> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.pitchsidedocket.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Clearing the Lines: Tottenham Hotspur vs. Brentford – Dec. 6th - URL: https://www.pitchsidedocket.com/clearing-the-lines-tottenham-hotspur-bb9/ - Published: 2025-12-06T05:29:27.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-12T00:06:06.000Z - Author: Jason Figueiredo - Tags: Tactics Tottenham Hotspur welcomes Thomas Frank’s former squad to London this weekend, with both sides still unsure whether the offseason tweaks to their organizations moved the needle toward success. The Hotspur survived a mid-week catastrophe, thanks to two sensational goals from Christian Romero. While the Spurs’ dependency on center-backs to make offensive impacts showcases the extraordinary talent of these two beasts, the lack of a front-footed attacking style remains painfully evident. Combined with inconsistent defensive performance from the entire backline, no matchweek will ever be considered easy points. Brentford, like Spurs, has only managed 19 points in 14 EPL games, but sits two spots lower in the table thanks to a two-point difference in goal differential. The Bees’ road struggles are real, though. They’ve lost three straight away from Middlesex and have only two EPL away wins (against West Ham and Bournemouth) so far this campaign. Unfortunately, Spurs aren’t exactly a home team to bet on, especially this season, as their home habits and atmosphere have apparently crumbled the foundation of this team. There is some good news for the home-weary Spurs. The Bees’ road woes also are a trend at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, losing two straight and four of their last five at White Hart Lane. But will this trend hold up given the team’s current state? This game carries unexpected weight for the Spurs. The importance of collecting all three points in this match is paramount for Frank’s career at Tottenham and the team’s overall morale. While at the beginning of the season this game was circled for obvious managerial reasons, the importance of winning it rose exponentially thanks to the Hotspur’s horrendous performances over the past several weeks. Two points collected overall in the last five games in all competitions will make even the most positive Spurs fan want to hurl. Let’s jump into each third of the field and look at key matchups I look forward to watching in this one. **Attacking Third** ![](https://www.pitchsidedocket.com/content/images/2026/09/https-3a-2f-2fsubstack-post-media-s3-amazonaws-com-2fpublic--EyNjgucG5n.jpg) If at the beginning of the season I told you that Spurs’ goals per 90 ranked fifth in the EPL at 1.57, a third of the way through their campaign, imaginations might run wild on the group of goal scorers contributing to this. If I then told you that, despite this lofty goal total, they ranked third-to-last in xG, I’d expect the reality to set in, leaving you wondering how the hell they are not sitting lower in the table. Spurs are riding a gnarly wave with a deadly undertow that is just waiting to drag them deeper and deeper into a relegation battle once they lose their balance. Will this game finally produce some semblance of an offense attack that is sustainable and, more importantly, repeatable? Fool me once…But if not now, when? Brentford’s defense, while definitely the worst of the bunch the Lily Whites skirmished with over the last five, will not magically transform Spurs’ stagnant offense into something less putrid. One of the things Brentford does well is block the ball, currently ranking 3rd in the EPL with 170 total blocks. The majority of these blocks (112) are from disrupting passes, with **Yehor Yarmoliuk** ranking 3rd in EPL in Overall Blocks (26) and Blocked Passes (21). Getting anything past **Nathan Collins** should be a tall task as well. The Irish center back currently ranks 6th in EPL Clearances (95) and is also in the top 12 with 17 interceptions. Right-back **Michael Kayode** will also clog up passing lanes, also collecting 17 EPL interceptions so far this year. While **Caoimhín Kelleher** has issues in net, allowing 1.57 GA/90 with a 63.3% save percentage, Spurs aren’t exactly producing shot-creating actions on command, ranking 18th in the league with 16.5 actions per 90\. Hoping for errors from Brentford defenders probably won’t pan out either, as a team, they have only surrendered a league-best five errors that lead to a shot. However, if a Spurs’ spark does combust into fire, this is a goalie who may be willing to pour some of his own fuel onto the fire. **Middle Third** ![A