Thomas Frank is selling Tottenham Hotspur fans false promises in relation to his team’s setup and it has reached a point where everyone can see through him.
Any Tottenham Hotspur supporter who expected their team to get a result at the Emirates Stadium must be quite the optimist. Even before the days of Thomas Frank, Spurs were on a run of poor results at the home ground of their bitter rivals.
However, Sunday’s North London derby felt like a new low and this was due to the nature of Tottenham’s defeat. There was no attacking intent from the very start and according to The xG Philosophy, Spurs created 0.00 xG in the first half. They also failed to land a shot on target and completed just 15 successful passes in Arsenal’s half of the pitch.
Joao Palhinha and Richarlison did provide one moment of brilliance later in the match, but overall it was yet another diabolical display in a London derby.
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Tottenham fans expect answers
Like Frank, Ange Postecoglou had a poor record against the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea and many of Tottenham’s displays in his second Premier League campaign were as bad as it gets. However, at least the Aussie was transparent and stuck to his attacking principles. Spurs fans might not have always liked what they saw, but they knew exactly what they were getting.
Frank on the other hand continues to say one thing in his press conferences and then proceeds to get his team doing the exact opposite, particularly against the bigger clubs in England.
Upon his arrival in North London, Frank expressed his desire for Tottenham to be aggressive and attack. He even made the excellent point that it can be risky not to take risks, as previously displayed by the likes of Jose Mourinho and Nuno Espirito Santo.
Ironically, Frank has continuously set Spurs up in the most negative way possible, with risks seemingly discouraged. Clearly he wanted his side to defend for 90 minutes against Arsenal and was waiting for a set piece where Tottenham might score a goal.
Frank either needs to put his money where his mouth is, or start being truthful about how he actually wants to play the game. Any suggestion that the Dane is an attacking minded manager is nonsensical drivel and no Spurs supporter at this point is naive enough to believe the bosses’ rhetoric.
Frank is not a dynamic manager
Since Mauricio Pochettino’s departure all those years ago, Tottenham have not had a manager who causes his team to adapt based on the circumstances at hand. Mourinho, Santo and Antonio Conte were all far too negative in their approaches, while Postecoglou was often guilty of being too extreme in the opposite direction.
Frank was thought to be the man who would finally bring balance back to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with heaps of praise coming his way after the Manchester City victory. Unfortunately, the only way he now adapts is to decide how far along the negativity scale he wants Spurs to play.
Tottenham used the same stand off tactics against Arsenal which cost them in the latter stages of the UEFA Super Cup. The main difference is what was once a strategy to see out a game has now become the primary function from the first blow of the referee’s whistle until the last.
It seems Frank has not woken up to the fact he is managing a far bigger and more successful club than Brentford. The Tottenham way is to be bold, not timid, yet time and time again they cower in the face of a strong opposition.
If Frank wants to keep setting up this way, that is ultimately his decision and he will not last long in the job if he does. However, he needs to be honest and explain this is how he is choosing to play the game. All this talk of bravery and aggression just feels like a distraction to cover up the fact he is out of his depth at Spurs.