes throughout the squad, but being strong enough to compete.
I’m not sure how seriously Brentford will be taking this, but hopefully the shackles are off and we see a good game.
Key differentiator: I hate to be that person, but I reckon Chemsdine Talbi could be key in these types of cup games.
Confidence: 6/10
Bold call: The penalty shootout to be won by either side with no more than three penalties each.
Anthony Gair (Depreciating optimist) says…
Score prediction: Sunderland 4 Brentford 2
An absolute goalfest is on the cards in this one, with both sides tempted to field their talented fringe players.
I think we’ll go out and attack from minute one like we’ve done in every round prior, as it seems to be Régis Le Bris’ “test formation” for the cup games.
Key differentiator: The front three. They need to get shots away; sod all of this “passing until you can just slide it into the net” — have a pop, thump one from nine hundred yards. If we do that, we’ll polish this one quite easily.
Confidence: 9/10
Bold call: There’ll be two goals scored before twenty minutes.
Gary Winter (Glass almost empty) says…
Score prediction: Sunderland 0 Brentford 1
It would be great to get through this tie and into the quarter finals, but it’s a difficult fixture.
I thought we did outplay them at the Gtech last month — I’ve no idea where that confidence has gone and given their current position in the table, I think Brentford can afford to field more first teamers and progress.
We, unfortunately, aren’t afforded such luxuries thanks to our precarious start in the league.
I look forward to another disjointed performance, with the lads rotated in playing like a bunch of strangers.
Key differentiator: This will be the lowest priority for us in a relentless run of fixtures, and our team selection will reflect that.
Confidence: 6/10
Bold call: Brentford will collect no yellow cards, and we’ll take at least one.
Brett Lyons-Davis (Gut feeling guy) says…
Score prediction: Sunderland 1 Brentford 1 (Sunderland win on penalties)
As much as I hate seeing Sunderland lose, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if we don’t go through tonight — although a fantastic swashbuckling performance and a goals galore win would get everyone excited at least a little.
However, you know neither will happen, and the dullest 1-1 and then the Lads going through on penalties is on the cards.
Key differentiator: Take your pick on whose fringe players are better — ours or theirs.
Confidence: 5/10
Bold call: Alan Browne puts in a man of the match performance and everyone starts asking “should he play against Coventry?”
Last game thoughts…
The Leeds game was either two points dropped, or one won and the start of the form rising rather than stagnating.
However full your glass is, a point is a point and today is more about how well we can rotate, rest and still get results.
I expect at least seven changes, and while this will be great for our first team core to get a night off for a change, it does mean we can only expect so much quality. And if we do squeeze through, the fixtures will be even more congested.
But a win is a win; it builds confidence and can help in many less visible ways.
Last game predictions…
Four of our writers went for a draw but only one saw the goal less game we witnessed, giving Matty a boost compared to his peers.
The other four lads all went for a win, and got nothing for their positivity at our home ground.
Predictions table and standings
Matty’s three-pointer helps him leap frog Gary into top spot. Gary stays hot on his heels after also calling a draw but not the correct version.
Gair holds onto his third place but has Martin and Will in close pursuit.
Jack continues to look for a boost, and is a perfect result behind Brett, and that plus a bold call behind Malc.
How the points are awarded
Just a quick reminder of how we allocate points to our match-by-match predictions:
- Correct score = Three points
- Correct outcome (but not correct score) = One point
- Correct Bold Call = One point
- Possible deductions for repeatedly not submitting on time = a two-point deduction.
