Brentford will provide the first challenge to Tottenham Hotspur in the post Harry Kane era.
Brentford and Tottenham Hotspur will kick off their 2023/24 Premier League campaign at the Brentford Community Stadium on Sunday in a tie that could prove pivotal to both team’s ambitions this campaign.
Thomas Frank’s side have established themselves as an exciting top flight side and will be keen to keep up their bludgeoning reputation. Ace goalkeeper David Raya is on his way to Arsenal, while Mads Bistrup and Halil Dervisoglu have also departed Brentford this summer.
They have, however, brought in Nathan Collins, Kevin Schade and Mark Flekken. While the trio might not be the most exciting of talents, they are solid additions to a side that has a strong core already in place.
🔜 #BRETOT
1️⃣ day to go … pic.twitter.com/R4xKHPsPuM
— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) August 12, 2023
The same can be said for Tottenham, who have enjoyed a fine summer of recruitment. The Ange Postecoglou era will be dominated by several new names such as Micky van de Ven, Manor Solomon, Guglielmo Vicario, Alejo Veliz and James Maddison among others.
Spurs have also signed Dejan Kulusevski and Pedro Porro on permanent deals, while a host of loanees have also returned. This gives the new manager with enough options to contend with especially given the exit of Harry Kane. The England skipper’s departure could have a huge impact on Tottenham’s ambitions, and the onus will be on Postecoglou to lead from the front.
A return to the top four will be on Tottenham’s mind, while Brentford will be aiming for back-to-back top ten finishes. It promises to be an exciting game between two managers who enjoy deploying attacking football formations.
With Ivan Toney suspended, the clash is more of a London derby where both sides will take to the field sans their recognizable talisman. The Hard Tackle looks at how both sides could line up against each other and what tactics they might employ.
Team News & Tactics
Brentford
Fit and raring to go for Sunday 🤙 pic.twitter.com/00NMXAhxvM
— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) August 11, 2023
The Bees will be without the suspended Ivan Toney and Arsenal bound David Raya for the game. Bryan Mbeumo, Frank Onyeka, and Christian Norgaard are expected to recover from knocks and be available for the night.
Thomas Frank plays an exciting brand of football that saw them defeat Tottenham 3-1 in their last meeting, denting the North London side’s European hopes. It remains unlikely that he will deviate from his regular game plan and will be keen to hit Tottenham on the counter.
Spurs have a poor defence, and Ange Postecoglou isn’t exactly famed for keeping things tight at the back. Despite Toney’s absence, it will be a surprise should Brentford fail to score on the night.
A 4-3-3 formation appears to be the flavour of the day, giving Brentford flexibility to shift setups as and when needed. More so, it is a system the players have made themselves familiar with in recent years, making it a good fit for opening day.
Mark Flekken will take the reins in goal behind a back four of Aaron Hickey, Ethan Pinnock, Ben Mee and Rico Henry. Vitaly Janelt will be the deep lying midfield, giving Mikkel Damsgaard and Mathias Jensen to push forward where possible. Mbeumo should recover from a dead leg and lead the line in Toney’s absence. He will be supported by Yoane Wissa and Kevin Schade up top.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Flekken; Hickey, Pinnock, Mee, Henry; Jensen, Janelt, Damsgaard; Mbeumo, Wissa, Schade
Tottenham Hotspur
The trip to Brentford harkens a new era in North London, and Ange Postecoglou will be keen to get off to a winning start. While several new faces have been brought in, the loss of Harry Kane is significant. Not only will the Australian need to rejig the club’s tactical setup but also make them more of a threat as a unit.
It will be too soon to expect the new faces to rise up to the occasion. But starting the campaign on a winning note will certainly make life easier. Spurs are expected to line up in a 4-3-3 formation that should match Brentford position for position.
Postecoglou’s pass and move system earned him many accolades at Celtic. But the Premier League represents a new challenge. Tottenham are in need of a new identity and one could argue that building a collective system rather than relying on individual brilliance is the best foot forward.
⏩ #BRETOT pic.twitter.com/zwit0z3AtP
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) August 11, 2023
Tottenham will be without injured stars like Tanguy Ndombele, Bryan Gil, Rodrigo Bentancur and Ryan Sessegnon. Van de Ven is likely to start on the bench for now owing to a lack of match fitness.
A 4-2-3-1 formation appears to be on the cards, with Vicario ushering in another new era, this time in goal. The Italian is expected to get the nod over Hugo Lloris for the game. He will be protected by the backline of Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Ben Davies and Destiny Udogie.
The duo of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Yves Bissouma will aim to hold down the base of the midfield, providing a launchpad for the front four to wreak havoc upfield. James Maddison will connect the midfield to the attack and act as a roaming number 10.
New captain Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski will provide width and interchange positions with Richarlison in what will be a dynamic and mobile attack. With Kane gone, all eyes will be on Richarlison to bang in the goals.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Vicario; Porro, Romero, Davies, Udogie; Bissouma, Hojbjerg; Kulusevski, Maddison, Son; Richarlison
Key Stats
- Brentford have never lost their opening game in the Premier League. Meanwhile, Tottenham have lost just one of their opening fixtures in the last seven Premier League seasons.
- Brentford have won just two of their ten league games against Tottenham.
- The last time a Tottenham boss kickstarted his stint with a game against a London rival, he went on to make a name for himself. Postecoglou will hope to follow in Mauricio Pochettino’s steps on the night.
- Brentford have won their opening game of the season just twice in the last 11 campaigns.
- A win on the night will see Brentford win four straight top flight games for the first time since 1939.
Player to Watch
Richarlison
The Brazilian will shake off injury concerns to lead the line and show Tottenham fans that there is still a future without Kane. Richarlison has so far flattered to deceive but has shown during his time at Everton that he is capable of leading the attack.
He has often impressed for Brazil and a similarly dynamic style at Tottenham should take his performances to the next level. With the summer window still open, Tottenham could yet bring in a new striker. The upcoming games give Richarlison an opportunity to show Postecoglou and Daniel Levy that he is their man.
Prediction
Brentford 2-2 Tottenham
The game will be a test between two sides on various ends of the spectrum. Brentford are a settled albeit weakened side, while Tottenham have strengthened as a whole but are still getting used to playing as a unit. Both sides are well known for their attacking setups and there should be no shortage of goals. A scoring draw appears to be the most likely result on the night.
