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The whistle has blown for full-time at the Gtech Community Stadium, and it’s time for our Tottenham player ratings vs Brentford in the Premier League.

Thomas Frank may be happy to avoid defeat away to his old club, but the travelling Spurs fans were far from happy with a 0-0 New Year’s Day result.

Tottenham full-time player ratings vs Brentford

Guglielmo Vicario – Brentford did create a couple of good chances, but Vicario proved equal to the task each time. He was then booked for time-wasting later in the half. 5.

Pedro Porro – As the game went on, the Bees began creating better chances, and a few did come from Porro’s side of the pitch, but nothing proved costly as Spurs secured a clean sheet. 5.

Micky Van de Ven – He was arguably one of Tottenham’s better performers in the first half, given how well he read the game, often getting himself in the way of crosses as he looked to defend his box. In the second half, it was more of the same as Spurs managed a clean sheet. 6.

Cristian Romero – Had a nervy moment in the second half when Igor Thiago looked to get in behind the Tottenham backline, forcing Romero into a challenge that saw the forward hit the floor. It was checked for a possible red card, and Romero escaped a sending off. Made a number of important tackles in the final 20 minutes. 6.

Djed Spence – In the closing stages of the first half, the full-back drifted into central areas when Spurs were in transition, in the second half, those moments were non-existent as Brentford enjoyed most of the ball. 5.

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Rodrigo Bentancur – Picked up from where he left off in the first half, where he was tasked with shielding the back four. Kept things very safe for Tottenham, which has been the story for a good while. 5.

Joao Palhinha – The Portuguese often found himself in advanced areas of the pitch and looked to play forward at times when in possession. 5.

Archie Gray – No real moment of quality in the number ten role for the youngster, who had half-chances in the first half. In the second forty-five, however, he was rather quiet. 4.

Mohammed Kudus – His best work was not done in attacking areas, as he did not create any chances from out wide, but he did look to help out defensively by tracking back. 4.

Richarlison – The Brazil international barely got any chances in the first half, and it was more of the same in the second half, as Spurs struggled to create many openings. He did manage a shot on target late in the second half but it was a tame effort. 4.

Wilson Odobert – The young Frenchman started from the off here and looked to influence proceedings in the first half by being positive and direct, but his first touch often let him down before he was taken off in the second half for Randal Kolo Muani. 4.

Substitutes

Randal Kolo Muani – The Frenchman replaced his countryman and went straight out to the left-wing position, but he did not change Spurs’ fortunes in attack. 4.

The whistle has blown for half-time at Gtech Community Stadium, and it’s time for our Spurs player ratings vs Brentford in the Premier League.

The sides are level at 0-0 at the break.

Tottenham first-half player ratings vs Brentford

Guglielmo Vicario – Brentford did get the ball in the back of the net, but it was ruled out for offside in the early moments of the first half. Aside from that, the Italian was barely tested. 6.

Pedro Porro – The Spaniard has stuck to his defensive duties here, ensuring that the in-form Kevin Schade does not have a sniff, while also often looking to create from deep in the Spurs right half-space when possession allows. 6.

Micky Van de Ven –The Dutchman has defended the Tottenham box well in the opening half, especially when the Bees have looked to put balls into the area, often getting his head or leg to crosses. 7.

Cristian Romero – The Argentine has stuck tight to Igor Thiago as he and van de Ven look to secure another clean sheet tonight.6.

Djed Spence – The full-back has barely gone beyond Wilson Odobert in this half, with his focus mainly on keeping it tight at the back as Spurs defend deep, although he has often drifted into central areas and driven through the middle when Tottenham are in transition. 5.

Rodrigo Bentancur – The Uruguayan has been there to mop things up and shield the Spurs back four in this encounter, often proving to be an out-ball. 5.

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Joao Palhinha – The Portuguese earns himself a start for the first time in a while and has been tasked with shielding the back four. He has often looked to get into the Brentford half and managed to put a cross into the box, which led to an Archie Gray half-chance. 5.

Archie Gray – Filling in for Lucas Bergvall and Xavi Simons in the number ten role, but his influence has been limited as Spurs have not had much of the ball and have created next to nothing. 5.

Mohammed Kudus – The Ghana international has barely created from out wide in this clash, but defensively, he has worked hard, often tracking back to help Pedro Porro deal with the in-form Schade. 5.

Richarlison – The forward has barely had a sniff, with Tottenham again failing to register a shot on target in the first 45 minutes. 5.

The Tottenham Hotspur starting line-up for the Premier League match against Brentford has been announced for the club’s first fixture of 2026.

Tottenham 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace last time out was not the most entertaining encounter, but it was enough for the Lilywhites to secure three vital points.

