Thomas Frank has admitted that Brentford are still in the dark over the severity of Mark Flekken’s groin injury after the goalkeeper was forced off during Friday’s goalless draw against Brighton.
Flekken, 31, made a string of impressive saves at the Amex Stadium before being substituted in the 36th minute due to discomfort. Hakon Valdimarsson replaced him, making his Premier League debut.
Speaking after the game, Frank provided an update on Flekken’s situation but remained cautious: “On both Flekken and [Ben] Mee, we have no real update. We’ll know more tomorrow when we really assess them. Hopefully, the injuries aren’t too big.”
Frank praised Valdimarsson’s performance and that of Ji-soo Kim, who also made his Premier League debut during the match: “I was pleased to see the way Hakon played. He showed great composure, he was brave in his area, and he was good in the build-up—it was very impressive. Him and Ji-soo Kim, on their Premier League debuts… they showed composure, and I was very happy with that.”
Valdimarsson, who joined Brentford from Swedish club IF Elfsborg last January, expressed his excitement after keeping a clean sheet on his debut: “It was unbelievable, really good. It’s always surprising coming on as a substitute keeper, but it’s a great feeling”.
“Coming into a fast game, my first Premier League match, it’s quick. A clean sheet is so nice. At halftime, I mostly spoke to Manu [Sotelo], the goalkeeping coach, about set-pieces and build-up play to prepare myself. It was great teamwork on the pitch, and I don’t think we conceded too many shots.”