Thomas Frank endured a frustrating Premier League return to his former club as Tottenham Hotspur were held to a drab 0-0 draw by Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on Thursday 1 January 2026.
A Warm Welcome But Little Else for Frank
The Danish manager, who led Brentford for seven years and 317 games, including their historic promotion in 2021, received a warm ovation from the home fans before kick-off. Frank, making his first trip back to west London since joining Spurs in the summer, applauded all sides of the ground he once called home.
However, the goodwill quickly faded as the match unfolded into a poor spectacle. Tottenham's performance was so lacklustre that their own travelling supporters chanted 'boring, boring Tottenham' towards the end of the encounter. Spurs did not register a single shot on target until stoppage time.
Chances Few and Far Between in Stalemate
The hosts thought they had taken an early lead after just four minutes. Guglielmo Vicario saved a Nathan Collins header, and Kevin Schade – Saturday's hat-trick hero against Bournemouth – tapped in the rebound, only to be correctly flagged for offside.
Tottenham's first half-chance arrived after 33 minutes. Richarlison cushioned a volley across the goal, and Archie Gray's header was blocked by the shoulder of Collins. The Brazilian striker reached the rebound first but skied his effort over the bar from close range.
Brentford threatened on the counter before the break, with Schade and Jordan Henderson creating an opportunity for Igor Thiago, but the striker misdirected his header, unaware of Keane Lewis-Potter in a better position behind him.
Second-Half Pressure Fails to Break Deadlock
Spurs started the second period with slightly more urgency, and Mohammed Kudus fired a 20-yard drive just over the bar. Brentford, however, began to crank up the pressure. A Jordan Henderson cross found Yehor Yarmolyuk eight yards out, but his header was well saved by Vicario.
The Bees then created their best chance of the game. Michael Kayode outmuscled Djed Spence and cut the ball back for Thiago, who blazed his shot over the crossbar from a promising position.
There was a brief VAR check for a Tottenham penalty when Gray went down under a challenge from Schade, but the appeal was quickly dismissed. Richarlison had a late opportunity to steal all three points for Spurs, but his tame finish was comfortably gathered by Bees keeper Caoimhin Kelleher, summing up a disappointing attacking display.
Notably, Brennan Johnson was absent from the Spurs squad, with the Wales winger reportedly closing in on a transfer to Crystal Palace.