However, tonight attention turns to another tricky away encounter, as Thomas Frank takes on his former side for the second time this season in the space of just three weeks.

Brentford come into the fixture on the back of successive victories, with their last league outing ending in a 4-1 thrashing of Bournemouth at the Gtech Stadium.

Tottenham Hotspur confirmed team XI vs Brentford

Frank will be hoping for a fast start tonight as he welcomes back his captain Cristian Romero, who missed the game against Crystal Palace following his suspension as a result of his red card in Spurs’ defeat to Liverpool.

Lucas Bergvall’s injury in the last league fixture was not too serious, with the midfielder included in today’s matchday squad.

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Dominic Solanke, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski all remain sidelined, while Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma are away on AFCON duty. Still, Frank has been able to name a strong XI to take on his former side.

Brennan Johnson is on the verge of joining Crystal Palace and is currently undergoing his medical with the Eagles, meaning he is not included in the squad.

These are the teams which takes to the field at the Gtech Stadium tonight:

BRENTFORD: Kelleher; Kayode, Ajer, Collins, Henry; Yarmoliuk, Henderson, Janelt; Lewis-Potter, Schade; Thiago XI

TOTTENHAM: Vicario; Pedro Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Gray, Bentancur, Palhinha; Kudus, Odobert; Richarlison.

Subs: Kinsky, Austin, Dragusin, Davies, Danso, Tel, Kolo Muani, Scarlett, Olusei

Brentford pose a tough test for Spurs

Brentford remain one of the league’s strongest home sides, having picked up an impressive 20 points from a possible 27 at the Gtech, the fourth-best home record in the division.

Spurs, on the other hand, are the Premier League’s best away side, having won five of their nine matches on the road.

Tottenham Hotspur have reached an agreement over the future of one of their most decisive attacking players, Fabrizio Romano reveals.

A move away from Tottenham Hotspur has been on the cards for some time now for Brennan Johnson.

The wide forward, who joined in the summer of 2023 under Ange Postecoglou, has had an eventful spell in north London since signing.

Johnson was Spurs’ top scorer last season and famously scored one of the most important goals of the club’s modern history with his toe poke against Manchester United in the Europa League final.

Tottenham Hotspur agree deal for Brennan Johnson

Game time this season under the new management of Thomas Frank has been hard to come by, which has led to speculation over a potential move during the January window.

Crystal Palace and six other Premier League sides were reported to have shown interest in Johnson in recent weeks, with Palace even going as far as submitting a £33.5 million bid.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the deal is now agreed, with the transfer insider reporting that Brennan Johnson is set to join Crystal Palace.

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It is understood that personal terms are in place, a £33.5m fee has been agreed with Tottenham, and the first part of his medical is already underway.

Spurs reshape squad ahead of busy winter window

Johnson‘s sale now represents the third piece of business Spurs have completed ahead of what could be a busy winter window.

We previously reported that Manor Solomon’s loan spell at Villarreal was cut short following a lack of consistent minutes, with the winger now set to join Fiorentina.

Tottenham Hotspur are continuing to monitor options in wide areas ahead of the winter window, and a player who impressed against them remains firmly on their radar.

Tottenham Hotspur could lose another of their top scorers from the past three seasons should Brennan Johnson depart from north London.

Seven Premier League clubs have shown interest in Johnson, despite reports claiming that Tottenham have agreed a £35 million fee for the Welshman with Crystal Palace.

It is now up to Johnson to decide on his next steps, which almost certainly look as though they will take him away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham Hotspur retain interest in Maghnes Akliouche

Tottenham now look to be planning for the departure of the 24-year-old, who managed 25 goal contributions in all competitions last season.

According to the Daily Mail, it is understood that Spurs remain interested in Monaco’s versatile attacking midfielder Maghnes Akliouche, who was on their list of options during the summer before attention turned elsewhere.

The French youngster was allowed to showcase his talent when Tottenham faced AS Monaco in the Champions League league phase, with the £47m-rated Akliouche producing a near-flawless display in front of Thomas Frank and his staff.

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Spurs need goals from wide areas

Thomas Frank remains adamant that the sale of Johnson will not affect his side’s output in front of goal.

While statistically that argument can be made, given that Spurs have barely used the Wales international this season, there is no doubt that more goals are needed across the front line.

Tottenham Hotspur are keen to cash in on one of their underused players in the January transfer window, but he is less keen to leave North London.

Over the past 24 hours, a number of outlets have claimed that it is only a matter of time before Brennan Johnson completes a £35m move to Crystal Palace.

