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Thomas Frank believes he has earned the right to have more time in charge at Tottenham as the pressure continues to mount on the head coach.

Wednesday's defeat to Bournemouth leaves Tottenham languishing 14th in the Premier League, with just one win in their last six in all competitions.

A poor night was compounded by more unrest from supporters and club captain Cristian Romero seemingly criticising the club's hierarchy on social media.

Despite the turbulence, Frank believes he has done enough to deserve patience.

Spurs' night of woe: Romero's social media post, Frank's Arsenal cup and fan unrest

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"No doubt about that. Put it this way, would we love to be higher in the table and have more points? 100 per cent," Frank said in his pre-match press conference ahead of his side's FA Cup third round tie against Aston Villa.

"We work hard every single day to make sure we perform well. We want to land in the best possible position at the end of the season.

"We need to look at the FA Cup game, a good opportunity against Villa, a team who is flying in this moment in time. The tournament is very important for the fans, we won it eight times in our history. This is a tough spell, we will get through this.

"We definitely want to do more [from an attacking point of view]. We have scored enough goals."

Frank also conceded that the style of play under his tenure hadn't matched that of the expectations of fans, but claimed that they were working hard to find a way to match the 'ethos' of Tottenham.

"It's a fair question. We spoke about that frustration. It's the ethos of the club, it's something we're working very hard on," he said.

"I see myself as above average intelligence. I am very aware of that. My teams have always created chances and scored goals.

"This team will do the same. It's fair to say we have been lacking in some of the tough, free-flowing offensive players that we've had in the last few seasons.

"That's part of the challenge, and part of other bits we need to work hard on every day to improve it."

Kudus out of action until March

To make matters worse for Frank and Tottenham, winger Mohammed Kudus is set for a spell on the sidelines as Frank revealed that the Ghanian is set to miss at least two months of action with a quad injury.

Kudus missed the trip to the Vitality Stadium, with Frank confirming that he is not expected to return until after the March international break, while also providing updates on Lucas Bergvall, Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski.

"Lucas Bergvall is being assessed today. We will know more later today with him," Frank said. "Same with Rodrigo Bentancur. It looks like a hamstring injury, a bigger one. We don't know the timeframe of that one.

"Kudus is a bigger one in the quad. That's one where we expect him back after the March international break.

"The latest on Kulusevski, we know it's a complicated injury. If there's one person that can accelerate then it's Dejan. A top pro and top mentality.

"The most important thing is to remove the pain in the knee. We have an injection to help that 10 days ago. We will know in three to four weeks, it will settle. When it settles, he will be on the grass."

Kudus injury comes at worst time for Frank

Injuries never come at a good time, but for Frank, losing Kudus now is a bitter pill to swallow.

Spurs have struggled offensively since Frank took charge, but Kudus has routinely been one of their brighter sparks. The former West Ham man leads the way with assists in the Premier League for the club, is top when it comes to take-ons and also third in chances created.

Add to that the fact he is also the biggest threat from crosses, delivering the second most in the team and completing the most, the fact Frank will be unable to rely on him at a time where he is being called out for a lack of entertaining football is a dagger.

Frank spoke about the 'ethos' of the club being one of entertainment, but a combination of his approach and the players he has at his disposal right now have meant that Tottenham games have become far from a must-see.

Unless Spurs choose to act in the transfer market and bring in a replacement for Kudus that fits said ethos, Frank may have to focus on ditching the idea of expansive football altogether and just try to win by any means necessary to buy himself the time he believes he has already earned.

Callum Bishop

Tottenham's next six fixtures

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Tottenham captain Cristian Romero appeared to blast the club's hierarchy for "lies" in a now-edited social media post.

Following Wednesday's 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth, which leaves Spurs 14th in the Premier League table, Romero took to Instagram in the early hours to post a cryptic message, which seemed to be aimed at those above him.

It read: "At times like this, it should be other people coming out to speak, but they don't - as has been happening for several years now.

"They only show up when things are going well, to tell a few lies."

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However, the post, which has been supported by team-mates Richarlison and Pedro Porro, has since been edited to remove the words "to tell a few lies".

Romero's full post now reads: "Apologies to all fans of you who follow us everywhere, who are always there and will continue to be.

"We are responsible, there's no doubt about that. I am the first. But we will keep facing up to it and trying to turn the situation around, for ourselves and for the club.

"At times like this, it should be other people coming out to speak, but they don't - as has been happening for several years now. They only show up when things are going well.

"We'll stay here, working, sticking together and giving our all to turn things around. Especially at times like this, keeping quiet, working harder and moving forward all together is part of football.

"All together, it will be easier."

Spurs players involved in fan disputes

Romero's post came after centre-back partner Micky van de Ven, Porro and midfielder Joao Palhinha were involved in post-match confrontations with the Spurs fans.

Following a winless start to 2026, the away fans on the south coast showed their disgruntlement at full-time after Antoine Semenyo's stoppage-time winner ended Bournemouth's 11-game winless run.

Van de Ven, Porro and Palhinha all had separate heated exchanges with the travelling support in a repeat of last season's scenes at the Vitality Stadium, where former boss Ange Postecoglou was met with abuse by the away end.

Palhinha told Sky Sports: "It was just the supporters were sharing their frustrations. We, of course, understand, we respect them first of all.

"I just said we are fighting for all the same.

"We want to win, not just the players, the staff and the supporters. We are trying to get the wins that, in my opinion, we deserve in the last games."

Frank drinks from Arsenal-branded cup

Under-fire Tottenham boss Thomas Frank said it would have been "completely stupid" to knowingly drink from an Arsenal-branded cup before the loss at Bournemouth.

