Keith Andrews was satisfied with what he saw from his Brentford side in their 1-0 defeat by Manchester City.
City took an early lead through Erling Haaland and dominated the opening stages against the Bees.
The home side improved as the game went on but could only muster a single shot on target in response, with Igor Thiago denied by keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the second half.
Boss Andrews said: “I would have wanted us to get more pressure on the ball in the first half.
“It was only a slight tweak that gave us a platform to be more aggressive (in the second half).
“Once the players feel that, they get more confidence that they can affect the opposition.
“City controlled the game in the first half. It’s what they’ve been doing for donkeys’ years, but in the main that was in front of us and around us.
“Apart from the goal, (Tijani) Reijnders had a volley that Caoimhin (Kelleher) saves, but they had very little really.
“The second half was certainly our half and we were outstanding.”
The defeat left Brentford fifth from bottom of the Premier League table going into the international break.
Their next game is a London derby away to West Ham on 20 October.