Fabrizio Romano even said that the ‘here we go’ is coming soon for Johnson, with the final details being ironed out. However, it would appear that the Wales international is not totally convinced on a move to Selhurst Park.

In fact, the wishes of Johnson and Tottenham may not be aligned at all…

Oliver Glasner is working to convince Tottenham winger Brennan Johnson

The Daily Mail have now reported that while Spurs have given the 24-year-old permission to speak to the South Coast club, the player is not fully sold on the transfer.

Johnson has other options in January and is also considering waiting until the summer to decide his future, but Palace are pushing hard.

Oliver Glasner is expected to meet with the Tottenham man today to convince him of the merits of the project. Palace are hoping that the Austrian can persuade the player to greenlight the transfer.

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Spurs insider reveals Johnson is being pushed out

Tottenham insider Paul O’Keefe has revealed on social media that the former Nottingham Forest man does not want to leave the club.

An experienced Tottenham Hotspur defender is one of the options being considered by a Ligue 1 side, and the player may be open to an exit.

The January window is not just expected to see incomings at Spurs, but potentially also a few outgoings.

According to reports, Tottenham have agreed a deal with Crystal Palace for the sale of Brennan Johnson, with the winger now set to decide on whether to move to Selhurst Park.

Spurs are trying to find a buyer for Yves Bissouma, while Italian outlets have claimed over recent weeks that Radu Dragusin could be allowed to return to Serie A.

It has now emerged that another Tottenham defender may also be on his way out of the club next month.

Tottenham defender Ben Davies targeted by French club

Tottenham’s longest-serving player, Ben Davies, is on the wishlist of a Ligue 1 side, according to a report in L’Equipe.

Davies has had injury issues this season and has only managed a total of 55 minutes of football under Thomas Frank.

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The Wales international is now being targeted by Nice, who have an injury crisis at the back, and have identified the Spurs man as a potential option.

However, it is explained that a deal for the 32-year-old would not be easy for Nice to pull off due to his high salary and the fact that the left-back is looking for a long-term deal.

Davies is open to a January exit from Spurs

Spurs Web understands from sources close to the situation that Davies is prepared to exit Tottenham in the upcoming transfer window.

The former Swansea man is prepared to move abroad as he looks for regular football ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which Wales need to qualify for via the playoffs.

The Tottenham man’s current deal runs out next summer, and should he leave in January, it would bring an end to a career spanning 11 and a half years at the North London club.

A former CEO of two Premier League clubs is puzzled by Tottenham Hotspur’s decision to hire Carlos Raphael Moersen.

There have been significant changes in Tottenham’s leadership over the past few months, with the club continuing to restructure following Daniel Levy’s departure.

It emerged a couple of weeks ago that City Football Group executive Carlos Raphael Moersen is set to take over as Spurs’ director of football operations.

However, one expert believes that his arrival could create some chaos at the North London club.

Tottenham’s appointment of Carlos Raphael Moersen questioned

Keith Wyness has questioned why Moersen is needed at Tottenham when his role is covered by the likes of Vinai Venkatesham and Johan Lange.

The former Everton and Aston Villa CEO revealed that Moersen is highly regarded, but he questioned if there is sufficient role clarity among the Spurs top brass.

When asked about Tottenham’s latest appointment, Wyness told Football Insider: “I think Moersen, look, he’s a good operator. He’s well thought of. He did well at Man City. But he’s taking on a lot of things like transfer negotiations and different things like this and that, that you’d have thought Johan Lange would have been doing as well, and Vinai, the new CEO.

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“So it just seems strange to have somebody with that quality coming in. And there will not be a clear definition of responsibility. So it’s a little bit concerning. So we’ll just have to watch that one again in the coming days, particularly through the January window, as to what happens there and who’s making the decisions.

“Is Thomas Frank getting the full support or not? Or has he got a confused group of people above him to respond with? It doesn’t help Thomas Frank really having that sort of uncertainty. So not great for Spurs at the moment.”

Spurs set to receive a major blow ahead of the January window

What adds to the feeling of chaos at Spurs is the fact that they are about to lose another hugely influential figure very soon.

Fabio Paratici is expected to depart Tottenham and take over as Fiorentina’s head of football over the coming days.

The Italian was only appointed as the sporting director a little over two months ago by Spurs, and to lose his expertise just ahead of the January window could come as a bitter blow to the Lilywhites.

Thomas Frank has made a confident prediction about Dominic Solanke as the Tottenham striker edges closer to full fitness.

Tottenham have been boosted by the return of Radu Dragusin and Kota Takai over the last few matches, and they could soon get another major injury boost.

Dominic Solanke is back training with the Spurs team, with the striker nearing full fitness after being out since September.

