Football London

The Tottenham boss is an enjoyable presence in his press conferences but the messages he conveys are not always the best for him

Thomas Frank is an affable, warm character but the self-deprecating humour of his Tottenham press conferences could end up causing him more problems than he realises.

The Spurs fans have had a variety of communicators over the years. Mauricio Pochettino was a mixed bag, sometimes funny, sometimes tetchy and occasionally the English language was not his best friend. Jose Mourinho was all about the show and he was often on good form as he was not at Tottenham long enough to bring us 'The Grumpy One'.

Nuno Espirito Santo did not enjoy words and press conferences were an evil he did not see as necessary. For context, a Pochettino press conference could last 45 minutes, but getting 20 minutes out of the Portuguese was a miracle.

Up next was Antonio Conte, as full of passion in his press conferences as he was on the pitch, and the sight of the press officer's stunned face sat beside him as he exploded in rage at his final outing at Southampton will live long in the memory of many a reporter covering the club.

Then came Ange Postecoglou. The Australian was good value for headlines and stories, quick with a one-liner and also a spiky remark to those he felt were attacking him or his character.

Postecoglou's biggest talent perhaps was making people believe in what he was doing, whether that was his players or equally sections of the media. Many a press conference after a disappointing defeat - of which there were many in the Premier League last season - brought the former Celtic boss on his top form as he used his words to push a certain narrative, message or emotion. It was like he knew that in those moment his communication needed to be at its best.

It's that belief that he instilled in the players which led them to the club's first trophy in 17 years and why they poured out their emotions when he was sacked. He connected with them even through the injury crisis and then the horrendous results in the Premier League.

Postecoglou was excellent at selling himself and his confidence in what he was doing. Following the Conte era, when at times the Italian came across like he was doing everyone a favour just showing up for work, his Australian successor painted images with his words of what could be achieved rather than what couldn't.

All of which brings us to Frank and his very Danish honesty. The 52-year-old is unlikely to have been a car salesman if football had not worked out for him.

"Oh you want to know about that vehicle? That is a good question. I think, for sure, it's alright. It's not top, top, top. Sometimes at it's maximum, it'll be free-floating, but you'll also really, really have problems along the way. That is a concern and of course I need to take responsibility for that," the former Brentford boss might say or something along those lines.

For Frank will often say exactly what is on his mind, whether it actually does him any favours or not.

For instance, while Postecoglou came into his first press conference as Tottenham boss talking about trophies and scaling new heights, Frank spoke about losing matches and it was something he told club staff as well when he addressed them soon after joining.

"I promise you one thing. One thing is 100% sure, we will lose football matches," he said. "I haven't seen a team that is not losing any football matches. There is Arsenal, that we can't mention, in the Premier League. So I made my first rookie mistake there. And there was Preston back in the day I think those were the only two teams in a Premier League season. Then they probably lost in the cup and in the cup lost the games. So that will happen, of course."

The repeated mentions of Arsenal in his first few weeks, including that unbeaten season, were eventually rectified but this week a reporter reminded him of that statement that Spurs would lose matches amid a run of just three wins in 12 games.

"I promised that, I succeeded," said the Dane before smiling.

In the room that's a bit of humour and people laughed. However, in today's world that comment circulates everywhere as text without any context on social media. If Frank cannot get Spurs on the upward curve again then those five words will be used on memes with his smile. It's the world we live in now.

He's just being honest and trying to lighten the faux seriousness of press conferences in the Premier League, but self-deprecating humour can and will be used against you. Postecoglou was mocked for months about his irritated 'I always win in my second season' response only to actually go and do it.

Another Frank example came when he discussed his half-time substitution at the Emirates Stadium as he brought on Xavi Simons only for Arsenal to score within moments.

"I picked a team that played 5-4-1, changed it at half-time, very clever, one minute into it they scored. 3-0. Then the rest is history after that," he said with that self deprecating manner.

Some might say that while Spurs' performance in the next game at PSG was improved, Frank was too happy afterwards about a game in which the north London club had collapsed and conceded five goals. He just looked delighted to see something that was not as awful as the game at Arsenal.

That doesn't strike the right chord with everyone though. Fans want to see a 'winning mentality' from their manager, rather than being happy to compete for an hour. They also want to hear good news about injuries but the Dane, like his predecessor, rarely has any to give.

Thomas Frank is someone you want to root for because he's clearly a good man and has the talent to succeed because it has brought him this far, from his days as an amateur player before coaching youngsters in Denmark to sweeping up the levels of the game.

He's done that by being true to himself, but he also needs to be aware that the upper rungs of the Premier League ladder are an unforgiving place. There's enough people waiting to highlight your mistakes without you doing it for them.

The Tottenham Hotspur boss has been speaking about one player who has dropped out of being a regular starter under the Dane

Thomas Frank maintains he is "very aware of" Brennan Johnson's qualities even if the Wales international has become less of a regular starter under the Tottenham head coach.

Last season, Johnson played 51 times and scored 18 goals while starting the bulk of the matches he was available for and the 24-year-old popped up with the most important goal of all against Manchester United in the Europa League final victory in Bilbao in May. Despite Frank attempting to sign Johnson when he was Brentford boss, the player has struggled for starts for Spurs since the Dane's arrival in north London.

The attacker was suspended for Wednesday's Champions League defeat at PSG but before that had started just five of the 12 Premier League matches this campaign and two of the European games, with most of his appearances coming late on in the final minutes of matches from the bench.

Johnson has still netted four goals across just 788 minutes of action this season and scored a top drawer individual goal for Wales last week.

To put Johnson's Tottenham minutes into context, teenager Lucas Bergvall has played more of them for Spurs this season (820) despite missing recent weeks through concussion and summer signing Xavi Simons, who has also struggled for starts, has still played 937 minutes.

The problem for Johnson is the £55million arrival of Mohammed Kudus from West Ham, with the Ghanaian mainly utilised down his favoured right and the new signing has played 1,274 minutes so far, scoring just once but providing five assists. That has left Johnson fighting for any minutes he can get on either flank.

"I'm very aware that Brennan's got some very good qualities. One of them is scoring goals and running in behind and arriving in the box," said Frank ahead of Saturday's Premier League match against Fulham. "I really like everything about him. He also scored goals this year as well. Four, I think, in total. So I'm very aware of them.

"So it's all about how you create that team, where we perform, how we get the best players in, where do we play them. Is it Mo to the right, is it Brennan? Who plays the 10? What kind of player do we play in a different position to make it click?

