GTECH COMMUNITY STADIUM – Meet the new Tottenham Hotspur, same as the old Tottenham Hotspur. Roberto De Zerbi needs a little time to get this right, but hey big spender, the Premier League can be an unforgiving place.
This was a poor imitation of the £300m+ squad that took a stun-gun to the transfer market this summer. They did not have their first-choice back line, midfield or front three, but the lack of fight was inexcusable. Spurs looked like they were still milling around on an Oceanian pre-season tour.
Superb Brentford bullied their abject midfield. That matters, because it is in those central channels where De Zerbi-ball will live or die. The centre-backs are supposed to play out to two narrow holding midfielders. All four were a shambles and on this evidence, they could be in for a disastrous wake-up call.
It would be premature to panic, and there were plenty of mitigating factors. Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro were unavailable. Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert are long-term absentees. Mateus Fernandes could be the signing of the summer but for now, that accolade looks more likely to go to Mamadou Sangare. For the Bees, an extraordinary upgrade on Jordan Henderson who is already attracting N’Golo Kante comparisons.