collage of a person in a football uniform AI-generated content may be incorrect.](https://www.pitchsidedocket.com/content/images/2026/09/https-3a-2f-2fsubstack-post-media-s3-amazonaws-com-2fpublic--ExNDgucG5n.jpg "A collage of a person in a football uniform AI-generated content may be incorrect.") When it comes to touches in the middle third of the pitch, these two teams are in the bottom half of the league. Brentford averages only 196.1 touches in this area per 90, currently the worst in the league. Spurs touch the ball a bit more here (256.6), but hardly dominate. **Mikkel Damsgaard** will draw the most attention when Brentford has the ball in his area, leading his team and 19th in EPL in xA (1.9). Damsgaard finds ways to get the ball to the open man for a shot, currently averaging 3.54 shot-creation actions per 90 minutes, good enough for 24th in the EPL. **Jordan Henderson**, leading his team in overall passes, will also look to create for the Bees in the middle third. Both Henderson and Damsgaar will be the main forces keeping the ball churning upfield for Brentford, as they are the team’s top progressive passers with 57 and 53, respectively. In addition to these drives with the ball, Henderson will also likely try to attack with the deep ball, completing 52.8% of his team’s leading 125 long-ball attempts. Fortunately for Tottenham Hotspur, Brentford’s overall long-ball accuracy, like Spurs’, is terrible, with both teams completing passes at around 46%. A potential difference maker in this area of the pitch could come down to aerial duels. Brentford has proven that it can consistently win over half of aerial duels per game, averaging 52.6% in EPL play this season. Spurs are struggling to get their heads on the ball, or when they do, it’s to the wrong kit, only winning 45.4% of their duels. **Sepp van den Berg** (53), **Kevin Schade** (39), and **Igor Thiago** (37) all rank in the EPL’s top 20 in aerial duels won, and could make a difference if Tottenham struggles to carry the ball through the lines. Spurs do like to tackle in the middle third, leading the EPL with 8.64 mid third tackles/90, which technically means they could create some mishaps along the way. However, interceptions remain a sticking point for Spurs, with only 6.67 steals per 90. With a middle-of-the-road defensive midfield staring them down, some youth and creativity could be the shot in the arm that this team is yearning for. **Lucas Bergvall** and **Archie Gray** continue to bring copious amounts of energy to this portion of the pitch when given the opportunity. Letting these teenagers cook regularly, especially alongside a begging-to-breakout **Xavi Simons**, can only produce a steady course of promise. And right now, even the tiniest of tastes could soothe a lot of woes. **Defensive Third** ![A collage of football players AI-generated content may be incorrect.](https://www.pitchsidedocket.com/content/images/2026/09/https-3a-2f-2fsubstack-post-media-s3-amazonaws-com-2fpublic--Dk2MC5wbmc.jpg "A collage of football players AI-generated content may be incorrect.") When a team touts the second-highest goal scorer in the Premier League, game planning ways to quell this obvious stream of revenue should become a top priority. Thiago, boasting 12 goals in all competitions this season, is also 3rd in EPL xG (8.5), leading his team in shots (26) and shots on goal (13). But, he won’t be the only Bee to contend with. While **Christian Romero** will probably make it a personal mission to silence the Brazilian forward, **Micky van de Ven**, **Pedro Porro**, and probably **Destiny Udogie** will be busy with Brentford’s other active forwards attacking the box. Schade (52), Thiago (51), and **Dango Ouattara** (45) all rank in the EPL’s top 25 in touches in the attacking box. Brentford uses Damsgaard and Ouattara to whip crosses into the box, averaging 6.76 and 3.57 crosses into the box per 90, respectively. However, the Bees shot creation actions per 90 rank in the bottom quarter of the league (17.57), taking some of the sharpness out of their bite. A Spurs team prone to errors that lead to shots needs to keep a close eye on Damsgaard and Schade as they try to quickly win the ball back after losing it, both ranking 4th in EPL tackles in this zone. This shouldn’t prevent Cuti and Micky from showing some offensive prowess, as Brentford does have holes throughout its lines. And, honestly, getting our center-backs involved offensively seems to be the only way Spurs can come away from a game with points. Thanks for reading The Hotspur Hovel! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.