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.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
