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Thomas Frank fought back against the criticism of Xavi Simons after defeat for Tottenham.

The Dutchman signed for £51 million from RB Leipzig as a ten who could create, score and offer industry, but he has been prone to patches of inconsistent form in his career. The transition to North London is a chance to show he can make the next step, but things have not panned out ideally.

The summer signing started against West Ham and Villarreal playing off the left flank before impressing in a half hour cameo against Brighton from a central position. More minutes have come for him in this role with flashes of quality, but there are demands for more from the creative figure.

It is still early days for his Premier League career, and Frank feels that patience is required.

“I think we performed a good game without being through the roof and part of it was so we could have had a bit more offensively.

“We defend with 11 players and also attack with 11 players. I think it's the whole team.

“It will always be let's say the front four as today Wilson Odobert, Mohammed Kudus, Xavi Simons, and Mathys Tel. They are the main guys that'll be judged, which is fair or the players coming on from the bench.

“I like Xavi’s personality today, especially first half. I think he wanted to get on the ball, wanted to create. I think he was very aggressive in the pressure. I think it was a fine game.

“I think I need to think need to remember it myself when we judge players when they come into a new club, a new country, I know it's part of football. We judge them with a very small sample of games. So, I’m not in doubt that shall be good for us. Today was an average plus game.”

Thomas Frank feels it is too early to talk about a problem for Tottenham at home. His team threw away a lead against Aston Villa, losing 2-1 to goals from Morgan Rogers and Emiliano Buendia.

Other games might have gone even worse for Spurs in front of their fans. The 1-0 defeat against Bournemouth was their worst performance of the campaign, and the hosts were lucky not to have conceded at least a second strike against the high flying Cherries. A 1-1 draw with Wolves saw the relegation threatened outfit stay ahead until injury time and get their first point of the league season.

They have picked up four points from their four fixtures at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, starkly contrasting to a tally from ten points across four games on the road. Frank’s pragmatism could be coming with its pitfalls, but the Dane declared fine margins could easily have shifted the narrative.

“I think it's about looking into the performances. I think we performed well against Burnley. I think we performed well again today. I think we had one very good first half against Wolves and then we had a bad game against Bournemouth. So that's probably the reason.

“This is a game that is a draw, a clear draw. We could easily have won it instead of Villa and then a different narrative. I look at the performance and the bits we did well and the bits we need to improve.

“I think the fans were good. I think they helped what they could. I think we in moments looked exciting and moments we could have done a little bit better.

“I would have loved a 3-0 win and the players were rocking and everything looked fantastic but it didn't. But it looked quite good. Unfortunately we lost 2-1 because of two quality moments.”

Thomas Frank defended the performance of his players as Tottenham lost 2-1 against Aston Villa.

Spurs started fast, getting an early goal through Rodrigo Bentancur, but sweet strikes from Morgan Rogers and Emiliano Buendia turned around the scoreline in favour of the visitors. The patchy home form of Frank’s men continues, but the head coach was happy with the defensive stability of his side.

“The way the game panned out, I think was exactly how I expected it to be if I'm honest. Very even game against a very good Villa team set up very well by Unai where we performed quite well.

“Clearly they have a very good team with good players, but I think we dominated in good spells. I think we came out with very good intensity, very aggressive. I think we were good in high pressure.

“In the first half especially we broke well, and had four or five very good nearby moments where it was good transition opportunities. We got in front, continued second half, created good opportunities and then we could have scored the 2-0 Mohamed Kudus ruled offside and the Wilson Odobert chance.

“Defensively I think we were excellent. We gave away very little. There are couple of things you are going to look into when you look defensively. We gave away eight shots I think more or less. Very low xG, and Guglielmo Vicario didn't have a save. So if you have done that then then you're done well.

“We gave two goals away in a position outside the box with a lot of players behind the ball. If before the game they will shoot from there Rogers and Buendia with that situation, you say no problem it's not dangerous. In those nothing moment or very little moments they had more quality on the day.”

Matty Cash talked to the press about Aston Villa eating Tottenham 2-1.

The right back saw Spurs go in the lead thanks to an early volley from Rodrigo Bentancur, but the guests were not about to give up easily. Morgan Rogers responded with a swerving strike in the first half to equalise before Cash contributed with an impressive act of bravery to force the winning goal.

