PREMIER LEAGUE
SATURDAY 20TH MAY, 2023
12.30PM
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1(1) BRENTFORD 3(0)

Spurs scorer:-
Kane, 8

Brentford scorers:-
Mbeumo, 50, 62
Wissa, 88

Attendance:- 61,514

Referee:- Jarred Gillett
Assistants:- Simon Long, Mark Scholes
Fourth official:- Thomas Bramall
VAR:- Andy Madley
Assistant VAR:- Sian Massey-Ellis.

Teams:-
Spurs (4-3-3):- Forster; Emerson Royal (sub Pedro Porro, 75), Sanchez, Lenglet, Davies (sub Perisic, 85); Danjuma (sub Lucas Moura, 66), Bissouma, Skipp; Kulusevski (sub Richarlison, 75), Kane (Capt.), Son

Subs not used:- Austin; Dier, Tanganga; Sarr, Matthew Craig

Booked:- Bissouma (foul on Wissa)

Brentford (4-3-3):- Raya (Capt.); Hickey (sub Roerslev, 89), Pinnock, Mee, Henry; Onyeka (sub Damsgaard, 46), Janelt, Jensen (sub Baptiste, 72); Mbeumo, Wissa (sub Dasilva, 89), Schade (sub Jorgensen aka Zanka, 78)

Subs not used:- Strakosha; Ajer; Ghoddos, Trevitt

Booked:- Henry (foul on Kulusevski)

That "Bee" sting really hurt

Spurs started really well, taking an eighth minute lead through the one and only Harry Kane, to whom a wonderful wall mural had been dedicated this week opposite the West Stand. They should have had one or two more goals for their first half efforts and chances, but in a classic "game of two halves", Brentford came back with three goals, two of which were gifted through shocking defending, thus putting a hapless Spurs side to more shame in front of their bitter fans.

Spurs added Romero and Hojbjerg to their injury list which includes skipper Hugo Lloris and long-time absentee Rodrigo Bentancur. Yves Bissouma made his first Premier League start since New Year’s Day which was another one of our six home defeats in what can be regarded as our worst season for twenty years. It is certainly going to be our worst points total since 2008-09 when Harry Redknapp dragged us away from the threat of relegation. Now we face the grim possibility of no European football for the first time in 11 years. However, believe it or not we could still finish in seventh place next week. That hardly looks likely when we face a trip to Leeds who are likely to be in need of the points on the last day of the season.

Arnaut Danjuma made his first Premier League start and when Spurs faced up to Brentford’s kick-off, we even looked like a 4-2-4 formation, with Danjuma to the right of Kulusevski. After a bright start when we took the game to the opposition, Kulusevski was often pushed into a more central position, but we eventually reverted to a 4-3-3 to match the style of the visitors.

An early ball broke for Kulusevski, who advanced towards the bye-line to the right of the area, but his cross went straight to the hands of Raya, who captained the side today. Brentford responded with an attack down the left with Henry’s cross reaching Mbeumo, whose left foot shot was well off target. Brentford were of course missing their suspended top scorer Ivan Toney, but as they did last week, when beating West Ham, “The Bees” ultimately showed they have scoring power without Toney.

Spurs next attack came through Kulusevski in a central position, feeding Kane, whose right foot shot took a deflection and ended in Raya’s hands. We had a free kick 25 yards out after a foul on Skipp. Kulusevski and Kane stood on the ball. Kulu touched it to Kane who beat Raya with an impeccable right-footed shot. Whilst it wasn’t a direct free kick, such situations have been a definite weakness in Kane’s wonderful scoring armoury.

Son had a chance to add to the score after taking a pass from Skipp down the left flank, but the shot was blocked. Brentford responded with another left-side attack which left both Emerson and Sanchez beaten, but Spurs managed to clear for a corner.

Kane looked as though he was impeded in the box, after a Davies cross, but there was no foul. Brentford had a free kick at the other end, taken by Jensen, but that went out for a throw-in.

