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Manager Thomas Frank
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It's what he needed. A couple of straightforward, home wins to calm everything down.
Feel like for the first time we've got something close to a functional, settled line-up/structure that looks pretty balanced both attacking and defensively. Took him a while to find it but some signs of life after a v.grim period.
Hopefully we've seen the last of the Bentinha pairing and Xavi has nailed down the number 10 spot.
Jury's still out, but these past couple of games are far more in line with what we expected from Frank.
Can't speak for anyone else obviously, but I'm very cautiously optimistic after a couple of wins against poor teams.
The intent and team selections have been positive. Xavi, Spence, Gray are improving with more game time. Kudus, Muani working like dogs for the team. Richy scoring goals despite looking a donkey technically.
If this is part of Frank adapting his fundamentals longer-term, i.e. not abandoning the midfield, encouraging his players to trust their instincts, taking more shots from outside the box, more proactive pressing/defending, being brave rather than the defensive double down... I'm here for it.
Do I believe that's going to happen? Not really, as that's essentially abandoning his principles - and I personally don't find his Brentford football exciting enough (or, frankly, beautiful enough) to get behind longer-term. But I'm willing to give the guy a little more time to show he understands what managing Tottenham means... at least to me.
In his defence, there's only so much you can do with a fairly average squad cobbled together with little meaningful thought. Very few technicians or clinical finishers, opportunistic punts on unknown quantities, and a permanently crocked set of attackers. We're missing quality.
As BJK has painstakingly detailed, Frank's now reverted to a more or less Ange Ball lite set up in the last few games: inverting a full back; playing Romero and VDV in a two etc... which means we can play through midfield (rather than vacate it) and Releasing Xavi to pull strings.
It's all about balance and I have confidence he can find it. Especially as the players find more confidence in him.
There will be setbacks of course but it's not the doldrums of a few weeks back when we couldn't muster up a shot on goal. Time to get on board!
It's at least encouraging to see his adaptability. A few weeks ago many of us (myself included) were moaning about how unadaptable he was being by persisting with that shitty pivot, being overly defensive most games, lumping the ball long too much, etc. It felt like we'd been sold on the idea of this adaptable manager and ended up with a purely defensive guy whose only flexibility was in how he'd set up to nullify the opposition.
Now we're getting a glimpse of the positive side of Frank - the fact he's not wedded to one way of playing and will search for (relatively) progressive solutions.
Lots more improvement needed, particularly against better teams in the league, but I feel a lot more optimistic than I did a couple of weeks ago.
And by the way, I think the last 2 games have already shown the ridiculousness of this apologetic and defeatist stance of That's fine, how dare you expect more [with these players] ?
I thought it was supposed to take at least 18-24 months and a few transfer windows before we've reached to this point where we can actually overwhelm weaker opponents with some decent football.
It's unreal how much leeway managers are given by default and how little is expected from them compared to other employees of the club. We have bigger issues obviously, but these extremely low standards that managers are held to are certainly detrimental to progress considering how ruthless some of the biggest clubs in the world are.
I thought it was supposed to take at least 18-24 months and a few transfer windows before we've reached to this point where we can actually overwhelm weaker opponents with some decent football.
It's unreal how much leeway managers are given by default and how little is expected from them compared to other employees of the club. We have bigger issues obviously, but these extremely low standards that managers are held to are certainly detrimental to progress considering how ruthless some of the biggest clubs in the world are.
It’s 2 games. We still don’t have consistency.
I haven't.
We gave up a few cheap chances last night.
A better (Prem) side would have scored at least two goals from the opportunities Slavia wasted.
How many points should we expect from the 3 games against Forest, Liverpool and Palace?
To many people writing him off before he even had a chance. Lets hope we can continue the good form.
1-2Right then.
Score predictions.
Two draws and a win?
1-1
1-1
Put your entire mortgage on it mate. I've seen the future and it is lilywhite
1-2
1-1
1-1
Put your entire mortgage on it mate. I've seen the future and it is lilywhite
So basically the last 2 matches we've really gone for it, produced our highest xg of the season whilst keeping our chances created against lower than the season average by playing a style very reminiscent of our previous coach with our rest defence a 2-3-5 and our full backs going into midfield, I was told that this style of play wasn't sustainable and anyone that utilises it is a clown hmmm 
Let's hope Frank continues to use it in the games it needs to be used in, if we setup like this against Wolves and Fulham no doubt we'd be sitting comfortably in the top 4 now, happy to get behind this as long as he balances the team and adapts to the opposition as well as utilising the strength of the squad.
The interesting thing is does he continue like this against Forest or does he revert to the tried and tested method of the safety first approach bearing in mind we have the best away record in the league playing that way, let's see...
Let's hope Frank continues to use it in the games it needs to be used in, if we setup like this against Wolves and Fulham no doubt we'd be sitting comfortably in the top 4 now, happy to get behind this as long as he balances the team and adapts to the opposition as well as utilising the strength of the squad.
The interesting thing is does he continue like this against Forest or does he revert to the tried and tested method of the safety first approach bearing in mind we have the best away record in the league playing that way, let's see...
Do think with Frank hes trying to win over respect of some of top players. Hes starting to win the battle imo. Also think we had a hangover from Anges antics last season.
Vdv, romero.Top players you say?
