Thomas Frank managed to kickstart his Champions League reign at Tottenham with a much-needed victory
Tottenham have started their Champions League campaign on a positive note after securing all three points against Villarreal. There was a buzz around N17 prior to the game as the fans were longing to hear the Champions League anthem ring around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after two long years. The loud cheers when the game kicked off summed up the excitement around N17.
Thomas Frank’s men looked ready to endure a positive start to the competition as well, and that could be seen in their willingness to attack from minute one. The North London club got off to a perfect start, all thanks to Lucas Bergvall’s attempted cross being turned into the back of the net by Villarreal’s keeper Luiz Junior.
However, Spurs’ performances looked lacklustre after taking the lead in the 4th minute. The Lilywhites did not trouble the scoreboard after that, and it is fair to say that the team looked leggy as the game progressed. The attacking line failed to impress Thomas Frank, but the defence looked resolute as the North London club registered their fourth clean sheet in five games under the Danish tactician.
Tottenham secured a much-needed win in Thomas Frank’s first managerial game in the UCL
Tottenham manager Thomas Frank will be delighted to see his team secure all three points in a tricky fixture against Villarreal. The Lilywhites were far from their best against the Yellow Submarine, but they managed to keep a clean sheet and see out the game when it mattered the most. Fans will also be pleased to see the players showing grit and hunger to get results over the line this season.
Now, Thomas Frank has reacted to Spurs’ hard-fought Champions League victory. Speaking in his post-match presser (via BBC Sport), Frank said,
“It is special. And of course I’m very happy with that. I definitely learned you have to be happy with your wins and appreciate them. I think there was many good things. We defended really well and gave little away throughout the game against a really good Villarreal side.”
The Spurs manager added,
“I think offensively we didn’t hit the highest level. There was definitely a spell second half where we decided let’s give it to the Villareal guys and then we’ll sprint back, that’s a very good fun thing. It was a very even game that we just edged.”
Thomas Frank is understandably ‘happy’ after registering his first managerial win in the Champions League with Tottenham. The Danish tactician highlighted his team’s impressive defensive effort against Villarreal. However, the Spurs manager admitted that the Lilywhites were not at their best going forward, pointing out the sloppy passes that the Spurs players made in the second half.
Spurs fans will have little to complain about after this performance, as the game was all about securing a crucial win. For Thomas Frank, three points are all that matter, and the Danish tactician will be keen to focus on the positives as the club look to maintain this winning momentum.