Under pressure as the last man from a cleared corner, Cash pulled off a cross-field pass to hit Lucas Digne deep in Tottenham territory. He laid off the ball to substitute Emiliano Buendia, whose low drive went beyond Guglielmo Vicario, and Emery’s men walked away with three points at full time.

Villa have now won five successive games in all competitions, taking six points from their first two Europa League meetings and three consecutive Premier League triumphs over Fulham, Burnley, and Spurs. Cash is content with the improvement in the results and hopes that the form rolls on.

“It was a massive win. It’s a really tough place to come. Before the game, we were speaking about how we’ve been here and won before, so we know what it takes.

“I think we were resilient all around the pitch, and then Emi comes on and scores the winner.

“It was a nice pass! It paid off. We work on set pieces and second phases and always try and hit the furthest man. It was a nice contact, and a great win.

“We had a tough start to the season: everyone knows that, for different circumstances. All you can do is work hard, try to do what we’ve been doing the last few years – be resilient, score on the counter.

“We’ve picked up some great results, that’s five in a row now, so a really good win and hopefully we can keep the momentum.”

Morgan Rogers cancelled out an early opener from Rodrigo Bentancur to ensure the points were shared at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

It was a game of few chances where neither team was able to take control for a significant period of time.

Spurs, for the most part, played with more attacking desire and looked to get into the Villa box quickly on each attack but struggled to make the most of their pressure.

The visitors were largely limited to long range efforts but were able to make two of these count to clinch all three points.

This was Villa’s first Premier League away win of the season. They kept Spurs from climbing into second place, even if only for a few hours. tlu

Story of the match

Spurs opened the scoring after just five minutes, having the first corner of the game by putting Villa under pressure in their defensive third.

The original delivery was cleared but fell to Mohammed Kudus on the left. His whipped cross to the back post was met by João Palhinha who found Bentancur for a tap-in.

Not long after, Kudus had the ball in the net again but he had started his run too early, so was ruled offside.

Villa struggled to find space beyond the Spurs’ defence, via attempts to play long as well as more intricate passes around the edge of the box.

They only took three shots in the first half - all were from outside the box and two were taken by Matty Cash, their only goal scorer away from home in the Premier League prior to kickoff.

Rogers was eventually able to create time and space for himself to shoot across his body; a shot which was too quick to give Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario any chance.

Spurs started with more intensity in the second half, as they did in the first. They first threatened from Kevin Danso’s long throw followed by João Palhinha’s shot from range.

The home side continued to dominate but Villa had their first shot from inside the box soon after as Donyell Malen was played in by John McGinn.

Both sides introduced their regular starting strikers on the hour mark: Richarlison and Ollie Watkins respectively.

Randal Kolo Muani made his Premier League debut in the closing stages, having joined on loan from Paris Saint-Germain late in the transfer window.

However, another strike from the edge of the box put Villa in the lead, this time from substitute Emiliano Buendía.

Lucas Digne controlled Cash’s long ball beautifully and laid it off to the Argentine winger, who curled his effort along the ground into the bottom corner.

Although they created several big chances and defended well, Spurs ended the match with nothing to show for their sporadic bright moments.

Villa’s discipline and game management after their second goal was impressive, as Spurs chased for an equaliser to no avail.

They mostly relied on long throw-ins, taken by Danso, who was introduced to the starting lineup following Christian Romero’s injury in the warm up.

While they had caused problems via long throws and set pieces throughout the match, the ball rarely dropped for a Spurs player to take a shot.

Instead, Villa broke away on the counter attack multiple times and ultimately took more shots than their hosts towards the end of the match.

Player of the match - Lucas Digne

Lucas Digne's assist for the winning goal was possible due to his exceptional touch under pressure on the right wing.

This was probably his most notable moment in the match, however, he put up a great defensive performance as well, against a strong ball carrier in Kudus.

Spurs used their Ghanaian right winger as their main outlet, particularly in the second half.

Although he made it past Digne occasionally, the experienced left-back stood up to him extremely well overall, while picking his moments to go forward.

