Hotspur HQ

Thomas Frank still thinks he's managing Brentford, not Tottenham

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Thomas Frank still thinks he's managing Brentford, not Tottenham - Hotspur HQ
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Every single Tottenham Hotspur supporter is rooting for Thomas Frank to succeed. After ripping through well known manager after well known manager, Spurs are reaching a point where they have to look back at the controversial dismissal of Mauricio Pochettino a handful of years ago and wonder how they went from being Champions League Finalists to a team that is coming off a 17th placed finish in the Premier League - and performing even worse than that after hiring a new coach and spending around 150 million pounds on the summer transfer window.

The 4-1 loss to Arsenal in the North London Derby was a last straw for many Spurs supporters, as the club turned in an apathetic and, really, cowardly performance. They were set up to fail by Frank, whose early tenure at the club looked promising but has now raised major concerns about his competency as manager.

And what Frank has done to respond to his horrid rivalry losses to Arsenal and Chelsea in which he set up his team for the worst statistical attacking performances of the entire Premier League season is simply unacceptable to Spurs fans.

Thomas Frank just doesn't get it

I'll let Frank take it from here. This is what he told reporters as his message to the Tottenham fan base after soiling his pants on Sunday against Arsenal, via The Spurs Watch:

"Performances can always be a bit up and down. In a 60-game season, there will be 10-12 perfect games, 30 or so (in the middle) and then the rest below that. You can be defeated (Chelsea and Arsenal) but the others we were still competitive... we will keep working at it."

What on earth is he talking about? He is saying that in 60 games as Tottenham manager, it is acceptable and normal for there to be more below average performances than perfect ones and that Spurs should be average in half of their games. Do the math. 60 minus 10 is 50. Minus another 30 is 20. So Frank thinks 20 below average performances in a season is acceptable.

Frank is basically saying that, in his mind, Spurs are a mid table club, just like Brentford. Because for a mid table club, being average in half the games and below average in more games than being great is indeed acceptable. For a team like Tottenham that has ambitions of competing for titles, that outcome is absolutely disastrous.

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Tottenham's dream transfer target turned out to be a huge scam

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Tottenham's dream transfer target turned out to be a huge scam - Hotspur HQ
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Tottenham Hotspur didn't sign a single established left winger in the summer 2025 transfer window to replace club legend Son Heung-min, who rode off into the sunset with his Europa League title to finish off his career in MLS.

Spurs were linked closely with Ademola Lookman and Savinho as possible high profile left wing signings to bridge the gap while Mathys Tel and Wilson Odobert continue their developments. Lookman will, once again, be a topic for Tottenham in the January transfer window, but it's unlikely Savinho will be back on their radar.

Although Savinho was the No. 1 dream transfer target on the wings after Mohammed Kudus was signed and sealed for many Spurs fans, Antoine Semenyo will be the clear top target at the position from the Premier League ranks. Because while Spurs fans were clamoring for the club to pay up for the Manchester City star, Savinho has proven to be an unmitigated disaster for the Citizens.

A former Player of the Season candidate

Savinho is no longer a regular starter for City, and he has just one assist with no goals in nine Premier League appearances for City (four of them starts). He's creating close to nothing on the wings, he is offering zero goal threat, and even his ball progression has been poor. Savinho's one-on-one ability remains above average, but even that is a shell of what it was in La Liga for Girona.

While Savinho, who was once a La Liga Player of the Season candidate, has the quality to come good in different circumstances, he's been so appalling this season that Man City fans are actually the ones regretting not selling him for the cool 70 million euros they could have gotten out of a seemingly smitten Spurs.

Scam avoided is largely the refrain sung by not just Tottenham fans but also Premier League supporters in general. Spurs still desperately need a new left winger, and that need has reached alarm bell levels after their 4-1 dismantling at the hands of North London Derby rivals Arsenal.

However, Savinho is no longer the man to fulfill the position. He has looked so poor on the wing for Manchester City that their fan base is wondering if there is a worse decision maker at the position in the entire Premier League. If anything, he would be an expensive downgrade on what Odobert and Tel are doing, and that's the kind of investment Spurs can do without.

