Thomas Frank believes Tottenham Hotspur are on the right path to success
Tottenham Hotspur suffered their second defeat of the Premier League campaign on Sunday, losing 2-1 at home to Aston Villa. The result against Aston Villa meant Thomas Frank and Co. have picked up just five points from their last four Premier League games.
Thomas Frank has transformed the team’s outlook in a remarkably short time, making the Lilywhites a far more defensively resolute and compact side since replacing Ange Postecoglou at the helm. He has addressed the defensive weaknesses in terms of structure and organisation that plagued Spurs last season. Even though they conceded twice and lost to Aston Villa, Tottenham now look much more assured in defence.
Despite ongoing injury problems in N17, creative players not creating much and the forwards failing to convert chances when presented, Spurs currently sit sixth in the Premier League, just five points behind league leaders Arsenal — an impressive feat given the circumstances.
Thomas Frank feels Tottenham have made progress this season
Tottenham’s attacking unit once again did not click and they lost to Villa in the Premier League. With that result, the Europa League champions have picked up just four points from four fixtures at their ground. Despite a more pragmatic approach against weaker opponents, they have failed to deliver the kind of dominant home performances that fans want to watch.
The home form remains a big worry for Thomas Frank. He has to address this major issue as his team looks to compete on all fronts this term, with ex-Premier League striker turned pundit Troy Deeney urging Tottenham to instil fear in visiting teams.
Ahead of the Champions League clash with AS Monaco, Frank acknowledged the north London club’s progress under his leadership. Despite a 2-1 home loss to Villa, the Dane highlighted the positives from the contest, noting his team’s aggressive play and high-pressure tactics.
“It’s fair to say we are relatively early days. There has been a lot of progress overall,” Frank said in his press conference on Tuesday.
“Very good in high pressure. Very aggressive against Villa. Offensively, scored quite a few goals. How many teams right now play free-flowing top football three games in a row, in the Premier League?
“We are aiming for the perfect game every game. That’s what we want. But we know what we are working at and progressing nicely.”
Spurs steering their way through an injury crisis
Tottenham have been unfortunate when it comes to injuries once again. James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski- two creative talents- are yet to feature for Spurs this season, while Dominic Solanke has barely played due to niggling ankle issue which forced him to undergo operation earlier this month. Yves Bissouma was stretchered off on international duty on his return to action from injury, and the latest ankle sprain has sidelined him for several weeks.
Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie sat out the Villa game due to injuries, and the defensive duo have been ruled out for the trip to AS Monaco. Frank now faces a monumental challenge in managing his squad amid the growing injury list. The 51-year-old will need to rotate intelligently to keep his players fresh, healthy and competitive across all competitions.
The Tottenham gaffer’s immediate challenge is to continue getting the best out of the players he has at his disposal and help the team get back to form again, starting from the European game against Monaco. Let’s see how our boys respond to the Villa defeat when they take the pitch at the Principality Stadium on Wednesday.
