Tottenham’s new Premier League era under Roberto De Zerbi got off to a disastrous start as they were beaten 3-0 by Brentford.
Despite spending around £237m on six players this summer, Spurs looked completely out of ideas. They failed to register a shot on target in the first half, while Brentford took control through Keane Lewis-Potter and Vitaly Janelt.
Michael Kayode added a third just four minutes after the break, while Brentford’s Igor Thiago later missed a penalty.
Five of Tottenham’s new signings made their competitive debuts, but the team looked disconnected and lacked intensity. Their expected goals total was just 0.47, compared with Brentford’s 3.96.
The defeat was a major reality check for Spurs after finishing 17th in consecutive seasons. De Zerbi admitted afterwards that his side are “not a team yet”, while Jamie Redknapp described them as “a team of strangers.”
£237m spent — and Spurs still look miles away from where they want to be.
