Antonio Conte cuts frustrated figure as toothless Tottenham draw at Brentford

The north London derby on 12 May looms ever larger for Tottenham. Just when it seemed fourth place and a return to the Champions League was within their grasp, they revert to unreliable type. Spurs handed back the advantage to Arsenal by making it just a single point collected from a possible six.

Way out in west London, Spurs were low on energy and cohesion, Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski in attack isolated from a midfield swamped by Brentford’s greater numbers and zest. It was impossible not to consider how different matters might have been had Christian Eriksen been the Tottenham playmaker supplying his former teammates a quality of chance they struggled to find all evening.

Arsenal’s chaotic wins over Chelsea and Manchester United had ratcheted up the pressure. A combination of those results and last week’s defeat to Brighton left Tottenham needing victory against opposition whose plan is making life as difficult possible for their opponents. Thomas Frank’s team had won their last two London derbies in a run of five wins from six.

Spurs had further capital concerns, having won just one of their last 11 London derbies. Antonio Conte had made one change from Brighton, swapping in Ryan Sessegnon for Sergio Reguilón in the left wing-back role vacated by Matt Doherty’s long-term injury. The latter, once a fringe player, appears to be sorely missed.

Where pressure envelops Spurs, Brentford are in a sweet spot. Relegation is a discarded worry and Eriksen has added magic to a team willing to run through a brick wall for Thomas Frank. These are the days of their fans’ lives and Brentford had won the five previous games the Dane had started. Among the away supporters, Eriksen’s name was received with a pre-match standing ovation, a gesture repeated when he came across to take his first corner.

Christian Eriksen is given a standing ovation by Tottenham fans before he takes a corner. Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Brentford started with typical vigour, Ivan Toney’s shot deflected wide after Sessegnon was hassled into a mistake. From an Eriksen corner, the same striker had a volleyed effort blocked as Spurs looked, in the early stages, as disjointed as they had against Brighton. Even after they began to take a greater share of possession, the tricks and flicks of Son and Kane were not paying off. Brentford pressed aggressively, those Spurs stars constantly surrounded by packs of pursuers.

Set pieces continued to be problematic for Tottenham. Toney’s header crashed off Emerson Royal’s shoulder and struck the crossbar in the 18th minute as Brentford forced a series of corners – six by the 22nd minute – that caused repeated discomfort. When the sixth dropped to the back post, Toney slashed a volley wide, having been left with a free hit.

Eriksen started on the left of midfield but was licensed to roam and probe with long passes of a quality that appeared beyond his former teammates, Toney’s intelligent movement giving him plenty to aim at.

Conte entered the break as if in deep thought, though he had been showing his frustrations. Hugo Lloris’s casual play after kick-off suggested a doubtless strong half-time message had not hit yet home, Conte muttering angrily to himself before then applauding when his team began to start mounting actual attacks.

Brentford still looked likely, Spurs panicky, with Lloris at one point charging out to tackle Toney in midfield, though that intervention preceded Tottenham’s best spell of pressure. Emerson’s cross found Kane in the box, the strike was blocked but only cleared with difficulty.

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The momentum then returned to Brentford as Spurs conceded a series of corners, free-kicks and throw-ins, all playing to the home side’s strengths, while the visitors struggled to land a shot on target. Eric Dier’s mistake offered Eriksen a chance to shoot and the resultant corner caused further drama in the Spurs area, Kane having to head Pontus Jansson’s header off the line before Eriksen’s snap-shot was smuggled clear.

Spurs had the greater need, they pushed harder in the latter stages, Brentford unsurprisingly drained by their efforts. Conte prowled, chucking on Lucas Moura to try to find a winner.

It did not come, and had it done so, would have been undeserved. It was Toney who went closest in heading an Eriksen free-kick down against the post in injury time, though Kane also whistled an overhead past the post. In being outrun and outfought twice in a week, Spurs have allowed their destiny to slip from their hands.