Tottenham Hotspur have made a fine start to the season under new manager Thomas Frank, even in spite of the likes of James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski being out injured.
It’s been a fascinating period of transition for Spurs this summer. Thomas Frank stepped into the job on the back of Ange Postecoglou’s incredible Europa League success, while club legend Heung-min Son moved on after a decade with the Lilywhites.
He’s also had to deal with a number of setbacks when it comes to injuries. Indeed, Frank has not yet been able to utilise Dejan Kulusevski or James Maddison at all yet.
Maddison is out with a serious ACL injury and has been documenting his road to recovery. But, while the English midfielder has been busy getting himself fit again, two of his young teammates have been reaping the rewards of extended runs in the first-team.
James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski injuries paved the way for Spurs success
Lucas Bergvall, the teenage sensation who chose Spurs over Barcelona, showed glimpses of what he could do under Postecoglou last season. However, the Swedish starlet was never really given a consistent run in the team.
In the Premier League in 2024/25, Bergvall started 11 matches. He’s already started four games under Frank in the league this year, plus another two starts in the Champions League. Overall, he’s already played almost a quarter of the minutes he racked up in the entirety of last season
Bergvall has also netted his first goal for Tottenham, with a sublime header in the win over West Ham (a game in which the 19-year-old also registered one of his two assists this season).
With an xG+xAG of just 1.5, Bergvall is clearly performing above and beyond expectations this term. He’s also averaging 2.11 shot-creating actions per 90 (Xavi Simons has 2.27, for reference) and 3.86 progressive passes per 90 (more than Joao Palhinha, who has an average of 2.74 per 90).
Meanwhile, Pape Matar Sarr has been given a more advanced role, higher up the pitch, and has thrived. The Senegalese star was often employed far deeper by Postecoglou, but Frank has clearly recognised the fact that Sarr’s athleticism, vision, and drive can make him an asset in the number 10 role.
Kulusevski was given a similar change of role under Postecoglou and became a revelation in the final third. There’s no denying that Tottenham have lacked that incisiveness and cohesion between midfield and attack since the Swedish playmaker was sidelined, but Sarr (and the arrival of Simons) has certainly helped in that regard.
He’s outperforming his xG+xAG even more dramatically than Bergvall (0.9 against a return of one goal and two assists). Plus, Sarr has an outstanding pass success rate of 82.2% and is heavily involved with 46.8 touches per 90 minutes on average.
Obviously, Spurs miss Maddison’s strong personality and leadership on the pitch. Any team would. But, the fact that younger players like Bergvall and Sarr have been given proper opportunities in the team is invaluable for the Tottenham squad.
Now, Thomas Frank knows that even when he’s missing top quality players, he can rely on the depth of his squad to achieve results. The fact that Spurs have lost just one game this season while Maddison and Kulusevski have been absent speaks volumes for just how far the Lilywhites could go when they return.
Dominic Solanke is key player Tottenham need back ASAP
While the midfield area is looking strong for Tottenham Hotspur, there are still concerns over their attacking options. Richarlison may have three goals and an assist to his name this season, but Frank’s side do appear to lack a certain cutting edge without Dominic Solanke.
Statistically, there is very little to suggest that Richarlison is less effective than his teammate. In fact, the Brazilian has marginally outperformed his xG this season (2.3 xG against three goals) and he has a fairly impressive 42.1% shots on target rate.
In 2024/25, Solanke bagged 16 goals against an xG of 16.1 and registered a 41.8% shots on target ratio. If anything, Richarlison looks to be more clinical, but statistics only tell half the story. What you also get with Solanke is incredible hold-up play, intense pressing, and that almost unquantifiable quality of being in the right place at the right time.
Richarlison is a great back-up striker and a player I can’t help but like. But, having watched Tottenham religiously, I have to admit that the 28-year-old is simply not reliable enough to consistently deliver goals and high-level performances that benefit the team.
Pundits like Gabby Agbonlahor expected Richarlison to excel this season, and he’s just not quite hitting the mark. He’s the kind of player who will score and then go missing for a few games, whereas Solanke is far more steady and consistent.
Obviously, having both players back fit and firing will be a massive boost for Thomas Frank. I believe we’ve only seen a fraction of what this Tottenham team is capable of, and the return of Dominic Solanke could well be the key to taking Frank’s Spurs side to the next level.