Strangers at Brentford: De Zerbi’s Tottenham under fire

Tottenham looked like strangers at Brentford on Saturday evening, prompting Roberto De Zerbi to search for answers after a disjointed performance at the Gtech Community Stadium, where Jon Bon Jovi was spotted in the crowd.

The visitors’ desperate defending relied on hope, faith and luck, and the game could easily have ended in a 5–0 defeat.

Early goals expose defensive frailties

An unmarked Keane Lewis‑Potter opened the scoring after 12 minutes, and a Richarlison mistake swiftly produced a second goal, both highlighting deeper issues in Tottenham’s setup.

De Zerbi faces a rebuilding task

Tottenham made seven changes from their last competitive match, fielding many players who had never played together, and forced midfielder Archie Gray to fill in at right‑back.

Making the 20‑year‑old Gray the youngest‑ever captain was a baffling decision, as was deploying two teenagers on the same wing.

Savinho dazzles Tottenham in debut, sparks prince talk

Mikey Moore, 19, returned from a loan spell in Glasgow and was almost invisible for the first 35 minutes before forcing three saves, yet he still lacks a predator’s instinct and may need another loan.

£100m signing Sandro Tonali’s debut was dominated by Mamadou Sangaré, and he left the field swapping a Brentford shirt over his shoulders, prompting fans to chant “What a waste of money!”.

There were brief flashes of quality from Mathys Tel’s skill, Lucas Bergvall’s engine and James Maddison’s late cameo, but individual moments did not translate into team cohesion.

Tottenham De Zerbi finds relief as Spurs bounce back in Cup

Tottenham urgently need an attacking boost, with a reported £75m fee for Manchester City winger Savinho that could see him registered in time for the Carabao Cup tie against Charlton.