Fri 22 April 2022, 22:00
Tottenham HotspurWe’ll be looking get back on track this weekend in our pursuit of a Champions League place when we travel to Brentford on Saturday evening (5.30pm kick-off).
Here in the Notebook, take a look at all the key points of note ahead of the game…
1 - A 22-year wait
It has been quite some time since we last visited the Bees for a competitive game. Last travelling to Brentford in September, 2000, for a League Cup second round tie - a game which finished 0-0 - it has been almost 22 years since we last faced them on their own turf. For our last league trip to Hounslow though, you would have to go back even further, 73 years to be precise, as we took them on in a Second Division match in August, 1949.
When we return to west London on Saturday, 22 years on, we will also be playing at a new venue. Having taken on the Bees at Griffin Park in our aforementioned trips across the capital, they have since moved into a new home - the 17,250-seater Brentford Community Stadium. And, with this being our first trip there in the top flight, it also marks a milestone for us in terms of stadia in the competition.
2 - A landmark venue
Saturday’s visit to the Brentford Community Stadium will see us reach a new milestone for stadia played at in the top flight. In making the trip to the Bees' west London home this weekend for the first time in the Premier League, it will be the 60th different stadium we have played at in the competition. Of the 59 venues we have travelled to in the league since 1992, we have won at 53 of them – only Liverpool (57) and Manchester United (55) have won at more.
3 - Brentford bouncing
Brentford have enjoyed a fine maiden season in the Premier League this term. Despite having been away from England’s top tier for 75 years, the Bees have settled back in well to life in the top flight and, with five games left to play, they sit quite comfortably in mid-table with 39 points on the board.
For sure, it hasn’t been all plain sailing for the Bees. They may have kicked-off life back in the top flight impressively with just one defeat in their opening seven outings however, over the next 20 games, they then suffered, picking up just three wins while losing 14 times to leave them just three points clear of the relegation zone. Yet, in recent weeks, they have enjoyed quite the turn around in their form with five victories from their last six outings (L1), including wins in each of their last three.
4 - Eriksen reunion
And much of that upturn in form for Brentford can be attributed to the arrival of our former midfielder Christian Eriksen. A star in our ranks between 2013 and 2020, Christian joined the Bees at the end of January as he looked to get his professional career back up and running after suffering a cardiac arrest while playing for Denmark at Euro 2020.
Unquestionably, it has been quite the comeback by the Danish international as, after having had his contract terminated by Internazionale by mutual consent in December as he was not permitted to play in Serie A with an Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator fitted, he has managed to not just recover from his cardiac arrest, but return and play in the most competitive and intensive league in world football and, even more impressively, hit the heights that we saw him reach, week in, week out, in a Spurs shirt. Since he has returned to the Premier League, he has recorded three goal involvements in five starts (one scored, two assisted) – and, in each of his five starts, Brentford have picked up three points.
5 - Brentford’s capital gains
In London derbies this season, Brentford have quite the record. When facing sides in the capital this season, the Bees have collected 14 points – only Chelsea have earned more points in these matches. And that is quite the tally from the west London side, especially considering only three teams have ever taken more in such games in their debut campaigns (Chelsea (19), Spurs (16) and Wimbledon (15) – all in the 1992/93 season).
6 - Our London difficulties
While Brentford are flying high in London derbies this season, we have struggled in them across the last few years, especially on the road. Of our last 11 capital clashes away from home, we have won just once – a 1-0 win over Fulham in March, 2021 – drawing three and losing the remaining seven. Our last victory before that run came at West Ham (3-2) in March, 2019.
7 - Late, late shows
Both us and Brentford have had a habit of scoring late, late goals this season. So far in the Premier League this campaign, both sides have scored three winning goals in the 90th minute or later each. To put that tally into perspective, the record return of such goals for a team in any Premier League season is just four (four teams have previously managed that total – Sunderland in 2007/08, Liverpool in 2008/09, Everton in 2009/10 and Newcastle United in 2012/13).
8 - Son to strike?
Heung-Min Son has produced incredible numbers in front of goal this season – and, if he can add to that further this term, he’ll reach a significant personal milestone. Currently, Sonny is our leading goalscorer in the Premier League with 17 goals to his name - a tally which is also his joint-best return in a single campaign in the competition (also 17 in 2021/22).
If he is to add another one to that in our last six games, that’ll be a record 18th goal in a single league season for our number seven – only five Spurs players have managed such a return in the competition: Teddy Sheringham, Jurgen Klinsmann, Gareth Bale, Dele (all once) and Harry Kane (six times). And you wouldn’t be surprised if Sonny does reach that milestone with him having been involved in 18 goals in his last 18 games, scoring 13 in that run (five assists).
9 - Our last meeting
The first goal of that run for Sonny coincidentally came against Brentford back in December, as we defeated them 2-0 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. It was through the South Korean’s creativity that we opened the scoring that night as, 12 minutes in, his cross from the right was inadvertently headed into his own net by Bees midfielder Sergi Canos. Then, 20 minutes into the second half, we grabbed our second with Son putting the finishing touch to a scintillating counter attack, tapping home Sergio Reguilon’s cross from close range. It was his second goal in as many appearance against Brentford having also scored our second goal in the 2-0 win over the west London side in the semi-finals of the League Cup the previous January.
10 - An historic double
And, having taken victory in the reverse fixture this season, we could make history on Saturday if come out on top at Brentford. If we are to take all three points against the Bees this weekend, it would complete a 'league double' for us over the west London side - that would be the first time we have ever managed such a feat against them.
It must be noted though that it is also quite a rarity for us to be in the same division as Thomas Frank's side as, in our 114 years in the Football League, this is just the fourth term we been in the same division as Brentford and the first time since the 1949/50 season.
