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Thomas Frank admits that his Tottenham side won’t be able to play the way he wants

Originally posted on To The Lane And Back
By Rohan Sengupta | Last updated Jan 2, 2026 9:23 AM ET

Tottenham were held to a 0-0 draw by Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on New Year’s Day.

Tottenham Hotspur were held to a 0-0 draw by Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on Thursday evening in their first game of 2026.

Spurs wanted to build on the Crystal Palace victory and start the New Year with a bang. However, it did not happen, and they had to settle for a goalless draw in west London. As expected, Brentford took the initiative and asked questions of Thomas Frank’s side. They created the better chances throughout the game and were also a threat on the break via Kevin Schade, Igor Thiago and Keane Lewis-Potter.

Tottenham lacked creativity and cutting edge in the final third, barely threatening the Brentford goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher. Thomas Frank’s side were toothless going forward, poor with their decision-making and looked laboured in possession. Eventually, they collected a point thanks purely to the team’s defensive resoluteness and unity.

Thomas Frank makes telling admission over his side’s lack of penetration vs. Brentford

The absence of creative spark has become a recurring theme throughout Thomas Frank’s tenure in N17. With the midfield one-paced and No.9 Richarlison starved of service, Spurs did not create much in the final third despite dominating possession at times. They weren’t quick and crisp when recycling possession, making it easy for the Bees to deal with things that came their way.

Seven months into his job at Tottenham, Thomas Frank has yet to win the hearts of the loyal fans, with the away end displaying their frustration by booing the players at the end of a dire game. When Frank faced the media after the game, he was asked whether he worries losing the faith of the fans if the team isn’t playing a bit more attacking football. To which, the Tottenham gaffer replied, admitting that it would be difficult for the team to play the way he wants (h/t Football London):

“Of course, we need to play, it’s not that we don’t want to play offensive or attacking football. I just think when we’re not, how can you say, on the top of the game we would like to be, we work very, very hard on that, but while you work hard on that you can’t, if you struggle scoring goals, let’s say that, or create enough chances, you can’t open up too much because then you need to score too many goals. So, it’s a fine balance.”

Another lackluster display from Tottenham

Frank’s answer may baffle a lot of fans, but if put into context, there seems to be substance. Spurs have been missing two of their genuine creative outlets in James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski since the start of the campaign, while big-money summer acquisition Xavi Simons has failed to live up to the lofty expectations. This has played a major part in the north Londoners’ struggling to break rigid, well-drilled defences in the Premier League.

However, even with the attacking resources the Dane currently has at his disposal, he should be doing better. To set up teams with the first thought of ‘let’s not lose’ has to change, with Tottenham having always been about style, substance, entertainment and flair. It is fair that they want to see more from the gaffer and the team, as currently what’s been offered is not good enough at this level.

Clearly, Frank has to start getting the best out of individuals, as well as the team on the whole, if he intends to keep his job at White Hart Lane. Patience is running thin within the fanbase.

This article first appeared on To The Lane And Back and was syndicated with permission.

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