Thomas Frank must consider changing the balance in Tottenham's midfield following their 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon. Two players in particular could find their places in the starting XI under threat following lacklustre displays.
Coming into the game five points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal, three points were crucial for Spurs as they aimed to keep pace with their north London rivals. A win would have taken them two points behind the Gunners and one ahead of Manchester City.
Although Tottenham took the lead in the opening five minutes through Rodrigo Bentancur, Villa levelled thanks to a superb strike from Morgan Rogers. Unai Emery's side then took the lead through Emiliano Buendia, whose curling effort beat Guglielmo Vicario.
Frank Must Rethink Defensive Tottenham Midfield
Multiple Tottenham players have been criticised in the wake of the loss. And while they might have combined for the opening goal of the game, neither Bentancur nor Joao Palhinha had games to remember against Villa. The pair have been Frank's preferred midfield pivot in recent games, with Pape Matar Sarr having to settle for a spot on the bench alongside fellow midfielders Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall.
But while both midfielders add defensive stability, they can leave much to be desired when it comes to going forward. That proved to be the case against Villa where, after combining for the opening goal, their influence gradually decreased.
Although he grabbed the opening goal of the match, Bentancur really didn't create much of note, playing just one key pass and registering an expected assist total of just 0.01. And Palhinha, while he helped create Spurs' only goal, is much more of a disruptor, and he struggled to help propel the likes of Mohammed Kudus, Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert forward.
Frank's decision to play a very defensive midfield partnership has angered parts of Spurs' fanbase, who took to social media following Sunday's defeat to vent their frustration. One supporter said: "The insistence on Palhinha-Bentancur is utterly baffling. We're driving with the handbrake on. It makes no sense." Another added: "Another week of Bentancur Palhinha is a sackable offence."
Others believe that the 2-1 loss is squarely on Frank for his choice to start the pair together against Villa, and that the decision to persist with them is impacting results. "This result is 100% on Frank, so so tired of Bentancur x Palhinha and waiting to make changes until its already too late. Cowardly," one fan said, while another tweeted, "We should never start Bentancur and Palhinha together at home it's doing my head in. These dropped points are on Frank."
Considering that both Sarr and Bergvall offer more going forward, it might be time for Frank to drop one of Bentancur or Palhinha for a more attacking option. A different player would allow Spurs to be more free-flowing, giving them the chance to put teams to the sword when they are there for the taking.