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Thomas Frank gave Mathys Tel a rare start in the Carabao Cup as Tottenham took on Doncaster Rovers on home soil.

As expected, it was a straightforward Wednesday evening for the Lilywhites, with Joao Palhinha and Brennan Johnson on the scoresheet in the 3-0 win.

Several fringe players started the encounter, but Tel was unable to grasp his Tottenham chance, spurning several promising opportunities.

Not only did the Tel have a night to forget, but he was also involved in a flashpoint that has come under the microscope.

This article contains the exclusive opinion of former Premier League and FIFA-listed referee Keith Hackett.

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Andy Madley should have given a yellow card for foul on Mathys Tel

Tottenham progressed to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup and will face a stern test away to Newcastle United in the next round.

Having been omitted from Frank’s Champions League squad, Tel is set to be limited to domestic cup appearances as well as the odd Premier League start.

The Frenchman attempted to make inroads past the Doncaster backline, but Glenn Middleton’s sliding tackle brought him down near the touchline.

Referee Madley awarded a foul against Donny’s winger, but decided against brandishing a yellow card.

When analysing the incident, Hackett – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes it was a clear bookable offence.

“There is lenient, then there is lenient,” Hackett said.

“Andy Madley not sanctioning this challenge is disappointing. It does not matter if he believes he is comfortably in control.

“Overlooking a challenge of this nature is unacceptable. he should do his job and apply the demands of the law. This is a clear yellow card offence.“

Will Thomas Frank continue to give Mathys Tel chances at Tottenham?

Some Spurs supporters are frustrated by Tel’s performances and are questioning why the North London club decided to sign him.

So far, Frank has opted to play the 20-year-old against weaker opposition, making starts against West Ham and Doncaster.

However, Tel has not done anything of note in either game, meaning that his head coach has a decision to make.

While there will be more favourable games to come, continuing to play the Frenchman is a risk, especially if Spurs don’t deliver results.

Furthermore, with Randal Kolo Muani to come back from injury, chances are surely going to become more sparse.

Indeed, if Tel’s opportunities diminish before the winter window, then that will trigger speculation of a possible January loan move, and rightly so.

Mathys Tel has endured a turbulent time at Tottenham, but his head coach clearly has his back.

The Lilywhites signed the Frenchman for a fee of around £30million from Bayern Munich this summer, turning his loan switch into a permanent one.

Thomas Frank has given Tel opportunities to impress this season, but has struggled to make any kind of impact.

Frank praised the forward after his showing in the Carabao Cup against Doncaster Rovers despite missing several chances.

Here, Tottenham News looks back at all the things the Dane has said about Tel since joining the North London club.

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What Thomas Frank said about Mathys Tel after Tottenham vs Doncaster Rovers

Frank gave his fringe players the chance to impress in the Carabao Cup as Tottenham strolled to a 3-0 win over Doncaster.

Indeed, some of those players impressed, with Archie Gray delivering an inspiring performance, but the same could not be said of Tel.

The 20-year-old could have scored several goals during his 87-minute outing, but was unable to make a notable impact.

“I don’t think he’s had a bad run, if I’m honest,” Frank said on 24 September when asked about the 20-year-old’s display.

“He played striker against West Ham, which I think he did quite well. Worked very hard for him to arrive in the right areas, which I think he did today. In terms of performance, that was a step up.

“Then we can look at the end product to score the goal, but the performance to arrive in the box, I was very happy with. Just close with the first ball from Brennan, ready for the cutback.

“Second half got in there on two other good situations and had a nice shot. I think it was a step up in terms of performance.”

Thomas Frank hails Mathys Tel as a ‘goalscorer’ after Tottenham transfer

Tel did little to convince during his Spurs loan spell, but the Lilywhites still decided to sign him.

Given that he is 20 and a regular for the France under-21s, the North London club certainly see potential in the forward, even if he is misfiring.

When Tottenham signed Tel over the summer, Frank was keen to laud him, highlighting his threat and versatility.

“Very, very excited about Mathys signing with a permanent deal,” he said via Spurs Play in June.

“I think he’s a very talented player who can play across the front four positions.

“He’s a goalscorer that we can develop even further to be more consistent in his all-round game, but also to more consistently land in the right positions in the box. So I’m looking forward to it.”

