Brentford 0 Tottenham 0: Why were Spurs so short of creative inspiration?
Elias Burke and Jack Pitt-Brooke analyse the main talking points from Tottenham's underwhelming draw at Brentford
Thomas Frank’s first return to Brentford since leaving last summer ended in an underwhelming draw as his Tottenham Hotspur side were unable to find a creative spark in a game of few chances.
After victory at Crystal Palace on December 28, Spurs were hoping to register back-to-back Premier League victories for only the second time this season and the first time since August.
Archie Gray had their best chance of a drab first half at the Gtech Community Stadium but his header was blocked.
Brentford’s Vitaly Janelt forced Guglielmo Vicario into a diving save midway through the second half but, in truth, neither side really offered much threat for long periods.
Spurs would have moved above Brentford and up to eighth with victory, but instead they are 12th at the halfway point in the league season.
Elias Burke and Jack Pitt-Brooke analyse the main talking points.
Why were Spurs so underwhelming again?
The 1-0 win at Crystal Palace four days ago eased immediate pressure on Frank, but sections of the fanbase remain divided about the head coach. The lack of development in turning Spurs into an exciting team to watch is the main complaint, and the performance at Brentford showed few signs that he is any closer to achieving that aim.
Marrying the desire to play attractive football with a solid defensive foundation is not easy. In fact, possibly only league leaders Arsenal and the recently improved Manchester City are convincing in both departments.
Frank is also dealing with injuries to star creators Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison, while Xavi Simons — the record summer signing who was brought in to help address their creative issues — is suspended. And with Lucas Bergvall also on the physio’s table, a glance at the bench made clear how limited his options are at the moment.
Still, Tottenham were second best for much of the game, with Brentford looking much more assured in possession. Even the Brentford support remarked on their opponents’ performance, singing “boring, boring Tottenham” in the second half, a chant which the travelling support later joined in with.
Frank will be pleased with another clean sheet in front of a home support which adores him, but a performance like that will not have earned him much more favour within Tottenham followers, some of whom booed when he went over to acknowledge them after the full-time whistle.
Elias Burke
How did Gray do in a more advanced role?
Archie Gray operated in the No 10 position for Tottenham at Brentford (Adam Davy/PA Images via Getty Images)