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Gary O’Neil believes that Tottenham are missing one important aspect of their play under Thomas Frank, and the Spurs boss agrees with the assessment.

Many pundits predicted that Tottenham would brutalise Wolves on Saturday, given the form that the two sides were coming into the game in.

However, Wolves instead managed to execute their game plan perfectly, limit Tottenham Hotspur to a few chances, and almost emerge with all three points.

In the end, the home side needed a late screamer from Joao Palhinha to salvage a point and avoid another embarrassing home loss.

Thomas Frank agrees that Tottenham need to be better in attack

Speaking after the game, Gary O’Neil pointed out that under Frank, the Lilywhites have only been able to click when coming up against teams who look to take the game to them.

The pundit pointed out that against both Wolves and Bournemouth at home, Tottenham were simply not able to break down low blocks and create chances.

The former Wolves boss told Sky Sports (27/09/25): “The part I struggle with is that they didn’t deserve to [win] in any way. I’ve seen them twice at home this season, and in both games the onus is meant to be on them against Bournemouth and Wolves. But they struggled in both. Their good performances have come against PSG and Manchester City when they have had to defend and be without the ball.

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“So I think there’s a lot of improvement needed at Spurs if they’re going to be challenging at the top end of the table this year. Teams are going to come and frustrate, and they need to produce more quality than they did this evening.”

Frank told BBC Sport (27/09/25) following his side’s 1-1 draw: “We needed something special, and we got that. I think the foundation is in a good place. Defending well. Working hard, running hard. The offensive part of it is the thing we have to add layers to. I’d have loved us to do more today. That’s part of the development.”

O’Neil backs Frank to sort out Tottenham’s issues in attack

Despite his criticism of the North Londoners, O’Neil is confident that it is only a matter of time before they click as an attacking force. He backed Frank to come up with solutions to the problems that his side his facing in breaking down low-blocks.

The 42-year-old added: “I have no doubt that Thomas will get this Spurs team where he wants it. It’s still very early in his tenure. They shipped a lot of goals and chances last season.

“He’s rectified that, they don’t concede as many chances. Now, having played Bournemouth and Wolves at home, now we need to add another layer to it and be more attacking.”

Joao Palhinha’s late equaliser against 20th placed Wolves rescues Spurs a draw as the points were shared at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

It would not be Tottenham if they did not make life difficult for themselves. A Wolves side with no points from five games, rock bottom of the table and badly out of form turned up in N17, and instead of being put to the sword, they left with their first point of the season.

A good first-half display was followed by a sloppy and disjointed second half from the hosts, and it could have been a lot worse had Joao Palhinha not rescued a point after Spurs gifted the visitors their opener.

Thomas Frank named a starting XI that was strong enough to overpower a struggling Wolves team but fans were left frustrated as to why Xavi Simons did not start in the number 10 role, a position where he had impressed in recent weeks.

First half: Tottenham 0-0 Wolves

Spurs came out sharp and nearly went ahead early when Mohammed Kudus rose at the back post to meet a Xavi Simons cross. He headed goalwards, but Sam Johnstone reacted quickly, tipping the effort onto the bar.

Destiny Udogie then drove forward on a counter and threaded a pass into Lucas Bergvall. A deflection forced the ball awkwardly into his path, and the teenager could only scuff a volley straight into Johnstone’s gloves.

The breakthrough seemed to arrive through a lovely move between Kudus and Bergvall. The Ghanaian slid in the youngster who flicked the ball back with a neat backheel before Kudus finished past Johnstone. Unfortunately, it was a shame the flag was up and the goal was ruled out for a clear offside.

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Udogie then linked up with Richarlison and burst into the box, but delayed his decision too long, allowing Matt Doherty to recover.

Bergvall went for the spectacular shortly after, connecting with an overhead kick from a Kudus corner that was not far off target.

Kudus himself later cut inside onto his right and drew a flying save from Johnstone, before almost laying one on a plate for Richarlison with an outrageous outside-of-the-boot cross that was just out of reach.

