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More than halfway through the season, The Bees are in a dream scenario.

With victories in five games, and a Samba striker banging in 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 Premier League – a place that was sufficient to secure European football last term.

Solely table-toppers the Gunners have accumulated more points over the past six games.

There is a long way to go yet but the West London outfit are firmly in the battle for European football.

Few was envisioning this last summer.

Thomas Frank had left for Tottenham after seven years in charge, a period in which he had not only got the club to the Premier League but also established them in the top flight.

Club captain their Danish midfielder left for the North London club and goal-scoring duo Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa – who scored a total of thirty-nine goals in the previous campaign – were also sold, joining United and Newcastle respectively.

Set-piece coach Keith Andrews was elevated to succeed Frank, while there was no striker among the off-season arrivals.

A season of difficulty, possibly even relegation, was widely predicted. But here we are in the new year with the club in the top five.

So, what is behind their success?

The Brazilian's Historic Campaign

Brentford's decision not to sign another striker was partly down to circumstance, 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.

The 24-year-old joined from Belgium in the summer for a then club 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 brace against the Wearside club taking him to sixteen league goals – the most by a player from Brazil in a single English top-flight campaign.

Considering the countrymen who have come before him, that is some accomplishment, especially with 17 games left to play.

"He's been a breath of fresh air," former Liverpool midfielder an analyst said. "He is a physical specimen, quick, strong, but technically better than people think. Excellent with his feet, either foot, he can score with both. You can see he's brimming with confidence. His statistics are fantastic. He must be so pleased. That's a huge compliment to him."

That only a trio of global superstars have scored more in any of the continent's major leagues to this point underscores the level he is operating at.

And it is not just the volume but the crucial nature of the goals that have been so pivotal for his team.

His first goal against the opposition was his 7th first goal of a game of the season. Considering how often we are told the significance of the initial strike in a game, having someone you can rely on to take that early opportunity cannot be overstated.

Prior to the game against their opponents, no player to have attempted at least 30 shots this season has a better shooting accuracy than Igor Thiago's 59.1%.

He hits the target. Do that consistently and the goals will – and have – come.

Considering the hardships he had earlier in life, where he worked as a bricklayer to support 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 personalities," Andrews said. "This is really impressive. He is a really special person who has fitted into life very well. He has had to forge this path. He has earned his journey and grafted. He has got real determination about his personality. He is improving his skill set constantly and we are learning more and more about him. He is a largely complete centre-forward."

Andrews Proving Sceptics Incorrect

Igor Thiago is the man of the moment but Brentford are not and have never been a single-player team.

While they had key individuals – a host of talent – under Frank, they were always seen as a team stronger than the individual components.

The fear was that once the Dane left, that may not be the case, and that the collective quality of Brentford's parts alone might not be enough to stay up.

As a result, appointing their set-piece coach, with no previous managerial experience, and just a year at the club was seen by those external observers as a gamble.

A first managerial job is a test for anyone, let alone when it comes in the Premier League and having made the leap from set-piece coach to the top job.

But given that Ipswich Town manager one candidate was the only other alternative that the hierarchy looked at, they were clearly convinced they had the correct candidate.

To date, as often seems to be the case with the key decision makers at the club, it looks as if they were vindicated.

Andrews won just one of his first 5 league games in charge but significant home victories against United, the Reds and the Magpies have since occurred.

Wins that, following their brilliant recent form, could prove all the more important in the pursuit for European qualification.

"We are in fine fettle and playing really well. We are playing with courage and conviction in everything we do with and without the ball," he added. "We are pleased with how we are going but we want to keep pushing."

In a league where the European spots and the lower mid-table are currently separated by just eight points, they have little choice, because things could quickly look very different.

But, for now, Brentford are defying the odds. And the longer that lasts, the closer to fruition those aspirations of Europe will become.