Tottenham 3 Brentford 1. A scoreline every bit as frustrating for The Bees to read as it was to experience.

The key talking point in the build-up was how would Brentford cope without Wissa, side-lined for a couple of months by Manchester City, yet the reveal of the team sheets showed another absentee. Christian Norgaard deemed not quite fit enough for this one although should be for West Ham on Saturday. His presence could not have been needed more on an afternoon when the home team ran riot through the middle.

It had all started off so well. That is, aside from the pre-match tedium of the lone trumpeter parping his way through Southampton’s club song from high up in the ‘Exam conditions’ home stand just prior to kick-off. The England ‘Supporters’ band’ are painful enough – the solo version no better. A reminder, if one were needed, that musical instruments in stadia are the last refuge of the damned. No amount of drums, trombones or trumpets can fill a Cathedral of hush.

With that finally over, things were allowed to get going in earnest. Thankfully. As at City last weekend, the Bees were 1-0 up with less than half a minute gone.

This time around, it took a whole 24 seconds. Spurs only touching the ball twice before falling behind to Mbeumo’s quite fantastic turn and finish. KLP working wonders down the left flank, jostling and wiggling before playing the perfect ball across. Bryan finding space easy to come by in the much-vaunted Tottenham defence and providing a finish that sent the away fans wild. The Spurs’ supporters down the Library End able to continue their ceaseless silence as Bees celebrated in the sunshine.

Except, this time around there was to be no continuation of the pressure that had followed our 22 second effort at The Ethiad. Credit to Spurs, they can pass and move with the best of them. The backline may have issue but give them the ball and they looked dangerous. Something Brentford found out by conceding three sloppy goals. All quite preventable but the chances, when offered, gobbled up with delight.

The first coming just eight minutes later. Ethan Pinnock with a rare mistake as his pass out found, urghh, of all people James Maddison. Flekken saving the shot but powerless to resist Dominic Solanke burying the rebound. The game levelled up as those in the Funeral Stand nodded their approval.

Next up, Brennan Johnson. This time Vitaly giving away possession and Spurs broke away. Our one time target with a neat finish past Mark Flekken into the far side of the net and then raising a finger to his lips as he ran past the Bees faithful. That, or he was just encouraging those in the Vow of Silence stand behind us to continue their fine work as a tumbleweed tribute act.

Regardless, the scoreline made for grim reading after such a bright start and, being honest, could have been more. Profligate finishing from Spurs and first-class goalkeeping the game alive. The Bees with their moments but very much looking the team second-most likely to create a chance.

Yet 2-1 is 2-1 and it was Brentford who really could have got the fourth goal. Vicario in nets for the home team keeping them ahead. Sometimes by fair means – twice from Bryan and once from Kevin Schade’s goalbound header – and sometimes by foul.

One cross into the box saw him flapping his hands and grabbing in a style that would not have been out of place from Donald Trump. First inside the box and then, when he had spilled it, clearly handling well outside the area. It was a blatantly clear handball from where we stood. Even moreso on subsequent TV replays. How the referee and officials all conspired to miss it an even bigger mystery.

We have VAR foisted on us week after week but it is powerless when the goalkeeper breaks the rules in such a fashion. A system designed to alleviate clear and obvious errors, yet it cannot be used for something as patently wrong as this. Madness.

Instead, all Brentford got for their quite justifiable protests were yellow cards for Thomas Frank and Kris Ajer. Would it have made a difference? Who knows? The simple fact being it was another opportunity denied.

Brentford pushed on. Chased the game. Schade’s run towards the box crying out for the release to KLP on the left. Instead, he kept the ball a moment too long, had it taken away by a smart challenge and Spurs boke. Again. This time there was no mistake. Son’s pass to Maddison well timed and the former England squad member made no mistake in putting the game beyond Brentford with 85 minutes gone.

That was it. There was to be no comeback form there. The ultimate indignity being delivered on the 91st minute when the entre stadium, even those in the Depeche Mode sponsored ’Enjoy The Silence’ VIP boxes, awoke from their slumbers to finally come together in song.

A soulless venue. A frustrating result. Spurs clinical in the final third. Brentford with a lot to be proud about but also with lessons to take away before the visit of West Ham.

Until then, let’s look at our game by game review of Brentford’s ‘top five’ performers. Five points awarded for star player, four for second place, three for third etc with the totals added up game-by-game to find an overall winner.

