Thomas Frank has spoken about how far Tottenham can go this season and whether his side can be considered realistic title contenders.
At the start of the season, almost no one would have expected the Premier League table to look like it currently does.
While Arsenal sitting in top place is not a surprise, they are followed in the standings by Bournemouth in second, Tottenham Hotspur in third and Sunderland in fourth.
It is shaping up to be an extremely unpredictable campaign, and despite sitting so high up the table, Spurs have had very contrasting fortunes home and away.
Thomas Frank reveals how far Tottenham can go this season
The Lilywhites maintained their outstanding away record by emerging with another win and yet another clean sheet from their first visit to Everton’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium.
It was a professional performance by Tottenham, who were without nine first-team players, but Frank does not consider his side to be title contenders at the moment.
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When asked how far Spurs can go this season, the 52-year-old said (via the club’s official website): “We are at the beginning of building something. I’m very happy with a lot of things. As I said, the defensive side of it, mentality, set pieces, but I think there’s a bit we need to work on, especially offensively, to be more free-floating still. And for me, it’s a long season ahead.
“I’m very happy going away from home after two away games in the Champions League. That’s a big part of it, but to continue performing day in, day out is a challenge, which we embrace and want to do. Who knows. I need to take it one game at a time.”
When asked if he sees his side as title contenders, Frank responded: “No. That, I think, is probably a few teams that are ahead of us. I think it’s fair to say that. I’m only thinking one game at a time, and let’s see where we are in April.”
The criticism of Frank from Spurs fans has been over the top
Tottenham’s home record has been shocking bad this season, and one can understand the frustration of the supporters, given the side’s inability to break down teams.
However, Frank is still at the start of his project, and he will need time to understand his players fully and get the best out of his squad.
In fact, even before Tottenham’s win at Everton, Frank’s record was identical to that of Mauricio Pochettino’s after 13 games at the club.
Spurs fans thus need to be patient and wait for more evidence before they make up their minds about the Dane’s fit for the role.