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Over halfway through the campaign, The Bees are in fantasy land.

Following victories in five games, and a Samba striker banging in the goals, suddenly supporters are envisioning thoughts of trips to European capitals next season.

A emphatic three-nil win over the Black Cats moved their manager's side into the fifth spot in the top flight – a position that was sufficient to secure Champions League football last term.

Only table-toppers Arsenal have gathered more points over the past six games.

There's a long way to go yet but the West London outfit are squarely in the fight for continental football.

No one was predicting this last off-season.

Thomas Frank had departed for Spurs after a seven-year stint in charge, a period in which he had not only guided the club to the Premier League but also cemented them in the top flight.

Club captain Christian Norgaard left for the North London club and attacking duo two key forwards – who scored a total of 39 goals in the previous campaign – were also sold, joining United and Newcastle United respectively.

Specialist coach Keith Andrews was elevated to succeed Frank, while there was a notable absence of a centre-forward among the summer signings.

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

So, how have they managed it?

Igor Thiago's Historic Campaign

The club's decision not to sign another striker was in part down to timing, with Wissa's move not being finalized until the final day of the window.

But they also were aware they had a £30 million striker already waiting to go.

Igor Thiago joined from Belgium in the summer for a then club record fee, but was plagued by injury in his debut campaign, going goalless 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 player from Brazil in a single English top-flight campaign.

Considering the countrymen who have preceded him, that is a remarkable feat, especially with 17 games left to play.

"He has been a breath of fresh air," former Liverpool midfielder an analyst said. "He's physically intimidating, fast, strong, but more skilled than people think. Excellent with his feet, either foot, he can score with both. You can see he's full of confidence. These numbers are fantastic. He must be so pleased. That's a big 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 highlights 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 Brentford.

His opener against the Black Cats was his seventh first goal of a game of the season. Given 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 underestimated.

Prior to the game against Sunderland, no player to have attempted at least 30 shots this season has a better shooting accuracy than the striker's 59.1 percent.

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

Considering the struggles he had in his youth, where he labored in construction to support his family following the death of his father, perhaps it should be no surprise that pressure on the pitch is something he handles with ease.

"Our scouts deserve a lot of praise for the type of players they bring in and characters," Andrews said. "This 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 worked for his journey and grafted. He has got serious grit about his personality. He is developing his abilities constantly and we are discovering more and more about him. He is a largely complete centre-forward."

The Manager Showing Sceptics Incorrect

Their star striker is the headline act but the team are not and have never been a single-player team.

While they had star players – Ivan Toney, Christian Eriksen, Mbeumo and Wissa – under Frank, they were always seen as a team stronger than the individual components.

The concern was that once the manager left, that may not be the case, and that the sum of Brentford's parts alone might not be enough to stay up.

As a result, appointing Andrews, with a blank managerial CV, and just a twelve months at the club was seen by those external observers as a gamble.

A maiden role is a test for anyone, especially when it comes in the Premier League and having made the jump from set-piece coach to the top job.

But given that Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna was the only other option that Brentford looked at, they were clearly convinced they had the correct candidate.

So far, as often seems to be the case with the key decision makers at the club, it looks as if they were correct.

Andrews won just a single of his first five league games in charge but big home victories against Manchester United, Liverpool and the Magpies have followed.

Results that, following their excellent recent form, could prove increasingly important in the pursuit for European qualification.

"We are in fine fettle and playing really good. We are playing with courage and conviction in everything we do with or without the ball," he added. "We are pleased 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 little choice, because things could rapidly look very different.

But, for now, The Bees are beating the predictions. And the longer that continues, the closer to fruition those dreams of the continent will become.