Brentford 3-0 Tottenham: Premier League – live reaction

Roberto De Zerbi goes over to clap the Spurs fans. He has the good grace to look sheepish. He doesn’t get much back, and one punter in a Spurs top stands, arms spread out, palms up, top lip kinked quizzically, the internationally recognised pose for What The Eff Was That?! But while this story can’t not be about Tottenham – they were abysmal, and everything’s gong to be viewed through the lens of their summer spending spree – it really should be mainly Brentford focused. The Bees were superb to a man, though one stood out, the debutant Mamadou Sangaré, who modestly claps the Brentford support before being shoved forward by Michael Kayode, who makes sure his new mate receives his flowers. What a cheer Sangaré’s given! And he’s worth it, having set up two goals and buzzed around a pitch that he quickly made his own. A new Premier League star is born.

Brentford beat Spurs at home for the first time since Bill Nicholson’s playing days.

90 min +4: On Sky, Alan Smith names Mamadou Sangaré as his player of the match. There can be no complaints.

90 min +3: The resulting corner is punched clear by Kinsky, then sent sailing miles over the bar by Yarmoliuk.

90 min +2: Lewis-Potter juggles his way down the left, past Bentancur with ease, before winning a corner off Robertson.

90 min +1: Wilson scampers down the right and shoots from a tight angle. Van Hecke diverts the shot into the side netting. The resulting corner is headed harmlessly wide right by Schade.

90 min: There will be four additional minutes.

88 min: Wilson gets the better of Tonali down the right. He crosses for Schade, who attempts a cute backflick. Too far out to be trying that.

87 min: Maddison slithers into the Brentford box from the left. It’s a positive run, and he’s within his rights to shoot from a tight angle, but he cuts back for Solanke instead, and his team-mate’s shot is blocked.

86 min: Gray, who became Tottenham’s youngest-ever captain this afternoon, is replaced by Udogie. For the record, and for what it’s worth, the armband is passed on to Maddison.

85 min: Damsgaard swings a corner in from the left. Spurs will be desperate to hear the full-time whistle.

84 min: Wilson comes on for Thiago.

82 min: Tel has a whack from distance. Meanwhile there’s more on the Dundonian stramash, courtesy of Stephen McCrossan: “The ‘mistaken identity’ booking in the Dundee derby was baffling. The Dundee player was apparently booked for standing on the ball. Shades of Hearts winger Tommy Murray “having a seat” against Rangers back in the day. A story worth revisiting …

80 min: This game is petering out, which is probably the best Spurs can hope for. The same can’t be said for events north of the border, as Simon McMahon reports: “A lot of effing and jeffing at Tannadice as Dundee score again. It could always be worse I suppose. I could be a Spurs fan.”

78 min: Janelt is booked for a flagrant tug on Maddison.

77 min: Schade makes good down the right and finds Thiago at the near post. The striker flicks wide under pressure from Senesi. Brentford in search of a fourth.

76 min: … Anthony, on the edge of the D, slices harmlessly over. At which point the new boy Sangare is replaced, departing to a great ovation. He earns a big hug from his manager too. Kayode also departs, Hickey and Damsgaard entering.

75 min: Brentford continue to look lively, Anthony worming his way down the right and earning a throw. Kayode flings it long. Kinsky punches under pressure, and the ball pings out for a corner.

73 min: Was that the first time the word “Jeff” has been used in three consecutive MBM entries? Anyway, it’s four now.

72 min: Ah, here go the Brentford fans with “You’re getting sacked in the morning”. Jeff Necessary (69 min) got there just in time.

71 min: Sangare sashays into the Spurs box from the left and takes a whack. His shot is deflected, the sting removed. But he continues to impress on debut. Meanwhile in the dugout, De Zerbi holds his head in his hands, before ranting, half at his assistant, half to himself, at high speed and with some passion, presumably using words including Eff and Jeff.

69 min: Anthony bustles down the right and crosses for Schade, whose header flies straight to Kinsky. “It’s too late for the season’s first ‘you’ll be sacked in the morning’,” begins Jeff Necessary. “Enzo Maresca got that at Cardiff last week. But De Zerbi may not be far behind.”

68 min: Spurs respond by switching out Moore and Richarlison for Maddison and Solanke.

67 min: Brentford make a double change, replacing Jensen and Ouattara with Yarmoliuk and Anthony.

65 min: Schade chases after a long ball down the right and is clipped by Bentancur. The referee absurdly waves play on, which if nothing else means he doesn’t have a decision to make, because Spurs were very light at the back and Schade was preparing to romp into all sorts of space.

63 min: … and from the resulting corner, Van Hecke falls over, claiming a penalty he’s never going to get.

62 min: Lewis-Potter misjudges Fernandes’s diagonal pass to Moore on the right. A fresh-air swipe, and suddenly Moore is one on one with the keeper! But he shoots straight at Kelleher, who nevertheless does well to turn the ball around the post.