"And then we also need a little bit of depth, because we play every third or fourth day, to keep the freshness, the energy. So that's a challenge."

Johnson will be hoping to get more opportunities in the weeks ahead as the games continue to come thick and fast for struggling Spurs, who have won just three of their past 12 matches.

football.london takes a look at all of the Premier League clubs' third kits this season and ranks them from worst to best

Each London-based Premier League club has its own iconic home strip, as well as the more creatively designed away kits which often catch the eye.

But what about their rarely-seen third kits? Well, this season has seen Premier League sides come out with some interesting designs - and the results are quite something.

From Arsenal and Chelsea’s classy new looks to Tottenham’s nod to the past, football.london has ranked all of top-flight’s 2025/26 third kits below.

The City third kit was crafted with the charming Mancunian weather in mind. With a neon trim and an unusual rain droplet design, this shirt has been heavily criticised by both fans and rivals.

The brightness of the neon juxtaposed with the dreary grey rain backdrop has landed City at the bottom of the table - a position they are certainly not accustomed to in recent years.

£60 - BUY IT HERE .

The Bees' third kit features a vibrant blue background with a brown and pink stripe across the chest of the top. The club's badge is centred in the middle of the chest with just a small brown and pink trim at the collar of the shirt.

While the club's original colours are featured in this rare shirt, the placement of said hues do nothing to flatter the wearer and are rather mismatched across the entire design.

£65 - BUY IT HERE .

Brighton had the ingenious idea to curb the overconsumption of football merchandise by using last season's away kit as this year's third kit.

The away kit, which has been seen frequently over the past year, features a yellow design with black vertical stripes and the club's badge prominently displayed on the chest.

Although this kit is impressive, it is not a new design, hence its low ranking.

£65 - BUY IT HERE .

Tottenham's third kit for this season pays tribute to the 1982 FA Cup winning team, boasting a vibrant yellow base with blue detailing around the chest and shoulders, giving it a retro vibe.

However, the vintage design is paired with new sponsors and a disappearing neckline, as well as an unexpected blue block of colour on the back, making it feel like a failed attempt at reviving an old classic.

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Bournemouth’s 2025/26 third kit is a pastel pink ensemble with purple accents. Pink kits have been associated with success in the Cherries' recent history.

They notably defeated teams such as Newcastle and Crystal Palace away in the 2015/16 season to remain in the Premier League, while fellow Championship hoppers Leicester City clinched the title that same year.

Its relatively basic design prevents it from ranking higher on the list.

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West Ham's alternative kit offers a fresh take on a fairly simple classic. The badge is enlarged and features only the two iconic hammers that are synonymous with the club.

Aside from this unique feature, the rest of the shirt is fairly basic, with gold accents and a split collar.

£67.50 - BUY IT HERE .

Newcastle's kit harks back to their European escapades in the late 1990s. The strip, featuring a navy blue base with orange accents, draws inspiration from their 1997 Champions League season.

This season saw memorable victories such as a 3-2 triumph over Barcelona and a 2-0 win against Dynamo Kyiv. However, it's nothing extraordinary, keeping it in a mid-table position on this list.

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Nottingham Forest have embraced the Adidas trend of slim bars down the sides of the kit, evoking the iconic strips from the 90s. This third shirt is a navy blue and black design with red hems, offering a smart colour contrast.

However, like many of the mid-table strips, it's not exactly a showstopper.

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Everton took a more unconventional approach with their third kit design, which stands out among the rest - but not necessarily for the right reasons. The black base features yellow and blue zigzag patterns running horizontally across the entire top, said to be inspired by the areas surrounding the new Hill Dickinson Stadium.

While it's commendable that the Toffees have been more adventurous with their third kit design, the choices made leave much to be desired.

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Leeds United are another team who've gone all in with their alternative kit. The blue, yellow and black design, crafted by Adidas, is said to reflect the electric home support at Elland Road.

The kit leans more towards rave or DJ aesthetics than traditional football attire, but its creative flair deserves recognition.

£45.50 - BUY IT HERE .

FA Cup victors Crystal Palace have opted for a classic look with their third strip, which is unfortunate not to rank higher on this list. The red and blue stripe running down the centre, complemented by one red and one blue sleeve trim, makes for an appealing and stylish choice.

But the numerous sponsors adorning the sleeves and front of the shirt detract from its overall aesthetic. A version without sponsors would likely climb about five places in this ranking.

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Aston Villa's alternative kit evokes shades of the Japan cherry blossom jersey. The shirt is said to be inspired by stained glass windows and features a white base with hues of blue and purple across the shoulders.

The long-sleeved version is much cooler than the short sleeve and is a rather nice addition to this list.

£59.50 - BUY IT HERE .

Does anyone else get Wetherspoons plate vibes here?

The Wolves third kit is quite a sight but it is a beautiful shade of ocean blue.

This design is reportedly inspired by the vibrancy and spirit of Brazil, with fans still eagerly awaiting some tiki-taka skills on the football pitch.

£60 - BUY IT HERE .

Starting at seventh place, there's a trend for black kits receiving automatic approval.

Burnley's third strip is similar to another on this list but ranks one place lower due to the unusual gold specks that decorate the shoulder and hip of the shirt.

It's an intriguing kit but not exceptional enough to climb higher in the rankings.

£48 - BUY IT HERE .

Next up, we have the other black-and-gold kit on this list. Fulham's alternative strip is crisp and modern, featuring a black base with gold piping around the edges of the top.

Although it's simple, it does the job and could be interchanged with any other club's badge without a hitch.

£68 - BUY IT HERE .

A shirt with a collar as unique as this deserves its spot in fifth place. The Chelsea third kit is a middle badge, blacked-out piece of beauty.

The white neck trim that mimics a wide collar is arguably the most interesting part of the strip and elevates it to a higher place on the list than initially expected.

£84.99 - BUY IT HERE .

Many might be surprised that this kit isn't ranked higher given the fan reaction. The Liverpool alternative top is a bright blue-green colour and features a vintage club badge that complements the shirt beautifully.

Once again, the long-sleeved version is a much more appealing view than the short-sleeve, so it is docked points for that reason.

£52 - BUY IT HERE .

Arsenal seldom disappoint when it comes to kit launches and the 2025/26 season is no exception. This third kit commemorates 20 years since Arsenal's final season at Highbury and features an alternative badge.

This kit, adorned with the iconic Gunners cannon, is white with a traditional collar and red accents, with a touch of gold added in for good measure.

