Tottenham Hotspur’s much-needed 2-0 win against Brentford yesterday could be the victory Thomas Frank needed to kickstart his career in charge in North London.
Xavi Simons and Richarlison’s first-half efforts were enough to secure all three points for the Lilywhites, subsequently securing the first league win since the end of October.
The win was just the club’s second home triumph of the campaign, with the only previous three points coming against Burnley way back on the opening day of the Premier League season.
However, it’s given the Dane the platform he needs to be a success in the role, especially after the pressure has ramped up on his shoulders over recent weeks.
Despite the win, numerous players once again struggled within Frank’s side, which could lead to the manager finally discovering his best starting eleven at the club.
Spurs’ poor performers against Brentford
Midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has fallen way below his usual high standards over the last couple of weeks, with his showing against Brentford yet another disappointing one.
The Uruguayan international featured for 65 minutes before being withdrawn after losing possession on six separate occasions - just over once every ten minutes.
He also failed to complete any dribbles and was also dribbled past on one occasion, with youngster Archie Gray managing to outperform him during the meeting.
However, he wasn’t alone in failing to deliver, with full-back Djed Spence also enduring an uncharacteristically poor performance on home soil against the Bees.
The full-back featured for the entirety of the win, but only managed to achieve a 40% success rate from the ten duels that he entered down the left-hand side.
He also failed to make any tackles, whilst not finding a teammate with any of his four crosses - subsequently highlighting his struggles at both ends of the pitch.
The Spurs player who needs to be dropped after Brentford
Since Frank’s appointment as Spurs manager, he’s often tinkered with his squad to try and stumble across his best starting eleven to lead the club up the Premier League.
Whether it be various different partnerships across the squad, or players operating in unnatural positions, the Dane has tried it all to push the side in the right direction.
Undoubtedly, the first home win since August yesterday demonstrated glimpses of a successful side, with the Lilywhites restricting the visitors to limited opportunities throughout.
However, that didn’t stop numerous players from struggling to make a positive impact, as seen with the aforementioned pairing of Bentancur and Spence.
They weren’t alone in struggling, with Randal Kolo Muani, another who was unable to produce his best performance of the season against Keith Andrews’ side.
The Frenchman was asked to operate off the left wing rather than his usual centre-forward position - something which no doubt affected his lack of impact on proceedings.
He featured for 74 minutes before being replaced, but his hard work and work rate only merely covered up his lack of tangible impact during the 2-0 victory against the Bees.
The 27-year-old only registered a total of 40 touches of the ball during his time on the pitch - with goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario managing more with his total of 45.
He also failed to complete any of his five attempted dribbles, whilst none of his crosses were able to find the men in white - showcasing his lack of impact in the final third.
When he did have the chance to find the back of the net, Kolo Muani did squander his opportunity, resulting in the loanee registering a missed big chance.
Out of possession, he was just as lacklustre in North London, subsequently winning just two of the 15 duels he entered - resulting in a total of 88% of duels lost.
There’s little denying that Kolo Muani has been a decent option for Frank’s men this season, but his showing was one to forget yesterday - which could lead to him being dropped from the side.
It was certainly a positive afternoon for Frank’s men, but one that has raised another issue for him, with the manager desperately needing to utilise the Frenchman in a more central role going forward.