Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank hits back at Jamie Carragher for uncalled remarks
After suffering a dismal 1-0 defeat against Chelsea on the weekend, Liverpool legend turned pundit Jamie Carragher slammed Tottenham for their lacklustre performance. After bouncing back with a 4-0 victory against Copenhagen in the Champions League, Thomas Frank has publicly addressed the Scouser’s comments.
At the weekend, Spurs looked like a show of themselves, as they failed to create chances and registered only three shots through the game, with one on target. Spurs recorded an expected goals (xG) figure of just 0.05, the lowest since the Premier League began recording such stats in 2012-13. After the full-time whistle, the Spurs team was booed off the field by fans who were disappointed with their team.
During his analysis of the game, Carragher didn’t hold back, comparing Tottenham’s performance to that of a League Two side, stating (h/t The Standard):
“You might look at that result and think there’s not a lot wrong, but when you watch the game at the weekend, that was like watching a League Two team against a Premier League team in the FA Cup.”
When asked about his thoughts on Carragher’s comments after the Copenhagen game, Thomas Frank was dismissive at first, stating that he was not aware of the remarks:
“Yeah, I didn’t see his comments. So not too much to say to that. The pundits are pundits. They need to say something about the games. I’ve been a pundit myself sometimes. Put it this way, I know it’s easier to be that than stand down there. So not too much to say to that. The pundits are pundits. They need to say something about the games. I’ve been a pundit myself sometimes. Put it this way, I know it’s easier to be that than stand down there.”
“I saw a good performance today, which I’m happy with. We talk a lot about, how can you say that, bounce back mentality because in life and football there will be setbacks. Every team will experience that.”
Silenced the doubters
Spurs’ attack was on fire in their Champions League clash against the Danish side. Brennan Johnson opened the scoring in the 19th minute, followed by Wilson Odobert doubling the lead in the second half. Dutch defender Micky van de Ven made headlines with one of the goals of the season, and Joao Palhinha came off the bench to seal the victory with Tottenham’s final goal.
The only downside for Thomas Frank’s team was Brennan Johnson receiving a red card after he committed a malicious foul on Marcos Lopez. Sliding in from behind, the striker connected with Lopez’s ankle with his studs, causing immense discomfort to the defender. He was initially penalized with a yellow card by the referee, but was later sent off with a straight red after VAR intervention.
Tottenham made a huge statement with their 4-0 victory, putting to rest the doubts and negativity that followed their performance against Chelsea. Spurs will now look to carry this momentum into their upcoming fixtures, with back-to-back clashes against Manchester United, Arsenal, and PSG.