At the other end, Wolves almost nicked one right before half-time when Doherty’s effort from a corner hit the post. It was the visitors’ first real chance, and the half ended goalless.

Second half: Tottenham 1-1 Wolves

Wolves made two changes at the break while Spurs made none, and the difference was immediate. Tottenham switched off and conceded within 10 minutes of the restart.

A corner was met by Krejci, whose header was saved by Guglielmo Vicario, but the loose ball deflected off Palhinha and was destined to roll over the line before Hugo Bueno poked it in on the line.

Suddenly, Wolves looked transformed, and Frank’s substitutions only made matters worse. Kudus, the best player on the pitch in the first half, was shifted out to the left to make way for Brennan Johnson, who offered nothing on the right while Kudus disappeared from the game after that switch.

Wolves almost doubled their lead when Bueno was played through and forced a sharp stop from Vicario with his outstretched foot. Spurs did muster a chance of their own when Pedro Porro sent in a perfect cross for Richarlison, but the Brazilian’s header was nowhere near the target.

The boos began to ring out around the stadium as the game ticked into injury time, but Joao Palhinha stepped up. Mathys Tel did well on the left to cut the ball back into the box, where Pape Matar Sarr laid it off for the Portuguese midfielder. Palhinha curled a first-time finish into the bottom corner to rescue Spurs at the death.

There was little time left for either side to threaten again, and the whistle went with the points shared.

FT: TOTTENHAM HOSTPUR 1-1 WOLVES

Spurs Web man of the match: Joao Palhinha

What’s next for Spurs?

The late equaliser lifted Spurs from seventh to third in the table, though Frank will know he got this one wrong. The first half was typically Spurs, but once he tinkered, the team collapsed.

Simons did not start in his best role and when eventually moved into the number 10 late on, he was already out of rhythm. Richarlison endured a miserable evening with the fewest touches of any Spurs player, completing just five passes and never looking like scoring. Pressure will surely mount once Dominic Solanke and Randal Kolo Muani return from injury.

Kudus was excellent before being moved out wide, completing the most dribbles of the match and looking Spurs’ sharpest threat.

Spurs now have three days to prepare for a trip to the Arctic Circle to face familiar opponents Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Thomas Frank has been quizzed on his defensive midfield choices after Tottenham’s draw with Wolves, and the Dane’s response offered an insight into how he approaches team selection and reflection.

It is still early days for Tottenham Hotspur under new manager Thomas Frank, who has made an excellent start to life in N17.

The Dane currently has Tottenham sitting in third place on the Premier League table, which marks a huge improvement on Spurs’ 17th-place finish last season.

However, while there has been clear progress in terms of results, there are still details to refine if further strides are to be made.

Thomas Frank explains Tottenham midfield choices against Wolves

Tottenham were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw against bottom-of-the-table Wolves, a side that had yet to register a single point before the weekend.

It was very much Spurs’ game to lose, but their performance echoed some of their struggles from last season, particularly against deep defensive setups where they often found it difficult to break down compact low blocks.

After the game, Frank was asked about his choice of midfield pairing against Wolves and whether it was something he would reconsider in the future.

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When pressed on his use of Joao Palhinha alongside Rodrigo Bentancur, Frank told football.london:

“I will always look back at it but a good, old coach told me once that the line-up you picked, you did that for a reason and you do not know what would happen if you pick the other one.

“Maybe you would have lost 2-0. So, I need to go with what I believe in of course. That is not to say I am not watching the game back and not reflecting and thinking about hmm, could we, should we, you never know?

“I actually think first half was quite good and we created enough. We would like to create a bit more, yes but actually after I took Rodri out, you could say it did not work because we lost the structure, so who knows? One thing is for sure, we need to do a little bit better in the second half.”

Spurs creativity concerns under Frank

Spurs have often struggled for creativity this season, although at times they have looked excellent, even with a midfield pairing built on two pivots.

Ironically, one of those pivots has chipped in with vital goals of late, as Palhinha netted the opener against Doncaster and then struck the equaliser against Wolves.