£85 - BUY IT HERE .

Manchester United may have some chaos on the pitch, but their kits always seem to hit the mark. The Red Devils third top pays homage to the iconic 1993-95 away shirt, also known as the 'Cantona Kit'.

The black-out kit with blue and yellow edges gives the top a fresh look and is accented with the original Adidas trefoil badge.

£56.95 - BUY IT HERE .

Finally, we have a kit truly worthy of its title. Sunderland may have just made their Premier League return, but they're making waves both on the pitch and with their kit releases.

The third kit features 11 mandalas interwoven into the blacked-out base, with a unique black cat emblem used as the club badge.

Perhaps the most striking feature of this kit is the pair of amber cat eyes on the back of the neck of the top, symbolising past battles and a focus on the future.

The latest Tottenham Hotspur injury news ahead of the Premier League clash against Marco Silva's Fulham at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday night

Tottenham Hotspur return to Premier League action on Saturday night when they take on Fulham at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Spurs were thumped 4-1 by rivals Arsenal on Sunday before being beaten 5-3 by Paris St Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Thomas Frank’s side head into the game ninth in the table and are once again expected to be without a number of players for the game. James Maddison, Ben Davies, Kota Takai and Dejan Kulusevski all remain unavailable.

Spurs will also be without striker Dominic Solanke, who has been out since August with an ankle injury which he underwent surgery for in September. Midfielder Yves Bissouma is also out with an ankle injury.

Radu Dragusin is not yet fit to start, and Cristian Romero is also unavailable through suspension. Speaking on Thursday afternoon, Frank said: “Nothing changes from the Arsenal-PSG games.

"Of course there's suspension to Cuti. Radu will not be able to start yet – he’s progressing, training, that’s the latest."

On Solanke and Kulusevski, the Dane said: “It's part of it. We get judged if we walk into a club like this. A fantastic club, Tottenham. Tottenham Hotspur.

“There will be expectations every day. For every performance, the performance adds together. So, that's part of the game. So, no problem with that.

“Of course, I would love to have Dominic and Kulusevski ready to play for us. But they are not available right now. Then other players need to step up. I need to find solutions. But that I will do.

Rodrigo Muniz remains a longer-term absentee for Fulham, while Antonee Robinson is a doubt with a knee injury. The former Everton man hasn’t played since the 3-1 defeat to Aston Villa at the end of September.

But Sasa Lukic will be available after missing the 1-0 win over Fulham last week due to suspension.

When asked if tomorrow’s game is a must-win for Spurs, Frank replied: “Yeah, but unfortunately, I think the stats is not like there's 100% sure that we will win the game.

“That's the beauty of it. I'm very aware that a top performance and a win will be very, very helpful, but, you know, I go into every game believing we'll win.

“I go into every game believing we have prepared well and we will do a top performance. So what I can affect is that I need to make sure that we are well prepared, I need to make sure that we pick the best possible team with the best possible opportunity to win the game, and I need to make sure we are in the perfect condition to come back out.

"And then we need a little bit of margin. That should be enough to win.”

Here's every single word the Tottenham Hotspur head coach said on Thursday ahead of the Premier League match against Fulham

Thomas Frank was back at Hotspur Way for his fourth press conference in five days ahead of Tottenham's Premier League game against Fulham.

The Dane and his Spurs players had landed back in the UK in the early hours of Thursday morning following their dramatic 5-3 defeat at PSG in the Champions League. Frank's men threw away the lead twice at the Parc des Princes as they eventually gifted the European champions a flurry of second half goals despite a brace from Randal Kolo Muani and a first half header from Richarlison.

It left Tottenham with just three wins in 12 matches and now they must address their dreadful home form for another London derby as Marco Silva's Fulham make the trip across the capital on Saturday night.

Here's every single word Frank said at the press conference at Hotspur Way on Thursday afternoon as he was asked for the latest updates on injured players like Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski among plenty of other topics.

What's the latest team news?

Nothing changed from the Arsenal or PSG game, apart from the suspension to Cuti. Radu will not be able to start yet. Progressing, training, yeah, so that's it.

Anyone else close to coming back?

No.

How much more do you think you'll know about the true progress of your side on Saturday against a Fulham team that's going to play a totally different way to PSG?

Yeah, that's the beauty of it. We are facing a completely different game on Saturday. A game where we hopefully will be more on the ball and then need to, how can you say, open Fulham up.

I think actually Fulham, maybe they don't have the points they maybe want, but I have watched a lot of their games and watch even more now that they perform well. I think they've been quite unlucky with some of the results.

So that will be a different challenge, but that's what we're up for. I'm looking forward to it. I'm happy, very happy that, not happy, I'm pleased with the performance and response we got from the players against PSG.

I think we did the aggressivity and the high pressure, the forwardness, the intensity we played with, should have earned us a point or points against PSG. But a bit of randomness, two set piece goals we can't concede and some game management that we didn't. That's the bit we need to learn from.

We said from the beginning when I walked in the club, every decision I take is to do everything I can to win the next game. But it's for the long run. If you can't build something that lasts, it doesn't matter.

I'm very aware that I need to win tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, and the day after the day, and so on. But that's what it's all about.

I think football is extremely fascinating. It's so complex and we all try to analyse and understand it.

If you look at Liverpool now, the manager, Arne Slot, I admire massively. Did fantastic stepping into the first season in the Premier League and won it. Incredible in every way and now they are struggling a bit, and they have a bad spell. I'm convinced they will find a way out of that. Convinced, convinced.

But I don't think anyone has predicted that before we started the season. That's just sometimes football. But that's the thing we sometimes ask for, to understand.

Do you think that's become more reactionary since when you started? You lost that game on Sunday and the narrative was really negative towards you. You put in a good performance last night and suddenly that shifts again. Has it become very much more all or nothing, because you're talking about Slot who's won a Premier League title?

That's what I mean. Arne is clearly an unbelievable coach. Incredible. So he will 1000% find a way out of that. And I don't know him personally, but he will stay calm. He and his coaching staff will find a solution and they will go again. And in football, some managers, some clubs are privileged not to have too many setbacks. Maybe it's just one game.

Others have a big spell. So yes, there will be setbacks. But how you handle them and come back from them is the key.

And I agree with you that I think sometimes one game is like oh, it starts over here and then you're suddenly here. Maybe a little bit in between. Maybe not the best coach in the world after we beat Man City away, probably not the worst coach in the world after we lost the game. So that's just the way it is. It's how we build something over time.

