This was supposed to be New Spurs. Daniel Levy, such a magnet for fan antipathy, has been sidelined. Roberto De Zerbi’s recruitment drive has won the transfer market. The stadium is still nice. But Spurs and ambition were always an awkward combination and all those cash-fuelled dreams were shattered within an hour of the new season. A few headed for the exits after Brentford’s third goal on 49 minutes. There were not many left by the time those in freakish purple made their way over to that corner of the Gtech at full time.
There was no escaping the irony that the best player on the splendid opening-day pitch was the only new face in Brentford’s starting XI. Mamadou Sangaré, signed for a club-record fee from Lens, made sure his Premier League debut was played at his pace – faster and more dynamic than any of Sandro Tonali, Lucas Bergvall or Conor Gallagher could deal with in midfield. The Mali international ran off Bergvall to set up Keane Lewis-Potter’s first and struck the shot that led to Michael Kayode’s third.
