‘Oh, Tottenham, can’t you go five seconds without humiliating yourself?’
Somehow, Tottenham outdid themselves in Sunday’s North London Derby defeat.
Having put up an xG return of just 0.1 in the 1-0 loss to Chelsea earlier this month, they went one better and mustered just 0.07 in the 4-1 defeat at Arsenal. “We can only apologise to the fans for this performance,” Thomas Frank said after another drab display.
In this article, we’ll cover:
Apologies are hollow if nothing is done to right the wrongs. And let’s be honest, the Dane has shown no sign he is able to drag Spurs out of the self-inflicted mire. Having finished 17th in the Premier League last season – something Frank was willing to point out on Sunday evening – the club dismissed Ange Postecoglou.
The Australian had made good on his promise and delivered silverware in his second season at Spurs. The Europa League triumph in May was a first major trophy in 17 years. It was Tottenham’s first European trophy since 1984. That night in Bilbao seems a long time ago now.
Postecoglou prioritised free-flowing attacking football, with the onus to play on the frontfoot. The playing style pendulum swung the other way when Spurs named Frank as Big Ange’s successor. Out went the manifestation of ‘To Dare is To Do’. In came a pragmatic alternative that has failed to cut the mustard in N17.
Spurs made a quietly efficient start to life under Frank, which just about sums him up. Spurs were minutes away from Super Cup success over PSG in August, and followed up with four wins from the opening five games. They included a 2-0 win at Manchester City a 1-0 home triumph over Villarreal in Frank’s Champions League managerial debut.
Tottenham offering little in possession
In the proceeding weeks, however, Spurs haven’t gone forward. In fact, they’ve continued to sit deeper. The north London side don’t exactly sacrifice the ball in a bid to hit teams on the counter. Spurs, after all, rank sixth for possession (52.9%) in the Premier League this season. Opponents actively want Spurs to have the ball, and can you blame them?
Frank’s side do very little when they do have the ball. The routine is so often the same. Pass out to the deeper central midfielder, who plays the ball to a centre-back out wide. They look to play the ball up the flanks. Spurs lose possession and the pressure is back on. Rinse and repeat. The above passing network tells an all-too familiar story of Spurs’ season so far. The striker and number 10 cut incredibly isolated figures. Spurs are essentially playing with nine men.
As such, it’s no wonder are averaging the third fewest chances created per 90 (6.67) in Engand’s top tier this term. 15 big chances created is fewer than relegated threatened Leeds (20). They’ve attempted just four through balls in the 2025-26 Premier League campaign. 19 players, including centre-backs James Tarkowski (6) and Marcos Senesi (5), have attempted more.
Unsurprisingly, only Burnley (8.17) are averaging fewer shots per 90 than Frank’s side (9.17) in England’s top tier this term. Spurs are putting up the sort of numbers you’d expect from a team battling to beat the drop, not one playing in the Champions League.
Wins masking underlying problems
It’s what makes Spurs’ position on the table all the more bewildering. Even after a 4-1 loss, they sit ninth, just three points off a top four spot. 20 league goals is the fourth most in the division. Then again, you assess the calibre of opposition Spurs have beat and the goals they have scored. Indeed, Frank has overseen 3-0 wins over Burnley, West Ham and Everton over the course of the campaign.
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The Clarets were not expected to put up much of a fight on their first game back in the Premier League. Two of the three goals West Ham conceded came after they’d been reduced to 10 men. They set-pieced their way to victory at Everton.
It’s hardly ‘To Dare is To Do’ and more ‘To Dare is To Not Lose’. Yet even then, the defensive resolve that Frank, to his credit, implemented upon his appointment has since dissipated. Spurs now rank ninth for shots conceded per 90 (12.1) in England’s top tier this term. They would have conceded more than 14 league goals were it not for Guglielmo Vicario’s shotstopping heroics, the Italian ranking fifth for saves (38).
Key absentees hurting Spurs
Rather the defeat they received on Sunday at the Emirates had been a long time coming. Admittedly, Frank hasn’t been helped by another injury crisis. He’s yet to have Dominic Solanke available for a prolonged period of time, and they so desperately miss the striker’s hold up play. Creative stars Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison are long-term absentees.
Even so, Frank’s pragmatism suggests he wouldn’t even be able to maximise the trio anyway. Just look at how Xavi Simons has been underutilised since joining from RB Leipzig.
The Chelsea defeat was an embarrassment. The Arsenal defeat was an embarrassment. And things hardly get any easier for Spurs as they gear up for a daunting midweek meeting with PSG. Their Tottenham Hotspur Stadium record will be tested when they host Fulham and Brentford. There is a trip to Newcastle sandwiched between the games against the west London pair.
Having risen to a false position in the Premier League table, Spurs are reverting to type under Frank. If he keeps this up, then he won’t last until Christmas, and Spurs will have wasted another season.