I know you're always very calm and you don't get sucked into that narrative, but there must be the sense that given what happened on Sunday and at home on a Saturday night when you haven't won since the Burnley game, there's that sense that you have to, as a group, go out and deliver?

Yeah, of course, and I promise you we will do everything we can to deliver. And we will do everything we can to come flying out, to be positive, intense, energetic, forward. But I'm also pretty sure that Fulham will do everything they can to avoid that.

But it's our job to make sure that we perform. And if we perform well, we've got a very good chance to win the game.

I interviewed Brennan Johnson earlier this week and he said perhaps the players overthink things and overplay because they really want to win at home, is that something you've noticed the players are doing and how is that something you can address?

No, I think any player, any team need to do what we can to play with confidence. And then the best performance is where you're just playing intuitively. You don't think about it, you just do what you do.

Before you receive the ball, you know that you need to take a touch forward or you play forward or you turn that way or whatever you do. That's where you perform the best. So I think that's key.

I'm fully aware, that I said from the beginning, it hasn't changed. I want our stadium, our home, to be fortress. And to get there, we need to perform.

Again, we need to be the fans and us. We need to be both together. You need to feel that when we play at home ' wow, this is impossible to beat us here'. And that's what we need to work towards. We are not there yet, but that's what we need to work towards.

In terms of Brennan, how would you rate how he's developed this season and where he fits into your attacking line-up?

I'm very aware that Brennan's got some very good qualities. One of them is scoring goals and running in behind and arriving in the box. I really like everything about him. He also scored goals this year as well. Four, I think, in total. So I'm very aware of them.

So it's all about how you create that team, where we perform, how we get the best players in, where do we play them. Is it Mo to the right, is it Brennan? Who plays the 10? What kind of player do we play in a different position to make it click?

And then we also need a little bit of depth, because we play every third or fourth day, to keep the freshness, the energy. So that's a challenge.

Is Randal Kolo Muani fit enough to start again against Fulham?

Yeah, he would be fit enough to start against Fulham again. I think he performed well. Obviously, his best performance, not only because of the two goals and the assist, but the overall performance, pressing game, the energy and the touches. I liked that from him in the game yesterday.

And that's, as you say, the challenge that we are facing, that we are embracing, is that away to Arsenal, three days later away to PSG, three days later home to Fulham, three days later away to Newcastle.

So how can we find that perfect balance of energy, intensity, freshness and the right structure and relationship on the pitch? So that's a nice coaching challenge, let me put it that way. But anyway, Kolo has been good.

Five months ago, when you got the job, you said the only thing you can absolutely be certain of is that you will lose games, which you are now doing...

I promised that, I succeeded.

How do you keep calm?

Of course, I think, trust my experience, trust my staff, trust my players, trust the club, the leadership. I think that's key. Trust the process, the structure. I do.

Just keep doing that, keep believing that, keep working, you know. The power of one, so always one more conversation, one more video clip, one more meeting, one more training, you know, constantly trying to improve bits.

Know where you want to go, and then try to improve those bits, the culture, the style of play, everything, every single day. I think that's the key. Then there's days where you perform badly, you feel pain, and you're angry.

Yesterday, it was painful in a different way because we lost, more irritation, but a better feeling because we competed. I saw more the identity of the team, character, the team I want to build, gave me hope, and then there's still irritation when we concede five goals. We had an unbelievable opportunity to get something away from Paris, and we missed that, so that's irritation. And, yeah, just keep going.

Is Fulham at home a must win?

Yeah, but unfortunately, I think the stats is not like there's 100% sure that we will win the game. That's the beauty of it. I'm very aware that a top performance and a win will be very, very helpful, but, you know, I go into every game believing we'll win. I go into every game believing we have prepared well and we will do a top performance.

So what I can affect is that I need to make sure that we are well prepared, I need to make sure that we pick the best possible team with the best possible opportunity to win the game, and I need to make sure we are in the perfect condition to come back out. And then we need a little bit of margin. That should be enough to win.

Is part of the problem this season, the home form, because you play in such an amazing stadium, people raise their game to play there against you?

I've never thought about that, I must admit. I think the key thing for us is just to focus on us. What can we do? How is it we want to attack? How is it we want to defend? How is it we want to perform? Just only focus on that and then get that cohesion with the fans and then the rest will take care of themselves.

When are you going to get Kulusevski and Solanke back? Because they walk into a lot of teams in the Premier League and you've done your spell without them. You talk about being judged after so many games, is it almost unfair to judge you without these two players?

It's part of it. We get judged if we walk into a club like this. A fantastic club, Tottenham. Tottenham Hotspur. There will be expectations every day. For every performance, the performance adds together.

So, that's part of the game. So, no problem with that. Of course, I would love to have Dominic and Kulusevski ready to play for us.

But they are not available right now. Then other players need to step up. I need to find solutions. But that I will do.

Are you any closer to getting them back? Are we talking weeks or is it close to January?

I think we've had a few of these press conferences. In one of the last ones, I said I think it's much easier for me to say, now they are ready to be selected. Instead of, when are they back? Right now, relatively, they are not available.

How do the players feel about what happened on Sunday and what they have got to do against Fulham on Saturday?

For me, we look forward. We can't dwell too much on the past. Because if we do that, we are too much sucked into everything. So, for me, it's still 24 hours from last night.

For me, it's about taking the positive out of the game in PSG. And there was a lot of positives in that game. Learn from the mistakes you made and then bring all that to Saturday's game against Fulham.

You said that Kolo Muani is not fully fit yet. How excited are you for when he is fully fit? And what sort of difference can he make? Because it feels like his link-up play and that combination play is something that will be really useful going forward.

Yeah, definitely. I think it was exciting. I think you can just see the three, both the link-up play, the pressure, that was everything last night. I think the exciting thing was around the first goal. The way the header, the vision he had to hit it back towards goal to Richie.

His goal, how quick he reacted and saw it and his finishing there. And then the third one where he's got it, got through, showed that little bit of pace. Got the ball with him and just clinical in the finish.

So now it's about doing that consistently every game. So that's the next step. But it was promising.

Archie and Lucas were brilliant, they've played a lot of games this season, but only started once together in midfield in the Premier League. Would you have any hesitation in them starting together in the Premier League? Or are they not quite ready?

I think if you perform like they did against the European champions away from home, I think you're ready to start in the Premier League.

So no hesitation to play them against Fulham?

