Tottenham Hotspur suffered a 3-0 defeat to Brentford on opening day of the Premier League. Manager Roberto De Zerbi apologised, saying the team was not in the right physical condition and lacked organisation.
Debutants and Early Mistakes
The match saw a host of Spurs players making their first appearances: Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi and Andrew Robertson. De Zerbi admitted the new-look side “made a lot of mistakes” and that they “did not fight in the right way” or “lost too many duels”. He added that the squad was still “not a team yet” and that the physical condition was a key issue.
At half-time, Lucas Bergvall and Conor Gallagher were replaced. Bergvall was substituted after a vital tackle loss that helped set up the second Brentford goal. De Zerbi said Bergvall “didn’t play badly” and that “in two years’ time he will not lose that ball in that moment of the game.”
Brentford’s Goals and Penalty Miss
Brentford’s trio of scorers were Keane Lewis-Potter, Vitaly Janelt and Michael Kayode. Igor Thiago missed a penalty for the Bees. The goals came early, with Lewis-Potter opening the scoring, followed by Janelt and Kayode to seal the win.
Mamadou Sangare’s Debut
Brentford also celebrated the debut of Mamadou Sangare, who starred in the match. Club boss Keith Andrews praised the club’s acquisition, noting that “you never truly know what you’re going to get because intensity of Premier League is different to most friendlies.” Andrews said Sangare had “slotted in really well” and adapted “really well” to the league, describing him as a “humble young man, very hungry” with “great energy and quality.”
De Zerbi’s Vision for the Future
De Zerbi said the team must “find a connection, find the spirit, and the soul” to become a real threat. He stressed that the club’s ambition is to build a “good” project, and that the current loss is part of the journey. He added that Spurs need time to become a cohesive unit and that the biggest conditions are the soul and the style of play.
The manager concluded that the defeat was a “normal situation when you are building a new project” and that Spurs will “suffer” until they reach the required level. He expressed surprise and suffering at the result but remained confident that the team will wake up stronger.
