Amid so much change, some things remain the same. And there is still nothing quite like a trip to Brentford in the Premier League to bring the lofty expectations of the self-appointed elite crashing back to earth.Tottenham, having escaped the ignominy of relegation, settled upon a head coach to their liking and spent a couple of hundred million in the transfer market, took a hiding at the hands of the Bees and should be flattered by the scoreline.Roberto De Zerbi saw his team outplayed in every department. Unable to cope with the intensity and physicality in midfield. Unable to handle Brentford’s aerial presence up at the back. Unable to get a hold of the ball and offer any threat in attackThis was as comprehensive as defeats come. Keane Lewis-Potter, Vitaly Janelt and Michael Kayode scored the goals, and Igor Thiago missed a penalty.Spurs barely stirred. Apart from a late effort by Mikey Moore, superbly saved by Caoimhin Kelleher, they did not look like scoring. Perhaps most worrying of all, they appeared reluctant to engage in the battle they faced.De Zerbi might add Savinho and Omar Marmoush next week and but there is still work to be done on the fundamentals of competing at this level, what he called ‘the soul of the team’ on the eve of this season. Roberto De Zerbi cut a forlorn figure as Tottenham sank to a 3-0 defeat opening-day defeat at BrentfordThe Italian cut a forlorn figure on the touchline with hands in pockets as the jubilant home crowd taunted him with songs about Thomas Frank, relegation and wasted money.Brentford, we should note, were excellent. Slick and cohesive. They know what they are and what they are trying to achieve and in Mamadou Sangare had the most influential of all the big-money summer singings on display.Sangare, signed for a club record £41million from Lens, eclipsed £100m Sandro Tonali. In the second half, he eclipsed £85m Mateus Fernandes, too. The new central defensive pairing Jan Paul van Hecke and Marcos Senesi had no answer for the aerial assault led by Thiago.The Bees, having been written off following a summer upheaval last year, have basked in a summer of serenity this year under Keith Andrews. They scored seven on their final pre-season outing against Eintracht Frankfurt and were again in fluent attacking mood again.Sangare created the opening goal, carrying the ball forward, bouncing a one-two off Thiago and cutting a low cross square for Lewis-Potter to convert.Lewis-Potter has matured into an excellent left back. His strength is going forward but he has become capable in defence and deceptively strong in the air. He had already seen one sweet volley blocked from a corner and Nathan Collins had turned a good chance wide with a near post header. Thiago headed another against the bar but there was a flag up for offside. James Maddison and his Tottenham team-mates applaud the fans after this bruising defeat Keane Lewis-Potter put Brentford in just the 12th minute as they made a fast start on SaturdayHome fans were buoyant. Thrilled by the attacking vibrancy of their own team and perhaps enjoying further disorder in the ranks of the visitors on behalf of Frank, their popular former boss who was given short shrift when he left for Spurs.When the teams met here on New Year’s Day, the 0-0 draw unfolded to the stinging soundtrack of ‘Boring Boring Tottenham’ from the away end. It proved the beginning of the end for Frank, sacked 41 days later with relegation fears taking a grip.De Zerbi’s rescue mission lifted spirits, and investment in new players fuelled hope of a better season ahead. The Spurs boss named four debutants to start. Fernandes from the bench made it five. They were led out by Archie Gray, the club’s youngest captain the club in a competitive match at 20 years, 163 days but it was not an occasion he will cherish.Subbed before the end, Gray was serenaded by Bees supporters who have not forgotten he snubbed them for Spurs. ‘Should’ve signed for a big club,’ they crowed.Janelt scored Brentford’s second before the interval. Mathias Jensen beat Lucas Bergvall in a tackle and tested goalkeeper Toni Kinsky with a skidding shot from the edge of the penalty area.Kinsky made a mess of the save and spilled it into a dangerous area, and Janelt was quickest to the rebound, an all-encompassing defensive shambles with familiar echoes for Spurs. Brentford’s new £41m signing Mamadou Sangare played a starring role against TottenhamGoing forward, they offered very little. Mathys Tel had a tame free kick easily gathered by Kelleher and Tonali lashed a hopeful shot over from distance and high into the top tier of the stand and greeted by chants of, ‘what a waste of money’.De Zerbi’s made half-time changes to his midfield. Off came Bergvall and Conor Gallagher. On came Fernandes and Rodrigo Bentancur. It gave them a little more control but not before Brentford grabbed a third via a smooth corner routine.Collins, unmarked in the deep, headed the ball down to Sangare’s whose fierce strike from the edge of the penalty box was saved by Kinsky. Michael Kayode pounced to fire the loose ball high into the net.From the Spurs angle, there were maddening similarities to the previous goal. Bees were first to the header, first to the knock-down and first to the rebound. They should have made it 4-0 from the spot when Bentancur was ruled by referee Michael Oliver to have pushed on Kevin Schade.Thiago hit a post having sent Kinsky the wrong way. It was perhaps the only real mistake made by Brentford. Alas, for Spurs there were many.