Tottenham Hotspur’s new Premier League campaign began in painfully familiar fashion on Saturday as they were comprehensively beaten 3-0 by Brentford, raising immediate questions about whether last season’s problems have followed them into the new campaign.
Spurs were second best for much of the contest at the Gtech Community Stadium, struggling to cope with Brentford’s intensity, movement and direct attacking play.
The hosts seized control early and never looked seriously threatened despite Tottenham’s attempts to respond after the interval.
Brentford opened the scoring in the 12th minute when Keane Lewis-Potter finished clinically from close range after Mamadou Sangare’s incisive through ball had split the Tottenham defence.
The goal unsettled Spurs, who struggled to establish any meaningful control in midfield or build sustained pressure in the final third.
Conor Gallagher fired a poor effort over the bar in the 11th minute, while Mathys Tel’s free-kick shortly afterwards was comfortably blocked by the Brentford wall.
The hosts continued to create the clearer chances. Igor Thiago struck the crossbar with a header in the 19th minute, while Michael Kayode also went close as Brentford repeatedly exposed gaps in Tottenham’s defensive structure.
Their pressure eventually produced a second goal in the 33rd minute. Vitaly Janelt reacted quickest to a rebound inside the penalty area and emphatically fired the ball home to put Brentford 2-0 ahead.
Tottenham offered little in response before half-time, with Sandro Tonali’s long-range attempt sailing over the bar and Lucas Bergvall unable to find a teammate with a promising ball across the pitch.
Whatever Roberto De Zerbi told his players during the interval failed to transform Tottenham sufficiently. The visitors made two changes at half-time, introducing Mateus Fernandes and Rodrigo Bentancur, but Brentford remained firmly in control.
The hosts added a third in the 49th minute when Michael Kayode smashed the rebound into the roof of the net after Antonin Kinsky had initially denied Brentford from a corner.
Brentford were awarded a penalty after Rodrigo Bentancur fouled Kevin Schade in the area, but Igor Thiago struck the post from the spot.
The miss did little to change the pattern of the match. Brentford continued to threaten, while Tottenham struggled to turn possession into clear-cut opportunities.
Mikey Moore came closest to giving the visitors hope, forcing Caoimhin Kelleher into fine saves in the 52nd and 63rd minutes. Sandro Tonali also saw an effort blocked, but Tottenham remained unable to find a way through Brentford’s defence.
De Zerbi turned to Dominic Solanke and James Maddison in the second half, while Destiny Udogie was introduced later, but the changes could not prevent a chastening opening-day defeat.
Brentford might even have added a fourth. Kevin Schade narrowly missed before being denied by an excellent save from Kinsky in the 89th minute.