Brentford 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur: The Afterthought
Massive result. Absolutely massive. A result that definitely was a set-up as to how Spurs are going to line up against Liverpool in the 2nd leg. There was a lot of resilience on show, and every single player contributed to that. So, what did we make of Spurs’ gritty win at Brentford?
Light at the end of the tunnel…
Spurs have been incredibly bad in the league this season, the complete opposite of what they have been in the cup competitions. So, it must be very heartening to see Spurs put in a resilient performance against one of the best home teams in the Premier League.
The game was scrappy and surprisingly it suited Spurs. Ange would have preferred the game to be played this way only. Brentford at home are one of the best teams in the league, and to keep them at arm’s length is commendable. Spurs didn’t go toe to toe, rather, they were happy to scrap it out.
If this performance is an indication of what is to come in the league, then Spurs will finally be able to climb the table with some consistency. The gung-ho style of Ange was not working in the league, and it is good to see that Ange was finally able to see that and change the style a bit. Spurs have the quality to hurt any team in the league, they just need the right environment. Hopefully, this is the start of that.
We want Levy out”
The chant is getting louder with every game. Despite the positive result, Spurs fans made their stance clear. There were loud chants of them wanting Daniel Levy out of the club. The anger and resentment will only grow from here on, even if Spurs end up with the League Cup or the Europa League.
The growing resentment towards the chairman stems from years and years of mediocrity on the field. There is no denying the fact that Levy has made Spurs an attractive commodity outside the football field, but on it, Spurs have been an abject failure for the last 15 years and counting. That is where the anger of the fans comes from.
The fans have been patient – rebuild after rebuild, manager after manager, but there is a limit to which a human can cope. The dam seems to be broken and with it the trust of the fans. As said earlier, even a trophy this season won’t stop these protests, which only look like it is just the beginning.
What next?
A huge and probably season-defining second leg at Anfield in the Carabao Cup awaits. You can’t help but notice that the set-up against Brentford was more with Liverpool in mind and now considering how scrappy they made this game, it might be the perfect set-up for Liverpool.
Of course, the challenge will be much higher and Liverpool at Anfield is a Herculean challenge, but it can be done, Southampton not that long ago turned Liverpool over in the League Cup. So, there are good examples of it. Also, Liverpool have their focus firmly on the League and Champions League, so there might be a chance they may take this tie as a hindrance rather than a challenge themselves.
The last thing Liverpool would want is an additional tie albeit that being a final but still, they have won the League Cup with ease in the past few years so giving this one a miss won’t do them any harm, Spurs on the other hand will be fully focused to get the job done. For Spurs, this might be a perfect storm.