Tottenham boss Thomas Frank gives an idea on how he will approach cup competitions this season
Tottenham Hotspur showed their resilience at the weekend as they battled back to snatch a 2-2 draw away at Brighton and Hove Albion.
Thomas Frank has given the players a lot of confidence since replacing Ange Postecoglou in the managerial hotseat in June. He has been working hard behind the scenes to change the mentality of the squad, and Saturday’s comeback at Brighton was yet more proof of that.
There is plenty of positivity at the N17 at the moment, one that is majorly down to the bright start the Lilywhites have enjoyed this season. With four wins from six games across all competitions, Thomas Frank should be delighted with how things have panned out early in his Spurs tenure.
Tottenham gaffer explains his approach in cup competitions
Come Wednesday, Spurs will begin their Carabao Cup adventure by hosting League One opposition Doncaster Rovers at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
While Tottenham are overwhelming favourites to progress into the fourth round, Frank must be wary that his side cannot take the Doncaster Rovers lightly and approach the game with the right mindset- especially given the humiliation the club has suffered in cup competitions down the years.
The highly-rated Danish tactician is quite clear that he wants Spurs to compete hard on all four fronts this season. He wants to instil a winning culture at Tottenham, and having himself not won a major trophy in his managerial career, the 51-year-old will be raring to get his icy hands on the Carabao Cup.
Frank knows very well that going deep into the League Cup would provide him with a real chance to win his first silverware as a Tottenham boss. And he has now stressed that his team will not be taking Doncaster lightly under any circumstances. Shedding light on his approach to cup competitions, Frank told the media on Tuesday:
“It is a balance. I would like us to compete in all four tournaments across the year. If you are going to do that, you need to pick the right team all the time.
“I think every time we put a team out there it is super strong. We need to hit that perfect number of players that rotate and a strong team. It will be a strong team tomorrow.”
Frank will pick a strong side vs Doncaster
Frank will certainly rotate his squad and give some fringe players an opportunity to showcase their talent against Doncaster. While rotation is on the cards, the Tottenham gaffer will ensure he picks a strong enough side to put the League One side to the sword as early as possible.
The Dane has already confirmed that Antonin Kinsky will start in goal on Wednesday evening. Mathys Tel is expected to lead the attack, with Richarlison in need of a breather. Mohammed Kudus also deserves a rest after being used constantly since the start of the season, and Brennan Johnson may get the nod to start on the right flank.
Hopefully, we also get to see a couple of academy talents get minutes in the League Cup third round.