Tottenham have picked up five points from their opening three games in the UEFA Champions League this season under Thomas Frank, following their latest 0-0 draw with AS Monaco.
Let’s take a look at the five things we learned from Tottenham’s 0-0 with Monaco:
Tottenham did not deserve a point
Tottenham Hotspur followed their 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa last time out with a goalless draw against AS Monaco in the UEFA Champions League.
While they earned a valuable point, the performance on display left much to be desired from Frank’s men. Tottenham were completely outplayed by the French side, who managed 23 shots with eight on target.
They created five big chances and registered an xG of 2.45, and on the balance of play, they should have walked away with all three points.
It took a standout display from Guglielmo Vicario, who was forced into making eight saves to keep the scoreline at 0-0. Frank was undoubtedly a lucky man on the touchline as Spurs rode their luck for most of the night.
Monaco’s first clean sheet of their season against poor Tottenham
Not only were Tottenham poor defensively, Frank’s men also struggled going forward against a Monaco side that is far from known for their defensive solidity.
The Ligue 1 outfit recorded their first clean sheet of the season against Tottenham, and they looked comfortable while doing so.
Tottenham’s lack of creativity has been a recurring theme this campaign, and with a hectic schedule ahead, Frank still has not found a way to fix the lack of spark in his side.
The underlying numbers have long indicated that Tottenham’s chance creation compared to their goal output was unsustainable, as they simply do not create enough clear opportunities to score goals.
Once again, it was on full display in this tie – an xG of 0.87 and one big chance more or less told the story.
Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha partnership remains a problem
Against Aston Villa, Tottenham fans widely concluded that the pairing of Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha is one of the issues in Frank’s system.
The numbers back that up. When the duo play together, Tottenham have less possession, lower expected goals and reduced expected threat tallies.
In addition, Spurs concede more goals per 90 minutes, register fewer shots on target, and record fewer touches in the opposition box.
One could argue that sacrificing attacking fluency for defensive solidity justifies the pairing, but when Tottenham are being carved open at will by Monaco, there is little to suggest that the combination benefits the side in any meaningful way.
Lucas Bergvall wastes his chance in the number ten role
The number ten position is very much up for grabs at Tottenham, given that Xavi Simons is yet to find form and make a consistent impact in a Spurs shirt.
This was Lucas Bergvall’s opportunity to stake a claim for that role, but it felt as though he wasted his chance to impress.
The Swede looked off the pace, barely saw the ball, contributed very little in attack, and was substituted after just an hour.
Everything that could go wrong for a youngster trying to make an impression seemed to happen to Bergvall in this tie.
There will be further chances for the midfielder, but he will need to quickly pick himself up and show more intent in the next opportunity he gets.
Why is Pape Matar Sarr not starting for Tottenham anymore?
If the numbers do not justify the Bentancur and Palhinha pairing, then Frank simply has to look at other combinations.
One name that naturally comes to mind is Pape Matar Sarr, who offers athleticism, energy, and a willingness to make runs into the box, while also maintaining defensive balance.
The Senegalese midfielder started the season brightly, scoring a couple of goals, yet still struggles to get consistent minutes.
It was the same story again in Monaco. Starting from the bench, Sarr came on and immediately injected forward intent that is often missing when Bentancur starts.
His run beyond Randal Kolo Muani created Tottenham’s best chance of the second half, as he cut the ball back for Brennan Johnson, who failed to convert.
When there is such a clear lack of creativity in the side and a player like Sarr remains on the bench, questions will always be asked of Frank’s selection decisions.