news-engine

← tottenham

Sangare shines as Brentford's superior togetherness gives new-look Spurs a humbling run-around

Capital Football UK · Yann Tear · 2026-08-22T18:24:41+00:00 · nguồn gốc

Sangare shines as Brentford's superior togetherness gives new-look Spurs a humbling run-around - By Yann Tear at the Gtech Community Stadium - 45 minutes ago - 3 min read Premier League Brentford (2) 3 Lewis-Potter 12, Janelt 32, Kayode 50 Tottenham Hotspur (0) 0 So much for all that spending in N17. Sometimes nothing compares to ingrained well-established practices and continuity. It turns out that a team that just missed out on European qualification a few months ago still looks miles better than a team that only just beat the drop. Spurs may have had the sexy summer arrivals, but they looked like strangers compared to a much more together Bees side, who know each other well and knew what they were about. A 3-0 scoreline flattered Spurs, with the Bees missing a host of chances, including a penalty. Although theirs is a familiar line-up, the one new addition Keith Andrews' men do have - £39m club record signing Mamadou Sangare - was instantly on the money with his crisp passing and positional sense and he claimed a fabulous assist to help Brentford make the early breakthrough their enterprising football deserved. He worked a one-two on the edge of the area and darted into space before playing in a low cross to an unmarked Keane Lewis-Potter and the lively defender slid the ball home confidently. He too had a storming half. "You're going down with the Fulham!" sang the buoyant Bees fans. Spurs have uncharacteristically spent a fortune to assemble a team capable, they hope, of doing better than finish 17th and just above the relegation zone, as was the case last year. But it clearly may take a while for them to gel. They have a brand new defence, with Jan Paul van Hecke alongside Marcos Senesi in the absence of Micky Van de Ven. Andy Robertson made his first competitive start at left-back, as did Sandro Tonali in the Spurs midfield. The extra appetite for Brentford was in evidence too as well as extra sharpness. Mathias Jensen easily broke the tackle of Lucas Bergvall before striding on to shoot from outside the box, and although Antonin Kinsky parried it, Vitaly Janelt was quickest to the rebound to poke the ball home. Kinsky is aiming to nail down the number one spot after the departure of Guglielmo Vicario to juventus, but this was no way to invite the backing of boss Roberto de Zerbi. The Spurs boss was not too enamoured with his struggling midfield in particular and at the interval hooked both Conor Gallagher and Bergvall. Rodrigo Bentancur came on, as did West Ham import Matheus Fernandes. It made little difference. We had barely restarted when Michael Kayode pounced from close range after a well-worked corner routine which saw a long ball to Nathan Collins at the far post and a header back for Sangare to fire at goal. Once again Kinsky couldn't do any better than parry the ball towards the goalscorer. The chants rose up mockingly towards the visitors: "Thomas Frank, he's laughing at you!" - a reference to the manager Spurs poached off them who was soon unceremoniously dumped after a short-lived stint last season. Mikey Moore missed a couple of decent chances but the one-way feel continued when Bentancur upended Kevin Schade to concede a penalty. There was relief for de Zerbi that some extra embarrassment was not heaped on a miserable afternoon for the Lilywhites as Igor Thiago thumped his spot-kick against the inside of a post after a stuttering run -up. Will they ever learn? Moore again managed to work himself into a shooting position, only to be denied by the excellent reflexes of Caoimhin Kelleher and the sinking feeling continued for the away fans, who had arrived in such boisterous spirits. For the hosts, now beginning a sixth season in the top flight - how time flies - there seems ambition aplenty and the signs were all good for them on this opening weekend. They are among the very well established middle classes in the Premier League now and it shows. Bees: (4-2-3-1) Kelleher - Kayode (Hickey 76), Ajer, Collins, Lewis-Potter - Jensen (Yarmoliuk 67), Sangare (Damsgaard 76) - Ouatarra (Anthony 67), Janelt, Schade - Igor Thiago (Wilson 83) Spurs: (4-3-2-1) Kinsky - Gray (Udogie 86), van Hecke, Senesi, Robertson - Bergvall (Bentancur h/t), Tonali, Gallagher (Fernandes h/t) - Moore (Maddison 67), Tel - Richarlison (Solanke 67) Attendance: 17,180