2024/25 Brentford Player Ratings from Matchweek 5 (vs Tottenham)

1st (Star player: 5 points) – Keane Lewis-Potter
There were a few contenders this time around, despite the game ending in defeat, but I thought KLP really stood out.

Last season he showed the potential that had seen Brentford snap up one of the Championship’s hottest talents and he has only continued to impress this time around. Pressed in to that left sided wing back role he again showed both aspects to his game.

The move to provide the opening goal most impressive. Despite the ridiculously early stage of the game, there was no time needed to settle. He showed equal amounts patience and skill before eventually finding time to torment the Spurs back line. It was a ball in deserving of the finish it got.

Kept up his enthusiasm and hard work throughout the gamer. Whether tackling back, blocking it on the line, breaking forward, creating the space or providing the crucial pass as Brentford looked to build he was there.

An all-round performance from a player who picks up his first five point haul of the campaign

2nd (4 points) – Mikkel Damsgaard
It was a close call for second place. Mark Flekken ran it close but in the end the urge to pick Mikkel Damsgaard is too strong.

It’s his third time in our top two in as many games but all deserved. With the midfield missing both Jensen and now Norgaard he has taken the opportunity with both hands. Despite the way that Tottenham sought to exploit the middle, and succeeded on may occasions, Mikkel bossed the tackle count (only Svdb getting more). He’s not shy to get stuck in to win the ball, that’s for sure, and was the player who looked most likely to turn backfoot into forward drive.

With Mikkel given a bit more robust support, the Bees could well have been able to boss that central third more and turn what was the most wonderous of starts in to something more long term. Instead, he was a solo turn but still did his utmost to provide that killer pass or cross. Never gave up and if nothing else, is penned into the starting XI for the foreseeable.

3rd (3 points) – Mark Flekken
Mark really is showing himself to be a fine shot-stopper. With Spurs threatening to score at will, he kept Brentford in the game until the very death of it.

Whether filling the space to force them wide or simply stopping pretty much anything fired at him, Mark was left exposed time and again yet did sufficient to keep the game alive until the very last knockings. Save followed save followed save. Had he been able to pull of something world-class to deny one of the three that did find a way past him then perhaps it would have been a different story for Brentford and a higher placing for our number one.

There can be no criticism levelled for anything that did find the back of the net. Football is a team game. With Spurs looking electric on the front foot, that the team stayed in it for so long is down to Mark.

4th (2 points) – Bryan Mbeumo
Oh, that goal. It was quite the strike and no doubt one we will see time and again.

With Wissa and Thiago missing, the burden was always going to fall on to Bryan’s shoulders. Whilst he can’t be every player everywhere all at once, he did his level best to try. Always looked the player ‘most likely to’ and will perhaps feel he could have done better when running through.

Credit to Vicario, though. When he wasn’t busy cheating he certainly has the reflexes. On another day Bryan would have seen at least one more of his find the back of the net, but for this cat-like ‘keeper.

Looking at the plus side, he is creating the opportunities. In our first game played minus an out and out target man, everybody needed to step up. On Saturday Bryan did his part. When West Ham visit, I have no doubt he and his team mates will continue this enforced adjustment to formation.

5th (1 point) – Nathan Collins
Nathan is picked for no more reason than simply standing out in the mind’s eye when looking back on this game.

He was as strong as ever. Never lunging in at the trickery going on around. Standing firm with the challenges. Looking to break and get up in the box for the set pieces. No errors made that I can recall but, instead, the best of the back three on an afternoon when Brentford came under bucketloads of pressure.

Spurs having 23 attempts, 10 on target and 10 shots blocked (compared to our 6,6 and 0 respectively) telling anybody who was counting just how under the cosh our back line were. Just how well Mark and Nathan did as the stand outs in keeping the game alive.

2024/25 Brentford Player Ratings – Top 5 Overall (after Matchweek 5)

All of which means that Mikkel Damsgaard goes level with Nathan Collins at the top of our table. Mark Flekken remains third and Bryan Mbeumo fourth. Fifth placed Christian Norgaard is joined by the impressive Keane Lewis Potter.

With game six next up, this little group are already starting to break away from the chasing pack. There’s plenty of time to go and the visit of West Ham next up could see this all change.

T1st – Nathan Collins, Mikkel Damsgaard (13 points)
3rd – Mark Flekken (9 points)
4th – Bryan Mbeumo (8 points)
T5th – Christian Norgaard, Keane Lewis-Potter (7 points)