The wheels are coming off for Thomas Frank after an impressive start with Tottenham – TTLB Opinion

Many credited the former Brentford head coach for tightening things up at Hotspur Way. He brought a sense of more structure at the club, especially after that chaotic run-in under Ange Postecoglou.

But the recent run of form at N17 has dragged familiar doubts back, with Tottenham now having suffered a few poor defeats against Chelsea, Aston Villa and Arsenal, complemented by that draw against Manchester United.

Now it is not just the results when the ref blows the whistle that have been worrying the supporters. But it is more about the way that all of the aforementioned games have gone. Tottenham have found themselves more on the back foot for most of the time in all of those games, where it looks more like they are waiting (or, in a sense, surrendering) rather than imposing themselves.

And if we go to that game yesterday, the Lilywhites barely came out of their defensive third for most of that first half. It was a five-man back line that sat deep. And then the midfield were just screening things and progressing with the ball, with the frontline looking almost isolated.

And it looked like only one side had come there to get the result, whereas the others were only trying not to be embarrassed.

Lack of attacking intent under Frank as it looks like Tottenham did not learn from Chelsea defeat

The thing that really frustrates most of the fans is the lack of attacking intent.

Thomas Frank’s men were heavily criticised for their approach after that 1-0 defeat against Chelsea. But then it looked like they didn’t learn anything from that performance against the West Londoners. They then went on to produce a carbon copy at the Emirates Stadium yesterday. They failed to put in even one shot in that first half, and then they offered almost nothing in open play even in that second half.

Even former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara expressed his disbelief at the way Tottenham were playing yesterday.

Author Opinion

While Frank did inherit a roster that was placed 17th on the table. And then he did have to deal with injuries. But then Ange Postecoglou did end up winning the Europa League with an injury record that was much worse.

Frank can always argue that a reset was going to be painful. But there have been signs that the decision-makers at Hotspur Way must not ignore. Tottenham are producing some of the lowest attacking numbers in their history, with derbies being defined by deep blocks and no sense of ambition.

New signings like Xavi Simons and Kolo Muani are struggling badly to adapt to the structure. While there is this sense of the project being stalled just when it needed to kick on.

And the worry for Tottenham supporters is not just about losing these big statement games, but is more about doing so without much of an identity.

Under Postecoglou, while you can call the football wild, it was brave. But under Frank, there is so much caution that there is no attacking threat. And that is a difficult pill to digest, especially for a fan base that has always appreciated an attractive brand of play.

The wheels are not completely off yet, but they are surely wobbling. If Frank wants to steady them, then he has to find a way to restore the attacking intent that Tottenham has always had while keeping his defensive structure intact. If he fails to do so, all of that talk about an impressive start to his reign will fade quickly from memory, and it will be taken up by this feeling that Tottenham have drifted back into familiar uncertainty.