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Thomas Frank will want to have the best of the best beside him to compete for all trophies at Tottenham.

Aston Villa ended Tottenham’s four game unbeaten run in a 2-1 defeat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Frank has been under increasing pressure to deliver favourable results, with the Lewis family prioritising Spurs’ sporting success.

As a result, a change in personnel on the pitch could be what the Dane needs to live up to his expectations in North London.

Richarlison could leave in January

Richarlison was linked with a departure from Tottenham over the summer after a series of performance and injury related issues.

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However, Richarlison’s solid start to Spurs’ season had many questioning why an exit was on the cards in the first place. Despite this, his form has now taken a turn for the worst.

As a result, Tottenham expert and Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes Tottenham will no extend the striker’s contract, which is due to expire in the summer of 2027.

“I don’t see Tottenham rewarding him with a new contract, and his expires in 2027,” Wenham said.

“If he were to leave next summer, he’d only have one year left on his contract. I think that’s a sensible time for all parties for him to move.

“The only complication to that is that he will be hoping to feature and be the leading striker for Brazil at the World Cup next summer as well.

“So it might be that January is a more realistic time for him to move. Dominic Solanke will be coming back into the team. Mathys Tel started and scored away at Leeds. Randal Kolo Muani is at the club.

“So say it could be in January, just with that World Cup in the summer and he won’t want the distraction of a move and a move of country, and everything could be a more sensible time for that to happen.”

The clock is ticking for Richarlison to prove himself at Tottenham

While Solanke may be sidelined for Spurs, Kolo Muani saw some minutes during the defeat to Villa.

Meanwhile, Tel started in back to back games for Frank which indicates that the Dane is looking at alternative options as Tottenham’s starting striker.

As it stands, the Brazilian may only start a couple of times before Solanke re-enters the folds.

As a result, the pressure is on for Richarlison – who has eight Premier League appearances this season – to prove his worth in North London before someone else takes his spot.

Tottenham travel to Monaco on Wednesday looking to bounce back from defeat last time out.

Tottenham fell to a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa on 19 October, with Emi Buendia’s strike in the 77th minute proving the difference.

Thomas Frank will be looking to get a reaction from his players as Spurs return to Champions League action.

Cristian Romero went off before Tottenham’s loss to Villa, and he joins a long injury list containing the likes of Destiny Udogie, Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke.

Xavi Simons and Mathys Tel dropped for Monaco vs Tottenham

Xavi Simons has had a poor start to his Tottenham career so far, and that continued in the defeat on Sunday.

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Simons was utilised in an attacking midfield role, but he failed to make things happen, with just one chance created and just three passes into the final third, as per Sofascore.

He also struggled defensively, with just one interception and won just five ground duels out of the 12 that he attempted, for a 42 per cent success rate.

He is expected to be replaced by Lucas Bergvall in the number 10 role in the starting line-up for the clash with the Ligue 1 outfit.

Meanwhile, Randal Kolo Muani is predicted be called upon to lead the line, after Mathys Tel struggled against Unai Emery’s side, with Mohammed Kudus and Wilson Odobert on the flanks.

The Frenchman did not create a single chance, and missed the only big chance that he had, while taking just 15 touches in the contest in 60 minutes on the pitch.

The final change is predicted to be Pape Sarr partnering Joao Palhinha, rather than Rodrigo Bentancur in the centre of the park, the midfielder was one of Spurs’ best performers in the loss, but he needs to be kept fit for the run of games coming up.

The Uruguayan scored the opener, created one chance, made three recoveries and won three of his four ground duels, for a 75 per cent success rate, emphasising his importance to Frank’s team.

The rest of the team is expected to be unchanged, with the backline of Guglielmo Vicario, Pedro Porro, Kevin Danso, Micky Van de Ven and Djed Spence keeping their places in the side.

Frank needs to bench Simons, he needs to earn his place

Simons was a high-profile signing when he came through the doors, and he was expected to take over from James Maddison, after the English star was ruled out for up to seven months.

However, he has failed to do so, with just one assist in eight appearances since he moved to North London from RB Leipzig.

The Lilywhites need Simons to earn his place, through regular contributions from the bench, before he is promoted back into the team.

Given that he joined for a fee of around £52million, he should be making an instant impact, but so far, that has not happened.

He may just need a run out of the side, before he comes back with a vengeance.

