Brentford (Away) 01.01.2026

With Lucas Bergvall missing with an adductor pull and Brennan Johnson missing reportedly having a medical ahead of his move to Crystal Palace.  In tribute, there was a rousing chorus of “Johnson again” just after the match kicked off.

In the first Spurs attack, the ball found Wilson Odobert in a lot of space on the left, who in turn found Archie Gray in a lot of space on the edge of the Brentford box, but his shot aimed at the far post was blocked in the third minute.  A corner from Brentford, who had not scored from one all season, ended up in the back of the net.  Thiago headed at goal and Vicario saved but Schade was right in front of him to put the ball into the net, only for the linesman’s flag to rule him offside.  That was in the fifth minute and then the next point of interest was when Romero clashed with Schade as Brentford broke on their left wing.  The replay showed that the Spurs captain pushed the winger with no attempt to get the ball, but the referee played on and VAR decided it wasn’t a sending off, so Cristian couldn’t be booked for it, although no doubt it would stay in the referee’s mind.

Neither team could put much together in the first 30 minutes, with Brentford launching the ball into space at every given opportunity from every part of the pitch.  Henderson was abusing the ref when Brentford conceded a free-kick for a foul, then later Collins did the same and you wonder why referees take it, as it only get worse as the game progresses.

A long cross into the box by Pedro Porro was headed to the back post by a defender and Richarlison volleyed it back for Archie Gray to head at goal, only to see it blocked by Collins.  The ball went back towards Richi and his cushioned volley went off beyond the far post.  A minute before half-time, Schade got into the box, cut back inside and lost the ball but Porro got a touch to it, taking it to Henderson on the right inside the box, who dinked a cross to the far post.  Thiago jumped for the header and took it from Lewis-Potter, who was coming in behind him, allowing Spurs to clear their lines.

I can’t remember a match where both teams have left the field at half-time to almost total silence.  You could say it was a game that was taking its time to warm up on a chilly New Year’s Day.  It seemed that if there was to be a winner, it would be by a single goal, such was the paucity of goal-scoring chances evident in the first 45 minutes.

The opening minute saw Brentford lift balls into the Spurs box that came down with snow on them.  Then Lewis-Potter threw Richarlison to the ground by the neck, followed by Yarmaluk shoving Richi over when he turned away from the Brentford midfielder.  After the Spurs free-kick had been cleared, we worked the ball back into their own half until Porro played a pass over the defence down the right and Djed Spence played a first time cross into the home penalty area.

Richi had his back to goal, but his touch was left for Romero to run onto and his shot was blocked.  Play went on and Mohammed Kudus fired a shot a couple of feet over from outside the box.  The Bees had an overload on the left and Yarmoliuk’s low ball across was aimed at Lewis-Potter, who fluffed his shot.  Ten minutes into the second half a through ball was chased by Romero and Thiago, with Cristian’s swing at the ball missing it, Thiago falling onto him and Brentford claiming everything from a red card for stopping the Brentford forward going through to a handball.  Spurs moved to the other end and Archie turned Collins only to be shoved onto Collins with neither player getting anything on the ball in the box.  VAR took a long look at it before someone you had never heard of as a referee decided it wasn’t a penalty.  It was Spurs, so why would it be.  Meanwhile, the referee spent his time profitably by booking Henderson for dissent (although not his first rodeo there).

Surprisingly, when Palhinha tackled from behind and caught a bit of Schade outside the area, it was a free-kick to Brentford on ten yards outside the box and a yellow card for the Portuguese midfielder.  The Spurs wall did it’s job and the ball went off for a corner. 

Just after the hour, Janelt found some space in the box to meet a Henderson cross and his firm header was beaten out by Vicario at his left hand post.  It brought Randal Kolo Muani on for Odobert, but a couple of minutes later, Kayode won the ball off Spence deep in the Tottenham box and he played it back to Thiago who skied a shot way over and wide.

69 minutes and Vicario was booked for time-wasting.  How often do you see that for opposition goalkeepers in Tottenham matches ?  Isn’t it customary to wait until the 89th minute ?

Where was the yellow card for Henderson when Micky van de Ven got between him and the ball to let it run off for a goal-kick and the former Scouser dragged Micky down by his neck ?  Of course, it wouldn’t have persuaded the ref to book him for that, because it would have been a second yellow.  Not that it stops them when a Spurs player is involved as we have found out in the recent past.

At a Brentford throw, Frank brought on Mathys Tel for Joao Palhinha with ten minutes to go.  The throw was played short before being hoisted skywards and Ajer backed into Vic, who managed to punch it away, but with both the keeper having feet off the floor it was not regarded as a foul somehow.  However, Thiago and Lewis-Potter hit the turf every time a yellow short went near then and a free-kick 20 yards outside the box for a nothing “foul” by Romero (when Lewis-Potter lost his footing) was again lifted into the box, but Vic came to claim it.

Kolo Muani played Bentancur into the right side of the box and his low ball was intended for Richarlison, but two defenders closed in to clear before it got to him, one of them was Ajer, who needed considerable treatment before he was able to carry on.  Some good battling by Kudus in the third minute of added time allowed him to pass outside him to the right for Randal, who put in a low ball that Richi turned on and couldn’t get a decent shot as it was a little behind him, but Kelleher got down behind it and the keeper also had an easy job of claiming Richi’s cross when Spurs broke away from a Brentford attack looking for Kolo Muani.

Tactically, both teams kind of cancelled out with both teams managed by men who knew each other so well when together at the West London club.  But the game showed what both teams are at the moment, mid-table strugglers.  Tottenham’s passing was again slack, failing to make fewer short passes than long ones and again, the team didn’t really click into gear to cause Brentford too many worrying moments.  There was another clean sheet and that is something positive when we have been losing matches like this recently by the odd goal, so a point gained at least.

It was a contrasting evening for Thomas Frank.  Applause from the home fans for the seven years service and success he gave them and then, at the end of the game, boos from the Tottenham fans for the goal-less draw.  The match was less than entertaining and let’s face it, its not the first time we have drawn 0-0 away with the Bees … well not for 137 games anyway !!

• It was 137 matches since Tottenham last drew 0-0 in the Premier League (a record), which was also away at Brentford on 23.04.2022.
• Guglielmo Vicario made his 100th Spurs appearance in all competitions.