The Dane's unfortunate gaffe sparked outrage among sections of Spurs' disgruntled fanbase after pictures circulated on social media.

"I definitely didn't notice it," Frank said of the cup.

"I think it's fair to say we're not winning every single football match so it would be absolutely, completely stupid of me to take a cup with Arsenal's (emblem on).

"They have been in the changing room the game before us. It's normal to take a cup, give me an espresso, I do that before every game, so I think actually it's a little bit sad in football that I need to be asked a question about that.

"We're definitely going in the wrong direction if we need to be worry about me having a cup with a logo of another club. Of course I would never do that. That's extremely stupid."

The loss left Tottenham with just two wins from their last 12 top-flight games.

"I think it's fair to say everyone involved in Tottenham, it's a tough one to take today," said Frank.

"Hopefully everyone can see how hard we worked to get everything in the right direction.

"Overall the performance was good, especially the second half, in a game where we deserved to get more.

"That is extremely painful to be part of, so of course people are frustrated - that's natural.

"It's very tough to sit here right now and we haven't got anything out of overall a good performance."

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Antoine Semenyo gave Bournemouth the perfect goodbye gift as his 95th minute winner - likely his last kick for the club - earned his team a 3-2 win over Spurs, to ramp up the pressure on Thomas Frank.

It was written in the stars as the Man City-bound winger - who had stayed to play in this match despite a deal being done for a while - crashed in a late driven finish to end a topsy-turvy game.

After the game, Andoni Iraola confirmed it would be Semenyo's final game for the club. "It looks like it, yes," he told Sky Sports.

"You have medical, all the formalities. I'm afraid to say it, as I don't want to lose him, but I think it's going to be his last moments with us."

"That's how it happens in the movies and no-one deserves it more than him," added Marcus Tavernier to Sky.

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That goal ended a 11-game winless run for Bournemouth - in another example of 'Dr Tottenham' giving a side in need a victory.

Frank's Spurs got off to the perfect start as Mathys Tel drove in a deflected finish from the edge of the box - for Tottenham's first goal from open play for six games, dating back a month and a day.

But by half-time, the heat was back on Frank as Bournemouth found themselves in front via two expert Marcus Tavernier crosses.

The first was headed in expertly by Evanilson, making it two goals in two straight home games for the forward. That would also be the case for Eli Kroupi Junior, who tapped in from close range after Marcos Senesi had kept Tavernier's searching delivery alive.

The second half was even better, with drama all over.

Spurs were initially given a penalty when Micky van de Ven tumbled in the box after two challenges from David Brooks and James Hill - but VAR Jared Gillett forced a review for referee Darren England, who reversed the decision after seeing neither challenge was worthy of a spot kick.

Richarlison also had a close-range header crash off the post, but Spurs would find a way back through Joao Palhinha, who produced a stunning overhead kick - to rival Cristian Romero's one at Newcastle - after the Cherries failed to clear a corner.

Van de Ven forced a stunning save from Djordje Petrovic, which could have given Spurs the win - before the script followed suit with Semenyo's late winner.

Van de Ven and Palhinha speak to Spurs fans at full-time

In dramatic scenes at full-time, Spurs players Van de Ven and Palhinha addressed some angry away fans at the full-time whistle.

Spurs defender Van de Ven went to them straight away after the whistle, before being joined by Palhinha.

"It was just the supporters sharing their frustrations," said Palhinha to Sky Sports.

"We of course understand, we respect them first of all. I just said we are fighting for all the same. We want to win, not just the players - the staff and the supporters. We are trying to get the wins that, in my opinion, we deserve in the last games."

Bournemouth was also the place where former Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou received abuse from the visiting fans last season, after a defeat on the south coast.

The damning stats of Spurs' wretched run

Tottenham have now lost 30 games since the start of 2024/25. Only Wolves have lost more Premier League games in that time.

Spurs have won just two of their last 12 Premier League games, and picked up 10 points from a possible 36 in that time.

For the fourth time since the start of 2025, Tottenham scored first in a Premier League game but still trailed at half-time - that is as often as it happened to Spurs between 2010 and 2024.

Tottenham have scored just one goal in open play in their last seven games - Mathys Tel's opener at the Vitality was their first since the 2-0 win over Brentford on December 6.

Having won four of their first five away games this season, Spurs have tasted victory on their travels in just one of their last six, the 1-0 win at Crystal Palace on December 28

Frank addresses why he drank from Arsenal cup

Before the game,Tottenham head coach Frank was pictured with an Arsenal-branded cup ahead of their match at Bournemouth.

Frank, who has been subject to boos from his own fans in recent weeks, may not have helped his popularity among the Spurs faithful with this faux pas.

Frank claimed the reason why he had an Arsenal cup was because he inadvertently picked up a leftover cup after Mikel Arteta's side had left some at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday in a 3-2 win.

"I definitely did not notice it," said Frank in his post-match press conference.

"It's fair to say that not winning every single football match, it would be absolutely stupid of me to take a cup with Arsenal on it. Anyone thinking I've done that or the staff has done it…

"They've been in the changing room the game before us [on Saturday]. It's normal to say: 'give me a cup of espresso' before every game.

"I think it's a little bit sad in football that I need to be asked a question like that. We are definitely going in the wrong direction if we are worrying about me having a cup of another club. Of course I wouldn't do that. That would be really stupid."

Iraola: Great that football gave Semenyo this moment

Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola to Sky Sports:

"The last games we were deserving more, it can't go every time to the other side. Today we were the ones shooting form the edge, scoring.

"A lovely moment for Antoine, very happy for him. Sometimes football gives you these things, he's been top. He's given everything, been committed to everything we wanted until the end.

"We gave him all we could and it's good that football gives him back this moment for sure."

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