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PSG vs. Tottenham: Champions League Preview, Prediction & Lineups

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PSG vs. Tottenham: Champions League Preview, Prediction & Lineups - Hotspur HQ
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Tottenham's Champions League campaign continues in the French capital on Wednesday night, as they face the holders, Paris Saint-Germain, off the back of a chastening defeat.

Suddenly, Thomas Frank's seat is getting a little hot. The Dane has overseen two abject losses to Spurs' fiercest rivals in November, and Sunday's 4-1 humbling in the North London Derby ranks among our poorest ever performances in the fixture.

Thus, a trip to the Parc des Princes is not exactly what this Tottenham side needs, especially with a now-significant Premier League clash at home to Fulham upcoming.

Despite struggling Bodø and Monaco, Frank's men are somehow unbeaten through four outings in this competition and are decently positioned in regards to securing a top-eight berth. Spurs are tenth with eight points, and they'll leapfrog PSG in the table if they can record a memorable victory on Wednesday.

We came ever so close to upsetting the odds in our first-ever competitive meeting with the Parisians back in August, but Luis Enrique's outstanding side fought back from 2-0 down in the UEFA Super Cup before eventually winning on penalties.

The holders haven't been quite as imperious at the start of 2025/26, but they sit atop Ligue 1 and were beaten for the first time in the Champions League by an equally special Bayern Munich team last time out.

Here's our preview of Spurs' trip to Paris.

PSG vs. Tottenham: Preview, Prediction & Lineups

What time does PSG vs. Tottenham kick off?

PSG vs. Tottenham kicks off on Wednesday 26 November at 20:00 BST.

When is kick off? Wednesday 26 November, 2025

What time is kick off? 20:00 BST

Where is it played? Parc des Princes, Paris

Referee: Felix Zwayer

PSG vs Tottenham head-to-head record

How to watch PSG vs Tottenham on TV & live stream

PSG team news

Injuries have partly prevented PSG from being utterly dominant at the start of the new season, with Ballon d'Or winner Ousmané Dembélé missing much of the campaign so far due to a couple of setbacks.

The Frenchman has been out of action since he was forced off in the first half of PSG's 2-1 defeat to Bayern earlier this month, but he trained ahead of Wednesday's game and looks set to be involved.

The hosts, however, are without Achraf Hakimi and Golden Boy Désiré Doué through injury. Warren Zaïre-Emery will likely debutise for the former, while Bradley Barcola and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are set to flank Gonçalo Ramos in PSG's frontline.

PSG predicted lineup vs. Tottenham: Chevalier; Zaïre-Emery, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Vitinha, Neves, Fabian; Barcola, Ramos, Kvaratskhelia.

Tottenham team news

Tottenham's injury situation brightened up before the derby, with Pape Matar Sarr, Lucas Bergvall, Randal Kolo Muani and Mohammed Kudus all making the matchday squad.

While Frank oversaw an impressive showing against the European champions in the Super Cup, he'd be taking a risk setting his side up in a similar fashion on Wednesday, given what happened at the Emirates. No matter the formation, Spurs must be more aggressive out of possession.

Still, changes are expected. Former PSG star Xavi Simons has to come in, but I'd retain Djed Spence in favour of Pedro Porro. The Spaniard should've started on Sunday, but Frank preferred Spence's physicality and standout defensive attributes. They should come in handy here.

Randal Kolo Muani is eligible to face his parent club, but Brennan Johnson is suspended after picking up a red card against Copenhagen.

Tottenham predicted lineup vs. PSG: Vicario; Spence, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Sarr, Palhinha; Kudus, Xavi, Kolo Muani, Richarlison.

PSG vs. Tottenham score prediction

We were all dreading the Super Cup, weren't we? That turned out okay, and we can only hope this Tottenham team turn up in a similar manner on Wednesday night.

The nature of Sunday's defeat means this isn't quite the free-hit it could've been for Frank. While supporters shouldn't expect Spurs to get a result in Paris, they'll understandably want to ensure this bout is competitive.

