The forward signed for the London club from Club Brugge for a £30 million fee in July 2024.
Over the midpoint of the campaign, Brentford are in a dream scenario.
Following victories in five games, and a Brazilian striker scoring the goals, suddenly Bees fans are envisioning thoughts of trips to European capitals next season.
A convincing three-nil win over Sunderland moved their manager's side into fifth in the top flight – a place that was good enough to secure Champions League football last term.
Only leaders the Gunners have collected more points over the past half-dozen matches.
There's a long way to go yet but Brentford are firmly in the fight for continental football.
No one was envisioning this last off-season.
The former head coach had departed for Tottenham after a seven-year stint in charge, a period in which he had not only got the club to the Premier League but also established them in the elite division.
Skipper their Danish midfielder left for the North London club and goal-scoring duo Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa – who scored a combined of thirty-nine goals in 2024-25 – were out the door, joining Manchester United and Newcastle respectively.
Specialist coach Andrews was promoted to succeed Frank, while there was no striker among the off-season arrivals.
A year of struggle, possibly even the drop, was forecast. But here we are in January with Brentford in the top five.
So, how have they managed it?
Igor Thiago's Historic Campaign
Brentford's decision not to bring in another striker was partly down to timing, with one forward's move not being finalized until the final day of the window.
But they also knew they had a £30m striker already ready and waiting.
Igor Thiago joined from Belgium in the summer for a then-record fee, but was plagued by fitness issues in his debut campaign, going without a goal in eight appearances.
The 24-year-old has set about compensating for lost time this season, though, with his double against the Wearside club taking him to sixteen league goals – the highest tally by a Brazilian in a single Premier League campaign.
Considering the fellow Brazilians who have come before him, that is some accomplishment, especially with seventeen matches left to play.
"He's been a revelation," pundit Danny Murphy said. "He is a physical specimen, fast, powerful, but more skilled than people think. Good with his feet, either foot, he can score with both. You can see he's brimming with confidence. His statistics are incredible. He must be so pleased. That's a huge compliment to him."
That only Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe have scored more in any of the continent's major leagues to this point underscores the level he is playing at.
And it is not just the volume but the crucial nature of the goals that have been so pivotal for Brentford.
His first goal against the Black Cats was his 7th first goal of a game of the season. Considering how often we are told the importance of the first goal in a game, having someone you can depend on to take that early opportunity cannot be underestimated.
Prior to the game against their opponents, no player to have attempted at least thirty efforts this season has a better shooting accuracy than Igor Thiago's 59.1%.
He finds the target. Do that often enough and the goals will – and have – come.
Considering the hardships he had earlier in life, where he labored in construction to provide for his family following the passing of his father, perhaps it should be unsurprising that pressure on the pitch is something he takes in his stride.
"The recruitment team deserve a lot of praise for the kind of players they bring in and characters," the manager said. "It is really notable. He is a really special person who has adapted to life very well. He has had to forge this path. He has earned his journey and toiled. He has got serious grit about his personality. He is developing his skill set constantly and we are learning more and more about him. He is a pretty complete centre-forward."
Andrews Showing Doubters Incorrect
Their star striker is the headline act but the team are not and have never been a one-man band.
While they had star players – a host of talent – under their previous boss, they were always seen as a team more effective than the sum of their parts.
The fear was that once the manager left, that may not be the case, and that the collective quality of Brentford's parts alone might not be enough to avoid relegation.
Consequently, appointing Andrews, with a blank managerial CV, and just a twelve months at the club was seen by those external observers as a huge risk.
A first managerial job is a challenge for anyone, especially when it comes in the world's toughest league and having made the leap from set-piece coach to the top job.
But given that Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna was the only other option that the hierarchy looked at, they were clearly confident they had the right man.
To date, as often seems to be the case with the key decision makers at Brentford, it looks as if they were spot on.
Andrews won just a single of his first 5 league games in charge but significant home victories against Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle have since occurred.
Results that, following their brilliant recent run, could prove increasingly important in the race for Europe.
"We are in good form and playing really well. We are playing with bravery and conviction in everything we do with or without the ball," he added. "We are happy with how we are going but we want to keep striving."
In a league where fourth and 15th are currently separated by just eight points, they have no other option, because things could rapidly look very different.
But, for now, Brentford are beating the predictions. And the longer that continues, the closer to fruition those dreams of the continent will become.
