Tottenham made a losing start to the new Premier League season as a side stocked with new signings slumped to a 3-0 defeat at Brentford.
Spurs have invested over £200million in new signings after narrowly avoiding relegation last season and are closing in on deals to sign Manchester City pair Savinho and Omar Marmoush.
Four of their new signings started in west London, with Marcos Senesi, Jan Paul van Hecke and Andy Robertson playing in the defence and Sandro Tonali included in the midfield three.
Despite those additions, Spurs looked desperately short as they were blown away by a brilliant Brentford side, who needed only 12 minutes to take the lead when club-record signing Mamadou Sangare teed up Keane Lewis-Potter.
Vitaly Janelt doubled Brentford’s advantage after poor goalkeeping from Antonin Kinsky, and it was 3-0 early in the second half as Michael Kayode converted from close range.
Igor Thiago surprisingly fluffed his lines from the penalty spot as he spurned a chance to make it 4-0, but it mattered not as Brentford claimed a comfortable victory that will ramp up the scrutiny on Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi and his revamped side.
Brentford batter revamped Tottenham
Tottenham failed to heed several early warnings from Brentford, the most glaring of which came when Nathan Collins headed wide from point-blank range.
Despite their defensive additions this summer, Spurs were cut open as Lewis-Potter broke the deadlock, tucking home after Sangare executed a brilliant give-and-go and surged to the byline before pulling back for the full-back to tuck home.
Dango Ouattara wasted an opportunity to make it 2-0 as he failed to control a ball from Thiago with only Kinsky to beat, but Janelt gave the hosts breathing room by converting on the rebound after the Tottenham goalkeeper could only parry Matthias Jensen’s drive.
Lucas Bergvall was also at fault for that goal as he conceded possession in midfield, and he and Conor Gallagher were brought off after half-time, with new signing Matheus Fernandes and Rodrigo Bentancur coming into Tottenham engine room.
Those changes did nothing to improve Tottenham’s fortunes and it was 3-0 four minutes after the restart, Kayode prodding home after Kinsky repelled a fizzing strike from Kayode.
Thiago looked destined to add a fourth from 12 yards after Bentancur bundled Kevin Schade over in the box, only for his strike to hit the inside of the post and bounce to safety.
Spurs did show some fight as Mikey Moore was denied three times at the near post by Caoimhin Kelleher. The consolation did not come for Tottenham, but they could at least take some comfort from the fact the scoreline was not more humiliating.