60 min: Tonali slips a pass down the left to release Robertson, who can’t find Richarlison with his cutback. Brentford then collectively butcher a three-on-two counter. It’s an open game, and that probably doesn’t augur well for the visitors.

58 min: Tonali scuffs a shot from 25 yards. The xG is currently 3.19 to Brentford, 0.27 to Spurs.

57 min: Spurs go up the other end and win a corner down the left. It’s their first of the match. Tel swings it in, and the offside flag goes up. The penalty miss is pretty much all that’s gone right for Spurs so far. As for the Dundee derby … “It’s all kicking off at Tannadice,” reports Simon McMahon. “1-0 to Dundee, and some mistaken identity VAR nonsense just before half time. To be honest I’ve no idea what’s going on, but hey, what’s new?”

55 min: Thiago steps up, sends Kinsky the wrong way … then batters his penalty off the base of the left-hand post and away! A rare opportunity for Spurs to breathe out.

53 min: Spurs are all over the show, and as a game of pinball breaks out in their box, Bentancur barges clumsily into the back of Schade, who goes over. The referee points immediately to the spot. That was an absurd lunge, and this won’t be overturned by VAR.

52 min: Spurs try to summon a response, Robertson making good down the left and crossing low for Moore, who finds himself one on one with Kelleher. But he shoots straight at the keeper, who parries before claiming.

51 min: This is some debut from Sangare, who now has two assists to his name.

50 min: On the touchline, Roberto De Zerbi fixes his stare on an imaginary point exactly 1,000 yards in the distance.

… but it doesn’t matter, because from the resulting corner, hit long from the right, Collins heads down for Sangare, who pearls an instant shot goalwards. Kinsky parries, a decent save from a well-struck shot, but the ball drops for Kayode, who roofs the loose ball from a couple of yards!

47 min: Sangare piles down the left and crosses dangerously. Janelt prepares to head home but Van Hecke heads clear. Kayode throws long, and Senesi grabs a fistful of Collins’ shirt. As the ball’s blocked out for a corner, VAR has a look, but no penalty. Senesi was taking a big risk there, considering the new rules.

Brentford get the second half underway. Spurs have made two changes, replacing Bergvall and Gallagher with Fernandes and Bentancur. Spurs now have five debutants on the pitch.

The reports are in from the earlier Premier League games. Get clicking, but don’t forget to come back now.

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Half-time postbag: Spurs sorrow special. “Have to say Spurs look absolutely miles off it so far although Brentford have been excellent. If anything, this looks as bad as last season’s Spurs. At least there are 37 games left to improve” – Martin Gamage

“Last season Spurs were lousy, and they will not be better this season, just like Manchester United. It is an utter disgrace, and also a reflection on society, that players like Tonali are bought for 100 million and yet so many people live in poverty in England” – Jeff Sax

“Gotta admire Tottenham’s resilience; despite failing to get relegated two years on the bounce they finally look like a proper Championship team” – Dave Estherby

“In the as-it-stands table, Spurs are currently 17th. The more things change…” – Kári Tulinius

I’m sure we all wish them well, but perhaps if they’re to be humbled again this season, better it be kept out of sight? Sympathetic MBMers would, I think, be happier were you to devote the afternoon entirely to, say, Simon McMahon’s posts from the Dundee derby. Probably also Spurs supporters” – Charles Antaki

(It’s goalless at Tannadice at the moment.)

At the risk of belabouring an obvious point: Brentford look like a team who have been together for a good while; Tottenham do not. Roberto De Zerbi disappears down the tunnel with a face on.

45 min: Ouattara barrels down the left and crosses for Kayode, who rises over Tel with ease but sends his header from six yards wide left. So close to number three. There will be one added minute.

43 min: … so having said that, almost immediately the hosts pile forward, Ouattara buying a ticket for the raffle from 25 yards. Just over the bar, though Kinsky had it covered.

42 min: Spurs have stemmed the bleeding if nothing else. Brentford have been pretty quiet in attack since going two up.

40 min: Gallagher, Tonali and Richarlison play some cute passes down the inside right; they feed Bergvall whose shot is blocked and cleared. Spurs come again, Tonali sending a speculative shot miles wide right. Better from Spurs, albeit with their floor having been set very low.

38 min: Tonali, a £100m summer signing, gifts the ball to Ouattara under no pressure whatsoever. That just about sums up Tottenham’s afternoon to this point.

36 min: Some pinball in the Spurs box. Ouattara’s shot is blocked by Van Hecke, who wins a free kick in the process. Spurs hanging on now. “We’re gonna win the league,” trill the Brentford fans, before segueing into “Down with the Fulham”. The Brentford fans en fête.

34 min: Spurs are rattled. Kinsky should have done better with Jensen’s shot. And now Gallagher is booked for a frustrated trip on Kayode.

Richarlison is robbed 35 yards from his own goal. Jensen drives forward and sends a swerving shot at Kinsky, who parries … and tees up Janelt, who can’t miss from six yards. This scoreline doesn’t flatter Brentford at all.