Tottenham Hotspur are stuck in a cycle of repeated mistakes, time and time again struggling to establish a winning formula on home turf and struggling also to weave Thomas Frank's tactics into their identity.
Much has been made of Spurs' attacking problems this season, but defensively, there are imbalances too. The north Londoners' xGD (Expected Goals Difference) stands at -6.8, marking them 18th in the division for that metric.
Despite adding a range of talented additions to their ranks after winning the Europa League last season, the residual issues that stemmed from a torrid Premier League campaign remain, and Frank has to show that he has what it takes to wipe out the recurring patterns that are threatening an exciting season.
The likes of Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons were welcomed to the ranks, but Frank has yet to pull it all together
The potential Frank replacements ENIC should consider
It has been reported that Frank is not under immediate pressure in the Tottenham hot seat, but after picking just two points up from his past five outings, the Spurs boss will know that results need to improve, especially with the win over Burnley in August standing as a lonely win down N17.
Kudus might be the joint-top assist maker in the division so far, but Tottenham's creativity is a big concern, and ENIC Group may have the perfect replacement they can fall back on.
Back at the start of the summer, ESPN reported Tottenham had whittled their shortlist down to two candidates, Frank being one, Fulham manager Marco Silva being the other.
The Portuguese tactician is a well-seasoned Premier League manager, having led 221 matches across four different tenures.
Known for establishing stability and a clear tactical vision, the 48-year-old has earned his share of praise, with pundit Jamie Carragher among those to suggest Silva may well be a tailor-made fit for the Lilywhites.
Why Carragher has "always seen" Silva at Spurs
Carragher remarked on The Overlap this week that he has "always seen Silva at Tottenham", with his blend of pragmatism and shrewd ideas potentially instilling the secure and balanced foundations the club have been lacking in recent years.
Implementing a 4-2-3-1 formation, Silva, whose Cottager side beat Tottenham away from home only last weekend, seeks to strike a balance between possession-based play and counter-attacking football, with both sides of that coin on show against Spurs.
There is an emphasis on overlaps and wide play that could also give rise to Kudus' qualities. The Ghanaian - who England fans will be threatened by at the 2026 World Cup next year - has made a positive start to life in north London, but there's a sense that there is more to come from the versatile wideman.
As per FBref, the 25-year-old ranks among the top 3% of positional peers in the Premier League this season for successful take-ons per 90.
Kudus needs to score more, and he also needs to make more of his inherent creative skills. Silva's system could help achieve this.
Transfer reporter Dean Jones has even gone as far as to label Silva a "genius", with his subtle and nuanced approach to the managerial game something Spurs may need to adapt to different situations and rediscover their fluency both in defence and attack.
Whether Tottenham decide to cut their ties with Frank down the line will be a matter of time and perserverance, but should an upswing fail to materialise, Silva could be the shrewd successor to finally take this team to a sustainable level at the top.