A display akin to what we produced at the Emirates will further raise doubts over Frank's long-term viability. There has to be a response, even in defeat.

I think we enjoy more success with a direct approach and are able to at least make life difficult for the hosts, who'll have to grind out three points.

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Some Tottenham players are not happy with Thomas Frank

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Rumblings of discontent starting to emerge at Tottenham - Hotspur HQ
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Thomas Frank was never going to escape the North London Derby unscathed, given the cowardly performance his side produced at the Emirates.

The Dane set up his Spurs side with the sole focus of frustrating the league-leading hosts, who ran away with the contest after Leandro Trossard broke the deadlock towards the end of the first half.

Frank changed tack by introducing Xavi Simons at half-time, but Eberechi Eze's second goal of the contest killed Spurs' hopes of a 2010-like turnaround. Eze later completed his hat-trick to seal a 4-1 rout, with Arsenal manifesting the cohesiveness and brilliance of champions while the Lilywhites appeared bereft of purpose and intent.

It was a showing not too dissimilar to what we served up at home to Chelsea at the start of the month, and the nature of these two defeats have piled the pressure on the manager.

Some Tottenham players want Thomas Frank to change ways

The emotion of derby day meant there were calls for Frank's head in the aftermath of the defeat, and the manager rubbed up plenty the wrong way when he weaponised last season's 17th-place Premier League finish as a means of justifying the struggles we've endured at the start of his reign.

The Dane's squad is far from complete, and injuries are a mitigating factor, but Frank should be getting more out of this squad than he currently is. It's all too primitive.

Still, there's no suggestion that Spurs are preparing the guillotine. According to the Daily Telegraph's Matt Law, the club are willing to give Frank time to put things right.

However, Law also reported that some within believe the manager has contributed to the attacking malaise at the start of the season by tinkering too much with personnel, thus not allowing those in the frontline to develop the "connections" Frank often discusses as imperative.

Moreover, a few players would prefer more proactivity from the manager. There's a belief that Frank is focusing too much on nullifying the opposition, rather than playing to the strengths of his team. That has certainly been the case against the Premier League's top sides this term, although we did have success in the UEFA Super Cup and away at Manchester City.

So, while Frank will be in the job for the foreseeable, rumblings of discontent are beginning to emerge in N17. We've already seen Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence show dissent towards the boss after the aforementioned Chelsea defeat, and it's hard to imagine too many of Frank's squad being enamoured with the way they were asked to perform on Sunday.

Evolve or die, Thomas.

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A dream Thomas Frank replacement could soon become available for Tottenham

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A dream Thomas Frank replacement could soon become available for Tottenham - Hotspur HQ
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Tottenham Hotspur fans are beginning to ask serious questions about new manager Thomas Frank, and while most fans agree that it is too soon to begin the carousel of head coaching changes all over again and introduce further instability into a club whose squad is still not all that great, the complaints about Frank are absolutely valid.

What Frank produced against Arsenal in the North London Derby on Sunday, en route to a 4-1 loss, is borderline unforgivable. And what really drives that defeat to the Gunners home is the fact that it's not the first time Frank did this, as his 1-0 defeat to Chelsea weeks ago was nearly as poor.

Instead of learning from his mistakes against Chelsea and getting better in an even bigger game, Frank took Tottenham several steps back, played ultra defensively, and still got absolutely spanked by Mikel Arteta and made to look like a second class manager who has no business running the show at Spurs.

Thomas Frank isn't fully on the hot seat yet

Frank can still save his job because the players haven't turned on him, but the same may not be the case for an even more highly rated manager who once led a team to an undefeated, record season for their first ever major title.

Xabi Alonso was supposed to be the dream long term successor to club legend Carlo Ancelotti. Instead, his Real Madrid tenure is shaping up to be a nightmare, and while the club have been backing him up against the egos in the dressing room, it's obvious that has never lasted for an unproven manager - or even a proven manager - at the most pressurized club in the world.