Absolutely not.

You conceded five goals last night, but you go over to the away fans and they're all there, applauding you behind the team, which is obviously a contrast to Sunday. How much have you learned this week about the expectation of the Tottenham fans and how much they'll give you in terms of leeway if you have that bravery and attacking intent?

I don't know. I massively respect all the fans. They're a hugely important boss, home and away. I fully acknowledge and appreciate and am very happy with how they've travelled to Paris and how they've backed the team throughout the game. It means everything to me personally.

And then it's just up to us to keep performing, keep being brave, keep doing all the right things going forward and constantly add layers.

The team looked set up in a slightly different way last night, was that a very specific plan for PSG or is that something we can see more often here?

I think that was what I would say, let's say the general identity of the team. I liked a lot of the intensity and aggressivity in the pressure. I liked the forwardness and the running forward, playing forward. I think we played four midfielders across the midfield. That could be for some games.

It could also be different for some games. I think it's fair to say it's one game away to Paris and it's a different game for Fulham.

Could you play like that more at home?

Everything is possible, but I think it depends on the opponent. It depends on the type of game. I think we need different types. I've said that before. Being pragmatic is not having the same principles in all the phases. But maybe choose different types for different games.

What do you think of the theory that the reason the home form is struggling this season is because the team is not so good when they have to be proactive with the ball and take initiative?

I think that's two different things, of course. It's different to press and have more open spaces to run into. And then to open up when there are 11 players behind the ball.

It's two different scenarios. The demand. Not two different kinds of skill set, but some abilities to one and some abilities to something else.

I think the most difficult thing in football is to break down the opponent at a low block. And that is difficult. We have a lot to develop and improve, and on that journey, we need to find solutions that can create enough chances.

Tottenham are preparing for Saturday's Premier League clash with Fulham following their dramatic 5-3 Champions League defeat to PSG

Thomas Frank insists there is still no timeframe on the highly-anticipated returns of Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke.

The attacking duo are on the comeback trail after undergoing knee and ankle operations, respectively.

But speaking ahead of Saturday's Premier League home match against Fulham, Frank refused to be drawn on exactly when the duo will be back in action.

When asked about the frustration of being without two integral players, the Dane replied: "It's part of it. We get judged when we walk into a fantastic club like this. There are expectations every day, on every performance. That's part of the game. No problem with that.

"I'd love to have them ready to play for us, but they're unavailable, other players need to step up. It's much easier to say they're in, when available, rather than put a timeframe on it."

Tottenham will be without captain Cristian Romero, who had a tough night on Wednesday at the Parc des Princes against PSG, as he is suspended.

The Argentine picked up his fifth caution of the campaign in last Sunday's 4-1 North London Derby defeat at Arsenal.

Frank also added that fellow centre-back Radu Dragusin is not yet ready to start despite recently playing 45 minutes in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Leyton Orient.

He said of the Romania international after revealing Spurs picked up no fresh injuries against PSG: "Nothing changed from the Arsenal and PSG games - obviously suspension to Cuti. Radu [Dragusin] is not able to start yet but he's progressing in training."

Tottenham have generally been impressive on the road in the Premier League but their home form is a major issue.

Only basement boys Wolves have picked up less points (one) than Spurs' five on their own patch in six top-flight matches this term.

Frank is trying to restore focus as ninth-place Tottenham are still in touch with the Champions League places despite their patchy form.

He continued: "We're facing a completely different game on Saturday, a game where we hopefully will be more on the ball and need to open Fulham up.

"I think actually Fulham, maybe they don't have the points they want, I've watched a lot of their games, they've performed well, they've been quite unlucky with some results but it will be a different challenge but I'm pleased with the performance response we got from the players against PSG, we did the aggression in the high pressure, the forwardness, the intensity we played with should have earned us a point or points, but a bit of randomness, some set-pieces, game management and we didn't and that's the bit we need to learn from.

"Every decision I take is to do everything I can to win the next game. I'm very aware that we need to win the day after tomorrow and the day after that and so on."

Here are our Tottenham talking points after their dramatic eight-goal thriller at PSG in the Champions League on Wednesday evening

There was a moment early in Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham tenure when he realised what he had to do to survive at the north London club and perhaps that time has arrived for Thomas Frank.

Eleven years ago this month, Pochettino's era at Spurs looked to be spluttering to an end before it had barely begun. The squad he had inherited was far removed from the young, hungry one he'd had at Southampton.

There were cliques and fading stars looking out for themselves in the dressing room. Some of the older players did not take to Pochettino's ways, particularly his tough physical demands. A few completely flat out rejected his ideas and disrespected him.

So on the night of November 2, 2014, it looked like the end was nigh with Spurs sitting just three points above the relegation zone and 1-0 down at Aston Villa with six minutes of normal time remaining.

Pochettino turned to Jesus Perez and his staff in the dugout and said: "Lads pack your bags tonight, tomorrow we’re going home." He expected the sack.

Then a couple of the younger players who had bought into his methods saved him and brought him clarity.

Nacer Chadli scored an equaliser on 86 minutes and then young striker Harry Kane scored a last-gasp dramatic free-kick to turn the game and Pochettino's tenure on its head.

Pochettino would later say that in that moment everything changed in his head about how he was going to approach managing the north London club.

"We can't carry on like this. The revolution had begun. That match made us realise that to succeed at this club we had to do things our way. That game unshackled us," he said.

"Before then we had too many people around us spouting their opinions. All those voices confused me and passed their fears on to me.

"After the Villa game I found myself saying: 'I know what I've got to do. I know where to go. I'm sure I'm going to be successful, I have no doubts'. And that was that, I told my people 'It's over, we're locking the door'.

"I started to build the team in my own image. I resolved not to cave in whatever happened."

Tottenham did not win on Wednesday night in Paris and their defending in the second half gifted the Champions League holders a victory that the visitors had worked so hard in the first period to avoid.

Yet there were enough positives in a game against Europe's best to show Frank what he must do, and like Pochettino, the key lies with his younger, rapidly learning players.

For two 19-year-olds in the French capital showed more guile, fight and tactical understanding than the 11 starting Spurs players combined in Sunday's horror show at the Emirates.

It mattered not that Frank had chosen a formation in Paris without wingers, a 4-4-2 diamond formation with both the teenagers Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall, along with the relatively ancient 23-year-old Pape Matar Sarr, all given licence to take turns at the tip of the midfield while Rodrigo Bentancur anchored it all.

