Brentford 2-2 Tottenham: Ange Postecoglou’s new side draw at Bees in entertaining Premier League opener

Brentford and Tottenham took a point each in their first game of the 2023-24 season, after an entertaining 2-2 draw in West London.

Tottenham took the lead from a close-range header by Cristian Romero before a Bryan Mbuemo penalty and a deflected strike from Yoane Wissa put the hosts ahead. Deep into injury time of a first half extended by 11 minutes due to breaks and delays, Emerson Royal guided in a low drive to bring the scores level.

A quieter second half was largely controlled by Spurs, with Son Heung-min and Richarlison forcing smart saves out of Mark Flekken, but they failed to find an opening for the winner.

Brentford will now face another London derby next Saturday at Fulham, while Ange Postecoglou will take charge for his first Tottenham home game when they host Manchester United later in the day.

Earlier today Harry Kane’s official presentation took place at Bayern Munich, and replacing the striker who contributed a minimum of 24 goals per season for nine years on the spin is a notable early problem for Postecoglou.

At the Gtech Community Stadium a few hours later came hints at a few other things to deal with; Hugo Lloris is set to leave the club this summer too and his replacement, Guglielmo Vicario, is a talented ball-playing keeper that on today’s evidence needs time to get with the new system.

Further disruption came when Romero had to come off after 11 minutes, and Emerson Royal was caught out for the second Bees goal which new signing Micky van de Ven was unfortunate to ultimately divert a past Vicario. Spurs settled down much more in the second half, and a promising shift from left-back Destiny Udogie helped keep the lively Wissa and Mbuemo quiet.

With midfielders going for all kinds of money this summer, the £40 million Spurs parted with to secure Maddison might prove to be a relative bargain. He was involved in everything good they did today, marking his debut with a pair of assists – albeit one inadvertent – and caused Brentford numerous problems when flitting between their midfield and back line.

Brentford: Flekken 7; Hickey 6, Collins 7, Pinnock 6, Ajer 6, Henry 7; Janelt 6, Norgaard 7, Jensen 6; Mbuemo 7, Wissa 7

Subs: Damsgaard 5, Roerslev 6, Baptiste 6, Schade 6, Jorgensen 7

Tottenham Hotspur: Vicario 5; Emerson Royal 5, Van de Ven 6, Romero 6, Udogie 7; Skipp 6, Bissouma 8, Maddison 8; Kulusevski 5, Richarlison 6, Son 6

Subs: Sanchez 7, Sarr 6, Perisic 6

11’ GOAL! BRENTFORD 0 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1 (ROMERO 11) Tottenham win a free kick on the left corner of the Brentford area. Maddison fires in an inswinger, a stunning ball, and Romero gets to it first to thump in a header from six yards out. It’s VAR checked, and it’s mighty close…it’s given!

26’ BRENTFORD 1 (MBUEMO PEN. 26) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1 Mbuemo trots up calmly and sends Vicario definitively the wrong way before prodding the ball into the bottom left.

36’ GOAL! BRENTFORD (WISSA 36) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1 From nothing, Brentford lead! They boom the free kick down to Henry on the left wing. One touch puts him inside Emerson Royal and into the area; he cuts it to Wissa, who scuffs his hsot from 12 yards out but it deflects off Van de Ven and trickles past Vicario.

45+5’ GOAL! BRENTFORD 2 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2 (EMERSON ROYAL 45+5) Well well, we’re level! Maddison looks to be fouled 20 yards from goal, but as the ball breaks to Emerson Royal, referee Robert Jones plays on. Good shout; Emerson Royal proceeds to drill a low daisycutter into the bottom corner!

45+10’ HUGE CHANCE! Brentford get Henry clean away down the left again, and he’s in behind Spurs. Henry fires a near perfect cross to the back post, where Mbuemo meets it on the half volley and puts it over with the goal gaping! My word.

60’ BIG CHANCE FOR SON! A shot from Kulusevski catches a deflection on the edge of the area, and drifts to the open Son on the edge of the six yard box. Son sidefoots an effort at goal but doesn’t catch it clean, and Flekken diverts the ball away with his leg.

64’ GOOD SAVE AGAIN! Maddison finds room in the hole again and slides an angled pass to Richarlison inside the area. Richarlison shoots across goal, and Flekken palms the shot away.

• In the six games that Brentford have played without Ivan Toney since the start of last season, Wissa and Mbuemo have scored five goals each.