Grimsby take on the visitors Brentford in the round 1/8-finals of EFL Cup. The match will be played on Tuesday, October 28th at Blundell Park (Cleethorpes).
Grimsby are a quintessential British football club — one of those long-standing sides with nearly 150 years of history, but little in the way of major achievements and a modest current status. Throughout this century, they have bounced between the 5th and 4th divisions of English football. Even last season’s 9th place finish in League Two was seen as a respectable result. This year, however, things look brighter: Grimsby are winning most of their matches and remain serious contenders for at least a playoff position. More importantly, in the EFL Cup, they have made a remarkable run — beating Shrewsbury (3-1 at home), Sheffield Wednesday (1-0 away), and stunning Manchester United, where they led 2-0 before triumphing in a dramatic 12-11 penalty shootout. Their current form shows a resilient and well-organized side capable of punching above their weight. The momentum from their cup performances has given them real confidence, and at home, they’ve looked especially spirited in recent weeks.
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Brentford have faced serious challenges. The Bees sold their key striker, Ivan Toney, just over a year ago, in the autumn of 2024. Still, they adapted surprisingly well, finishing 10th in the Premier League with 56 points. Back then, the tactical brilliance of Thomas Frank and the attacking duo of Mbeumo and Wissa made the difference. But with Frank leaving for Tottenham and both forwards sold in the summer, their form has clearly declined under new manager Andrews — losses have outnumbered wins. However, there have been recent signs of revival, as they beat both West Ham on Monday and Liverpool on Saturday. In the EFL Cup, they also eliminated Bournemouth (2-0 away) and defeated Aston Villa on penalties. Brentford’s results suggest they are slowly regaining balance after a difficult start to the campaign. Their defensive organization has improved, and confidence is returning after two impressive league victories.
All of the last three meetings were won by the London club — although that was back in the 2008–2009 season. It seems the home side’s fairytale run is coming to an end. The visitors from London should have enough quality to win comfortably — back Brentford with a (-1.5) handicap.
Prediction for the match: Brentford to win with -1.5 handicap.