There will, however, be fixtures where Tottenham need to release the handbrake, focus more on pushing numbers into advanced areas, and show greater attacking creativity.

Frank rarely had to deal with low defensive blocks during his time at Brentford, and now at Tottenham, it is one of the challenges he will have to solve.

Thomas Frank has explained why he has yet to play Xavi Simons in the number ten role from the start, despite Tottenham fans calling for the Dutchman to be used centrally.

Despite a decent start to his Tottenham Hotspur career, registering an assist on his debut in the win over West Ham United, Xavi Simons has yet to find his rhythm in the Premier League, with only flashes of his quality on display.

The versatile 22-year-old has shown glimpses of his ability but has yet to truly announce himself to the Tottenham faithful with a performance that grabs the spotlight.

Against Brighton, the Dutchman had a bright cameo off the bench in the number ten position, where his creativity gave Spurs an added spark.

Still, he is yet to start and complete a full ninety minutes in that role in the league, even at a time when Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison remain sidelined with injuries.

Thomas Frank explains Xavi Simons role at Tottenham

The story followed a similar pattern in Tottenham’s last league outing against Wolves, where Simons once again operated out wide on the left rather than centrally, and Thomas Frank has now revealed his reasoning behind that decision.

Speaking to Football London, Frank dismissed the suggestion that Simons has not played as a number ten because he is still adjusting to the pace of the Premier League, instead pointing towards the balance of the team and the importance of finding the right combinations in midfield.

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He said: “No, I do not think that. I think it is trying to get the right balance into the team. For me also to learn the players and find out how we can get the best players on the pitch at the right time. So that I am of course looking into. I am very aware that Xavi he can play as a 10.

“He also got in as a 10 against Brighton because that was the third game in a week. And I think that was positive. I think today when he got in as a 10, it did not really work. And that was not only because of him, by the way.

“I think the team, the whole team was out of sync in the last 35 minutes or something like that. But of course, I try to look into what is the best midfield.

“I think it is fair to say both Rodri and Joao have been very good for us so far in the season. And Lucas has been fantastic so you like to keep your players that are a little bit in the flow.”

Why Simons needs to be used centrally at Spurs

Spurs had opportunities to put the game out of sight in the first half against Wolves but failed to take them, and when the hosts grew into the contest, Spurs lacked the cutting edge in midfield that someone like Simons could have provided in central areas.

Frank will continue to face questions when Tottenham find it difficult to break down a low block, particularly when one of his most creative options is stationed out wide rather than in the middle, where he can dictate play and hurt opponents with his vision and technical quality.

Simons has shown at RB Leipzig that he is comfortable and effective operating as a number ten, and if Tottenham are to unlock his full potential, Frank must soon find a way to accommodate him in that role, giving the new signing the platform to thrive and influence matches in the way many fans expect him to.

Tottenham Hotspur captain Cristian Romero has issued a statement after another frustrating result for the club in the Premier League, sending a promise to supporters in the wake of their draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

It was yet another disappointing result for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League as Thomas Frank’s side were forced to settle for a point in matchweek six.

Bottom of the table Wolverhampton Wanderers arrived at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium searching for their first point of the season, and they managed to get it after holding the North London side to a 1-1 draw.

The visitors showed great determination throughout and even went ahead in the contest, only for a late Joao Palhinha goal to rescue Spurs from defeat and salvage something from the game.

Cristian Romero sends message after Tottenham draw

It undoubtedly felt like a wasted chance for Tottenham, who were in desperate need of three points to close the gap on Liverpool while also looking to strengthen their hold on a place in the top four.

That opportunity slipped away, and following the full-time whistle, Cristian Romero chose to send a message directly to Spurs fans as he reflected on the draw.

Writing on X, the Argentine centre-back admitted the team had fallen short of expectations but urged unity, resilience, and focus moving forward.