Superstar Vinicius Junior is quite vocally against Alonso, and now veteran Spanish journalist Jorge C. Picon is reporting that there are others in the Real Madrid locker room who have turned on the former Bayer Leverkusen manager. The situation, per Picon, is now "unsustainable" for Madrid, because there are "several players" who want Alonso out, with Picon adding that the number is greater than fans think. Furthermore, Picon states that there are even officials who think it is "necessary" for Alonso to go because of the "explosive cocktail" that is now brewing in the club.

So if Alonso were to be fired, he would immediately be a dream scenario for Tottenham fans. Those fans who want Frank out and are asked about valid replacements - since we all know Marco Silva and the like are merely lateral moves with no improvement - could then point to Alonso as the dream catch. We are still a ways off from getting to that point with either Alonso or Frank, but it's still a situation worth watching.

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Is Thomas Frank already on brink of Tottenham sack?

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Is Thomas Frank already on brink of Tottenham sack? - Hotspur HQ
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After parting ways with Ange Postecoglou in the backdrop of Bilbao, Tottenham Hotspur knew they had to nail their next managerial appointment.

Plenty were content with a parting of ways with the divisive Australian coach, who was only able to tease a majestic Season 3 after two up and down—to put it mildly—seasons produced a glorious finale.

There was little outcry when Thomas Frank was named as Ange's successor. His work at Brentford had warranted a step up, with the Dane linked to the Chelsea and Manchester United jobs before Spurs came calling.

However, a chastening North London Derby defeat has seen Frank lose the faith of a considerable chunk of the fanbase just 12 Premier League games into the job. The parallels to Nuno Espírito Santo's ill-fated brief reign are impossible to ignore, with questions beginning to surface over the Dane's viability for the position he currently holds.

Pressure mounting on Thomas Frank after woeful derby display

Sunday's defeat at the Emirates made the drab 1-0 loss to Chelsea at the start of the month look like Amsterdam 2019. Spurs ventured down Seven Sisters Road with the intention of making life difficult for their league-leading neighbours, but Frank's evil scheme teetered well beyond the realm of mere pragmatism.

There were elements which I appreciated. In our current states, Arsenal are a far better team than us. Maximising set-pieces and taking our sweet time with such situations threatened to disrupt the Gunners' rhythm, and there was a period after Arsenal's early burst when they genuinely looked a little stuck.

However, Frank's entire plan was flawed from the moment he picked his starting XI. With the centre of the pitch again unused, why wasn't Pedro Porro's distribution deemed necessary? What was the point of Wilson Odobert in this long-ball barrage?

It was another occasion where Frank got his team wrong. Moreover, Spurs remain a side without an idea as to how they're going to get the ball from one end of the pitch to the other. We're utterly reliant on variance pulling in our favour for success, and Arsenal's dominance in duels meant there was no semblance of a foothold.

But perhaps predicating the entire blueprint for a positive result on overpowering an incredibly physical and athletic Arsenal team wasn't the brightest idea. Once we went a goal down, that felt like game over.

What made the afternoon one of the most miserable experiences of my Tottenham-supporting life was Eberechi Eze's breakout game in N5. That's what we could've won, folks, but do you think he'd be able to produce such a performance within Frank's current framework?

The fluid combinations of Arteta's Gunners shifted Spurs' block all over the place, with diagonal passes from the right accessing Eze in the most dangerous shooting zone. The absence of pressure for all three goals was indicative of just how far off the pace Frank's side were.

There's a chasm between the north London rivals, with Arteta viewed as the model for other rebuilding teams to follow, including Spurs. However, defeats such as this will thrust Frank's potential as a project leader into the limelight. He's squandered two major opportunities to get the entire fanbase onside, with potential statement triumphs evolving into nightmares.

There just hasn't been all that much evidence so far to suggest that Frank will blossom into the coach many of us thought him to be. The scalability of his model was questioned upon his appointment, and those fears are bearing true in the ugliest ways at the start of his reign.

He's an intelligent and personable bloke who shouldn't be given up on just yet, because the squad at his disposal does have holes, and there are major injuries to consider, too. But, disappointingly, Frank isn't correctly platforming those he is working with, nor is this group of players performing as if they can punch above their weight. Sunday's performance was akin to a League 2 team rocking up to the Emirates in the hope of snatching a historic FA Cup upset.

