Frankly Speaking: Spurs Remembered How to Be Fun (At Least for 45 Minutes)

There are few things more familiar to a Spurs fan than arriving at the stadium feeling like you’re emotionally braced for disappointment, while still clinging to a stubborn, illogical sense of hope. Tuesday night against Borussia Dortmund was very much one of those occasions. After the limp 2–1 home defeat to West Ham at the weekend, the pressure on Thomas Frank had reached that uniquely Tottenham point where every result feels like a referendum.

And let’s be honest, this felt like a must-win. Not in a “title race” sense – we don’t do that sort of thing anymore – but in a “please give us something to believe in” way. Supporters had clearly had enough on Saturday, and judging by the noticeable gaps in the upper tiers at kick-off, some weren’t entirely convinced this would be the night things turned around.

Thankfully, for once, Spurs decided to help themselves.

From the first whistle, there was an unfamiliar sight at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium: urgency. Actual, honest-to-goodness urgency. We pressed high, moved the ball quickly and – brace yourself – looked like we’d rehearsed attacking patterns on the training pitch. Dortmund looked rattled by our tempo, and for a glorious half of football, Spurs resembled a team with a plan.

The breakthrough was deserved. Cristian Romero, never one to shirk the spotlight, bundled the ball home from close range after a dangerous delivery from Wilson Odobert on the right. It wasn’t pretty, but it was effective – and frankly, at this point we’ll take goals however they arrive. The relief around the ground was almost audible.

Spurs didn’t retreat after that either, which made a nice change. Instead, we kept pushing, with Dortmund struggling to cope with the intensity of the press. Djed Spence and Xavi Simons both had sights of goal, while Odobert continued to look like one of the few players capable of injecting pace and unpredictability into our play.

Then came the moment that truly swung the game. Daniel Svensson’s high-boot challenge on Odobert was reviewed by VAR and upgraded to a red card, leaving Dortmund down to ten men. You could almost feel Spurs fans collectively whispering, “Please don’t mess this up.”

To our credit, we didn’t. Odobert was again at the heart of things, combining neatly with Pedro Porro before firing a low cross into the box. Dominic Solanke’s finish was scruffy, bouncing off his heel and onto his other foot before rolling in, but they all count. Two-nil up, a man advantage, and suddenly the evening looked a lot less bleak.

That first half was exactly what Frank needed. Work rate, intensity and attacking intent – all the things that have been frustratingly absent at times this season – were finally on display. It wasn’t perfect, but it was purposeful, and for once Spurs looked like they knew what they were trying to do.

The second half, inevitably, was a different story.

Spurs dropped off, the tempo slowed, and the sense of control we’d enjoyed began to evaporate. Randal Kolo Muani had a golden chance to make it three but fired straight at Gregor Kobel, a miss that felt ominous in that very Spursy way. Dortmund, to their credit, kept pushing, and it took a sharp late save from Guglielmo Vicario to tip over Nico Schlotterbeck’s header and prevent a nervy finale.

Still, the job was done. The win leaves us fourth in the Champions League group with one game to go, firmly in the mix for automatic qualification. More importantly, it buys Frank a bit of breathing space – and after the past few weeks, he’ll take that gladly.

There will still be doubts, of course. One good first half doesn’t erase concerns about consistency, and the drop-off after the break will linger in the minds of many supporters. Spurs fans have been burned before by flashes of promise followed by long stretches of frustration.

But for one night, at least, we remembered what it’s like to enjoy watching our team. If Frank can bottle that first-half intensity and make it the norm rather than the exception, he might just win a few more hearts back. If not, well… we’ve all seen this film before.