Another turbulent week begins for Tottenham Hotspur, with the club hierarchy deeply concerned and a palpable sense of foreboding hanging over north London. The catalyst for this latest crisis was Sunday's demoralising 4-1 derby defeat at Arsenal, a result that leaves manager Thomas Frank facing intense scrutiny.
A Week of Critical Challenges
While a midweek Champions League trip to face Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday presents a daunting challenge, it is paradoxically not the main source of anxiety. With two wins and two draws from their four European matches, Spurs can likely afford a defeat in Paris. Many would have considered this fixture a 'free hit' even during more prosperous times, and the team can draw some confidence from pushing PSG all the way in the European Super Cup earlier this season, eventually losing on penalties.
The true fear, casting long shadows across the club, concerns Saturday's Premier League fixture at home against Fulham. For a team supposed to be fortified on its own turf, Tottenham's recent record at their stadium is alarming, particularly in the league that matters most for the manager's job security.
The Troubling Home Form
Thomas Frank inherited a squad with a dismal home league record from his predecessor, Ange Postecoglou: just two wins, three draws, and nine losses from the previous 14 games. The concerning fact for Frank is that he has been unable to spark any discernible improvement. His own Premier League home record stands at a worrying one win, two draws, and three losses.
The low point was the 1-0 defeat to Chelsea in early November, where the team was booed off the pitch after displaying a shocking lack of creativity, registering an expected goals (xG) statistic of just 0.05—the league's lowest this season. The discontent from the stands continued into the next home game against Manchester United, with boos directed at Richarlison for a loose pass and at Frank for his substitution of Xavi Simons.
An emblematic moment of the fractious atmosphere occurred during the 4-0 Champions League win over Copenhagen. When substitute Dane Scarlett won a late penalty, sections of the crowd wanted him to take it. The designated taker, Richarlison, insisted on taking the spot-kick and missed, prompting more boos from the South Stand.
Attacking Woes and Derby Disaster
Frank's attacking options have been severely hampered by long-term injuries to key players like Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, and Dominic Solanke. This has forced him to constantly rotate his other forwards—Mohammed Kudus, Brennan Johnson, Simons, and others—who have managed only five league goals between them. Richarlison alone has matched that tally.
The Arsenal defeat was a comprehensive disaster. Eberechi Eze scored a hat-trick and could have had more. Frank's tactical setup drew criticism, particularly his switch to a 5-4-1 formation, a system he had used only once before. When he reverted to a 4-3-3 for the second half, his team were already 2-0 down. His decision to drop popular full-back Pedro Porro was also a major talking point.
For Frank, the most urgent issue was not a lack of creativity, but a lack of aggression. He lamented his team's failure to win duels, get close to Arsenal's players, and force turnovers high up the pitch. When asked if he saw enough fight from his team, Frank gave a damningly honest assessment: "We were 100% too far from them... In those duels, we didn't win enough of them."
As Fulham visit this weekend, Thomas Frank desperately needs a victory, or at the very least, a performance that shows fight and attacking intent. The pressure is mounting, and the outcome could be pivotal for his future at the club.