Tottenham fans have already come to a firm conclusion on Guglielmo Vicario.

Vicario has started every Premier League game for Tottenham this season as his importance continues to grow in North London.

In fact, Thomas Frank recently appointed him to Spurs’ leadership team, which saw several players including Pedro Porro miss out.

However, it has not been all smiles for the keeper since the season began.

Tottenham fans want Antonin Kinsky to replace Guglielmo Vicario

Vicario has been scrutinised at Tottenham for his recent performances in the Premier League.

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Calls to banish him from the starting lineup and replace him with Antonin Kinsky have been mounting since the season began.

However, fans seem to have reached their breaking point following Spurs 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa, with several taking to X to demand the keeper to take a step back.

“Sorry to keep being negative, just watched the highlights back and Vicario for those goals….positioning is absolutely horrible. Just give Kinsky a chance already,” The Spurs Watch posted on 19 October.

Some supporters under the post were in agreement, with one fan stating: “Kinsky would genuinely do better here.”

Another added: “First one is awful. The minute I saw it I was raging with Vicario. He keeps letting us down in games. Only Leeds away was he good.”

One more said: “He was completely off his line on the first goal! I can’t believe people didn’t realise that.” While another added: “Yeah I’m done with Vicario. Mid-table keeper at best. Upgrade required.”

Demands for Kinsky to start were plentiful with another fan stating: “Yep give Kinsky a chance especially as he’ll improve our possession and progression up the pitch as well.”

While there were fans who jumped in to defend Vicario under the post, it is clear that patience is running thin for some Spurs supporters.

Is Guglielmo Vicario the latest scapegoat at Tottenham?

While fans have a right to be disappointed with some of his performances, it is clear that Vicario has become the newest scapegoat at Tottenham.

This seems to be an emerging trend among supporters over the years, with Brennan Johnson the subject of fierce criticism last season before turning things around.

In truth, the current Spurs number one has not been bad in the Premier League if Sofascore is to be believed.

But with the Lilywhites sinking from third to sixth in the Premier League, fans need someone to blame and it seems Vicario is the chosen one.

Tottenham could be about to deal yet more transfer pain to West Ham United.

Business between the pair of London rivals had been a rarity in the market until Daniel Levy broke his usual code to prize Mohammed Kudus away from the Hammers in the summer.

Kudus has been exceptional for Tottenham so far, much to the angst of the West Ham fans, many of whom didn’t want to see him be sold to such a bitter rival.

The East Londoners are still reeling from that deal, and now Thomas Frank and Co. could be about to scupper their plans to land Ivan Toney as well.

Ivan Toney undoubtedly interested in Tottenham switch

Tottenham have been linked with Toney of late, given the connection between him and Frank from their time together at Brentford.

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The Spurs boss delivered a cheeky response when quizzed about the 29-year-old recently, which has sparked suggestions that a reunion could be on the cards.

The striker seems destined to return to the Premier League this winter, with West Ham plotting a loan deal to help boost his World Cup hopes, according to Alan Nixon via his Patreon account.

However, ex-Spurs scout Bryan King – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes that Toney would jump at the chance to move to N17, which would inflict yet more pain on West Ham.

“Without doubt (Toney would be interested in Spurs move),” King said.

“The one thing that he’s got to be guaranteed if he wants to challenge for an England place is a regular slot for the team that are going to take him.

“I couldn’t see that being a problem with Frank because he knows him and he knows what he’s capable of.

“I think the wide players and the midfielders that Tottenham have got would suit him. If there’s a possibility of getting him on loan, then Tottenham should seriously look at that.”

Spurs’ needs align perfect with Ivan Toney’s

Dominic Solanke’s latest injury has affected Tottenham badly in recent weeks, as they lack the quality that is needed at the top of the pitch to challenge the upper end of the Premier League.

They are desperately in need of a consistent and reliable goalscorer, and with Toney seemingly set to become available, it is surely a no-brainer for them to bring him in.

The England international seemingly has an excellent relationship with Frank after their time together at Brentford, and a move to N17 would put him perfectly in the spotlight for Thomas Tuchel ahead of next summer’s World Cup.

West Ham’s attempts to land the frontman are admirable, but if Tottenham were to come calling, he would surely have no hesitation.

Tottenham fans in disbelief at Xavi Simons after what he has done – ‘Very average’

Tottenham lost their second Premier League game of the season on Sunday after a disappointing return from international football.

