Tottenham’s Boxing Day draw with Brentford wasn’t the most dramatic of games in which they’ve gone 21 points behind this season in Europe and domestically, but it further reinforced the idea that, no matter how hard it seems, there’s always there is a way back. That’s character.
Take Harry Kane who, on his first appearance since scoring the penalty in Qatar, scored a superb second-half header to start a rescue operation finished minutes later by Pierre-Emile Højbjerg. That’s character.
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Take Ivan Toney, whose inspired performance after missing the World Cup entirely and then being charged with what are now 262 alleged breaches of the Football Association’s rules of the game, sought for more than an hour to have won at home. That’s character.
Kane and Toney, the clubs’ respective poster boys, were the focus before the game. Fortunately, with the notable exception of several online pits, football has largely moved on from the vitriolic personal abuse previously suffered by those who have erred in England’s service. But there were still some insults directed at Kane, including an early shout of “Ivan Toney, I would have scored that” from the home fans. It was equal parts criticism of Kane and support of Toney.
Whether or not you believe the breadth of the FA’s E8 rule is draconian, Toney faces a potentially lengthy absence if the charges are upheld. Such is his importance to Brentford that it could derail their second straight season in the top flight. Normally, though, Toney didn’t give off the air of a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders; more an inspired man.
“I wish I knew, because I’d bottle it up and sell it for a lot of money,” said Thomas Frank when asked how Toney was able to ignore the outside noise. “I would be very, very rich. In that way it is very, very special. Character and mindset is the ability to focus on the moment. To stay focused on the task at hand. His performance today…wow.
Toney bullied Tottenham, with a particular focus on Japhet Tanganga, whose rare start was thankfully interrupted by Antonio Conte. Cristian Romero, absent from World Cup glory, will not worry about his place.
Fifteen minutes later, Toney rose above Tanganga to pass to Bryan Mbuemo. His cross was met by Mathias Jensen’s volley, which would not have bothered Fraser Forster if it wasn’t for a deflection from Clément Lenglet. Forster, who made his League debut for Spurs with Hugo Lloris on the bench, could only play the ball straight to Janelt, who scored.
Vitaly Janelt (right) is congratulated by his teammates after giving Brentford the lead. Photo: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP
Just before the break, Toney calmly rounded Forster and finished, but the flag was raised. However, he didn’t have to wait long for the goal he longed for. Ten minutes after the break, Mbuemo’s corner was flicked on by Christian Nørgaard at the near post and Toney stabbed home.
Conte’s irritation was obvious, but his team’s disheartened display up to that point deserved no better. Kane was virtually anonymous until he more or less called David Coote for a penalty early in the second half. He had clashed with Ben Mee at the far post, but VAR did not ask Coote to reconsider. Almost immediately, Eric Dier made a clearance, conceding the corner from which Brentford scored their second, and Conte sat down.
But Kane would soon have the Italian on his feet again, rising to head Lenglet’s cross beyond David Raya. “The momentum changed when Kane scored that,” admitted Frank. “It was a situation in which I would have said to our players: ‘Happy days, let them cross from there’. What an incredible cross from Lenglet and a great header from Harry.”
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In doing so, Kane overtook Robbie Fowler’s Boxing Day record of nine Premier League goals and completed a haul of goals against the 32 teams he has faced in the division.
Bournemouth, Marseille, Leeds – surely Spurs couldn’t do it again? Well, not quite, but almost. They equalized when Dejan Kulusevski was quick in the penalty area, played a one-two with Matt Doherty and pulled back for Højbjerg, who finished calmly.
A relatively peaceful lunchtime on Christmas Day had suddenly turned chaotic. In the space of two minutes, Doherty escaped a booking for going down easily in the penalty area, Mbuemo was booked for an obvious attempt at cheating, and Ethan Pinnock appeared to block Kane’s close-range shot with the hand, only to be saved for offside. flag
Kane almost sealed the win when he beat Raya with a cross only to see his header hit the crossbar. It would have been unfair.
“By the way, what a game to reopen the Premier League with. What an announcement for the league,” Frank added before walking off. And he was right.