What Thomas Frank said about Mathys Tel after Champions League omission

Frank left Tel out of his Champions League squad, which was an early blow to the Frenchman’s 2025/26 campaign.

Of course, given the strength in depth that the former Brentford boss has, he was always going to disappoint someone.

“That was an extremely difficult decision,” Frank told Tottenham’s official website in mid-September.

“I also think in many ways it was a bit unfair. The UEFA lists are not big enough. The load is getting more and more on the players. We need a bigger squad. I cannot understand why we need to limit ourselves.

“I needed to name it before I really knew Matty [Tel]. I think the way he handled it was extremely mature. It was really impressive.”

While it feels like a long way back for Tel, his manager is clearly going to back him publicly when it matters.

Thomas Frank could be about to discipline a Tottenham star who has allowed his standards to slip.

The Lilywhites have made a bright start to the new campaign and are flying high in the early-season Premier League table.

Tottenham continued their strong opening in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night, when they saw off League One opponents Doncaster Rovers with a comfortable 3-0 victory.

Frank has already overseen hugely positive changes since his appointment in N17, but one star now seems intent on making life difficult for the new boss.

This article includes exclusive comment from former Tottenham scout Bryan King.

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Yves Bissouma to be sent to train with Tottenham youth team

Tottenham failed in their attempts to sell Yves Bissouma in the summer, after a last-minute move to Galatasaray broke down in the final stages of the transfer window.

The midfielder made his intentions clear that he wanted to stay in the Premier League, and his insistence on that is likely to have played a significant role in the final outcome.

The Mali international is yet to make a competitive appearance under Frank, having previously been left out of the squad for the UEFA Super Cup final due to persistent lateness.

Ex-Spurs scout Bryan King – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes that Bissouma should be sent to train with the youth team in order to try and force him towards the exit.

“That’s the kind of disruptive influence that you don’t want at your football club,” King said.

“If one person is late for everything, then other people could start to fall into that trap. I think Spurs have got enough midfielders to send him to train with the U21s.

“Then, when January comes along, he’ll be a lot keener to get away. If you do that, he’d end up being happy to accept a move anywhere.

“If I was Frank, I’d make it as uncomfortable for him as he wants to make it uncomfortable for me.

“I think Frank will be looking to get him out of the club as quickly as possible.”

Spurs should take whatever they can get for Yves Bissouma

Tottenham received interest in Bissouma from Fenerbahce in the summer, and they are still in the market for a midfielder in the January window.

That presents Spurs with the perfect opportunity to get him off their hands, but in order to do so, they sacrifice the financial aspect of a potential deal.

The former Brighton man is out of contract at the end of the season, and with that in mind, the North Londoners should be willing to take whatever they can get for him, even if that means sanctioning a sale for next to nothing.

Frank has made it perfectly clear that he will not play any part in his plans, so there is little point in him seeing out the season in N17.

Mathys Tel has continued to cause concern at Tottenham after an underwhelming loan spell last season.

Spurs made Tel’s transfer permanent over the summer, signing him for a fee of around £30million from Bayern Munich.

The Frenchman started in the Carabao Cup against Doncaster Rovers on Wednesday night, but fluffed his lines on several occasions.

Despite positive words from his manager, Thomas Frank, the 20-year-old has it all to do in North London.

Thomas Frank praises Mathys Tel after Doncaster Rovers disaster class

Tel has endured a torrid time at Tottenham, and things have shown no signs of improving anytime soon.

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The forward started in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night in a match that provided him with the opportunities to thrive.

However, the France under-21 international delivered an uninspiring performance and was unable to score against League One opposition.

Indeed, Tel had multiple chances to score against Doncaster and could have had a hat-trick at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

“I don’t think he’s had a bad run, if I’m honest,” Frank said on 24 September when asked about the 20-year-old’s display.

“He played striker against West Ham, which I think he did quite well. Worked very hard for him to arrive in the right areas, which I think he did today. In terms of performance, that was a step up.

“Then we can look at the end product to score the goal, but the performance to arrive in the box, I was very happy with. Just close with the first ball from Brennan, ready for the cutback.

“Second half got in there on two other good situations and had a nice shot. I think it was a step up in terms of performance.”

Mathys Tel has it all to do at Tottenham

While Tel had his moments in North London last season, the overriding feeling was that he was not up to standard.