PSG had struggled with Tottenham in Udine in August but now they had their fans roaring around them in the Parc des Princes. They duly had early chances for their wealth of stars like Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Fabian Ruiz and Warren Zaïre-Emery.

Yet Tottenham's teenagers took charge in the 35th minute. With a delightful backheel, Bergvall sent Gray into the box - not the first time the duo had combined in such a way -and this time the former Leeds man's chipped cross to the back post found Randal Kolo Muani and the Frenchman headed it across for Richarlison to nod home.

"Incredible," PSG boss Luis Enrique said of Spurs' first goal after the match. "We didn’t defend very well, [but the goal was] well played really."

Quality does not sit back to applaud though and the magnificent Vitinha began to weave his magic with a rocket of a shot from the edge of the box which cannoned off the underside of the crossbar and into the net.

Spurs and their young stars were undeterred and regained the lead five minutes into the second half.

Pedro Porro launched a deep corner to the back post where Richarlison headed the ball into the path of Gray. The teenager's flicked effort was headed on to the crossbar by Zaire-Emery on the line and bounced out for Kolo Muani to smash home a powerful volley against his parent club.

The lead lasted just three minutes thanks to that man Vitinha again. The Portuguese midfielder cut inside from the right and curled a strike into the far corner, this time with his left foot.

As the ever-running Bergvall and Gray began to tire in their first starts in weeks, so Tottenham lost much of their edge and their captain Cristian Romero began his own descent towards match villain.

In the 59th minute, the Argentine played a needless pass from the edge of the Tottenham box to Pape Matar Sarr, who was caught in possession and Joao Neves picked out Ruiz to sweep home in an empty box.

Just six minutes later, a scramble in the box from a corner ended with Willian Pacho nipping in ahead of Sarr to poke the loose ball into the net.

To Spurs' credit, they were not about to give up. Bentancur robbed Vitinha in the PSG half and the ball broke to Kolo Muani, who ran on and smashed home a second goal against his employers.

Drama is rarely done with Tottenham Hotspur though and when Romero raised his arm while sliding in to block a Vitinha shot so the ball struck it and left the referee with no choice but to award the penalty that the Portuguese struck to seal his treble.

In case eight goals were not enough, along came a red card in added time as Lucas Hernandez whipped his elbow into former PSG man Xavi Simons' face.

It was a chaotic game and the defending in the second half ensured Spurs have conceded nine goals in their past two matches and 11 in three.

What makes that all the more frustrating is that if you can score five goals across two games against PSG you should be winning those encounters, even against Europe's best. Tottenham ended up losing both.

Yet there were positives and like Pochettino, perhaps Frank can find a way forward for his tenure.

"Today I saw more identity of the team I want to create, we want to create," said the Dane. "Much more character, personality, aggressiveness. Three words you need to have in any team no matter what you want to do, how you want to play, whatever formation, whatever. Today we saw it, that I'm pleased with.

"It was a performance that was up there where we could get something out of the game, a draw or a win. So that's a little frustrating thing that we conceded some goals.

"Of course, one with a little bit of margin from Vitinha, not top corner but top, top corner. And then, of course, goal three and four. Those are the ones we definitely need to avoid if we want to get something out of here, but something to build on. Strikers scoring two goals. The whole team, I think, all performed well.

"Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, positive when we played against a decent team where they have one Ballon d'Or winner and I think the next one is playing in midfield. Vitinha. Wow, what a player."

This Spurs squad learned how to play in hostile foreign atmospheres over the course of last season, their early wobbles in Europe giving way to professional displays amid the noise of their travels in the latter stages of the Europa League and then the final itself.

After returning to stumbles at Bodo and Monaco early in this campaign, they had seemed focused again for the first half in the Paris noise only to lose their way in the final half an hour.

Bergvall and Gray, who had helped save Spurs in Bodo, showed their growing experience of playing in tough atmospheres and both thrust their hands in the air for regular roles under Frank.

"Very impressive. Two young players, I said from the beginning, that I believe a lot in," Frank told football.london. "Archie was there ready before Monaco and then unfortunately picked up the calf injury.

"So we've been waiting for him to be ready again. Today he showed a lot. The way the two of them set up the first goal was also joyful to watch, but the mobility, technical, ball handling, mentality, character, I liked it."

Bergvall has been getting the minutes in since joining last year. The Swedish teen has already played 61 times for the club despite his age. Gray is just eight behind on 53 but many of his appearances have come out of his natural midfield position, in either central defence or as a full-back on either flank.

Spurs spent £40million on Gray because he is one of England's best young midfield talents. His FA Cup performance against Chelsea two seasons ago was his calling card as he dominated their stars yet Tottenham have failed to hand him the opportunities to show that ability to run matches with his energy and technique.

Wednesday night hopefully served as a reminder of what he can do and what he will become.

"The coaching staff have been absolutely brilliant with everyone, especially improving our individual games and stuff like that," said Gray after his return to the pitch. "Last season was a tough season, obviously it ended really well but a lot of tough moments in the season, especially for me playing centre-back and all these different positions, which I'm grateful for but there were loads of setbacks.

"It is just things to learn from and the coaching staff this year have been really helpful with individual plans and stuff like that."

Frank told football.london why he picked that diamond-shaped midfield including the trio of young midfielders.

"As you could see the game plan was to really go after PSG, man to man. If anyone's followed me just a tiny bit, they know that that's what I want," said the Spurs head coach.

"That's much more the identity, that aggressiveness, that dynamic into the team, and to do that against PSG, who are that fluid and that mobile all over the pitch, I thought we needed a more running, powerful midfield across the midfield four."

Gray enjoyed his role within the Dane's fluid engine room and how it matched all the players up against their counterparts.

"The pressure is just man-to-man. Find your man and stay with them," he said. "Obviously just trying to find the spaces where the midfielders don't want to track you and finding the half spaces like with the cross. It was enjoyable."

Something Frank must now utilise going forward is the bond between Gray and Bergvall. The popular duo arrived at the club together last year as wide-eyed 18-year-olds and can frequently be seen together at the training ground.

"Me and Lucas are really close," admitted Gray. "Every time we're on the pitch together, we just trust each other 100 per cent.

"Even if there is pressure on us, we know we can play to each other and we can handle that pressure. We're really close on the pitch and off it as well."

As Pochettino built a team anchored around some gifted young players with a sprinkling of senior talent, so Frank must do the same.

In Gray and Bergvall, along with Sarr, the Dane has the potential engine room of Tottenham for years to come.

