Continue down this road and it will not be long before the chants of “Lincoln away” start up again. This was the start of Tottenham’s brave new era but there was no sign of any change. The old flaws were still there in a cowardly display – with and without the ball – and after a summer of extravagant spending it will alarm Roberto De Zerbi that his side opened the season looking like relegation candidates rather than contenders for European football.
If anything it was a reminder that winning the transfer window is not the same as winning on the pitch. There has been plenty of excitable predictions about Spurs, whose outlay is likely to soon surpass £300m, but are they based on anything substantial? Not on the evidence of this game. There were no patterns of play from Spurs. They were timid in possession and chaotic at the back. They failed to perform the basics and they crumbled in the face of relentless pressing from Brentford, whose blend of power, speed and skill revealed a team determined to kick on in their second season under Keith Andrews.
Spurs could count themselves fortunate it finished 3-0. Brentford should have scored more – Igor Thiago, normally so reliable from the spot, marred an intelligent forward display by missing a penalty – but this was a joyous start to their campaign. Keane Lewis-Potter, Vitaly Janelt and Michael Kayode scored the goals and in the final analysis it was impossible not to dwell on a sparkling debut in midfield from Mamadou Sangaré, who already looks a bargain after joining from Lens for £39m.
How do Brentford keep picking up these gems? Spurs broke their transfer record this summer, signing Sandro Tonali from Newcastle for £100m. They spent £85m on Mateus Fernandes, who came on for his debut, but Sangaré was head and shoulders above any of De Zerbi’s midfielders. The Malian offered energy, showed quality in possession and made the opening goal with a lovely piece of play, tearing Spurs to shreds by playing a clever one-two with Thiago before pulling the ball back from the right for Lewis-Potter to run in from left-back and beat Antonin Kinsky from close range in the 12th minute.
It helps that Sangaré, working in tandem with Janelt and Mathias Jensen, has slotted into a cohesive unit. Brentford have enjoyed a calm window and are well drilled by Andrews. “There’s real trust in what we’ve built,” the Brentford manager said.
In contrast Spurs were fragmented and undercooked. They stared into the abyss last year, averting relegation on the final day, and have so much to improve. De Zerbi, who saw a lack of fight, will worry that his side appeared to believe an extravagant transfer window meant they could stroll to victory.
It will take more than moving on from the constraints of Levynomics for Spurs to regain their place in the top six. De Zerbi has to raise standards. Spurs have moved at dizzying speed in their first summer since moving Daniel Levy aside as chair but De Zerbi needs time and was honest in his assessment of this defeat, admitting that the performance was bereft of soul and was emblematic of a team of individuals.
These are still early days. Spurs started with four debutants and have players to come back from injury. Even so it was worrying to hear De Zerbi say his side did not win a single second ball. Spurs could not have been weaker. They had three new faces in their back four – Andy Robertson was at left-back while Jan Paul van Hecke partnered Marcos Senesi in the middle – but Brentford found wide open spaces from the start, created havoc with deliveries from the wings and had chances to score before Lewis-Potter’s goal.
Much is made of Brentford’s threat from set pieces but this was proof that they can be just as effective in open play. Spurs were sliced apart and they continued to ship openings. Thiago headed against the bar and Dango Ouattara twice went through on goal, only to take a heavy touch on both occasions.
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Brentford were rampant. Thiago bullied Senesi and Van Hecke while Kevin Schade had fun running at the Spurs captain Archie Gray on the left.
It was not until Brentford were 3-0 up in the second half that Spurs created a chance of any note. De Zerbi will hope that bringing in Omar Marmoush and Savinho from Manchester City will add more bite in attack. However, disappointing displays from Richarlison, Mathys Tel and Mikey Moore were far from the only problem for Spurs. There were frailties in every department. Lucas Bergvall was at fault for the second goal, losing a 50-50 with Jensen. Kinsky then failed to push Jensen’s shot to safety, leaving Janelt to convert the rebound.
Bergvall and Conor Gallagher were removed at half-time. Brentford, though, soon stamped out any hope of a fightback by scoring from a corner. Nathan Collins nodded down at the far post, Sangaré shot, Kinsky saved and Kayode rammed the loose ball into the roof of the net, leaving Spurs humiliated and De Zerbi with much to ponder.
