For the second time within the house of 4 days, Tottenham got here again from 1-0 all the way down to win — and once more Brennan Johnson was on the scoresheet.
Ange Postecoglou’s workforce wanted added time to beat Coventry Metropolis of the Championship 2-1 within the Carabao Cup on Wednesday nevertheless it was simpler at house within the Premier League on Saturday.
Bryan Mbeumo put Brentford forward after 23 seconds however Spurs hit again by Dominic Solanke seven minutes later. That was his first purpose for the membership since becoming a member of from Bournemouth this summer time in a deal price £65million ($86.5m). Johnson put Tottenham in entrance simply earlier than the half-hour and James Maddison obtained the third late within the second half, securing their second win of the Premier League season.
Jay Harris runs by the important thing speaking factors…
Brennan Johnson is silencing his doubters
The final week has been a rollercoaster of feelings for Johnson. He deactivated his Instagram account after receiving abuse following Sunday’s 1-0 house defeat in opposition to Arsenal.
The 23-year-old began on the bench in opposition to Coventry within the Carabao Cup however ended up being Tottenham’s hero by scoring the winner in second-half stoppage time. His muted celebrations instructed what occurred off the pitch had taken its toll.
He began on the appropriate wing in opposition to Brentford, who had tried to signal him from earlier membership Nottingham Forest on a number of events earlier than he moved to north London simply over a yr in the past, so was competing with Nathan Collins and Keane Lewis-Potter. Johnson’s first involvement within the recreation was to foul Lewis-Potter and he was given a shove by Collins in response.
Then an fascinating tactical tweak by Brentford coach Thomas Frank might need not directly led to Johnson scoring Spurs’ second purpose: throughout a break in play, Frank instructed Collins to push up greater from his left centre-back position. Inside a few minutes, Son Heung-min launched Johnson into house on the appropriate wing. The Wales worldwide drove previous the backpedalling Collins and drilled a shot into the far nook.
Johnson scores his purpose (Alex Pantling/Getty Photos)
The gang erupted in applause and Maddison whipped his arms up, urging them to make much more noise. When play restarted, the Spurs followers began chanting “There’s just one Brennan Johnson.” It was a healthful second which underlined their assist for him.
Johnson will likely be annoyed he failed to attain one other purpose within the second half. Son set him up for one more glorious alternative however he dragged his shot vast. He pulled his shirt up over his face whereas Postecoglou had his arms on his knees.
There was an enormous cheer from the Spurs followers when Johnson was changed by Pape Sarr with 20 minutes remaining.
Ought to Vicario and Spurs have been punished for handball?
There was a weird second within the 57th minute which had Brentford’s gamers screaming for a free kick and for the Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario to be punished.
Mikkel Damsgaard earned a free kick on the sting of Tottenham’s field close to the left wing after being crunched by Johnson and Cristian Romero. The 24-year-old Dane’s effort was blocked however Sepp van den Berg reclaimed the ball from Future Udogie. Van den Berg handed it to Yehor Yarmoliuk, who pumped a cross excessive up within the air. It was floating in direction of the sting of the penalty space and Vicario tried to catch it however misjudged the flight. Vicario flapped on the ball a few extra occasions and appeared to the touch it together with his hand exterior the field.
Damsgaard and Lewis-Potter appealed for handball instantly. Brentford’s gamers had been livid as referee John Brooks allowed play to proceed earlier than he blew for a Tottenham free kick for a foul within the centre circle. Kristoffer Ajer obtained a yellow card for protesting and Brooks paused play for round a minute. After the delay, he strode over to the touchline and booked Frank, who couldn’t imagine what had occurred.
Frank was livid Vicario obtained away with an obvious handball exterior the field (Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Photos)
The incident was not reviewed by the video assistant referee as they will solely intervene if the handball was the denial of a purpose or a goalscoring alternative.
Frank had calmed down by the point the sport completed. He mentioned: “It wasn’t impacting the sport (the choice). It wasn’t a penalty, it wasn’t a crimson card, it was only a free-kick exterior the field which John (Brooks, the referee) ought to have seen. I believe he refereed an excellent recreation, that was only a small little factor. For those who come right here it’s essential to get all the things with us to maximise our possibilities within the recreation.”
Brentford rating inside 30 seconds for second week working… how?
In final weekend’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester Metropolis, Ajer pushed excessive up the pitch and Lewis-Potter headed the defender’s cross again throughout the field for Yoane Wissa to attain a first-minute purpose.
Ajer and Lewis-Potter had been concerned within the build-up once more for Mbeumo’s trendy volleyed opener at present.
Straight from the kick-off, the 6ft 6in (198cm) Ajer pushed up excessive on Udogie, trying to capitalise on his five-inch peak benefit. Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken acquired the ball, and pumped a move in direction of the Norway worldwide centre-back. It dropped for Tottenham ahead Dejan Kulusevski, however he was swarmed by Damsgaard and Yarmoliuk.
The ball was then labored out vast to Lewis-Potter, who dropped his shoulder and burst previous Pedro Porro. The 23-year-old whipped a cross into the field and Mbeumo swivelled his hips earlier than firing a shot in off the bar. Vicario had no probability of stopping it however Porro ought to have executed higher to stall Lewis-Potter, whereas centre-back Micky van de Ven wanted to be nearer to Mbeumo.
It was a nightmare begin for Tottenham in a recreation they wanted to win after successive defeats in opposition to Newcastle and Arsenal within the Premier League.
The gang had been surprised into silence by the early breakthrough however Spurs’ intense excessive press rapidly suffocated Brentford and inside seven minutes Solanke had pulled them stage.
What did Ange Postecoglou say?
“It was a very good win, a very good efficiency. Our performances have been good all yr however at present we obtained the end result as nicely which is essentially the most pleasing bit. We must always have received by a good bit extra however we nonetheless obtained the job executed.”
On Solanke getting his first purpose: “Dom labored his socks off. He was gone on the finish. He’s nonetheless getting again to match health (after his early-season ankle harm), however I do know he’s going to supply a lot for us in that central place. All strikers love objectives, so it is going to be a fantastic second for him, particularly at house.”
What subsequent for Tottenham?
Thursday, September 26: Qarabag (H), Europa League, 8pm BST, 3pm ET
Sunday, September 29: Manchester United (A), Premier League, 4.30pm BST, 11.30am ET
Beneficial studying
(High photograph: Glyn Kirk/AFP through Getty Photos)