We got our Tottenham back – will we keep it? Frank(ly), I’m intrigued

The managerial, or head coach, role at Tottenham has long been touted as one of the more difficult jobs in English football. It’s part of an exclusive club where the fans not only expect success and trophies – and sometimes even that isn’t enough – but also that any success is founded on a certain style. We hear fans and pundits alike talking about the ‘West Ham way,’ the ‘Manchester Utd way,’ and yes, the ‘Tottenham way.’

The Tottenham ‘way’ seems to be centred around attacking flair, aggression, and an in-built mentality to take the game to the opposition. Getting back to that was one of, if not the main reason, that Ange Postecoglou was brought to the club. The fact we chanted ‘we’ve got our Tottenham back’ at various times suggests, in that respect, he delivered. But what really stood out for me was that we weren’t singing about being top of the league or the unbeaten ten-game run we were on. We were celebrating a renewed sense of joy about watching our team return to the swashbuckling style of play that we had been craving.

It’s for this reason, therefore, that the requirement for Spurs teams to play in the desired ‘way’ makes the appointment of Thomas Frank exciting, yet also more than a little intriguing. It’s clear that his Brentford teams, while not being stodgy by any means, weren’t renowned for relentless attacking football, and Frank certainly doesn’t share Ange Postecoglou’s all-or-nothing approach to the game. In fact, the evidence of the last four years suggests it’s somewhat different. So, what should we expect from our 18th permanent manager/head coach in the PL era?

But before I delve a little deeper, I want to acknowledge that direct comparisons have some limitations and that certain factors – better players (debatable), greater resources (definitely), etc – may influence some of the points I am about to make. To be clear, this piece is not a criticism of Thomas Frank (I like him) or either club; simply an analysis of how Frank has gone about his four years as a PL manager and where I believe he will have to adapt in order to be a successful Spurs manager, in terms of results but equally, in terms of style.

Possession, Progression, and Perception

When it comes to comparing styles and outlooks, I thought the easiest place to start would be with possession. Over his time in charge of Brentford, none of Thomas Frank’s teams finished the season with possession stats of over 50%. In fact, at the end of his four-year tenure, his teams had averaged 45% possession, ranking 15th in the PL. Compare that with Spurs, who, over the same period, averaged 55% possession, the 6th highest in the league. This is, by no means, me saying that one method is superior to the other (although more on that later); simply that Thomas Frank’s style of play, since he led Brentford to the Premier League, is a long way from our fabled ‘Tottenham Way’.

Frank doesn’t have to look too far back to understand the demanding standards Spurs fans have about how they expect the team to function. During Antonio Conte’s reign, a period that certainly wasn’t known for its stylish attacking play, we averaged over 50% possession. Now ask Tottenham fans how excited and connected they felt when they turned up to watch that team, and I’d be surprised if you got one positive response. Don’t get us started on Jose and Nuno. Seriously though, if Conte’s style of football wasn’t acceptable, then I can’t see Frank’s slightly more possession-averse style being cheered from the rafters, either – if he goes that way.

That’s why, with respect to dominating the ball, I believe that Thomas Frank will have to implement a style of football we have yet to see from his teams at the highest level. But switching from coaching a side to be a pragmatic, counter-attacking unit to coaching a side to dominate possession is a vastly different task, and I am intrigued to find out if Thomas Frank is up to it.

A certain Pep Guardiola puts it best, ‘Attacking football is much more difficult. Everyone can defend, stay behind the ball and hope for a counter. To create something, you need imagination, positioning, and understanding.’

A further example of where Spurs and Brentford’s outlook varied over the past four seasons is in regard to progressive passes and progressive carries – passes or carries that move the ball 10 yards towards the opponent’s goal line or into the penalty box. Tottenham averaged 1652 (6th) progressive passes per season and 820 (5th) progressive carries. Frank’s Brentford were the polar opposite, with 1240 (14th) progressive passes and 486 progressive carries (18th). Again, this isn’t to say one is right and one is wrong, but rather to highlight the significant difference in the stylistic outlook that both clubs have had over the last few seasons and the challenge Frank may face in trying to come to terms with a different set of demands.