Tottenham were without Cristian Romero for the clash against Aston Villa, and it showed after he dropped out minutes before kick-off.

Thomas Frank’s side were beaten 2-1 by Villa, despite Rodrigo Bentancur putting the Lilywhites ahead in the fifth minute of the match.

Xavi Simons started as Tottenham‘s attacking midfielder, but failed to have any real impact on the game, as Spurs fans have already piled in on the Dutchman.

Tottenham “suffer” with Xavi Simons as fans express frustration

Simons has been criticised for Tottenham this season since joining in a big-money move from RB Leipzig, but fans thought things would get better after his performance in the 2-1 victory over Leeds before the break.

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Despite only starting in the Premier League on four occasions now, Simons’ role at Spurs is under threat, with him yet to score a goal for Frank.

After another poor performance against Villa, Simons could now find himself out of the side, as Tottenham fans have had their say.

Another Tottenham fan shared, “He ain’t it, not sure if he suits the Prem.”

One Spurs fans suggested, “Xavi is a complete midfielder and if you can find a way to unlock him it will be rewarding.”

Simons must adapt quickly at Spurs

The Villa game just seemed to pass Simons by, and every time he was in a threatening position on the edge of the box, the attacker seemed to hesitate in playing a killer ball or taking a shot.

Simons didn’t register a single successful dribble or shot in the defeat, and kept losing possession of the ball for Tottenham, with his side then being exploited on the counter-attack.

The young midfielder needs to take more risks and gain confidence quickly.

The Premier League doesn’t offer much time for luxury players like him to adapt, and Simons needs to get his Spurs career off the ground sooner rather than later.

Thomas Frank will be desperate for a win over Monaco in the Champions League to get back into the good graces of Tottenham fans.

Tottenham gave up a one-goal lead against Aston Villa to lose 2-1 on Sunday, in what was another disappointing performance at home.

While Frank may have inherited a few issues from Ange Postecoglou, fans are beginning to grow tired of his cautious attacking approach.

But there is no time like the present, and the Dane will have a chance to redeem himself when Tottenham face Monaco in the UEFA Champions League on 22 October.

Tottenham are favourites against Monaco

Frank has enjoyed a decent start to the Champions League with Spurs’ latest draw to Bodo/Glimt seeing them claim four out of a possible six points thus far.

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According to Opta’s Supercomputer, that tally could rise to seven as Tottenham are the favourites to win the confrontation with Monaco.

Indeed, the home side has a 33.8 per cent chance of victory while the Lilywhites have a 41.2 per cent chance of restoring confidence in Frank.

There is a 25 per cent chance that the game ends level, which are pretty good odds for a Spurs side who will be playing away from home.

Then again, given their dire home record these past few months, an important Champions League away game may be just what the doctor ordered.

Tottenham have a Mohammed Kudus problem

Mohammed Kudus’s performance against Aston Villa was arguably one of his worst in a Spurs shirt.

While his display was passable in the first half, fans would’ve been wondering if he was still on this pitch for most of the second.

Now, Frank’s over-reliance on the Ghanian to create attacking opportunities has come up before. But Spurs’ lacklustre performance against the Villans demonstrates why it can’t be swept under the rug.

When Kudus was on the ball in the first half, the Lilywhites looked alive and threatening in the final third. However, as Villa grew into the game in the second half and the channels to the right winger were cut off, Spurs struggled to create good goalscoring opportunities.

This is a problem Frank will need to address soon. Whether it means giving Wilson Odobert more responsibilities or the team looking at Xavi Simons for answers, Spurs cannot continue to rely on Kudus in the final third.

Tottenham had their four-game Premier League unbeaten run ended by Aston Villa on Sunday.

The visitors continued their recent resurgence with a 2-1 win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which condemned the Lilywhites to just their second defeat of the season in the league.

It was a frustrating afternoon for Thomas Frank and Tottenham, who failed to make the most of some promising situations in the first half and slowly saw the game slip away from them.

The new boss has largely overseen a positive change since his arrival in the summer, but he is still yet to fix this glaring issue from Ange Postecoglou’s reign.

Tottenham home record since start of 2024-25 has been awful

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is a remarkable facility that has brought Spurs an eye-catching change in terms of their fortunes off the pitch.

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However, it has been causing them issues in recent months on the footballing side of things, especially in the Premier League.