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He posted: “Today was not our match. We wanted more, but it just did not go our way. Now it is all about keeping our heads up, working harder, and pushing forward together. Huge thanks to the fans for all the love today. Time to recharge and on Tuesday we go again. All together always.”

Spurs now turn to Champions League test

With fixtures coming thick and fast, Tottenham will not be afforded the luxury of dwelling on this setback for too long, and attention must now shift to continental matters.

Frank and his side face a trip to Norway in midweek, where they will meet Bodo Glimt in the Champions League.

A win would see Tottenham maintain their perfect record in Europe this season, after the Lilywhites secured a victory last time out in the competition when they faced Villarreal and beat them 1-0.

Jamie O’Hara pulled no punches with his thoughts on Tottenham Hotspur’s performance against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Wolves came into the Premier League fixture without a win in their opening five top flight fixtures and came up against a Tottenham side who were well below their best.

Despite having the best chances in the first half, Tottenham were unable to make any count with Mohammed Kudus going the closest when his headed effort was tipped onto the crossbar.

Destiny Udogie saw plenty of the ball in attacking phases down the left in the opening half, but with Xavi Simons also playing on the same flank, there was little creativity.

Jamie O’Hara blasts Tottenham’s efforts in Wolves draw

O’Hara was not impressed by what he saw from Tottenham, who had the opportunity to capitalise on the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool both suffering defeats on Saturday afternoon.

Wolves took the lead in the 54th minute when Guglielmo Vicario decided to palm the ball away, rather than catch it, which allowed Santiago Bueno to react quickest and prod the ball into the net.

Thomas Frank’s men barely created a single chance after falling behind and looked clueless of how to unlock the Wolves defence with Xavi Simons putting in his worst performance since joining Tottenham in the summer transfer window.

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Joao Palhinha scored a wonderful equaliser in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time to spare Tottenham blushes and salvage a point.

O’Hara took to social media platform X to write: “Paulinha just got us out of a massive hole, let’s be honest though we were absolutely terrible, some of them are miles off it, same performances from players I saw all last season”

Thomas Frank got his team selection wrong

Frank may not have admitted it after the match, but he got it wrong when he picked his starting eleven to face Wolves.

Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur struggle to play alongside each other due to their similar strengths, Pape Matar Sarr would have been a more logical option instead of Bentancur due to the tireless running which the Senegalese puts in each game.

Xavi Simons will certainly not want to watch this game back, he was miles off it. His first touch evaded him on more than one occasion. It’s baffling why Frank did not start him under the number ten role following his cameo at Brighton, or at least react during the game and look to move him inside.

Tottenham earned a 1-1 draw at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday night in the Premier League.

Let’s take a look at the five things we learned from Tottenham’s disappointing draw in North London.

Awful Tottenham performance

Getting a point against bottom-of-the-table Wolves surely does sting a little, given that the Midlands side were bottom of the Premier League table without a single point won this season coming into the clash against Spurs.

The onus was clearly on Tottenham to take the game to Wolves and put in a convincing display that would only pile up the misery of Vitor Pereira’s side.

However, it was a disappointing performance from Frank’s men, who failed to take advantage of their first-half dominance, where they were creating chance after chance.

Spurs could very well have been two or three-nil up at the break, but that was not the case. The second half of the course offered another opportunity for the Lilywhites to push up a gear, but it was Wolves who got the first goal, giving Tottenham a mountain to climb.

Great fighting spirit to grab a late point, but it does feel like a missed opportunity from Tottenham.

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Tottenham lacked quality from wide areas

Tottenham needed to create chances to break down a Wolves side that was always going to keep things tight at the back. The wide areas looked like the part of the pitch Pereira’s men were open to giving up, as Spurs often found themselves in good crossing positions, particularly in the first half.

However, Tottenham failed to make any of that space count as their deliveries into the box were nothing but subpar, often failing to beat the first man.

Not only was it poor from open play, but from set plays as well, with Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons often failing to give any of the Tottenham players a chance to attack the ball with their deliveries.

These little margins could often be the difference at times, especially when Tottenham failed to create from other areas of the pitch.