Morgan Rogers cancelled out an early opener from Rodrigo Bentancur to ensure the points were shared at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

It was a game of few chances where neither team was able to take control for a significant period of time.

Spurs, for the most part, played with more attacking desire and looked to get into the Villa box quickly on each attack but struggled to make the most of their pressure.

The visitors were largely limited to long range efforts but were able to make two of these count to clinch all three points.

This was Villa’s first Premier League away win of the season. They kept Spurs from climbing into second place, even if only for a few hours. tlu

Story of the match

Spurs opened the scoring after just five minutes, having the first corner of the game by putting Villa under pressure in their defensive third.

The original delivery was cleared but fell to Mohammed Kudus on the left. His whipped cross to the back post was met by João Palhinha who found Bentancur for a tap-in.

Not long after, Kudus had the ball in the net again but he had started his run too early, so was ruled offside.

Villa struggled to find space beyond the Spurs’ defence, via attempts to play long as well as more intricate passes around the edge of the box.

They only took three shots in the first half - all were from outside the box and two were taken by Matty Cash, their only goal scorer away from home in the Premier League prior to kickoff.

Rogers was eventually able to create time and space for himself to shoot across his body; a shot which was too quick to give Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario any chance.

Spurs started with more intensity in the second half, as they did in the first. They first threatened from Kevin Danso’s long throw followed by João Palhinha’s shot from range.

The home side continued to dominate but Villa had their first shot from inside the box soon after as Donyell Malen was played in by John McGinn.

Both sides introduced their regular starting strikers on the hour mark: Richarlison and Ollie Watkins respectively.

Randal Kolo Muani made his Premier League debut in the closing stages, having joined on loan from Paris Saint-Germain late in the transfer window.

However, another strike from the edge of the box put Villa in the lead, this time from substitute Emiliano Buendía.

Lucas Digne controlled Cash’s long ball beautifully and laid it off to the Argentine winger, who curled his effort along the ground into the bottom corner.

Although they created several big chances and defended well, Spurs ended the match with nothing to show for their sporadic bright moments.

Villa’s discipline and game management after their second goal was impressive, as Spurs chased for an equaliser to no avail.

They mostly relied on long throw-ins, taken by Danso, who was introduced to the starting lineup following Christian Romero’s injury in the warm up.

While they had caused problems via long throws and set pieces throughout the match, the ball rarely dropped for a Spurs player to take a shot.

Instead, Villa broke away on the counter attack multiple times and ultimately took more shots than their hosts towards the end of the match.

Player of the match - Lucas Digne

Lucas Digne's assist for the winning goal was possible due to his exceptional touch under pressure on the right wing.

This was probably his most notable moment in the match, however, he put up a great defensive performance as well, against a strong ball carrier in Kudus.

Spurs used their Ghanaian right winger as their main outlet, particularly in the second half.

Although he made it past Digne occasionally, the experienced left-back stood up to him extremely well overall, while picking his moments to go forward.

Tottenham Hotspur will be hoping to top the Premier League table with a win over Aston Villa at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this Sunday.

Thomas Frank’s Spurs side have the potential to overcome rivals Arsenal, if they manage to hold back the Lions and gain a vital three points.

The last time the pair faced each other was at the end of the 2024/25 season in May, where the Lilywhites left Villa Park with no points after a dismal 2-0 loss – meaning no improvement on league position, and being a contributing factor to former head coach Ange Postecoglou being released by the club at the end of that season.

Prior to that match, Tottenham also lost to Villa 2-1 in an FA Cup fourth round clash in February but won their home league fixture against the Lions with a 4-1 victory.

Now there is a new season, and the early stages of a new head coach at the helm of the club – Thomas Frank will be hoping to make his mark, prove his position and order redemption for the North London side.

If Spurs win on Sunday, they have the potential to be catapulted above rivals Arsenal into the top position in the Premier League – a position that will prove beneficial for setting Frank and his squad into good stead with the fans.

Potential starting XI?

Frank’s side will be entering this clash off the back of the international break, where his squad suffered another devastating blow after Yves Bissouma, who initially looked as if he was gearing up for a return to the starting XI, was stretchered off when representing Mali.

However, the break has had its advantages for some of those currently recovering from injury, with some players either having returned to Hotspur Way for training, or expected to be re-introduced into the squad at some point in the near future.