However, the vision for the Frenchman is probably that he is a player for the future, although even that looks like a stretch right now.

The 20-year-old’s season got off to the worst possible start against PSG, when he came on as a late substitute, giving away a dangerous free-kick before missing his penalty in the shootout.

Even though his manager has given him further opportunities to impress, he has struggled against weak opposition in West Ham and Doncaster.

Understandably, confidence is low after Frank left Tel out of his Champions League squad, along with Yves Bissouma.

The Dane has backed his player and is certainly trying to protect him rather than dent his confidence, but what he has said is just plain wrong.

Tel is on a bad run; he did not do quite well against the Hammers, and it was not a ‘step up’ in performance against Donny.

With doubts looming over the Frenchman, the most obvious solution would be to loan him out in January.

Thomas Frank has enjoyed a dazzling start to his Tottenham career after taking the leap from Brentford.

The Lilywhites have been battling on all fronts, with three Premier League wins from five and a victory in their opening Champions League tie.

Spurs made easy work of Doncaster Rovers in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night, advancing with a 3-0 victory on home soil.

Indeed, one player has flourished under Frank, and now Rio Ferdinand has offered him some encouraging words.

Rio Ferdinand praises Tottenham defender Djed Spence

Frank rotated his Spurs team against League One opposition, but several first-team regulars still started.

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Pedro Porro, Joao Palhinha, and Spence were all named in the Dane’s lineup alongside a host of fringe players.

The latter has enjoyed a phenomenal time on the pitch of late and has continued his significant development under Frank.

Spence started at left-back against Doncaster, pitching up against his on-loan team-mate Damola Ajayi, who played as Donny’s right-winger.

Ajayi was eligible to face Tottenham, with Frank describing it as “a great opportunity for him”.

After the game, Spence shared an amusing post on Instagram with several images, including one of Ajayi behind bars.

His post said: “I’m sorry Lil bro. Welcome to the penitentiary. GODSPEED.”

Ferdinand commented, “Confidence on 100,” followed by an applause emoji.

The only way is up for Djed Spence under Thomas Frank

Spence is proving his detractors wrong at Tottenham, having come under intense scrutiny throughout his career.

The defender always had talent, but Neil Warnock and Antonio Conte have been among his harshest critics over the years.

However, the 25-year-old is now living up to his early potential and is deservedly gaining more praise than criticism.

Spence received his first England start in early September against Serbia, becoming the first muslim to represent the Three Lions.

For Spurs, the left-back has been the go-to man and is currently ahead of Destiny Udogie, who has suffered his injury struggles.

If he carries on producing the same level of performances, then Spence can only expect great success in the years to come.

Tottenham marched on under Thomas Frank after claiming victory in the third round of the Carabao Cup.

Spurs clinched a straightforward 3-0 win over Doncaster Rovers, thanks to goals from Joao Palhinha and Brennan Johnson, as well as an own goal from Jay McGrath.

The clash with the League One side allowed Frank to rotate his team, with Mathys Tel, Kevin Danso, and Archie Gray handed rare starts.

Andy Madley refereed the match and has been criticised for a decision that he made against the Lilywhites.

This article contains the exclusive opinion of former Premier League and FIFA-listed referee Keith Hackett.

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Keith Hackett slams Andy Madley for Kevin Danso decision

Madley has come under scrutiny for his Carabao Cup performance, with several decisions questioned.

Xavi Simons went down easily on the edge of the area and should have been booked for simulation by the referee.

At the other end, Danso challenged Doncaster forward Brandon Hanlan and appeared to get the ball, rather than the player.

Indeed, Spurs’ centre-back was baffled at the call, and Hackett believes that Madley made a mistake.

“Poor officiating when a referee is caught so far from play with little or no viewing angle,” Hackett exclusively told Tottenham News.

“It suggests to me that he “guessed” this one and got it wrong. The defender has every right to be disappointed with this incorrect call.

“Not one of Madley’s best performances.”

Andy Madley continues to be involved in controversy with Tottenham

Madley has been involved in Spurs drama before, having sent off Mohammed Kudus for his push on Micky Van de Ven last season.

The referee was also involved in some questionable calls during the Lilywhites’ loss to Fulham in March.

Raul Jiminez thought he should have had a penalty when he was pushed to the ground by Djed Spence, a decision that was criticised by Hackett.