Sunday’s defeat took their home record to one win, one draw and two losses in the league so far this season, and Villa’s comeback victory has actually condemned their hosts to an unwanted high.

No Premier League side has dropped more points from winning positions at home than Tottenham’s 19 since the start of the 2024-25 season, according to OptaJoe via their X account.

A large portion of that was clearly Postecoglou’s doing, but Frank has been unable to address the issues on home turf since stepping into the dugout.

The N17 outfit had the division’s sixth-worst home record last season, as they were beaten 10 times on home turf across the campaign.

They already have the fourth-worst record on their own patch this term, and are well on their way to matching that striking number of defeats from 2024-25.

Frank has enjoyed a bright start to life as Spurs boss, but this is a problem that will derail their season if he can’t find a way to address it.

Spurs are wasteful in front of goal at home

Tottenham have issues at the top of the pitch at the moment, as all of their striker options are either injured or out of form.

This issue has been exacerbated on home turf, where the Lilywhites have spurned several quality chances of late.

They missed two big chances in Sunday’s defeat, and also squandered another clear-cut opportunity in the draw with Wolves in their last league outing in N17.

It has been a recurring theme for them of late, and it could certainly be argued that the problem is more the fact that they aren’t putting teams away, rather than defensive mishaps handing them a way back into games.

Villa scored two superb goals on Sunday which were out of Spurs’ control, but if the hosts had taken their chances then it simply wouldn’t have mattered.

Troy Deeney has been left fuming by a moment that Tottenham produced in their 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday.

The Lilywhites continued their poor start to the season on home turf, as goals from Morgan Rogers and Emi Buendia saw the visitors battle back from an early deficit to claim all three points.

Joao Palhinha was excellent for Tottenham, while his midfield partner Rodrigo Bentancur had put them ahead after just five minutes, but it ultimately wasn’t enough for them to avoid defeat.

It was a hugely annoying afternoon for Thomas Frank and his men, and Match of the Day pundit Deeney was left equally as frustrated as any Spurs fan.

Troy Deeney left angry by Tottenham five on three break

Mohammed Kudus caught the eye for Tottenham yet again, although he produced a frustrating moment shortly after his side hit the front, when he strayed offside in a needless situation before putting the ball in the net for a goal that was ultimately ruled out.

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Those lapses in concentration in the final third were prevalent for the home side throughout the afternoon, and former striker Deeney wasted no time in sharing his views during his analysis of the game on Sunday night’s edition of Match of the Day 2 (40:00).

The 37-year-old picked out a clip where Spurs had a five-on-three break on the edge of the Villa box, only for Mathys Tel to try and step inside his man and shoot, rather than using the overload to play Kudus in on the far side.

Deeney felt that moment was symptomatic of where Frank’s side are in terms of their attack at the moment.

“You just slide the ball into Kudus, he’s one-on-one and he’s having a very easy shot,” he said.

“Instead, everyone wants to have their moment in the sun.”

The former Watford man then agreed with presenter Mark Chapman that situations like that are “infuriating” from a striker’s perspective.

Thomas Frank needs Randal Kolo Muani to be the saviour

Randal Kolo Muani finally returned to action for Tottenham on Sunday, as he came off the bench after a lengthy injury lay-off.

The Frenchman is still an unknown quantity, having hardly featured since his deadline day arrival, but there is already plenty of pressure on him to come in and perform.

The North London outfit have something of a crisis brewing at the top of the pitch, as Richarlison has been as inconsistent as ever, and Tel continues to show a little naivety at times.

Spurs desperately need a top-quality striker to lead the line, and with Dominic Solanke still out through injury, the responsibility could fall on Kolo Muani in the coming weeks.

Frank is in desperate need of another option at the top of the pitch, and he needs the PSG loanee to hit the ground running in the next few games.

Tottenham were left frustrated as they were beaten 2-1 by Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon.

The Lilywhites saw their four-match unbeaten run in the Premier League ended by their visitors, despite taking the lead in just the fifth minute of the encounter.

Rodrigo Bentancur put Tottenham ahead in the early stages, before Villa battled back through a stunner from Morgan Rogers and a composed, curling finish from Emi Buendia in the 77th minute.

Thomas Frank will be angry that his team have lost a game that they took control of early on, and one particular star has been singled out for criticism.

