A New Year’s Day stalemate took place at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium on Thursday evening as we played out a rare goalless draw in the Premier League.
In fact, it was our first 0-0 draw for 137 games, bringing to an end the longest such run in Premier League history and, ironically, our last 0-0 was also against Brentford at this venue in April, 2022.
Chances were few and far between as Thomas Frank returned to his former club for the first time, with Gugliemo Vicario keeping a clean sheet on his 100th Spurs appearance. Archie Gray had one of our best opportunities, almost making it back-to-back goals after netting against Crystal Palace on Sunday, but his goalbound header was blocked, while Keane Lewis-Potter fluffed his lines with Brentford’s best chance.
Just 26 days after our 2-0 win over the Bees at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, we took the best away record in the division to west London and the match started brightly. Gray saw an effort blocked after just three minutes and just moments later, Kevin Schade had the ball in the net from close range after a corner, but he was offside and it was ruled out.
That suggested a lively encounter ahead, but it never materialised as defences were on top and neither side could really get going in attack. There were 32 minutes on the clock before another sight of goal, Pedro Porro sending over a cross which fell to Richarlison beyond the back post, he clipped the ball back in and Gray’s header was goalbound but Nathan Collins got back to block before Richarlison blazed the rebound wide.
Just before the interval, a half-chance came our way when a long throw was cleared to Wilson Odobert who hit a fierce drive which might have troubled Caoimhin Kelleher had it not been blocked. Then, on the stroke of half-time, Brentford broke away when Lewis-Potter released Schade down the left and into the box, he cut inside Pedro Porro and prepared to shoot but Rodrigo Bentancur was there to clear away the danger and we went in goalless at the break.
There wasn’t a great deal of change to the pattern of play in the early stages of the second half although we had another shot blocked in the 50th minute, Cristian Romero running onto a loose ball but drilling an effort from the edge of the box against Kristoffer Ajer. The hosts then created a glorious opening as Yehor Yarmoliuk centred a cross for Lewis-Potter but he completely scuffed his shot and we were able to clear and, after VAR dismissed our penalty claims for a Schade tackle on Gray inside the box, the Bees went close again on 63 minutes, Vicario pushing away Vitaly Janelt’s header.
Good work from Michael Kayode saw him fashion a chance for Igor Thiago but Brentford’s top scorer blazed high over the bar from 10 yards out, while we saw yet another shot blocked in the 73rd minute, Mohammed Kudus this time with the effort after a corner had been cleared to the edge of the box.
It got nervy in the final stages as both sides knew any goal would probably win the match and there were very few clear opportunities, Vicario having to come and deal with some high balls into his six-yard box while at the other end, Richarlison almost got on the end of Bentancur’s low cross but Brentford defended well to deny him a sight of goal. Our first shot on target of the second period came at the end of a quick counter in the third minute of stoppage time, Randal Kolo Muani’s cross landing at the feet of Richarlison but his effort was saved low down to his left by Kelleher and we had to settle for the draw – strangely a frequent outcome on our visits to the Gtech.