Tottenham register another clean sheet as Thomas Frank’s men beat West Ham convincingly
Tottenham look like a completely different team under Thomas Frank. The Lilywhites have a clear game plan for various opponents, and the players are given the tactical freedom to showcase their talent on the biggest stage. Under the Danish tactician, the north London club have won three of their first four Premier League games.
This shows the players are comfortable following Frank’s system and executing plans to break down the opposition. There is less chaos on the pitch, and fans are getting used to patient build-up from Spurs against low blocks. However, one of the key improvements has been the number of clean sheets the north London club have kept this season.
Last season, Spurs kept only six clean sheets in the Premier League under Ange Postecoglou. The Lilywhites have already reached the halfway mark of that tally in the first four games of the new campaign. They look strong at the back, thanks to the mid-block setup Frank uses in tougher games. A lack of injuries in the back line has also helped the former Brentford manager’s cause.
Tottenham aim to be defensively solid under Thomas Frank
It is easy to point out the massive strides Tottenham have taken in the final third under Frank, but the improvement at the back has been a major reason for their strong start. The defensive partnership of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven is proving priceless for the Dane, as Spurs have conceded the fewest goals in the Premier League this season.
Now, Thomas Frank has spoken about the importance of clean sheets for the North London club. Speaking in his post-match presser (via Football.london), Frank said,
“I think it’s hugely important that we are good defensively. Obviously, we want to score, want to play forward, want to play offensive football, we’ve scored eight goals, clearly we want to score goals. But over so many, many games, that foundation, being able to get clean sheets is key.”
The Spurs manager added,
“It’s something we worked very hard on throughout the pre-season. The players deserve a lot of praise. All the coaches. And especially Matt Wells, that really drives that. And I have a big, big, big focus. I said that’s the first aim when I walked in the building.”
Frank believes it is important for Tottenham to be strong defensively. He wants his team to excel in the final third and score plenty of goals, but he mainly wants his players to understand that keeping clean sheets should be the priority. The former Brentford boss also admits his team worked hard on defensive improvement during pre-season, and they need to replicate that on the pitch in crucial games.
As the north London club begin their Champions League campaign later this week, all eyes will be on how Frank sets up the team, as Spurs look to go deep in the competition and build on last season’s Europa League success.