Tottenham's Premier League campaign began in disaster. Brentford tore them apart 3-0 on the opening weekend, handing Roberto De Zerbi an early reality check despite all the club's summer spending.
New faces filled the starting line-up, with Robertson, Senesi, Van Hecke and Tonali all handed debuts. Yet for all the reinforcements, Spurs never hit the level expected of them and struggled against Brentford from the first whistle.
Lewis Potter broke the deadlock in the 12th minute, finishing off a slick move started by Mamadou Sangaré. Janelt made it two in the 33rd, pouncing on a loose ball inside the box after an initial shot rebounded into his path.
Spurs pushed for a way back after the break. Nothing changed on the scoreboard. Brentford landed the knockout blow instead, Kayode adding the third in the 49th minute to settle the contest.
The defeat piled early pressure on a side desperate to shake off a miserable last campaign. De Zerbi now faces an uphill battle to steady the ship and put things right before the season runs away from him.
