Tottenham v Brentford: Well-rested Spurs can edge high scoring derby

“Injuries could be the key here with Spurs likely to field a strong line-up and it’s hard to look past them in the match odds market, even at odds of around 1.75/7, but the goals markets look like being the best angle in.”

Sorry Spurs look to turn the tide

As frustrating as it was for the fans that had travelled to Burnley on Sunday, and especially Ken and Brandy Saxton, who’d made a 31-hour journey from Texas, the Spurs boss, Antonio Conte, won’t mind the fact that his side have a full week’s rest in-between fixtures after the game was called off at the last minute because of snow.

In addition to his team being fresh, it also gives the former Chelsea boss a bit more time to prepare his new charges for what looks like an important couple of fixtures that could just turn the tide for Tottenham.

After Thursday’s derby with Brentford, Spurs host relegation favourites, Norwich, on Sunday and after an indifferent spell of form, six points from six would give Conte’s side a much-needed boost.

The Italian’s only been in charge for three games but he’s starting to realise just what a big job he has on his plate.

Spurs played out a dull 0-0 draw away at a hapless Everton in Conte’s first game in charge before they came from behind to beat a struggling Leeds but after a raft of changes to the team, they were embarrassingly beaten 2-1 to MS Mura in the Europa Conference on Thursday night and Conte didn’t hide his feelings after the game.

“After three weeks I am starting to understand the situation. It is not simple. At this moment the level at Tottenham is not so high.

“If someone thinks that a new coach arrives and Conte won in the past and then I am a magician…but the only magic I can do is to work. To bring work and work to improve, to bring my methods, my ideas of football. But we have to understand that we need time.”

The Spurs manager did a spectacular job of rousing both the team and the crowd when they beat Leeds 2-1, having trailed at the break, and if he can get that energy going again on Thursday, we could be in for an entertaining encounter.

Buoyant Bees back on track

Brentford kicked off their first ever Premier League campaign with an impressive 2-0 victory over local rivals Arsenal and they’ve largely surpassed expectations so far.

They began the campaign trading at just a little over even money to make an immediate return to the Championship but they’re now trading at around 9.08/1 in the Relegation market after their hard-fought 1-0 win at home to Everton on Sunday.

That victory followed a ding-dong 3-3 draw away at bottom club, Newcastle, so they’ve recovered nicely after a sticky spell that saw them lose four in-a-row, and they’ve been especially good on the road so far this season.

Prior to the four defeats – at home to Chelsea (0-1), Leicester and Norwich (1-2), and away to Burnley – Brentford had lost just one of their first seven Premier League games and their only defeat on the road was the Burnley beating last month.

The Bees have lost four times at home already, but their away form reads a very respectable D-D-W-W-L-D so they’ll be no pushovers on Thursday night and Brentford boss, Thomas Frank had this to say after Sunday’s success.

“We hadn’t won in five. We deserved more in those games and everyone knows it but to get the win you need to defend well and we got back to top-level defending today.

“Finally we got the home win we have been searching for and fighting very hard to get. It was a fantastic atmosphere and especially at the end, so for many reasons it was a vital win.”

Spurs can edge high scoring derby

With goalkeeper David Raya, and defensive duo Kristoffer Ajer and Zanka already sidelined, Brentford could be weakened even further with slight doubts concerning Christian Norgaard, Sergi Canos and Rico Henry, although Frank is confident that they’ll make the line-up.

Frank is confident Norgaard, Canos and Henry will be fit to face Spurs. “Christian had to come off with a minor back issue but he should be ready for Thursday. I don’t know what happened to Rico and Sergi but they had to come off, but I expect them to be ready too.” #BrentfordFC

? Ben Dinnery (@BenDinnery) November 29, 2021

Injuries could be the key here with Spurs likely to field a strong line-up and it’s hard to look past them in the match odds market, even at odds of around 1.75/7, but the goals markets look like being the best angle in.

There have been at least three scored in each of Tottenham’s last four Premier League home games and in the last three Brentford away matches so at just a shade of odds-on, Over in the Over/Under 2.5 goals market looks the play.

Yes in the Both Teams to Score market is also an attractive proposition at a similar price given how leaky Spurs are and how often the Bees find the net.

Tottenham were watertight at the start of the season, managing to keep a clean-sheet in each of their first three Premier League fixtures but in the 16 games in all competitions since they edged out Watford 1-0 back in August, they’ve kept just two clean sheets.

Brentford have scored in each of their last six games in all competitions and in 12 of their last 14, only drawing a blank at home to Chelsea and Brighton in the Premier League, when on both occasions they lost 1-0.

Since drawing 0-0 with Crystal Palace back in August, the Bees are yet to go away and draw a blank so there’ll be confident of finding the net against leaky Spurs.

It’s tempting to play Yes in the Both Teams to Score market and/or the Over in the Over 2.5 Goals market but the bet I like is Spurs to win and both teams to score at around the 3/1 mark.

*You can follow me on Twitter @SteveThePunter