Before this game, Tottenham had won twice in the Premier League since the end of November. These two victories had been wrapped by 5-0 margins, in Southampton, and 4-0 in Manchester City. Not as much win as sports suffocations.
This was not so at all. But this was undoubtedly more important, more necessary and, at most, much more precious. The Ange Postecoglou can remove large numbers. They can get on the front foot and play exciting and liberating football.
But during the year and a half of Postecoglou in Tottenham, there has not been enough of what we saw here on a winter day in western London. Because it is days like this that finally keep managers in works. Days like this that show that the teams are much more than foam and sweetness, which show that they have the ability to stand firm and win a football game when they really need it.
Tottenham had no numbers once again at the Gtech stadium. The new defensive signing Kevin Danso is not yet registered to play in defense, while Micky go, again, was held for the Big Carabao game of Thursday's Cup in Liverpool.
So the danger stalked Tottenham. The Brentford team of Thomas Frank is a handful in his own patch. Do not fear anyone and score goals. And as perhaps we expected, they maintained the influence in terms of possession and territory for long periods.
But Tottenham did not move. They did not give in. There were few signs of what we all refer to as Angoball here. Without fierce press of the front foot. There is no high defensive line. It is possible that the Angoball is not dead, but it was definitely having a lie somewhere in a dark room.
Tottenham Hotspur won in Brentford in a Premier League London derby on Sunday
A goal marked by no 27 Vitaly Janelt saw Tottenham take the front in the 29th minute
Instead there was some pragmatic football of common sense and Tottenham was all better for it. The Postecoglou team played with a form and an organization and a sense of community that saw them cling to an advantage delivered by Brentford's midfielder, Vitaly Janet, in the first half, survive something for the second half and then break to score through Pape Sar Sarr. with two minutes to the end.
Brentford will probably feel a little hard. They asked most of the questions and if they have had a little more fortunate with the rebound of the ball, one or two of the many crosses that pumped the spurs penalty area may have taken a goal. In fact, they had scored when they were particularly dominant at the beginning of the second half, so this story could finally have been written to a different script.
But this is what good teams do home in the Premier League. They do what is necessary to win.
With Van de Ven non -risky, Tottenham's defense seemed thin once again. But Brentford had his own problems with the young goalkeeper Hakon Valdimarsson starting his first game of the Premier League for the club instead of the injured Mark Flekken.
Subsequently, that was important, but at the beginning of the local team he persistently took advantage of Tottenham's obvious weakness as a succession of quality deliveries was balanced in the goal of the Spurs. There were going to be 20 of those deliveries in the first hour of play.
In the main central halves of the Spurs, Arche Gray and Ben Davies treated him well, while Djed Spence was excellent against the dangerous Bryan Mbuemo. When it was necessary, meanwhile, goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky was happy to come and hit. Yane Wissa still went twice from half of the opportunities.
Tottenham tried to play with a little more structure, building attacks in the middle, often through the strong functioning of Dejan Kulusevski. Sometimes they seemed to break. Kulusevski shot under the goal in the sixth minute, where Richarlison could not turn the section. Then Kulusevski turned and saw a blocked effort.
However, when the opening goal arrived, it was fortuitous. Right after Mbuemo had turned Spence to drive Kinsky, Tottenham broke so that Yves Bissouma had a diverted shot.
Pape Matar Sarr (right) scored Tottenham's second goal with the end ordered in the 87th minute
The Spurs chief coach Ange Postecoglou celebrated his team's first victory in eight league games
Driving the ball directly to the sun, Heung-min are pointed to the near post where the insugido panicked Valdimarsson and his defenders. They were not really under pressure, but still Janelt turned his back and the ball bounced in him and towards the network.
It was a disaster, but the Spurs did not care. And it had been a super delivery of Tottenham's pattern.
Brentford's response was strong and constructive. Christian Norgaard brought a Kinsky's two -hand stop with a sharp volley and then Richarlison remained firm to move away a mboume strike that seemed to be flying just before part time.
In the second period and Brentford's threat they grew. The problem of the fall sun was now the guardian of Tottenham Kinsky. Often, when Brentford came forward, Kinsky had a hand to protect his eyes. Why not a baseball? Strange.
There were certainly some scares since Brentford looked for a return path. Kinsky committed a low delivery in the distant post and was helpless in the 53rd minute when Wissa reacted well before Kevin Schade's movie to the average volley against the crossbar and more than seven yards.
Sunday's victory in Brentford led Tottenham from 16 to 14 at the Premier League table
Meanwhile, the result left Brentford on the 11th in the league table: four points ahead of Tottenham
Tottenham raids in the field were increasingly rare, although they still had a threat. Kulusevski hit the side network, while the part -time substitute, Lucas Bergvall, took a left foot shot from the edge of the penalty area.
There was always the feeling that a Brentford goal can generate another. But it did not arrive and with two remaining minutes, the son broke from the depths and released the Sarr substitute perfectly through the inner position of the left.
Maybe Valdimarsson did not have to go so far from the goal, but that is an insignificant point. Sarr's end, pushing the ball through the goalkeeper's legs, was fabulous and assured Tottenham his victory.
“We were awake,” Tottenham fans sang. It is difficult to say if it was done in parody. This victory, in truth, has given them a valuable breathing space at the lower end of the table.