One of these players is Radu Dragusin, who has been seen training since the international break, although no comment was made regarding the defender's return in the pre-match press conference.

Randal Kolo Muani, who was away with a dead leg but has since featured in Spurs’ behind-closed-doors friendly against Watford, could also be making another appearance for the Lilywhites, according to Frank.

Considering this, there could be some changes to the side who took a 2-1 win away from Leeds United right before the break, however Frank was full of praise for Mathys Tel and Wilson Odobert, suggesting the pair could be making another feature on Sunday.

How could Spurs play this?

Last time the Lilywhites played in Frank’s favoured 4-2-3-1 formation, they took the lead courtesy of Tel collecting a cross from Mohammed Kudus along the right wing. Although the shot was deflected in, it was still a display of skill from this attacking combination and highlighted the skills Tel possesses up front – skills which have not gone unnoticed from Frank.

It is highly likely the pair will be reprising their roles as an attacking duo tomorrow.

In the absence of Dominic Solanke, the line up could be switched to a 3-5-2, allowing for a secondary striker to support Tel if he is placed in this position – possibly coming via Richarlison, or maybe even new signing Muani although this could be in the form of a late substitution if Spurs are significantly ahead.

There will also be the need for a strengthened midfield to combat Villa’s own attacking centre.

Lions boss Unai Emery has been known to prefer a 4-2-3-1 formation, so Frank may decide to emulate this and bolster his own defensive lines, keeping the back four from the visit to Leeds and spreading out the midfield in a possible 4-4-2 with a Tel–Richarlison front pairing.

A factor of Frank’s new managerial style is his pragmatic approach to football, with Vicario making long shots to the central midfield who then pass it outwards to get the game moving at a fast pace and provide pressure.

This contrasts with tactics from previous coaches which have mostly revolved around passing through the back – an approach which at times faced criticism for being predictable and enabling defenders to easily intercept play.

Speaking to the media ahead of tomorrow’s match, Frank complimented Villa’s ‘fantastic structure’ and skills in the build-up.

Going on to explain how his Spurs side could challenge this, Frank expressed how he is pleased with the high pressure his current squad can put on their opponents, and the quality of their crossing and opportunity into the box.

Current form

Despite the injuries facing his side at the moment, the Spurs boss said his task is to “get the best out of the squad” he currently has.

Tottenham have won two, drew two, and lost one out of their last five league matches, the same as their opponents, and both went into the international break off the back of a 2-1 victory.

With all that is at possible regarding league position, and the need to set off on the right foot after the international break, tomorrow’s match looks set to be a tense affair.

Possible starting line-up:

Vicario (GK)

Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie

Palhinha, Bentancur, Kudus, Simons

Tel, Richarlison

Thomas Frank spoke about the return of a loanee yet to make an impact at Tottenham.

While Yves Bissouma is struggling with ankle ligament damage and Dominic Solanke is on the mend from surgery, Randal Kolo Muani is back in the mix. The French forward suffered a dead leg against Villarreal, and he has been out of contention for matchday squads over the next four weeks.

Kolo Muani has played for Eintracht Frankfurt, Paris Saint-Germain, and Juventus, demonstrating a chaotic threat that can create trouble for teams at the highest level, as well as infamously missing a late chance in the World Cup final for France against Argentina. Frank hopes that he will get back to his best.

“I think it's very important to have him fit and available. I think he looks better and better. I think it's also fair to say that he has trained two weeks with the team and when he came on the 1st of September - time flies! - he still needed a bit to go up to the higher level.

“But it's not to say that he can't be involved tomorrow and maybe can play minutes. But I think it's fair to say that he needs a little bit of time to get up to a full level.

“The World Cup is far away, in general. I understand that the players are thinking about it. I haven't spoken to him about it, if I'm honest, because I think for any player to want to be involved in the World Cup, you need to play. And for whatever reason, he hasn't been able to do it yet.

“What I'm focusing on is to make sure that he is in a good place. Try to get him into his best possible performance level. And when he is in that best possible performance level, he'll hopefully do very well for us, and then the rest will take care of itself.”