He also finally got to see what Randal Kolo Muani can truly bring to his attack. Fired up on his return to the Parc des Princes, the masked Frenchman volleyed home his first goal for the club expertly and then after a little bobble fell his way as he dribbled, his second strike was clinical.

The 26-year-old's link-up play was strong on the night and he worked well in tandem with Richarlison. Kolo Muani is not afraid to drive at defences with the ball at his feet and it makes him an unpredictable problem for the opposition.

PSG know all about him but could not prevent him grabbing two goals and the cushioned assist for Richarlison.

"Today we saw what hopefully we can expect," said Frank. "I think even two goals and an assist in every game is probably too much. I would love to get that every single game.

"But as I said the whole time, he came in late with no pre-season, not top fit, had two setbacks, especially with the dead leg and then the broken jaw. Today we saw more of it. He's still not top fit. So hopefully he'll come in more."

The former Frankfurt and Juventus striker can be a real threat for Tottenham as he gets fitter and sharper and his PSG team-mate Vitinha is happy to see him enjoying his football again.

"Very pleased [for him]. He is not just a very good player but he is a good person as well," said the Portuguese. "I like Kolo a lot and I'm happy he is doing well in Tottenham. Sometimes you don't succeed at one club but it doesn't mean you are a bad player.

"It is just the context and a lot of things around you that happen and can explain that, but he shows he is more. He is succeeding at Tottenham and I wish him all the best and that he will have a great career because the guy deserves it."

While this was still a defeat and just three wins in 12 matches for Frank is a poor run of form, it felt like something more positive after the disaster on Sunday. Few teams will come to the Parc des Princes and score three goals.

The Tottenham fans inside the stadium in Paris acknowledged that and gave the players a warm ovation despite the scoreline. Despite the second half mistakes, they had seen the drive and hunger that is the minimum they ask for and they saw how Frank's team should play in spells.

"The fans were unbelievable. They have stuck with us through a lot of hard times and we can't thank them enough for the support they give us, especially after a few tough games" said Gray.

"Hopefully there were a few positives tonight that we can give them. Obviously it's not good enough these losses at a club like Tottenham, but we're going to look to improve that."

The way to improve is for Frank to be brave and put his faith in his exciting players instead of setting up with hope rather than expectation.

Saturday brings the visit of Fulham and a chance to change the horrible home form at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Frank has always been labelled as being adaptable and perhaps he's tried too hard to bend and fit to what others expect from him in this next chapter in his career, rather than ensuring his team plays with the speed, aggression and excitement that brought him to this point.

For spells in Paris, Tottenham had an identity again. That must continue. The revolution must begin for Thomas Frank.

The PSG boss spoke about the north London side following their 5-3 thriller in Paris in the Champions League on Wednesday night

PSG boss Luis Enrique paid tribute to Tottenham's 'incredible' first goal and their 'excellent' defensive organisation in the first half of their Champions League clash.

Spurs twice took the lead in the Parc des Prince against the reigning champions through Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani, only for a Vitinha hat-trick, with further goals from Fabian Ruiz and Willian Pacho, to break Tottenham hearts around a second strike for Kolo Muani against his parent club.

Thomas Frank's side's first goal on 35 minutes came from a perfect team move. Nineteen-year-olds Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall combined with the Swede flicking a back heel into his team-mate's run and the former Leeds man floated a cross to the back post where Kolo Muani headed the ball back across the six-yard box for Richarlison to nod in.

"Incredible," said Enrique before admitting: "We didn’t defend very well, [but the goal was]well played really. This was the first one. Second one a set piece and the third was Vitinha’s assist."

The Spaniard added of the north London side: "There are no easy games in the Champions League. Tottenham also played a really good game. Their defensive organisation in the first half was excellent."

The former Barcelona man was asked whether this was a game to judge Ligue side PSG against the level of the Premier League.

"I’m not here to judge any teams. Teams in the Premier League are at a high level but it is a competition that's very long and we will see in March which teams will be there," he said. "I know Arsenal are first in both competitions, they don’t concede many goals and are at a very high level, but we must be careful."

The young Tottenham midfielder impressed in Paris against the Champions League winners in the eight-goal thriller on Wednesday night

Archie Gray has labelled the travelling Tottenham fans as "unbelievable" after the team put them through the wringer again with Wednesday night's 5-3 defeat at PSG.

Gray was handed a start in the midfield alongside fellow 19-year-old Lucas Bergvall at the Parc des Princes as Thomas Frank rang the changes following the north London derby defeat on Sunday. The two teenagers shone as Spurs twice took the lead against the Champions League holders through Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani, only for a Vitinha hat-trick, alongside further goals from Fabian Ruiz and Willian Pacho, to break Tottenham hearts around a second strike for Kolo Muani.

After the game the Tottenham supporters who had travelled to Paris gave the players a warm ovation despite the defeat after seeing far more fight and endeavour from the team than they had at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

"I mean the fans were unbelievable. They have stuck with us through a lot of hard times and we can't thank them enough for the support they give us, especially after a few tough games" said Gray. "Hopefully there were a few positives tonight that we can give them. Obviously it's not good enough these losses at a club like Tottenham, but we're going to look to improve that."

Gray and Bergvall combined for Spurs' excellent opening goal with the Swede playing a back heel into his team-mate's run and the former Leeds man chipped a cross to the back post where Kolo Muani headed the ball back across for Richarlison to nod home. Gray admits his bond with Bergvall away from the game helps with their connection on the turf.

"Me and Lucas are really close. Every time we're on the pitch together, we just trust each other 100 per cent," said the teen. "Even if there is pressure on us, we know we can play to each other and we can handle that pressure. We're really close on the pitch and off the pitch as well."

Gray was making his first appearance in over a month, since returning from a calf injury but he fitted into the team seamlessly in an energetic box-to-box role in the midfield during a busy 76-minute display.

"I mean the pressure is just man-to-man. Find your man and stay with them," he said on his role. "Obviously just trying to find the spaces where the midfielders don't want to track you and finding the half spaces like with the cross. Yeah, it was enjoyable."

While disappointed by the scoreline, Gray believes there was enough to take from the game against the European champions to kick the team on from a poor run of just three wins from Tottenham's past 12 games.

"It's disappointing to lose games of football and we're not happy after that one, but we've got more positives to take from this game than the last game. We scored three goals so that was obviously pretty positive," he said. "I mean it was a tough game at the weekend and this game we were playing probably the best team in Europe. It was always going to be a tough game, but we showed positives we can take into Fulham.

