A woeful Tottenham started their new Premier League season dismally with a 3-0 loss at Brentford despite a big summer of spending. After avoiding relegation on the final day last season, Spurs have splashed out £237m on six signings so far this summer - but any hope of immediate change has quickly been extinguished with a shocking display in west London. First-half goals from Keane Lewis-Potter and Vitaly Janelt, followed by Michael Kayode's finish just four minutes into the second half, gave the Bees a deserved victory as Sky Sports' Jamie Redknapp praised their "total football".
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Spurs gave competitive debuts to five new signings, but it was Brentford's club-record signing Mamadou Sanagre who stole the show as he set up the first goal and ran the game in midfield. Roberto De Zerbi's side's miserable season opener at the Gtech Community Stadium could have been worse, only for Igor Thiago to miss a 55th-minute penalty. Tottenham failed to have a shot on target in the first half and registered a full-time expected goals of just 0.47 compared to Brentford's 3.96, heightening the need for the potential forward arrivals of Savinho and Omar Marmoush from Manchester City.
But those two alone will not be able to fix Spurs, who put in a dreadful performance which showed why they have finished 17th in back-to-back seasons. Brentford, meanwhile, will be buoyed by their resounding win as they look to qualify for Europe this season after missing out on Conference League qualification on goal difference last campaign. 12: BRENTFORD GOAL! The home side take a deserved lead as Lewis-Potter finishes off a nice assist from club-record signing Sangare. 17: OFF THE BAR BUT OFFSIDE!
Thiago nods against the crossbar, but Collins was offside in the build-up as the home side continue to dominate. 33: BRENTFORD GOAL! Richarlison and Bergvall both lose the ball, allowing Jensen to strike at goal, with his effort poorly parried out by Kinsky for Janelt to rebound home. Spurs fail to have a shot on target in a dreadful first half as Fernandes and Bentancur come on for Gallagher and Bergvall. 49: BRENTFORD GOAL!
Kayode slams in Brentford's third from close range on the rebound after Sangare's sharp shot is saved. 55: THIAGO MISSES PENALTY! Bentancur fouls Schade for a penalty but Thiago misses as he hits the post. 62: KELLEHER SAVES! Moore has an effort at the back post which the Brentford goalkeeper is equal to.
Matt: "New season, new manager, new players... same old Spurs." Jamie K: "We saw last season with Liverpool that spending hundreds of millions doesn't guarantee good results. At this point, maybe Spurs are just cursed to forever teeter on the brink until finally, they fall..." Josh: "I've seen so many Spurs fans talk about top four this week after the transfer window they have had. Seventeenth-place finish in the last two seasons.
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