Brentford (Home) 20.05.2023

The team reeks of a lack of confidence and while the first half was more lively than recently, the second half was a capitulation until it was too late; something we have specialised in this time around.  Only a late flourish nearly reduced the deficit.

Things started rather brightly, like the weather – an unexpectedly warm May early afternoon.  Spurs were moving well and moving the ball well and while Brentford looked dangerous up their left, not a lot came from it.  It was a crude tackle by Onyeka on Skipp seven minutes into the match that gave Spurs a free kick, just left of centre, eight yards outside the box.  When Harry Kane lined it up, Spurs fans hoped that if this was to be his last home goal, then it would be only his second from a free-kick.  As it was, Kulusevski looked as if he was going to run over it, but dragged the ball back under the sole of his boot for Kane to run behind him and smash an unstoppable right foot shot into Raya’s top left hand corner, well out of the keeper’s reach.  It was just as well the ball flew in, as there were two Spurs two-man walls, one in front and one behind the Brentford wall, who made runs just before it was taken to disrupt the defensive wall and create space to allow the shot a free flight into the net.

Tottenham were still looking to go forward.  Kane spotted Son with a ball from deep and he ran left to take on Hickey and drill in a shot, but Raya was behind it, beating it out, then Spurs had to defend, when German striker Schade (which means “Too bad” in his native language) ran down the left and then cut in past Sanchez and ran in along the dead-ball line to try to pull a ball across, but Ben Davies anticipated it and got a foot to the ball, which fortunately came off Forster’s boot and out for a corner, when the double touch could have gone anywhere.  Spurs cleared the corner to Son, but his pace only took him so far into the Brentford half before he was surrounded by black-shirted opponents.   

Ben Davies put in a good cross to the far post, where Kane and Mee tangled, but it was six of one half a dozen of the other, then Dejan’s back-heel set up Son inside the left side of the box to cross to the far post to Emerson Royal, whose header was headed off the line by Henry.  Lucas Moura had been getting big love as he warmed up and you wondered whether Daniel would be on the phone to Ryan to get the Brazilian up and down the touchline when the chants of “Levy Out” invariably rung out.  We had chances to break on the Bees, but hung onto the ball too long to allow them to get back, because as we well know, one goal is not usually enough, so when Jensen lined up a shot, it was a little worrying, but it went over the top. 

Spurs broke up a Brentford move and raced forward, outnumbering the defenders, but Royal’s cross from the right was blocked for a corner and when Kulusevski took it, Raya held onto it as it looked like it might swing in under the bar.  There was another chance before half-time when Son’s clever cross into the box from the right of the middle picked out Arnaut Danjuma and twisting in mid-air, he managed to get his head to it, but guided it wide.  Bissouma got a yellow card for a bad tackle from behind on Wissa, with the free-kick played in, but defended well and Son on the break had a shot at the other end.  A quick throw caught out two Bees defenders, who left it for Kulusevski to run into the box and hit the target, but Raya again saved the effort.

Half-time brought our Under-17 and Under-19 teams out to parade the Premier League Cups for their age groups … so at least there was some silverware in the trophy cabinet.  Not the sort to keep Harry Kane at the club probably, with the rumours flying in the media about possible destinations for the Spurs skipper.

The game turned after half-time, with Brentford levelling five minutes after the restart.  A throw-in from their left found substitute Damsgaard in acres of space and he nudged the ball forward to Wissa.  He ran onto it to his right and played it that way to Mbeumo, who came inside Davies to curl a shot wide of Forster to the keeper’s right and low into the net.  There hadn’t been much danger of them scoring up until this point, but the fragile nature of a one goal lead was coming home to roost.

It was Mbuemo who next tested the Spurs goalie, with a volleyed shot from a clearance, but it was straight at Fraser, chest high for him to hold.  Dejan ran away on the right and put the ball low into the box for Kane running in, but he got underneath it and his shot sailed high into the South Stand.  Just after the hour, Kane was knocked over from behind by Hickey without winning the ball, but the referee from Down Under obviously decided that Aussie Rules applied and the ball was played inside Davies for Mbuemo to run in and shoot across Forster from a narrow angle to put Brentford ahead.

Sixty six minutes were on the clock when Lucas Moura came on for his last appearance at home and he got a great ovation.  Henry finally got his yellow card for a foul on Kulusevski, after getting away with an arm around Royal’s neck in the first half.  Lucas had a little run on the right only for his cross to fly into Raya’s hands.  Harry curled an effort over the bar from the right side of the box after Richarlison had got in front of Henry, whose mis-control forced him to tackle the Brazil striker from behind, but the useless referee didn’t see anything wrong when penalties like that have been given for and against us this season.

Richi had a looping header plucked out of the air by Raya and then when Baptiste caught Skipp on the ball and dispossessed him, he knocked the ball on to Mbuemo  and his square pass to Wissa gave his team-mate the simple task of slotting it past the Spurs keeper from around the penalty spot with his left foot to Forster’s right as he dived left.  It was whatever the icing on the cake is.

There was a brief rally as the South Stand increased their anti-chairman chants.  Son’s ball in from the right picked out Richarlison’s head and Raya managed to push it onto the post and then the ball went out to the right again, where Moura recycled it and Richarlison got up highest again, but Raya pushed it over from under the bar.  The corner dropped to Son who had a shot blocked and then Lucas skewed his shot wide.  Porro drilled a shot at goal that Mee stooped to stop with his head and then the Spaniard fired a shot over … and that was it.

Ryan Mason said that the table doesn’t lie and you are where you deserve to be.  He wasn’t wrong and with other results making a European place a distant possibility, it summed up our season.  Sonny looked totally dejected when he picked up the club’s Goal of the Season trophy for his strike against Brighton and on the lap of appreciation, Harry Kane – captain on the day – lead the team around the pitch, with many saying it was a sign that he was going to leave in the summer, as he was out front well ahead of the others.  Bringing up the rear, taking a slow walk, was Lucas Moura. In tears all the way, he took the applause of the fans and stopped to sign shirts and have photos taken as he is out of contract in the summer and will be moving on.  Perhaps even more sad was the sight of Hugo Lloris in the middle of the group, waving to the crowd almost unnoticed as he might be another player making a close season departure.  It was no way to say goodbye after his service to the club.

So, Leeds away await.  They will need the win after collapsing against the Irons and it will need a massive step up from our players to compete with them on their home turf.  Will we make a fist of the final game with honour and pride at stake as well as three points ?  Or will the season fizzle out like so many before ?

The Polyphant

• Harry Kane makes his 300th Premier League start for Tottenham.
• His goal set a new Premier League record for the number of games – 25 – in a 38 game season.
• The goal was Kane’s 30th of the season in all competitions.