And I am by no means saying he can’t coach a team to do that; merely that in the PL, we have yet to see his teams play that way. Can anyone confidently say they know Thomas Frank can deliver the type of football that encapsulates the ‘Tottenham Way’? No one can deny that Brentford were incredibly well-coached by Frank and his staff, and their style suited their needs as they fought to stay in and then establish themselves in the top flight. However, the simple truth is that it’s not a style of football that will be accepted in N17, and the new manager is going to have to come to accept that he must set up his team to take risks and play football that gets the fans on the edge of their seats. It’s a non-negotiable.

While style is important to us fans ultimately, there’s something even more important, especially if Thomas Frank wants to avoid Daniel Levy’s managerial guillotine in 18 months: that Tottenham finish in the top four and qualify for the Champions League.

Matching the teams at the top

We all know it by now, but the simple truth is that for Daniel Levy and his commercially driven outlook, getting into the Champions League is now the single most important goal at the start of every season. It’s the reason why he ousted the previous regime despite delivering our first European trophy in over 40 years.

Therefore, I thought it would be relevant to compare how, over Frank’s time in the PL, both Brentford and Tottenham compared to some of the statistics that the teams who finished in the top four produced and where Levy’s latest appointment may experience some growing pains, but also some deliver some immediate impact.

Table of averages statistics over the four seasons 21/22–24/25

*brackets show where that ranked compared to other PL teams

In terms of attacking play, the table clearly shows that, over the past four seasons, by dominating possession and being more proactive and progressive in possession, you give yourself a greater chance of finishing in the top four. So, the difference in attacking metrics between Brentford, Tottenham and the top four is fascinating. It shows that Frank is most likely going to have to find a method that increases his team’s possession, shots taken, and progressive passes and carries output by a considerable amount. While at Brentford, Frank was never preparing his troops for a tilt at the top four, so he didn’t need to concern himself with all those numbers. With Spurs, he is, and he must.

Now, I’m sure it’s at this point that people will be shouting that Tottenham had better players and greater resources, so the data isn’t comparable. While I agree with the latter, I don’t sign up to the belief that Spurs have a vastly superior squad, especially in terms of midfield and attacking talent. The combination of Mbuemo, Wissa and Ivan Toney at least matched up to anything we have fielded, especially in the last two years. In midfield, they’ve had (if rumours are to be believed) the Woolwich-bound Christian Nørgaard and the highly impressive Mikkel Damsgaard. In fact, Damsgaard finished joint fourth in terms of assists (10) last season, alongside the likes of Bruno Fernandes, and more than any Spurs player, and ranked 6th in terms of progressive passes, just behind Tielemans and Ødegaard. My point is that Frank had the players at his disposal to play a more attacking, possession-based style; he just chose not to.

None of the above is intended as a negative, just an observation of a different style of winning matches. However, the statistics in the table, in my opinion, do highlight several positives for both Thomas Frank and the team going forward. Firstly, he is inheriting a team that is well-versed in attacking football and is comfortable in possession. Secondly, the table hints at areas of Tottenham’s game that the new manager will instantly improve. For example, despite having less possession, Frank’s Brentford side created a reasonable xG output, suggesting he knows how to create a side that can convert possession into chances. If he can get his Spurs team to have more possession, common sense suggests he will get them to create a host of opportunities.

What’s most exciting, however, is the immediate improvements he will make to our defensive productivity. Earlier, I said that I didn’t think Spurs’ midfield and attackers are superior to Brentford’s. In defence, however, I firmly believe we are, and it’s an area that we should expect so much more. A defensive group containing Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie, Dragusin, and Danso should be capable of producing far better output than we witnessed recently – conceding 65 goals in the last campaign. The fact that Frank’s team outperformed Spurs in terms of goals conceded and xG against shows that his defensive acumen will serve us well. I’m sure he can’t wait to get his hands on our talented group of defenders and must be confident that he can turn them into a consistently strong unit.

Will Thomas Frank deliver?

What do I expect to see from Thomas Frank’s Tottenham team? For whatever reason, I am confident that Frank will quickly grasp the unique position he holds as Spurs manager and will utilise his experience and quality to implement a style that pleases fans while also giving us a greater chance of consistency.

Intrigue is my running theme to describe Frank’s appointment, and I genuinely am. I am intrigued to see if he can create a team that dominates the ball and takes the initiative in games. I am intrigued to see if he can unlock the true potential of players like James Maddison and develop young players like Gray and Bergvall as he did at Brentford. And I am intrigued to see how he goes about shaping our Spurs team that has been one of the most entertaining but inconsistent outfits in the Premier League.

COYS.