Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank has delivered a powerful defence of his credentials to lead the club forward following their devastating 4-1 defeat to arch-rivals Arsenal in the North London derby.
Frank's Unwavering Confidence
The Danish manager faces mounting pressure after watching his team extend their troubling run of form, with just three victories from their last eleven matches across all competitions since late September. The performance against Arsenal proved particularly concerning, with Frank's decision to deploy a 5-4-1 formation failing to produce any meaningful challenge against their dominant rivals.
Speaking ahead of Tottenham's crucial Champions League fixture against Paris Saint-Germain, Frank remained defiant about his capabilities. "Part of taking this job was to have the challenges," he stated. "Part of that is to manage those setbacks and learn and move on. One thing I'm 1000% sure of... I know how to build a team, I know how to build a club and we will do that."
Analysing the Arsenal Collapse
Frank revealed he had conducted a thorough analysis of the Arsenal defeat, examining the footage in forensic detail to identify the root causes of their poor performance. He pinpointed one particularly alarming statistic that highlighted their fundamental shortcomings.
"The most disappointing thing was that we were not able to compete," Frank admitted. "We had 53 situations where it was like a duel, [a] second-ball situation. We came out on top on 17 of those and lost 36. If you don't do that... it is basic, then it's very difficult to win a football match."
The manager dismissed suggestions that his tactical approach was primarily to blame, insisting that the formation mattered less than the players' application. "If you play 4-3-3, 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1, 7-9-13... it doesn't matter if you're not doing that," he emphasised, referring to the lack of aggression in challenges.
Looking Ahead to PSG and Beyond
As Tottenham prepare for their daunting Champions League encounter against Paris Saint-Germain, Frank pointed to the French champions as an example of how patience with a manager can yield long-term success. He highlighted how PSG manager Luis Enrique endured difficult periods during his first season before transforming the team.
"This is his third season," Frank noted. "His first season... he had to take a lot of battles and he also turned everything around. He created one of the best teams in the world by making those changes."
Frank also acknowledged the advantage Arsenal have built through continuity under Mikel Arteta, suggesting that Tottenham require similar stability to achieve their objectives. The manager identified defensive solidity as his primary focus since arriving at the club, stating "no team wins anything if they can't defend."
With Brennan Johnson suspended following his red card against Copenhagen and no fresh injury concerns reported, Frank now faces a critical period that will define Tottenham's season. After the PSG fixture, Spurs confront Fulham at home, Newcastle away, and a reunion with Frank's former club Brentford at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
