Thomas Frank came back to West London and found something very familiar: a Brentford team that refuses to be easy to beat. But on this New Year’s Day, neither side found the spark. Brentford and Tottenham Hotspur played out a 0-0 draw at the Gtech Community Stadium in Matchweek 19, a result that keeps the Bees 11th on 27 points and Spurs 12th on 26.

It was more than just a scoreline. It was a reunion wrapped inside a test of identity for Tottenham’s new head coach. Frank, who led Brentford from Championship hopefuls to established Premier League competitors across seven years, returned as Tottenham manager after taking the job in the summer. The occasion carried emotion, but the contest was tight and tense.

Frank’s Homecoming, Muted by a Stalemate

For much of the afternoon, it felt like a chess match. Neither team wanted to blink first. Brentford’s structure under interim head coach Keith Andrews stayed firm, while Tottenham tried to control tempo and reduce chaos. The result was a cagey game with few clear chances.

Spurs came in under pressure. They had won only one of their last eight league matches before this fixture, and while a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace last time out brought a small lift, the larger story has been their struggle to create steady danger. Away supporters voiced that frustration as the minutes passed, chanting, “Boring, boring Tottenham.”

“We were told the goals would come — where’s the spark?”

Tottenham’s Attack Still Searching: xG Under 1.0

The data tells a simple story. Tottenham are one of just four Premier League sides averaging under 1.0 expected goals per game this season. That is a problem for a club that wants to push into the top half and chase European places. Against Brentford, the patterns were tidy in spells, but the final action was missing again.

Defensively, there was a small positive: Spurs kept a clean sheet, only their fourth in 19 league matches. In truth, a 0-0 is unusual for Tottenham’s season to date. But the bigger worry remains the other way. Without consistent shot volume or quality chances, the margins shrink to almost nothing, and one break or mistake can decide a game. That knife-edge is no way to climb the table.

Frank knows this. His Brentford teams were built on clear plans in and out of possession. At Tottenham, he now needs to translate control into chances. The framework is there. The end product must follow.

“If Frank brings identity, it needs teeth — not just tidy passes.”

Brentford Under Andrews: Structure, Bite, and Belief

Credit Brentford for the way they handled the occasion. Andrews, in interim charge, has the Bees organized and confident. They recently smashed Bournemouth 4-1, and even here, without the payoff, they carried threat. Igor Thiago and Kevin Schade were constant outlets, stretching play and asking questions in transition and wide areas.

Brentford’s plan was clear: keep the middle tight, force Spurs wide, and spring when the chance appeared. They did it well. And the table reflects their steady work. Eleventh on 27 points at the halfway mark is a platform to believe in a top-half push if the finishing stays sharp.

It’s also a sign of growth since early December, when Tottenham beat Brentford 2-0. The Bees learned from that defeat. On this day, they matched Spurs stride for stride and limited the damage. It was not flashy, but it was sound.

“Are the Bees a quiet top-half threat under Andrews? Looks like it.”

What the 0-0 Means for the Table

The draw keeps both clubs bunched in mid-table, separated by a single point. For Brentford, the result keeps momentum steady after that 4-1 over Bournemouth. For Tottenham, it pauses the slide, but it does not solve the bigger issue: too few chances, too few goals, and a style that is yet to click fully in the final third.

As the season turns toward its second half, the margins between 8th and 13th can shift week to week. One strong run changes everything. But a dry spell up front can drag any team into dangerous water. Both coaches know the stakes.

What Frank Must Fix at Spurs

Frank has already tightened parts of Spurs’ structure. The next step is clear: raise the ceiling of the attack. When a team averages under 1.0 xG per match, it often means one of three things: the buildup is too slow, the shot selection is poor, or runners are not hitting the right spaces often enough.

Some near-term priorities that fit the data and the eye test:

• Faster tempo in the final third: more one-touch combinations to break compact blocks.
• More penalty-box presence: commit an extra body across the near post and second zone.
• Set-piece edge: squeeze extra chances from dead balls when open-play flow stalls.
• Protect clean sheets: repeat days like this; four shutouts in 19 is not enough.

None of this is complicated. But it needs repetition and belief. If the front line finds rhythm, the away end’s chant will fade fast. Results have a way of changing the soundtrack.

“We’ll take the point, but the bar has to be higher than tidy 0-0s.”

Brentford’s Perspective: Keep Building

For Andrews and Brentford, the message is simple: stay the course. The team looks organized, with clear roles and good energy in wide areas. Thiago and Schade provide pace and timing, and the midfield protects the back line well. Against a big-club opponent with a point to prove, a clean sheet and a point are more fuel for belief.

There will be tougher days. But this performance fits a pattern of maturity. Brentford’s ceiling this season will be defined by taking chances in tight games like this. If they keep their shape and add a little more bite in the box, the top half is within reach.

Final Word

Thomas Frank’s emotional return ended without fireworks. A 0-0 felt right for a game defined by control and caution. For Spurs, the clean sheet is a base, but the attack must rise quickly to match ambition. For Brentford, another solid step under Keith Andrews keeps them in the hunt for something more than mid-table safety.

The storyline now turns to who can find speed and sharpness first. The Premier League rarely waits. Neither should these two clubs.