After four defeats in a row, Ange Postecoglou's side won 2-0 at Brentford's Gtech Community Stadium, easing — for now at least — the growing crisis that had begun to take hold. Goals from Janelt's own goal and Pape Sarr saw Tottenham climb up the table and start thinking about a possible turnaround this season.
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End of the suffering? The weight of breaking the slump
It was going to be a long, long time since Tottenham knew how to win in the league back in December 15, since consistently getting beaten after thrashing Southampton 5-0. This streak became some sort of a disaster: it stopped picking points and stopped performing. This pressure seemed to keep piling upon Postecoglou. There were questions the fans themselves sought to know-whether it was a problem of tactics, technics, or just pure misfortune.
That's probably why this win against Brentford was more than just three points; it carried a form of redemption. The coach even accepted that his players were suffering, too, with the fans.
"That's good for the fans, good for the players, too, 'cause they're all hurting, you know, the players are hurting too. I know the fans are; it's not where they want to see their team, and it's certainly not where we wanna be."
Postecoglou’s words capture the moment perfectly. Tottenham isn’t where it wants to be, but at least now, there’s a sense of relief. The win brings confidence, but the hard work is far from over.
A victory built on resilience
The first goal came in the 29th minute, more by luck, or misfortune, if you’re Brentford. Son swung in a corner, and Vitaly Janelt deflected the ball into his own net.
The second , scored by Pape Sarr in the closing minutes, had come after Brentford had missed a golden opportunity to level, Fabio Carvalho's shot heading in before being cleared off the line by Djed Spence. Classic soccer-the ball punishes those who don't take chances.
For Postecoglou, however, the backline was vital: "It's a tough place to come, a tough place to win but also a tough place to keep them out because of the way they play, the way they set up. You have to defend your box, no matter how you want to approach it tactically. (.) We knew we had to do it. It was going to be crucial for us, to nullify their threats, and the boys were brilliant."
Standings and the pressure to recover
The win lifted Spurs to 14th place. Now they finally have 27 points. Yet still far away from comfort zones. While Brentford are comfortable in 11th place on 31 points.
The big question now is whether Spurs can build on this and find consistency. Even Postecoglou acknowledged that the team needs to be more stable: "I think in the context of where we are in terms of the season, yeah, it's important because, like I said, our league position isn't good enough, we need to fix it. We need to improve."
But one of the biggest obstacles? The relenting schedule. Playing on Thursday and Sunday non-stop is sapping the squad, and the total lack of squad depth doesn't help either. And so, the coach did not mince his words: "What they're doing is giving maximum effort. And maximum effort in a game like today means you can't be sharp and really dynamic with and without the ball. It's just impossible. They're human beings, not robots."
A not-so-subtle dig at the fixture list, which is chock-full, but a fair point nonetheless. Fatigue is real, and Tottenham have been suffering from it.
Reinforcements and expectations
In order to mend things, Spurs are already working in the transfer market. Kevin Danso's arrival is looked upon as a fundamental move that would shore up the defense: "We desperately needed a center-back, but having him is great because he fits really well with us. (.) He's got all the attributes we look for-he's strong one-on-one, he's quick, he's dynamic."
However, the problem is Radu Dragusin's injury. The club waits for further tests that will reveal the seriousness of the injury. If it is serious, then Tottenham might continue to struggle in defense.
Another story to keep tabs on? How Archie Gray settled as a centre-back. The young talent rose to a new challenge and was praised by the boss.
"I just think he’s a fantastic player. I’m really happy he’s at this football club. (…) No matter what position he ends up playing, he’ll be outstanding."
That says a lot. Despite the team’s struggles, Tottenham does have some promising young talent coming through. But will it be enough to fuel a true comeback?