Tottenham supporters are growing increasingly frustrated with Thomas Frank’s midfield selections, as one of their brightest performers continues to be overlooked.
Achieving the right balance in football is essential for any side that aims to compete at the top level, and this is something Thomas Frank has yet to master at Tottenham.
The Dane’s midfield choices have been the subject of growing scrutiny, particularly his preference for pairing Joao Palhinha with Rodrigo Bentancur.
Statistics show that Spurs are far less progressive in attack when both midfielders start together, which stands in stark contrast to the front-foot football the club wants to be known for.
As results begin to stutter, supporters have started voicing their frustrations over what they see as an overly cautious approach.
Tottenham fans react to Pape Matar Sarr being benched again
While many fans have voiced concerns over the partnership between Palhinha and Bentancur, Thomas Frank has remained steadfast in his selection, once again starting both players in the recent fixture against AS Monaco.
This decision saw Pape Matar Sarr, widely regarded as the club’s second-best performer during the early months of the campaign, dropped to the bench once again.
Tottenham supporters quickly took to the social media platform X to express their dissatisfaction with Frank’s decision, questioning why Sarr is being overlooked despite his strong performances.
One Tottenham fan wrote: “Terrible. He was our best player in August and September! He is way too good to be treated like this. What is the point of having the quality depth that we finally have and not rotating the squad?”
Another added: “Really poor decision. That team is starting to look as bad as last year again… ten players missing, I would have maybe given Pedro Porro a rest and at least played Archie Gray on that side too. Sarr for Bentancur.”
A third fan commented: “There must be something going on that we do not know. Sarr was great in the first games, great for the national team, scoring goals, running the entire field (box to box 6-8-10), he was our second-best player after Mohammed Kudus and now he is barely getting any minutes.”
Another Tottenham supporter added: “At what point does Frank start to realise Bentancur should be dropped for his work rate in favour of Sarr? When are we going to see a midfield without the Bentancur – Palhinha nonsense? We brought this guy in because of his flexible, rotational management style.”
One more fan summed it up bluntly: “Absolutely mind-boggling. We cannot keep playing Bentancur and Palhinha together.”
Spurs’ midfield balance remains a concern
Spurs were away to AS Monaco, and it is understandable why Frank may have opted for a more pragmatic setup on foreign soil.
However, the pairing of Palhinha and Bentancur failed to provide any meaningful protection for the defence, as AS Monaco repeatedly carved Tottenham open and could easily have taken all three points.
Sarr’s introduction later in the game brought a noticeable change in tempo and attacking intent, with the midfielder creating a good chance that Brennan Johnson failed to convert.
His energy and forward thrust immediately injected life into Tottenham’s play, which is exactly what supporters have been crying out for.
It is that kind of proactive running and risk-taking that Spurs fans want to see more of, instead of the constant sideways passing and overly safe approach that has come to define the current midfield setup.