Tottenham Hotspur have made a mixed start to life under Thomas Frank, but they remain well placed.
The Lilywhites have taken 18 points from their opening 11 Premier League matches, winning five of them, while they’re unbeaten on the road with a league-high 13 points. It’s home form that has let them down, with Spurs winning just once in their own stadium and claiming five points — only Wolves (1) have fewer.
Spurs are going well in the Champions League, winning twice at home and picking up two draws on the road to remain unbeaten, though they did exit the EFL Cup against Newcastle United in October.
Frank’s cause hasn’t been helped by a host of injuries in key positions. However, he should be helped by the imminent returns of Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke, who are both expected to integrate back into the team following the international break.
That got us thinking about the possible combinations Frank could field in the final third with those extra options at hand.
Here are three of them:
1. Most used
Frank has been forced to make numerous changes due to injuries so far this season, so this is the front four that has seen the most minutes.
Richarlison has led the line admirably, notching four goals and two assists in 11 appearances, including what should have been a late winner against Man Utd last time out, only to see Matthijs de Ligt score an even later equaliser.
Behind him, Mohammed Kudus has proven a creative hub with a joint-league-high four assists from 15 chances created, while Wilson Odobert has seen far more minutes than he’d have expected. He may have staked a claim with a goal against FC Copenhagen in the Champions League, followed by an assist against Man Utd.
Xavi Simons is yet to get off the ground for Tottenham, with just one Premier League assist and another on the continent against Copenhagen. But he has plenty of time on his side.
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2. First choice
Solanke hasn’t featured since August due to an ankle injury, but he’ll surely be the starting striker once fit. The England international didn’t exactly take North London by storm in his first season at the club, but he still ended the campaign with 16 goals across all competitions, including five in Tottenham’s successful Europa League run — scoring in each leg of the semi-final.
Kudus remains on the right to offer a consistent supply line for Solanke, while Kulusevski comes into the No.10 role as one of Tottenham’s most technically gifted players, not to mention him being one of their most effective pressers — the Sweden international won possession in the attacking third 41 times across all competitions last season, at least 15 more than any other Spurs player.
While often seen as a No.10, Simons has actually played 62 times as a left-winger during his club career so far, registering 18 goals and 18 assists along the way — compared to 57 appearances as a No.10, but with a better record of 22 goals and 20 assists.
Nevertheless, Simons starting from the left and being able to cut onto his right foot, or angling his passes across the box, might be what unlocks him as a Spurs player. Not to mention the rotation possibilities between him, Kulusevski and Kudus.
3. Wildcard
Of course, Spurs will be blessed with quite a lot of options once Solanke and Kulusevski are fit.
Even in a wildcard line-up, we’ve kept the latter in the No.10 role, such is the injection of energy and quality he can offer to Frank’s side.
But on the flanks, we’ve gone with the lightning-fast Brennan Johnson — who was Tottenham’s top scorer last season with 18 goals across all competitions — and he already has four this term — and Mathys Tel, who can be devastating cutting in from the left when he’s on top form.
And we must not forget that Randal Kolo Muani is on loan at Tottenham from PSG this season. The Frenchman hasn’t set the world alight and is yet to score in 321 minutes across all competitions, but he’s a Champions League winner and World Cup finalist, and netted eight goals in 16 Serie A appearances for Juventus in the second half of last season.
There’s every chance Kolo Muani could break into the team and go on a scoring tear between now and the end of the season — such as when he notched 23 goals and 17 assists in 46 appearances for Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022/23.
What next for Tottenham Hotspur?
Tottenham return to action with a bang after the international break, taking on arch-rivals Arsenal in the North London derby at the Emirates Stadium, before travelling to Paris to take on European champions PSG.
The Lilywhites return home after that for another London derby, this time against Fulham, before they head on the road again, going to Newcastle to kick off December.