Tottenham were left stunned as they kick-started their Premier League campaign with a 3-0 defeat to Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium.
In what was supposed to be the start of a new era under Roberto De Zerbi, Spurs never got going and were punished emphatically as they fell 2-0 behind inside 33 minutes.
Goals from Keane Lewis-Potter and Vitaly Janelt saw Brentford take advantage of a fast start, and from there Spurs had no answer.
Michael Kayode struck Brentford’s third shortly after half-time and Igor Thiago could have made it four from the penalty spot, but the game was as good as won long before then.
Spurs overwhelmed on opening weekend
This was supposed to be the dawn of a new age for Spurs as they looked to catapult themselves from the depths of relegation to European contention once more.
On this performance alone, though, Spurs remain a long way from matching their ambitions, and De Zerbi already finds himself with a lot of questions to answer.
Expectations were high after an aggressive summer of spending, but Spurs’ new-look squad, sporting four competitive debuts, struggled for cohesion and confidence.
Brentford were the better team from start to finish, their intensity overwhelming Spurs from the outset, and they got the goals their performance deserved.
A harrowing display and one that showed a concerning lack of personality as Spurs sank without a trace and let Brentford come onto them.
Second-half substitute Mateus Fernandes was the only player who looked capable or confident enough to try to get Spurs back into the game, but he can’t do it on his own.
Shared responsibility remains an issue for Spurs, and on this display there was little evidence that lessons have been learned from last season despite the changes in personnel.
Tonali overshone by Sangare
This game was always going to be won in the midfield, and so it proved as Brentford’s club-record signing, Mamadou Sangare, announced himself to the rest of the league in style.
A lot of noise has been made about Sangare’s £41million move from Lens, so pivotal was his role in helping them push Paris Saint-Germain all the way in the Ligue 1 title race last season.
But Spurs will have felt they had enough to get to grips with the Mali international, boasting a club-record signing of their own in £100m man Sandro Tonali.
In truth, Tonali struggled as Sangare ran the show, breaking in behind after a neat one-two before cutting the ball back to Keane Lewis-Potter.
Brentford were unrelenting, and Sangare was all over Tonali. The Italian tried to inject pace and rhythm into Spurs’ game with the ball, but out of possession he could not get close to Sangare.
If one battle summed up Brentford’s dominance over Spurs, it was Sangare versus Tonali. Spurs, in search of some control, were suffocated by Brentford and Sangare.
Captain Gray makes history - but will want to forget
A remarkable achievement for a remarkable young man, but a day he will want to forget quickly.
Archie Gray has been put through the wringer during his fledgling career and has always stood up and been counted, so it is no wonder Roberto De Zerbi feels he is deserving of the captain’s armband.
At just 20 years and 163 days old Gray became the youngest Spurs player to take the armband in a competitive match this evening.
Beating Steve Perryman’s record, the versatile youngster should have been able to enjoy a momentous achievement, and yet as he trudged off the pitch to jeers of “you should have signed for the big club”, Gray will have wanted the ground to swallow him up.
It was by no means entirely his fault, but Spurs looked powerless to contain Brentford, and Gray looked at a complete loss to do anything about it.
A chastening evening for Gray, but he should not be made to forget how impressive it is for a man of his age to be captaining a club of Spurs’ stature.
For Spurs, though, it is perhaps reflective of the leadership void De Zerbi wants to address that Gray was thrust into a position of such responsibility.