"We obviously weren't happy with the result at Arsenal or anything like that. It took a bit out of us, but we were always going to bounce back. That's football. You can't dwell on things for too long because you have got a game every three or two days."

Gray is at least playing in midfield now after spending much of his first season at Tottenham in central defence or as a full-back following his £40million move from Elland Road, due to the injury crisis that engulfed the club under Ange Postecoglou and has seeped into Frank's reign.

The teenager is enjoying the coaching sessions with Frank and his staff as he concentrates on being in the middle of the park again.

"The coaching staff have been absolutely brilliant with everyone, especially improving our individual games and stuff like that," he said. "Last season was a tough season, obviously it ended really well but a lot of tough moments in the season, especially for me playing centre-back and all these different positions, which I'm grateful for but there were loads of setbacks.

"It is just things to learn from and the coaching staff this year have been really helpful with individual plans and stuff like that."

Gray is aware of the desire from the Spurs fans for the team to play entertaining football but has backed Frank's decisions to alter the tactics for certain games.

"I think every club wants to play entertaining football and sometimes when you play teams like PSG you obviously have to alter that a little bit," he explained. "They are the champions of Europe, so they have that individual quality where they can take you apart in literally one moment.

"Obviously we all want to play entertaining football, but sometimes you might have to adapt that for certain games and we're 100 per cent with the coaching staff and the manager."

Here's every single word the Tottenham Hotspur boss said after the defeat at PSG in the Champions League on Wednesday night

Thomas Frank had plenty of praise for his players despite Tottenham's 5-3 defeat at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Spurs opened the scoring on 35 minutes when Lucas Bergvall sent Archie Gray into the box and his chipped cross to the back post found Randal Kolo Muani, currently on loan from PSG, and the Frenchman headed it across for Richarlison to nod home.

In added time at the end of the first half though a short corner move from the hosts ended with a rocket from the edge of the box from Vitinha, which flew off the underside of the crossbar and into the net. Tottenham regained the lead five minutes into the second half. Pedro Porro launched a deep corner which Richarlison headed into the path of Gray. The teenager's flicked effort was headed on to the crossbar by a PSG defender on the line and bounced out for Kolo Muani to smash home a powerful volley. The lead lasted just three minutes though as Vitinha cut inside from the right and curled a strike into the far corner, this time with his left foot. Tottenham then gifted PSG the lead in the 59th minute. A dangerous pass out from captain Cristian Romero led to Pape Matar Sarr being caught in possession and Joao Neves picked out Fabian Ruiz to sweep home in an empty box. Six minutes later, a scramble in the box from a corner ended with Willian Pacho nipping in ahead of Sarr to poke the loose ball into the net. Spurs were not done yet though. Rodrigo Bentancur robbed Vitinha in the PSG half and the ball broke to Kolo Muani, who ran on and smashed home a second goal against his employers.

More drama followed as Vitinha's shot hit Romero's outstretched arm in the box and with 14 minutes to go the Portuguese rifled home the resulting penalty to complete his treble and bury Tottenham's comeback hopes. There was still time for a red card in added time as Lucas Hernandez flicked out an elbow into former PSG man Xavi Simons' face.

Our Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold is in Paris and was among those putting the questions to Frank after the game. Here's the full transcript from the press conference at the Parc des Princes.

Your first words to me last night were that the performance is always more important than the result and that is surely a performance you're very proud of?

Yeah, definitely. I'm pleased with the performance. It was the reaction I wanted from the players, from the team. We've been working very hard on that, the players, the staff, me, to make sure that we responded well and bounced back because that's crucial after a bad performance.

Today I saw more identity of the team I want to create, we want to create. Much more character, personality, aggressiveness. Three words you need to have in any team no matter how you want to do, how you want to play, whatever formation, whatever. Today we saw it, that I'm pleased with.

Of course, I think it was performance that was up there where we could get something out of the game, a draw or a win. So that's a little frustrating thing that we conceded some goals.

Of course, one with a little bit of margin from Vitinha, not top corner but top, top corner. And then, of course, goal three and four. Those are the ones we definitely need to avoid if we want to get something out of here, but something to build on. Strikers scoring two goals. The whole team, I think, all performed well.

Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, positive. When we played against a decent team where they have one Ballon d'Or winner and I think the next one is playing in midfield. Vitinha. Wow, what a player.

Aside from his two goals last night, did we just see what Randal Kolo Muani is capable of once he gets a bit of a run in the team and a bit of consistency under his belt?

Yeah, definitely. I think today we saw what hopefully we can expect. I think even two goals and assists in every game is probably too much. I would love to get that every single game. But as I said the whole time, he came in late with no pre-season, not top fit, had two setbacks, especially with the dead leg and then the broken jaw. Today we saw more of it. He's still not top fit. So hopefully he'll come in more.

With Archie and Lucas, how impressive is it for two 19-year-olds to come to a place like this and play with that kind of fearlessness?

Very impressive. Two young players, said from the beginning, that I believe a lot in. Archie was there ready before Monaco and then unfortunately picked up the calf injury. So we've been waiting for him to be ready again. Today he showed a lot. The way the two of them set up the first goal was also joyful to watch, but the mobility, technical, ball handling, mentality, character, I liked it.

Tell us a little bit about your formation tonight and especially the way that midfield worked?

As you could see the game plan was to really go after PSG, man to man. If anyone's followed me just a tiny bit, they know that that's what I want. That's much more the identity, that aggressiveness, that dynamic into the team, and to do that against PSG, who are that fluid and that mobile all over the pitch, I thought we needed a more running, powerful midfield across the midfield four.

Just sort of linked to that, the team seems to be much more threatening in attack today. It created a lot more chances, a lot more physicality. What do you put that down to?

I think a combination of a good response, so we had a good performance. We simply just performed better. I also think that it was a more open game. So when you face teams that are banged in, you probably sometimes need a little bit different. Today it was more open and we could use the mobility of Archie, Lucas, Pape and then the two strikers that worked well together.

It's only the second time this season Lucas, Archie and Pape have all started together. The first was against Burnley, what made you decide that all three of them, as a very young trio, could start this game together and all work together?

I think the main bit was a little bit the game plan that we wanted for running midfielders. Not a winger, just because of the dynamic to follow their man-man pressure. That was one thing. And then because I knew when we wanted them in these open spaces, they're such willing runners, that definitely helped in the spaces they created from there.