Tottenham missed creative spark in number 10 role

It is perhaps no surprise that Tottenham lacked invention in the middle of the pitch and had most of their joy out on the flanks. That is certainly because of the lack of creativity in that central area of the pitch, where Lucas Bergvall was deployed.

Bergvall is a top player with a high ceiling, but many Tottenham supporters would argue that the Swede is not the most creative player in the Tottenham squad.

Xavi Simons has been used as a ten for most of his career, but still has not had a run in that role in this Tottenham side.

The Dutchman impressed last time out against Brighton in a central role after coming off the bench, but instead of starting there, he was shifted out wide.

Spurs need to create more opportunities, and it would be best if Frank gets his most creative players in positions where they can cause damage.

Guglielmo Vicario error costs Spurs again

No doubt Guglielmo Vicario could have done better with his punch for the Wolves’ goal, as he could have parried into a less dangerous position.

His mistake led to the mix-up in the box, one that Wolves were quick to capitalise on, putting Tottenham on the back foot for most of the second forty-five.

That now makes two errors this season, and it is not great when it happens in consecutive games, given his howler last time out.

The Italian, for sure, has the odd mistake in him, and ironically, in this fixture last season at Molineux, Vicario made an error that led to a series of others in subsequent games. Perhaps Frank will need to reconsider his first-choice goalkeeper if Vicario does not step up.

Spurs drop points in top four race

At the end of the day, it was a good point and one is obviously better than nothing. These points could prove vital in the race for the Champions League, even though it feels like a missed opportunity.

But, where does that leave Tottenham in the league table? Spurs at the moment sit in third place and are four points behind table toppers Liverpool. However, they could drop to fourth should Arsenal secure a victory today when they take on Newcastle United.

The result would sting even more given that Chelsea and Liverpool dropped points, but with a tie in the Champions League coming up next, there is no room to dwell on the weekend’s result excessively.

The full-time whistle has gone at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium following the Premier League match between Spurs and Wolves, and the player ratings are in.

It was an awful performance for Thomas Frank’s side who managed to dig out a 1-1 draw courtesy of Joao Palhinha’s injury time strike.

How the Spurs players rated against Wolves

Below, we have given each Tottenham player a performance rating on a scale of 0-10, with 10 highest score achievable for an impressive performance.

Guglielmo Vicario – 3

Had a quiet first half but was partly at fault for Wolves’ opening when he palmed the ball away rather than catching it. Some questionable distribution with his feet.

Djed Spence – 5

His social media will be quiet this weekend. Came off in the 62nd minute for Porro.

Cristian Romero – 5

His effort which went miles over the bar in the second half summer up the performance.

Micky van de Ven – 5

His frustration was clear to see when he was tackled by Tchatchoua.

Destiny Udogie – 6

Saw plenty of the ball in attacking areas in the first half, but with Wolves bringing on the pacey Jackson Tchatchoua at half-time, he wasn’t as adventurous. Replaced on 82 mins.

Joao Palhinha – 8

Some solid tackles and took his goal beautifully to salvage a point. His second in as many matches, the club need to get a permanent deal wrapped up and fast.

Rodrigo Bentancur – 5

Replaced on 61 minutes for Johnson. Had limited impact on the match, especially in attacking phases.

Lucas Bergvall – 6

Linked up well with Kudus, but was unable to have any positive impact after the break. Replaced on 77 mins by Sarr.

Xavi Simons – 1

His first half was woeful by anyone’s standards and his second wasn’t any better. Hooked on 77 mins. Frank made a huge error not playing him in the 10 role.

Mohammed Kudus – 6

Had two of Tottenham’s best chances in the first half when his header was tipped onto the bar and shot late in the half. Looked leggy in the second period.

Richarlison – 5

Chances were few and far between. His best coming when he headed over on 79 mins.

Substitutes

Brennan Johnson – 5

Did nothing of note.

Pedro Porro – 5

Did nothing of note.

Wilson Odobert – 5

Such a frustrating dribbler, so much pace but struggles to carry the ball with any threat.