Tottenham Hotspur have started strong in the transition to Thomas Frank this campaign. The team sit in third place in the Premier League with 14 points, have the best away record of all 20 outfits in the English top tier, and they are making do without a few significant figures in their starting eleven.

Two names were big parts of the puzzle of creativity for Ange Postecoglou. Dejan Kulusevski came alive in a more central role in the 2024/25 campaign. However, he suffered a serious knee injury in a 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in May and he is in rehab from the surgery that followed that incident.

To make matters worse, James Maddison suffered an ACL injury in a 1-1 draw against Newcastle United on the preseason tour in August. This blow coincided with the final bow for Son Heung-min, who has moved on to LAFC, so three big attackers are out of the picture completely for the team.

In this light, Frank deserves to be cut some slack for the lack of creative spark in several showings this season. He has trialled several players in a key position and they have produced food for thought.

Pape Matar Sarr and Lucas Bergvall

For all his detractors, Ange Postecoglou left Spurs with the equipment of more experience for several promising players. Two of them have featured in the most advanced role of the midfield unit for the new coach.

Pape Matar Sarr is an interesting puzzle piece. For Postecoglou, he was a positive player who could give and go with his passing, stretch the pitch with his movement ahead of the ball, and pop up with some special strikes. Industrious across the ground and in the tackle, he is a well-rounded midfielder.

All of those traits have made him stand out in clashes with the top teams from the Premier League.

In preseason, he helped rob the ball from Myles Lewis-Skelly and lobbed David Raya to win the first North London derby on foreign soil against Arsenal. Against Man City, he continued to operate as the most advanced midfielder, acting against a destructive force in a disciplined defensive display.

Where he can struggle more is in a deeper role that forces him to try and turn out of pressure more frequently. The tendency to take and move the ball in straight lines showed against West Ham and Bodo when he played in a midfield unit with Lucas Bergvall, limiting options in the buildup.

At the London Stadium, Bergvall became the second youngest Spurs player to score and assist in a Premier League game. A few days later, his off-ball run and cross produced an own goal from Luiz Junior as his team took three points against Villarreal in the first fixture in the Champions League.

The Swede is a technical and talented player, but Frank has already admitted to the media how he wants to see more maturity in the decision making of the 19-year-old with and without the ball.

Frank is a more of a self-acclaimed pragmatist than Postecoglou, and he wants to build a tactical setup with greater solidity. While his players get used to his ways of working and demands, he has shown a willingness to play it safe in certain aspects, explaining the steady integration of one particular arrival.

Xavi Simons

Xavi Simons was the big money signing in the transfer window to try and address the absences of Maddison and Kulusevski. He came at a cost of £51 million from RB Leipzig, a club where he had hit the ground running with a tally of three goals and four assists from his first four Bundesliga fixtures.

An industrious figure with goals, creativity and carrying in his game when he is at his best, the Dutchman flattered to deceive in spells at his former club. The wonderkid came to North London with a chance to try and put it all together, but Frank has not thrown him into the fire immediately.

He got an assist from a corner in a 3-0 victory against West Ham on his debut, but Xavi played as a left winger, where he did not sparkle, and the same assessment applied against Villarreal in midweek.

There were no goals or assists against Brighton in a half hour cameo, but he immediately identified gaps in the structure of the hosts off the bench, registering three free shots in the space of six minutes.

Connecting from a central role, he also found Mohamed Kudus late in the day as he forced an own goal with a devilish delivery from the right flank that forced a reaction out of Jan Paul van Hecke.

The pair produced good work at Leeds United, where Xavi started as the side’s number ten. While Kudus carried the burden of ball progression in the best flashes for Spurs during the first half, Xavi showed up in the final third with movement between the lines and a couple of creative chipped balls for Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro that completely changed the picture in attacking sequences.

Of course, with reward comes risk. From a misplaced rabona to turnovers in his own half, the summer signing has tried things that have not worked out— with no fatal consequences for now. However, if he hits a high level of rhythm in his creative mood, he will be a massive asset for Frank’s framework.

Tottenham took all three points at Elland Road with a 2-1 triumph against promoted Leeds United.

Mathys Tel took advantage of a transition in the first half to score his first Premier League goal of the season before Mohamed Kudus responded to a Noah Okafor equaliser with a strike of his own.

