Tottenham Hotspur have had a few questionable performances this season, but is it really fair to place all the blame on Thomas Frank?
Tottenham Hotspur are currently fourth in the Premier League table, but anyone scrolling social media and fan forums could be forgiven for presuming otherwise. There has been a lot of negativity after the disappointing 1-1 draw with Wolves and much of the criticism has been fired towards Thomas Frank.
It is fair to say that Spurs have not been performing at the level their supporters would like. However, Frank’s side have already secured some convincing wins, which included humiliating West Ham at the London Stadium.
There is clearly work to be done after Tottenham drew a second consecutive Premier League match, but the blame Frank is receiving has been a real overreaction. This is especially true considering they have only played nine games this season and have won five of them.
Should Thomas Frank be criticised for Tottenham’s form?
Frank is not completely innocent when considering the performance on Saturday. His decision to play Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur together meant there was a lack of creativity and flair in the centre of the pitch.
Playing Xavi Simons on the left wing is also proving to be a problem. The 22-year-old looks limited in the role if he is not accommodating Pape Matar Sarr, Spurs would probably be better off starting Brennan Johnson in the wide position.
However, one of the biggest criticisms thrown at Frank has been his insistence on starting Guglielmo Vicario. The Italian only conceded once on Saturday and blaming him for the goal feels like a stretch. He made a diving save and it was unfortunate that the ball deflected off Palhinha and went straight to Santiago Bueno.
Frank’s tactical setup has not been perfect, but one of the biggest problems is a lack of quality in the Tottenham attack.
Spurs failed to resolve all their issues in the summer transfer window
The additions of Simons and Mohammed Kudus have certainly improved the Tottenham first-team squad, but the left wing remains an issue. Heung-min Son continued to offer goals and assists in his final season at the club, yet a replacement was not signed in the summer. This is the reason why Simons is being played away from his strongest position.
Failing to improve the striker position is also an error outside of Frank’s hands. Randal Kolo Muani might come good when he finally recovers from his dead leg, but the only reason he was signed in the first place was because of Dominic Solanke picking up an injury.
Solanke was not clinical enough in front of goal last season and while Richarlison made a bright start to the season, he is now under scrutiny for how useful he is to the attack when he is not scoring.
Spurs should really have looked to permanently sign an attacker who takes his chances and would get opposition defenders worried. Their current frontline is not terrible by any means, but it is not all that different from the one which finished 17th in the league last season.
Tottenham fans must be patient with Frank
Frank is still fresh inside the door at Tottenham and expecting an immediate and drastic change from the abysmal previous campaign is unreasonable. This is the manager’s most important and high-pressure role in his career and he needs to be backed, not lambasted at every possible opportunity.
There are limitations to what Frank can do so early into his time as Spurs manager. He has had some good games and some bad games, but suggesting drawing with Wolves is a sackable offence or offering a similar opinion is very unhelpful.
If Frank is able to finish in the top five and compete for trophies, he will have had a strong first season and there is no evidence yet to suggest he will not accomplish this.
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