Thomas Frank is veering into Ange Postecoglou territory when it comes to repeating a very similar mistake that the former Tottenham Hotspur manager regularly made, although it’s one that can be fixed by making a brutal selection decision or Fabio Paratici weaving some transfer magic in January.
Spurs suffered their second Premier League defeat of the season as they crashed to a 2-1 home reverse against Aston Villa on Sunday, a result that now means they have won only three of 18 league games in north London in the calendar year.
And yet things could have been so different after Rodrigo Bentancur gave them an early lead and more chances came and went in a mostly dominant opening period from Frank’s men.
However, Tottenham were undone by two stunning strikes from the visitors, and a clear issue in the starting XI once again reared its ugly head as the game wore on.
Yes, the lack of a quality left-winger remains a problem, Mathys Tel is not a natural No.9 and Xavi Simons continues to under-deliver, but the central midfield balance is ALL WRONG.
Rodrigo Bentancur is a popular figure among the majority of the Spurs faithful, but we previously cast our doubts over whether he had done enough after coming back from his ACL injury to warrant a bumper new contract.
It’s very clear to most observers, although obviously not Frank and his coaching staff, that the Uruguay international cannot play alongside Joao Palhinha in the Tottenham engine room – and that’s a massive problem, because there is no way you can drop the latter.
Two excellent players, but as a pairing they are two immobile, lack pace to get around the pitch and do not really offer an awful lot when it comes to linking back to front.
Yes, Bentancur scored on Sunday, but as a true No.8 he lacks the physical capability to be a true box-to-box presence and be that link between defence and attack.
Apart from his goal against Villa, the 28-year-old registered just one key pass in the match and had an expected assist total of just 0.01.
In some ways, it’s a familiar theme from when Postecoglou paired Bentancur with Yves Bissouma or Pape Sarr last season – those combinations just never really worked.
It gets to the point where you have to think, is Bentancur the issue, as there is no way he can fill the Palhinha role as effectively as the Portuguese destroyer.
Indeed, there are many fans who are not happy with that pairing, and Frank’s continued persistence with starting them, with one supporter commenting on X after the Villa defeat: “The insistence on Palhinha-Bentancur is utterly baffling. We’re driving with the handbrake on. It makes no sense.”
Meanwhile, another stated: “Another week of Bentancur Palhinha is a sackable offence.”
“This result is 100% on Frank, so so tired of Bentancur x Palhinha and waiting to make changes until its already too late. Cowardly,” another fan wrote.
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The answer could be in-house, with Frank using the younger and much more mobile Archie Gray in the No.8 role just ahead of Palhinha. The former Leeds youngster has shown, on the rare occasions he has been given the chance this season, that he can make runs from midfield and create in the final third.
Another option would be to drop Lucas Bergvall a bit deeper, although the talented Swede might not yet be ready to take on that more physically demanding role.
Sarr started the season well but his level has dropped, so it’s no great surprise that Tottenham are expected to be in the market for a new, dynamic No.8 in January.
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Paratici already making January plans
A player who could be a real difference-maker in Frank’s engine room, and make that an area of the pitch where Tottenham can dominate, is rapidly becoming a major priority in north London.
While January isn’t necessarily a great time to attract the best players, returning sporting director Paratici is already working on targets to improve Frank’s squad in the new year – especially with majority owners Enic injecting £100million of capital in an effort to do just that.
There are three players TEAMtalk understands are very much on the club’s radar, two of which are very much attainable.
Manchester United star Kobbie Mainoo has failed to secure regular game time under Ruben Amorim and is pushing for an exit in the new year, especially as his chances of appearing for England at the 2026 World Cup are currently going up in smoke.
Whether United are prepared to offload the 20-year-old talent to a Premier League rival remains to be seen, but Mainoo could be a great fit in Frank’s midfield.
Another player who has recently emerged as a target for Tottenham is highly-rated Rangers star Nico Raskin, who is capable of playing multiple midfield roles.
The Ibrox outfit are having a disastrous campaign, and while they are not looking to sell, TEAMtalk can reveal that an offer of around £20-25m for the Belgium international could force their hand.
The best of the three names on the list is sadly the least likely to sign, with Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton one of the most highly sought-after talents in English football.
While he tends to play as a holding midfielder at Selhurst Park, Wharton’s passing range and non-stop motor means he is more than capable of pushing further forward and providing exactly what Frank needs in the middle of the park.
However, there are three issues at play when it comes to the 21-year-old. Firstly, Palace are desperate not to lose one of their star men mid-season, and even if they do consider a sale, it will cost in excess of £70m.
Add in the fact that he has now emerged as Manchester United’s number one midfield target for 2026, and Paratici will have to do some serious negotiating to get Wharton to north London.
Either way, Frank needs to do something with his midfield sooner rather than later or face the prospect of more negative results.