Lucas Moura was spotted warming up down the touchline and he was given warm applause on what would be his farewell home game.

Oliver Skipp was harshly penalised by referee Jarred Gillett for a foul on Onyeka and the referee was even called to the technical area by the fourth official who had been berated by Ryan Mason.

Kane and Son broke forward in tandem and this attack ended with a cross by Son and a powerful header from the back of the goal area by Emerson Royal. The header looked goal-bound, but Henry cleared off the line and Spurs had a corner from which Sanchez headed wide.

After a Brentford long throw move was collected by Forster, the Spurs keeper found Emerson with a good quick ball, but this attack dissipated. Brentford seemed to have reverted to a 4-5-1 at this point in the game. Jensen had a shot on goal after a decent passing move but fired over with 34 minutes gone.

Again, Kane and Son led an attack, which continued through Kulusevski and Emerson. His cross/shot was blocked, and Spurs had another corner.

Sanchez had to defend well at the other end after Emerson had been beaten on the wing. After more good play in the middle through Son and Kane, Emerson crossed and Danjuma headed wide across the goal with Raya stretching to reach the ball.

Kulusevski fed the ball to Son in added time, but not for the first time, Son’s shot was blocked. There had been one incident in the half when Son delayed his shot too long. Spurs would pay heavily for their failure to increase their one-goal lead.

Our U-17 and U-18 Premier Youth League Cup winning teams were presented to the crowd at half-time and were applauded generously.

Spurs kicked off the second half and played towards the South Stand. They dominated possession for five minutes without threatening the Brentford half, but then fell to a breakaway goal after Wissa fed the ball to Mbeumo who scored well from the edge of the area with a left-footed shot which beat Forster inside his right post.

Spurs managed an attack with Kulusevski passing to Emerson, whose shot from the edge of the box was blocked. I thought Lenglet made a poor defensive header which fell to Mbeumo, but his shot was straight at Forster.

Kane slipped and skied a shot off target after a pass from Kulusevski which led to Brentford fans describing Kane as a "**** Ivan Toney".

It wasn’t long before the Brentford fans would be laughing again as Ben Davies made a diabolical error, failing to read Mbeumo’s run onto a long ball by Hickey. Mbeumo had a clear run at goal and scored across Forster.

Lucas Moura could be seen getting ready and was soon introduced. I felt this was a sentimental substitution and at the time would have preferred Pedro Porro for Kulusevski who I felt had become far too predictable with his need to cut back and get the ball onto his left foot. Sad to say, Lucas added nothing to the game. In truth Spurs did more attacking in the nine added minutes than they had in the whole of the second half. Brentford were in total charge with excellent passing football.

Richarlison replaced Kulusevski and was down in the box after a cross by Pedro Porro who had replaced Emerson. There was no foul and Kane’s follow-up effort went over the target.

By now the crowd’s anger had been directed towards the chairman who they wanted out of the club. Brentford fans responded with "Daniel Levy, we want you to stay".

Ben Davies was booed for a shocking attempt at a crossfield pass aimed for Pedro Porro.

The match was lost in the 88th minute when Oliver Skipp gave the ball away when he was out-muscled deep in our half after what had been our throw. Baptiste won the ball and passed inside to Mbeumo, who became the provider for Wissa’s goal.

Those added time attacks included two headers by Richarlison, both of which looked goal-bound, but both were saved.

Son had a shot blocked and Pedro Porro fired wide, but it was all too late. The sound system was used to drown out the boos of the home crowd, many of whom left before the post-match "lap of appreciation".

Harry Kane (of course) won all the player of the season awards and acknowledged the crowd with his family. It remains to be seen if all we have of him next season is that mural opposite the main stand.

Elsewhere today, Nottingham Forest held onto a one-goal lead over Arsenal to ensure their Premier League survival and also to ensure Manchester City would be crowned Premier League Champions for a third successive season and for the fifth time in six years. City’s last defeat, 24 games ago, was to Spurs on the day Harry Kane broke Jimmy Greaves’ Spurs scoring record.

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