Pape Matar Sarr – 5

Did nothing of note.

Mathys Tel – N/A

An 82nd minute replacement for Udogie.

The first half of Premier League action has just come to a close between Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Both sides are now preparing to head back onto the pitch for the second half and we have given our analysis on the performances of the Tottenham players who have featured in the first half at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham came into the match on a back of a 3-0 win against Doncaster Rovers in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening.

Thomas Frank has made some changes with the likes of Destiny Udogie, Richarlison and Micky van de Ven coming back into the starting eleven.

The score remains deadlocked at 0-0 with Tottenham needing to make their pressure count if they are to secure the victory.

How the Spurs players rated in the first half vs Wolves

Below, we have given each Tottenham player a performance rating on a scale of 0-10, with 10 highest score achievable for an impressive performance.

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Guglielmo Vicario – 6

Back in goal after being rested in midweek and has had nothing to do.

Djed Spence – 6

Has dealt well with the rare Wolves attacking threat.

Cristian Romero – 6

The captain has had a quiet first half with Wolves not posing any threat down the middle, aside from the visitors’ counter attack late in the half.

Micky van de Ven – 6

Made a solid tackle early on, but like Romero has had little to do defensively.

Destiny Udogie – 6

A start for the Italian as he continues to build his match fitness. Has seen plenty of the ball down the left and made a vital block to deny Wolves a shot on goal in added time.

Joao Palhinha – 6

Has put in some solid tackles and saw a diving header on goal blocked.

Rodrigo Bentancur – 6

Has operated mostly on the left of midfield to help try to create an overlap for Udogie.

Lucas Bergvall – 7

Had a good opportunity to open the scoreline when the ball fell to him but fluffed his volley wide. Played a nice flick for Kudus’ disallowed effort. Unfortunately saw his acronbatic effort go over the crossbar.

Xavi Simons – 3

Operating from the left despite impressing in the 10 role at Brighton. Had a few heavy touches in the first 20 minutes and was booked just after the half hour mark.

Mohammed Kudus – 7

Came close to opening the scoring when his backpost header was tipped onto the bar. Though he had opened the scoring, but was flagged for offside. Stung the hands of the keeper with a strong effort just before half time.

Richarlison – 6

No clear cut chances for the Brazilian, who has been limited to hold up play to bring his team-mates into attacking areas.

Thomas Frank has selected his Tottenham Hotspur team for the Premier League match against Wolverhampton Wanderers this evening.

Tottenham turn their attention back to the top flight following the 3-0 Carabao Cup win over Doncaster Rovers in midweek.

Frank’s side showed good spirit to fight back against Brighton having gone two goals down to earn a point at the Amex with a 2-2 draw, where they were the better team.

Wolves find themselves bottom of the table after suffering five straight defeats in the league, with Spurs fans certainly wary of an upset.

What is the Tottenham team vs Wolves?

Randal Kolo Muani is missing once again due to a dead leg sustained in training, while Dominic Solanke is still out with an ankle issue.

Frank said at Friday’s press conference when asked about Solanke: “Dominic’s ankle injury has been a little bit tricky. It’s not too big. Hopefully he’ll be back quick. It’s not perfect, but we are going forward in the right direction.”

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Radu Dragusin is progressing well from his ACL injury, but is not yet ready to return, while Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison are still some way off first-team action.

This is the Spurs team which takes to the field under the lights of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium tonight:

Tottenham: Vicario, Spence, Romero, van de Ven, Udogie, Bentancur, Palhinha, Bergvall, Kudus, Richarlison, Simons

Subs: Kinsky, Danso, Porro, Gray, Sarr, Tel, Johnson, Odobert, Scarlett

Wolves: Johnstone; Doherty, S. Bueno, Krejci, H. Bueno; Andre, Gomes; Munetsi, Arias, Hwang; Strand Larsen.

Wolves have an impressive recent record against Tottenham, unbeaten in the last five meetings and earned a point in the corresponding fixture last season.