It is the first time that the Peacocks have lost a battle at their ground in a domestic division since a 1-0 loss to Burnley in the Championship, ending an impressive unbeaten run that lasted for 384 days.

Here are four things we learned from this latest victory for Spurs.

Mohamed Kudus needs more central minutes

After a 2-2 draw at Bodo, Frank held no prisoners and put his key men back into the starting eleven. One of them was Mohamed Kudus, who hit the ground running again for the Lilywhites on the wing.

He might play from the right flank, but almost everything good that came for Spurs in the first 20 minutes of the match was because of his contributions in the middle of the field. Kudus treasures the ball, has the physicality and courage to drive through central areas, and rarely does he lose possession.

Yves Bissouma might not have been a lot of things, but at his best, he offered progression from the first phase that no one can mimic right now in this Tottenham team. It might require something unusual from Frank, but a different role for the £55 million man might produce major improvement.

To top off the performance, he produced the goods for the team in the final third. The Ghanaian got an assist for Mathys Tel to break the deadlock. He then blazed a shot over the bar on the breakaway after Destiny Udogie chose not to go it alone, but atoned for that moment and wrapped up the points after the break with a low driven effort outside the penalty area. It was an afternoon’s work well done.

Xavi Simons shows his sparkle

Xavi Simons is trying to settle into the structure at Tottenham as Frank focuses on stability and solidity. He has had to be patient for his opportunities, but flashes of his quality are getting clearer.

At times, things will go wrong for creative minded players, and the display from the Dutchman was by no means perfect. If the result had not gone in favour of the guests, many would look back to his failed rabona to release Cristian Romero or Wilson Odobert as a flashpoint early in the second half.

But by the same token, top tens will see pictures that no one else can imagine on the pitch. Twice, he set away fullbacks with creative chipped passes into the penalty area when no danger seemed to be present: unfortunately, neither Destiny Udogie nor Pedro Porro could apply the finishing touch.

The £51 million man also seems to benefit more from getting the ball in the final third to do damage rather than having to try and force the game forwards himself. So, there is even more food for thought about what Spurs would look like if they got Xavi and Kudus contributing together in central areas.

That is a risk that Frank could take with time once he is happier with the tactical framework of the team. But it is clear that Simons looks special much more when he leaves the left and lives in the 10.

Romero’s resilience leads the way

Like Kudus, Cristian Romero was not a starter for the trip to Norway in midweek. Frank decided not to take a risk with the fitness of the Argentine, leaving him out of the matchday squad as a precaution.

The attackers will get a lot of the plaudits in this performance, but the club captain continues to excel.

The absence of his progressive passing and personality in possession made it much easier for Bodo to stifle the buildup of their opponents, which was almost non-existent in central areas. Some of that is systemic, but the team could create more advances centrally with his presence on the ball available.

Most of all, Romero stood out with his defensive work. There were some classic cases of very tough tackling and aggression to take charge of situations where Anton Stach stood free between the lines. When Dominic Calvert-Lewin tried to throw his weight around, the defender stood his ground.

But he blends this attitude with the ability to calmly make adjustments and put out fires, of which there were a good few in the second half. It was another showing that signalled he is much more than the reckless individual that the narrative has suggested, and Romero rightly walked away victorious.

Tottenham take the spoils on the road

Spurs sit on 14 points, one behind defending champions Liverpool and two off league leading North London rivals Arsenal. The Thomas Frank era has started extremely strongly in terms of results.

But performances have not been the most convincing— especially in terms of fluid possession and chance creation. Stability, set pieces and marginal gains have been the name of the game so far.

Indeed, there has been a drastic difference between form at home and away. Only four of the 14 points collected have been at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where a 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth was the worst showing of the season and a 1-1 last gasp leveller at Wolves would not dampen the disappointment of dropping points to an outfit that had zero points from their first five contests.

On the other hand, Frank’s men are top of the table in terms of points on the road, only dropping points across four fixtures in a 2-2 draw at Brighton, their best display in the Premier League.

The resilience to respond to setbacks has helped them constantly in these situations and the tools are present to make a lot out of a little in terms of genuine chances and dominance of the general play.