Tottenham Hotspur endured a difficult start to their Premier League campaign, suffering a 3-0 defeat away to Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium. Following the loss, manager Roberto De Zerbi did not hold back in his assessment, stating that his squad is currently “not a team” and criticizing their lack of competitive intensity.
The north London club, which narrowly avoided relegation last season, is expected to invest over £300 million in new talent this summer. Despite these ambitions, the team struggled to compete against Brentford, losing numerous duels and failing to secure second balls throughout the match. De Zerbi emphasized that while he maintains confidence in his players and the club’s project, they must improve their collective spirit and physical conditioning rapidly.
De Zerbi attributed some of the team’s struggles to a disjointed pre-season, noting that the tour of Australia did not allow for optimal preparation. He also pointed to the late return of several players following the World Cup. The manager was forced to navigate the opener without Pedro Porro, Kevin Danso, and Micky van de Ven, while Rodrigo Bentancur was restricted to a spot on the bench after returning late to training.
The match saw several new faces make their debuts for Tottenham, including Andy Robertson, Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi, Mateus Fernandes, and Sandro Tonali. While the club is reportedly looking to further bolster its attack with potential signings like Omar Marmoush and Savinho from Manchester City, De Zerbi stressed that success cannot be manufactured simply through the transfer market.
For Brentford, the victory marked a strong start to their second year under Keith Andrews. The hosts secured the win through goals from Keane Lewis-Potter, Vitaly Janelt, and Michael Kayode. A standout performance came from Mamadou Sangaré, the £39 million signing from Lens, who impressed on his debut.
Andrews praised the club’s recruitment efforts regarding Sangaré, highlighting the midfielder’s hunger and technical attributes. As for Tottenham, De Zerbi remains focused on the long-term goal of building a cohesive unit, noting that a team is only truly formed when players develop a shared soul and connection on the pitch. The report also notes that spurs are looking to kick on after almost going down last season and are expected to spend more than £300m this summer but they were handed a rude awakening at the Gtech Community Stadium. The report also notes that “There are steps to become better,” he said. The report also notes that “The club deserve a lot of credit for getting that deal done,” Andrews said of Sangaré. The report also notes that “Before you become a team you can’t say what you can do. The report also notes that we could fight stronger than we did today.
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