What Thomas Frank shouted at Spurs against Wolves proves he’s replicating key Ange Ball tactic
Thomas Frank has enjoyed an excellent start to his managerial reign at Spurs but stamping his own mark on the team remains a work in progress.
Despite welcoming several new signings in the summer, Spurs, under Frank, have lost just one of their first six Premier League games.
Frank‘s latest outing on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium touchline saw him take a point off Wolves despite being behind for most of the game.
And judging by what the Dane was heard shouting against Vitor Pereira‘s men, it’s clear his philosophy involves a patient approach in attack.
Thomas Frank demanding patience from Spurs in attacking phases
Even though his side were the better team in the first half against Wolves, Frank found himself delivering a half-time team talk with the scoreline all square at 0-0.
It didn’t take long for the deadlock to be broken in the second half. Unfortunately for the home team, the first blow wasn’t theirs with Wolves’ Santiago Bueno opening the scoring after 54 minutes.
Shortly after Bueno’s opener, Spurs had the ball in Wolves’ final third 37.7 per cent of the time. Looking to strike back, the home team’s pressure in the same area of the pitch increased to 42.7 per cent in the game’s final 15 minutes.
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However, despite chasing the game, and pinning their opponents back, according to Football London, Frank was heard yelling at his team not to give possession away by rushing their passes.
Instead of panicking and throwing the kitchen sink at Wolves, the 51-year-old stood on the touchline and demanded his side take a patient and controlled approach in their search of an equaliser.
And it paid off because Spurs did eventually get their goal after midfielder Joao Palhinha curled the ball beyond a helpless Sam Johnstone, courtesy of a neat lay-off by substitute Pape Sarr.
Wolves could have easily been a banana skin for Spurs but their refusal to give up was a clear indication Frank wants his team to plug away right up until the final whistle.
Ange Postecoglou’s approach produced surprising results
Ange Postecoglou was sacked despite winning the Europa League with Spurs. The side’s abysmal league form and subsequent 17th placed finish last season led to his eventual sacking at the end of the campaign.
And while some supporters were glad to see the back of the now-Nottingham Forest boss after he averaged just 1.53 points per game, it appears the Aussie’s methods have put in place some solid foundations for Frank to build upon.
During his two years with the club, Postecoglou‘s Spurs side averaged a 85.9 per cent passing accuracy, 2 per cent more than Frank, and from 93 games more.
Postecoglou’s side were also big on getting shots off with his side averaging 14 per game, again, two more than Frank’s team this season.
Interestingly, although both managers’ percentage of shots from outside the box sits around the 30 per cent mark, Postecoglou’s methods saw Spurs a lot more effective inside the box.
Not only did Spurs complete 87 more passes, on average, under Postecoglou, but they did so with a lot more accuracy, particularly in the opposition’s box.
Frank’s Spurs are averaging 3.56 shots per match compared to Postecoglou’s 4.01 — a clear sign the Dane prefers a more pragmatic approach to build-up play.
Nevertheless, while Postecoglou is best known for getting his teams to play action-packed attacking football, Frank takes a similarly exciting approach, but with far more defensive assurance, conceding just four goals in six league games compared to his predecessor’s 69 in 38.
If Frank can continue to combine fluid and controlled possession-based football with a steady and hard-to-breach defence, Spurs will feel confident it won’t be long before they add another trophy to their recent collection.