There has to be a rethink from the manager because, otherwise, he may be out of the door sooner than he realises. That one really hurt Tottenham supporters.

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Thomas Frank is making Tottenham fans think the unfathomable about Ange Postecoglou

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Thomas Frank is making Tottenham fans think the unfathomable about Ange Postecoglou - Hotspur HQ
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The reactions after the 4-1 Tottenham Hotspur loss to Premier League leaders Arsenal in the North London Derby at the Emirates Stadium have obviously been resoundingly negative, and after such a defeat as that in which Spurs were set up with the wrong XI, wrong tactics, and the most pathetic mentality possible for such a derby, 99.99 percent of the negativity has obviously been directed at manager Thomas Frank.

His negatives are starting to far outweigh his positives, and while you could try to argue that it's been just one game, the reality is that it's been at least two, as Spurs were embarrassed horribly in both high profile London rivalry matches against Chelsea and Arsenal this. season.

But the way Tottenham were blown out by Arsenal despite setting up so defensive has been the last straw for many, as there are Spurs fans already calling for Frank's head to roll. That's a bit premature, but it is understandable in the context of this loss.

Ange Postecoglou brought fight

Because it wasn't just losing by three goals and getting completely blown out by Arsenal. It was the way in which Spurs loss, as they looked like a team totally the antithesis of what the fans want to see. They were slow, cowardly, and lacking any fight.

Although Tottenham finished 17th under Ange Postecoglou last season, were carved up in midfield, and then watched as Big Ange flopped horribly this season for Nottingham Forest, at least they were never lacking in fight. And that's a big reason why the fans always loved Big Ange to the end - and, more importantly, why Spurs won the Europa League despite being so historically poor in Premier League play last season.

Frank has brought none of the positive results and none of the fight. His supposedly pragmatic defensive style has actually allowed more goals through 12 games with no more points in the table and no more goals scored - and he got Mohammed Kudus and Xavi SImons to work with in the summer transfer window, inexplicably benching the latter in the North London Derby en route to defeat.

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Rodrigo Bentancur is forcing Thomas Frank to finally do what's right

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Rodrigo Bentancur is forcing Thomas Frank to finally do what's right - Hotspur HQ
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Tottenham Hotspur turned in their worst performance of the 2025/26 season in the most important game of the campaign thus far, as they were blown apart by bitter North London Derby rivals Arsenal 4-1 in a game that was simply never close.

At no point in the match did Tottenham look like they even belonged on the same pitch as Arsenal, who are running away with the Premier League title at this point if this keeps up. Far from looking like a top five team in English football, Spurs were atrocious and looked more like the bottom five team they were last season.

So many individual players deserve criticism from this 4-1 defeat, as there is more than enough to go around after a result like that. And obviously, the manager himself deserves the brunt of the criticism when the team played as poorly as Spurs did, as Thomas Frank was also responsible for starting certain individuals who really should no longer be starting for Tottenham.

Rodrigo Bentancur is finished

One of those individuals is Rodrigo Bentancur, who has sunk his game to a new low since signing a contract extension this season. Despite being a worse player than Lucas Bergvall, Pape Matar Sarr, and Archie Gray with approximately a quarter of the upside of any of these young midfield talents, Bentancur has been racking up undeserved starts on Frank's watch.

Bentancur was the worst player on the pitch for Tottenham. As anyone would have predicted, he was totally owned by the elite Arsenal midfield, as Mikel Arteta specifically game planned to catch Bentancur out, taking advantage of his physical weakness, slow speed, and cowardly overall play.

Culpable on three of the four goals, Bentancur was lethargic and almost apathetic in a North London Derby that required a lot more fire from a supposed veteran leader. The former Juventus flop was so slow and sloppy defensively that he made Joao Palhinha do the work of three men, and yet that still wasn't enough to help Spurs tread water defensively.

