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Over the midpoint of the campaign, Brentford are in dreamland.

Following victories in their last five outings, and a Brazilian striker banging in the goals, suddenly Bees fans are dreaming of thoughts of trips to European capitals next season.

A emphatic three-nil win over the Black Cats moved Keith Andrews' side into the fifth spot in the top flight – a place that was good enough to secure Champions League football last season.

Solely leaders the Gunners have collected more points over the past six games.

There is a long way to go yet but the West London outfit are squarely in the race 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 promoted but also cemented them in the elite division.

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

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

A year of difficulty, possibly even the drop, was forecast. Yet here we are in the new year with the club in the upper echelons.

So, what is behind their success?

Igor Thiago's Record-breaking 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 club record fee, but was hindered by fitness issues in his debut campaign, going goalless in his initial outings.

Thiago has set about making up for lost time this season, though, with his brace against the Wearside club taking him to 16 league goals – the most 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 remaining.

"He's been a revelation," former Liverpool midfielder an analyst said. "He's a physical specimen, fast, strong, but more skilled than people think. Good with his feet, both feet, he can score off both. You can see he's full of confidence. These numbers are fantastic. He must be so proud. That's a big compliment to him."

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

And it is not just the volume but the crucial nature of the goals that have been so vital for Brentford.

His opener against the Black Cats was his 7th first goal of a game of the season. Given how often we are told the significance of the first goal in a game, having someone you can depend on to take that first big chance cannot be overstated.

Before the game against their opponents, no player to have attempted at least thirty efforts this season has a better shooting accuracy than the striker's 59.1%.

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

Given the struggles he had earlier in life, where he labored in construction to provide for his family following the death of his father, perhaps it should be unsurprising that high-stakes situations on the pitch is something he takes in his stride.

"Our scouts deserve a lot of credit for the type of players they bring in and characters," Andrews said. "This is really notable. He is a really unique person who has adapted to life very well. He has had to earn this path. He has worked for his journey and grafted. He has got serious grit about his personality. He is improving his abilities constantly and we are learning more and more about him. He is a pretty complete centre-forward."

Andrews Proving Doubters Wrong

Igor Thiago is the man of the moment but Brentford 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 more effective than the individual components.

The concern 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 avoid relegation.

Consequently, appointing their set-piece coach, with a blank managerial CV, and just a twelve months at the club was seen by those external observers as a huge risk.

A maiden role 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 manager's office.

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

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

The new boss won just a single of his first five league games in charge but significant home victories against United, Liverpool and the Magpies have since occurred.

Results that, following their brilliant recent run, could prove all the more important in the race for Europe.

"We're in fine fettle and playing really good. We are playing with bravery and conviction in everything we do with or without the ball," Andrews added. "We are pleased with how we are going but we want to keep improving."

In a league where fourth and 15th are currently separated by just a handful of points, they have no other option, because things could rapidly look very otherwise.

But, for now, The Bees are beating the odds. And the longer that lasts, the closer to reality those aspirations of the continent will become.