The England international’s return will certainly ease Frank’s issues upfront, and the Dane is confident about what we will see from the former Bournemouth man.

Thomas Frank makes a Dominic Solanke prediction for Tottenham

The experience of having his main striker out for an extended period is not new to Frank, who had to do without Igor Thiago for almost the entirety of last season at Brentford.

The Brazilian has scored 12 goals in 19 matches this season for the Bees, and Frank is convinced we will see Solanke have a similar impact for Spurs when he returns.

When asked if there are parallels between what he experienced with Thiago and Solanke, Frank said (via Football.London): “Yeah, you could say that. I also think Yoane Wissa did well before that. The year before, he did very well, and then he continued playing. So even for the games when Igor Thiago was available, Wissa played because he was on fire. He ended up scoring 19 non-penalty goals. It’s an incredible achievement.

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“What I knew was that I was convinced Igor would be a goalscorer for Brentford. I’m convinced by the way he is a personality, his mindset, but also his abilities, and he’s proven that. I think Keith and the coaching staff have done a top job to make him perform in every aspect.

“It’s a little bit similar here. You could say Richy now has played more or less a lot of minutes and done well. He was this far away from scoring two goals against Crystal Palace, but on the flip side, I’m also convinced that Solanke will score a lot of goals for us when he comes back.”

Frank is happy for Spurs to grind out wins

The Lilywhites showed a lot of fight to emerge with a hard-fought 1-0 win from Selhurst Park on Sunday, and Frank admitted that he would be happy if his side did the same at the Getch Community Stadium this afternoon.

He suggested that it is important for Tottenham to develop a winning habit, given where they are at as a team.

When asked about how crucial it is to win ugly, Frank responded: “I think it’s so important. I think every good team needs to be able to do that, and we are building something. I think it’s also fair to say we are not where City or Arsenal, Chelsea or Liverpool are right now, unfortunately. We really want to be there, but even them, they need ugly wins sometimes where they’re winning 1-0.

“How many times have Arsenal won 1-0 with a set-piece this season? So, we need to be able to do that, and I know it will be a very difficult team at Brentford. I am part of creating what I know I am facing. I know it will be very difficult at the Gtech. They have won six games, drawn two and lost one. They lost 1-0 to City.

“They have beaten Liverpool there, Newcastle, there, Man United there, recently 4-1 Bournemouth, so that is wow, and if you don’t show respect to that, the three points are going, but we will be very respectful. We know what we are facing. We need to be extremely competitive, and I know we will be.”

Thomas Frank has revealed how he has found his interactions with Tottenham fans over recent months, amidst the growing criticism he is facing.

The Tottenham head coach has put up a brave face to the media every time, but there is no doubt that he would have been feeling some of the pressure over recent months as the Lilywhites slid down the table.

Frank remains bullish that he will make Spurs competitive sooner rather than later, but the 52-year-old would be aware that he needs to earn the chance to do that.

Many Tottenham supporters appear to have written off the Dane already, and he has now revealed what his interactions with the supporters have been like.

Thomas Frank messages from Tottenham fans have been positive

The former Brentford boss revealed his recent interaction with a Tottenham fan, revealing that she encouraged him to keep going.

Frank insisted that he had only heard similar things from other Spurs fans since arriving at N17, insisting that his interactions have only been positive so far.

The 52-year-old said (via Football.London): “I was in London yesterday and met a couple. One was a Brentford fan, and the other, she was a Tottenham fan.

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“The Brentford fan was very positive and said thank you for everything I had done at the club. I said, ‘You’re welcome, it’s not only about me, but it’s everyone doing things together’.

“The Tottenham supporter said ‘keep doing what you’re doing, you’re doing a top job, I love what you’re doing’. That was positive.

“I guess the ones who are not that positive are probably not brave enough to say it to my face. It’s probably a little bit easier behind the keyboard, but the messages that I have are genuinely positive.”

Frank wants to build Spurs legacy similar to Brentford one

The Tottenham boss will be returning to the Gtech Community Stadium this evening for the first time since leaving Brentford back in the summer.

Frank enjoyed seven very successful seasons at the West London club, and he admitted that he wants to stay just as long at Spurs.

Reflecting on his time at Brentford, he said: “There were many magical moments, it was a privilege to be part of with fantastic people. Of course, the promotion is the stand-out achievement. Getting promoted to the best league in the world, for the first time in 74 years or something like that, that’s very unique.

“There are a lot of memories from those days, pictures and bits and pieces that one day, when I’m not in football anymore, I will create that special room in my home of the seven years I spent in Brentford and everything I achieved there, and then the seven years in Tottenham with everything I achieve here. That I’m looking forward to.”