Blame the players. Blame the tactics. Blame the transfer strategy. Pick an area of Tottenham Hotspur and there is ample struggle to go around. It sounds doom and gloom given an overall decent start to the season across two competitions, but the results on the pitch — who needs to surpass 0.1 xG?? — indicate those table positions are going to start falling rapidly.
The high point of the season was probably Matchweek 2, with Spurs taking down City to claim six points through the first two matches. However, the moment that really stands out is when Cristian Romero put Tottenham up 2-0 on Paris Saint-Germain right after halftime of the UEFA Super Cup. For a moment, it felt like everything was going to be perfect; instead, that fluky start proved to be a microcosm of the season to come.
UCL League Phase MW5
Date: Wednesday, November 26
Time: 3:00 pm ET, 8:00 pm UK
Location: Parc des Princes, Paris, France
TV: Paramount+ (US), TNT Sports 3 (UK)
Table: PSG (t-7th, 9 pts), Spurs (t-12th, 8 pts)
It really did seem like Thomas Frank had an expert plan in place to face the giants of the world. PSG owned 74 percent of the possession in Udine, actually logged fewer shots, and needed a stoppage-time equalizer to save the match. Spurs might have been a bit fortunate in their goals, especially with both coming from centerbacks, but the City match seemingly validated this plan could work. Now, August feels like eons ago.
Three Big Questions
Will Frank keep going back to the well? Tottenham needed a more pragmatic manager, and boy did it get one. The defensive patchwork mostly justifies these decisions, especially in the Champions League where the side has conceded just twice in four matches, but after watching a back five get slaughtered last weekend (with the attack failing to keep its end of the bargain), the tactics should be questioned.
However, PSG away is probably not the time where Frank wants to change too much. The Super Cup more or less proved this conservative style can work, as the French side is near the top of the League Phase with 14 goals scored in its four matches, averaging 2.5 xG per match. Even without Desire Doue and potentially Ousmane Dembele, there are no shortage of devastating attackers to contain, probably leaving Frank no choice but to double down on parking the bus.
Can Europe inspire a hero? When Micky van de Ven and Romero scored against PSG, it served as a reminder that the team’s best players occupy the backline. Both defenders have shown an ability to put the ball in the net, but it is telling that van de Ven is still the club’s top scorer this year, with Joao Palhinha tied for third. This is just not a good sign for any club, even one that deploys mostly defensive-minded starters.
This next stretch is where someone must step up as the fixture list gets dicey in December. PSG has allowed five goals in its past three Champions League matches, and though the defense is relatively stout, the visitors should get a few looks on net. Frank’s selections have been infuriating, but the front three still must generate something, regardless of the double pivot behind them. Parc des Princes would be quite the place for any attacker to come to life.
Is stopping the bleeding actually beneficial long-term? Given the weekend’s debacle, Frank will surely be reemphasizing the need for more substantial defense, but one has to wonder if this is the best approach going forward. PSG ultimately equalized in the Super Cup despite Tottenham’s best effort to build a wall, and both Chelsea and Arsenal still won despite such heavy defensive focus, which makes it unclear if this style is actually providing any benefit.
I am not advocating to go all Ange Postecoglou, but I do think Spurs will need to open up a bit. Yes, the attacking personnel is severely lacking, but even having a central midfield that is a little more progression-oriented could go a long way, as right now the front line gets stranded. Tottenham is probably going to keep losing these types of matches regardless, so might as well try something new — before it is too late.