Behind-the-scenes footage of Thomas Frank’s stirring dressing room message before Tottenham’s derby win over Arsenal in Hong Kong has now been revealed.
Thomas Frank has secured his first derby win as Tottenham Hotspur manager, guiding his side to a gritty 1-0 victory over Arsenal in Hong Kong.
It may have only been a pre-season outing, but for the Lilywhites, beating their fiercest rivals – and doing so with a clean sheet – is never insignificant.
A sensational halfway-line strike from Pape Matar Sarr proved the difference on the day, and beyond the scoreline, Spurs impressed with their intensity, structure and collective work rate across all areas of the pitch.
What Thomas Frank told Tottenham players before Arsenal win
Behind-the-scenes footage has now been shared by Tottenham’s official channels, showing Thomas Frank addressing his players before their clash with Arsenal on Thursday.
In his pre-match team talk, Frank laid out a clear message centred on aggression, physicality and bravery, urging his players to dominate in duels and win second balls, particularly when either side went long under pressure.
“Yes, everyone in? Anyone missing? No?” Frank began, before adding: “Big thing – duels and second balls, okay? So when they go long in our high pressure and when we go long, we need to land on the second balls, okay? And make sure we win those 50-50s.
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“They will be aggressive, we need to be aggressive. Make sure we are brave, okay? Play forward, trust yourself, play each other good. And play enough in behind. Enough in behind.”
He ended the pep talk with a rallying cry: “Okay boys, let us go!” – drawing applause from the Spurs squad as they headed out onto the pitch.
Early signs under Thomas Frank show defensive steel at Tottenham
The aggressive press high up the pitch was what led to Pape Matar Sarr’s goal, as several Tottenham players swarmed Myles Lewis Skelly when he looked to progress the ball, eventually dispossessing him.
Tottenham were aggressive against the Gunners and often looked to defend with discipline in a mid-block, which made it hard for Arsenal to find a way through.
The early signs so far under Frank are encouraging, as he is instilling defensive solidity in this Spurs side, one that ended on a negative goal difference in the Premier League last season.
Three clean sheets already in pre-season are a good start, and if Tottenham can manage to carry it into the new campaign, then there is every chance that they will manage to break into the top six.