Mohammed Kudus offside ‘disappointing’ after disallowed goal

Kudus has been a standout performer for Tottenham in recent weeks, and it already looks to be an excellent piece of business to bring him into the club.

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The Ghana international already has five goal contributions from his first eight games for his new club, and he caused problems again in their victory over Villa on Sunday afternoon.

He gave Lucas Digne a torrid time on the visitors’ left flank in the first half, and also delivered the cross which was eventually turned home by Bentancur for the opening goal.

However, Kudus has also been criticised for a frustrating moment that took place during the game.

The 25-year-old thought he had doubled his side’s lead in the 7th minute, when he latched onto a long ball from Micky van de Ven and applied the finish, only to see the linesman’s flag raised in the aftermath.

Former West Ham goalkeeper Rob Green has taken aim at the winger for the incident, and made it clear that he felt he shouldn’t have been offside in that position.

“It is a really, really disappointing motion for Kudus to drift offside,” Green said on BBC Radio 5 Live, via the BBC’s live feed of the game (2:08pm).

“There is no need. He has the view of the whole pitch and it’s not a ball that he can’t get to. Villa are sleeping.”

Mohammed Kudus is undroppable for Tottenham at the moment

Kudus has been a brilliant signing for Tottenham so far this season, and he holds the key to all of their attacking play at the moment.

The wideman allowed his form to dip during his time with West Ham last season, but he has hit a new level in the Premier League since his move in the summer.

He is undoubtedly one of the first names on the team sheet for Frank at the moment, and he is quickly estbalishing himself as an indispendible part of the team in N17.

Kudus has already been a brilliant signing, and his value to Spurs is growing with every passing game.

Tottenham were beaten 2-1 by Aston Villa on a frustrating afternoon in the Premier League.

The Lilywhites saw their troubled home form continue in the early stages of the season, as Villa condemned them to a third straight winless outing on home turf.

Cristian Romero picked up an injury for Tottenham during the warm-up, but they quickly hit the front in the fifth minute through Rodrigo Bentancur.

However, the visitors grew into the game as the afternoon wore on, and Morgan Rogers’ stunner shortly before half-time eventually paved the way for Emi Buendia to curl home a 77th-minute winner.

Thomas Frank will undoubtedly be frustrated with his team’s performance in the defeat, and with that in mind, Tottenham News rates the performance of every single Spurs player.

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Joao Palhinha integral for Tottenham vs Aston Villa

Joao Palhinha has been brilliant for Tottenham in recent weeks, and he played a vital role at the heart of their midfield yet again on Sunday.

As has become expected in recent weeks, the Portuguese was excellent in the middle of the park, as he broke play up effectively and screened the defence in typically combative style.

The 30-year-old won nine tackles as part of 12 defensive actions that he completed during the game, both were higher totals than any other player on the pitch.

His tireless work without the ball was matched by an impressive 85 per cent passing accuracy, and he topped off his eye-catching display with an assist as he nodded the ball down for Bentancur to finish.

It was a frustrating afternoon for his team, but Palhinha showed his importance once again and fully deserved a 7/10 rating.

Mathys Tel struggles badly for Spurs

Mathys Tel scored his first Tottenham goal of the season in their victory at Leeds United before the international break, and Frank would have been hoping to see him have a similar impact this time around.

The youngster netted twice for France U21s during the break, and appeared to have regained the confidence that he showed during his loan spell in N17 last season.

However, that wasn’t really the case for the 20-year-old on Sunday afternoon, whose performance was something of a let-down as he struggled to cause problems for the visitors’ backline.

Tel pressed effectively and competed well, but managed just 15 touches throughout the game and spurned the one big chance that came his way. With that in mind, he was worthy of little more than a 3/10 rating.

Spurs’ striker position has provided something of a conundrum in recent weeks with the absences of Randal Kolo Muani and Dominic Solanke, but Tel showed once again that he isn’t the answer.

Tottenham player ratings vs Aston Villa

Guglielmo Vicario – 5

Pedro Porro – 6

Kevin Danso – 5

Micky van de Ven – 5

Djed Spence – 5

Joao Palhinha – 7

Rodrigo Bentancur – 7

Mohammed Kudus – 6

Xavi Simons – 5

Wilson Odobert – 4

Mathys Tel – 3

Substitutes

Richarlison – 5

Lucas Bergvall – 5

Randal Kolo Muani – 5

Brennan Johnson – N/A

Pape Sarr – N/A