Time might be running out for Thomas Frank at Tottenham.
Thomas Frank is under immense pressure at Hotspur Way already, and the Lilywhites’ season could sink even deeper into chaos later today when the North Londoners host Borussia Dortmund at N17 in the Champions League. But going into the game, Spurs are facing what you can essentially call a crisis with the long unavailability list at Hotspur Way for the game.
Frank & Co. could be without as many as 15 first-team players for tonight’s game. This will make it even more difficult for the Dane head coach to come out with all three points, adding weight to the huge pressure that he already is under.
Thomas Frank has an availability problem ahead of the Dortmund game
The former Brentford manager has his seat at Hotspur Way hanging by a thread after the Lilywhites’ defeat against West Ham last weekend. And with patience wearing thin among the supporters as well as the board, the 52-year-old is now preparing for a must-win game at home, but with his roster being compromised in multiple ways.
And when you start looking into it, it’s a massive list.
Let’s start with the lot of players who are simply not eligible to feature in the Champions League roster donning the Lilywhites badge. And this group of players includes winter arrival Conor Gallagher, who will be forced in the stands alongside Dominic Solanke, Yves Bissouma, and Radu Dragusin, with all three of them not being part of the UCL squad at N17.
And among them in the stands, you will also find Micky van de Ven. The Dutch defender is suspended for the game, and suddenly now the options at the back also get thin.
And then you start looking at injuries, which makes things even worse for the Dane head coach.
A thin midfield adds to a thin defence
All of Ben Davies, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Mohammed Kudus, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Richarlison will be serving on the sidelines for tonight’s game.
So now with defense, the midfield also starts to look thin on options. But there is more. There are also doubts around all of Archie Gray, Pape Matar Sarr, Joao Palhinha, and Xavi Simons for the game. All of them are in a race to kick off time to be fit, and those with late fitness tests will be due to take calls on them.
Ideally, even if one or two of those are passed fit, Thomas Frank will still have a team that is nowhere near his strongest eleven.
But Tottenham fans won’t have a lot of space for sympathy today. This is a must-win game for the club, and if that doesn’t happen, many would still be screaming for his head on top of their voices.