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Thomas Frank swiftly destroyed all his good will with Tottenham fans

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Thomas Frank swiftly destroyed all his good will with Tottenham fans - Hotspur HQ
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It has been a trying season already for new Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank, and while the Danish manager has brought some positives to the table by having them in fifth coming into the North London Derby, he's quickly thrown away all of that good will in one fell swoop.

In truth, Frank's positives have been more down to luck than tactics, and he's been embarrassed in far too many Premier League matches this season to ignore. It's telling that he went all out defensive in Tottenham's two biggest matches of the season, losing 1-0 to Chelsea in what should have been a 5-0 blowout before losing 4-1 to Arsenal in a similarly putrid performance.

There were believers in Frank from the get go, and Spurs fans didn't hold it against their new manager that they were still upset with how Daniel Levy pushed Ange Postecoglou out after they brought him the Europa League title. Instead, they acknowledged that Postecoglou had serious flaws and that they finished 17th, and they were willing to give Frank a chance.

Thomas Frank set Tottenham up to fail

And they've still been willing to do so, even after some rough displays and a rather cowardly tactical approach. However, this 4-1 loss to Arsenal is simply unacceptable and very, very difficult to forgive. It is the kind of loss that gets managers fired, and while it is too soon for that to be the case with Frank, there are plenty of Spurs supporters willing to go that direction.

It may seem like a knee jerk reaction, but a 4-1 loss to Arsenal really is that bad for Tottenham. It is the ultimate no go for this organization, and Frank went there by bringing it upon himself. Because it wasn't just the performance itself or the score line, but rather, also how it happened.

Frank set Tottenham up to be super defensive, and yet they still conceded four goals and were completely disorganized, torn to shreds by Arsenal and the man who snubbed them in the summer transfer window, Eberechi Eze. Worse yet, the Tottenham manager egged on Eze's performance with his inane, "Who's Eze?" remark before the match.

Tottenham fans are a patient bunch, but through cowardice and incompetence in the North London Derby, Frank is now in a very precarious position. He is quickly losing the benefit of the doubt, and Tottenham fans are one more calamity away from having their pitchforks fully out.

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Thomas Frank admitted he has no clue what he's doing with Xavi Simons

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Thomas Frank admitted he has no clue what he's doing with Xavi Simons - Hotspur HQ
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When Tottenham Hotspur hired Thomas Frank, they thought they were getting a fresh, up and coming and innovative Premier League manager who could help Spurs take the next step forward as an organization. They thought they were hiring a pragmatic, attacking minded head coach who could develop young players and maximize the strengths of the veteran attackers.

Instead, Frank is leaving Tottenham with more questions than answers in his first few frustrating months as manager, and while there have been some positive signs for Spurs, there have been some massive low points.

The Chelsea loss was horrible enough, but this 4-1 defeat against Arsenal is truly a new low for the organization, just when they were blowing smoke about wanting to compete for Premier League - and even Champions League - titles under Frank.

One of the big reasons for hope for that cause was the signing of top midfielder Xavi Simons, but his usage under Thomas Frank this season has been a potential sign that maybe the Danish manager isn't ready to work with a top club like Spurs.

Xavi Simons was snubbed

Frank shocked everyone by leaving Simons out of the starting lineup against Arsenal entirely, and while he subbed the Dutchman into the game early in the second half, the damage was already done. And Frank's response to his decision is clearly not up to snuff.

He said in the post game press conference, via The Spurs Express, “He's getting better and better but it was a tactical decision. It was between him and Wilson, who has also played well in recent weeks.”

With all due respect to Frank, Wilson Odobert was never going to be the right option to start in the North London Derby. He's too young, too raw, and, honestly, too week at this stage. He was always going to get bullied out of the game, and Arsenal forced him into a true attacking disasterclass from a player who created nothing.

Yes, Odobert played well, but he wasn't even starting for Spurs and certainly wasn't being used as some sort of a Simons ersatz against elite competition. It was a leap too far for Frank to do this, and it is almost a tacit admission that he has no idea what he has in Simons or how to use him.

So instead of adjusting his clearly failing tactics ahead of the North London Derby, Frank figured he'd just give up on Simons for the biggest game of the season. And his explanation pretty much admits that fact.

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