In the same match, Lucas Bergvall claimed a penalty after being pushed by Calvin Bassey, although Madley appeared to make the correct decision.

When he referees the North London club again, his performance is sure to go under the microscope.

‘Mad’ Kevin Danso incident shocks BBC pundit after footage he saw in Tottenham win vs Doncaster

Tottenham continued their emphatic start to the season under Thomas Frank after another convincing victory.

The Lilywhites have delivered some superb results in the Premier League, while also clinching a vital win in the Champions League.

Now, Spurs have progressed in the Carabao Cup, having defeated League One side Doncaster Rovers 3-0 on Wednesday night.

Kevin Danso made a rare start for Thomas Frank’s side and was involved in a flashpoint at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Paul Parker reacts to Kevin Danso incident vs Doncaster Rovers

A clash with weaker opposition allowed Frank to rotate his Tottenham side without any real risk.

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Mathys Tel received a rare start but was unable to grasp his opportunity after spurning a brilliant chance in front of goal.

It did not take the North London club long to get into their swing, with Joao Palhinha and a Jay McGrath own goal giving them a 2-0 lead after 17 minutes.

While Doncaster were always in the game, all hope diminished when Brennan Johnson delivered the killer blow in second-half stoppage time.

However, the away side did benefit from a refereeing decision given against Danso by Andy Madley on the edge of the box, a decision that was criticised.

“The boot was high, but he’s got the ball,” Paul Parker said on 24 September while commentating for BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 3.

“In that situation, you’ve got to go for it as a defender. Now, if he wants to catch him in the head, then yes, there’ll be repercussions, but he’s won that ball fairly, not great contact on the player either.

“That is so, so poor, you can’t give a foul for that, you can’t do that. Under these kinds of circumstances, he’s got to let it go because otherwise, you’re taking someone away from the game.

“If he doesn’t go for that, and the player heads it down in front and goes bang, it’s a goal… everybody, the fans, his teammates, his manager will go ‘what are you doing? Oh, I was worried about kicking him in the head’, you what?… That was mad.”

How did Kevin Danso and other fringe players perform for Tottenham?

While some of Spurs’ regular starters struggled against Doncaster, it was a mixed bag for those given an audition at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The future certainly looks promising for Archie Gray, who demonstrated his capability in the number eight position with some strong runs and positive attacking play.

Antonin Kinsky did his chances no harm between the sticks, although he had precious little to do all evening.

Elsewhere, Wilson Odobert delivered a respectable display, setting up an early chance for forward Tel.

As with his appearance against West Ham, Tel struggled again in front of goal and should have had a hat trick.

Overall, it was an encouraging evening for Frank as he continues to learn a great deal about his Spurs side.

Xavi Simons was back in Thomas Frank’s starting line-up as Tottenham beat Doncaster in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.

Spurs progressed to the last-16 of the competition with a 3-0 victory over the League One side at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, thanks to a stunning overhead kick by Joao Palhinha and an own goal by Jay McGrath.

Simons‘ corner led to Palhinha’s goal in a strong playmaker’s performance in Tottenham’s Carabao Cup win over Doncaster, before he was substituted off and replaced by Lucas Bergvall in the 61st minute.

However, according to former PGMOL general manager Keith Hackett, some of the talking points about Simons’ performance weren’t ones to be proud of.

This article contains the exclusive opinion of former Premier League and FIFA-listed referee Keith Hackett.

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Xavi Simons guilty of trying to deceive referee in Tottenham win over Doncaster

Simons was a £51million arrival from RB Leipzig in the summer, but that didn’t stop him from trying to buy a penalty against a third-tier side in England.

In the 41st minute, Simons went down on the edge of Doncaster’s penalty area after trying to latch onto a long ball forward from Rodrigo Bentacur.

The 22-year-old Netherlands international could have got himself in on goal from Bentancur’s exquisite pass. However, instead, he allowed the ball to bounce and seemed to feign contact from Doncaster’s Tom Nixon.

Andy Madley ignored Simons’ appeals for a foul and while Hackett agreed with the Huddersfield-born referee’s initial decisions, he believes he should have booked the Dutch ace for simulation.

“Madley is in a good position to make a decision on the coming together of the two players,” Hackett told Tottenham News.

“The forward in possession of the ball fractionally changes pace, causing contact and he then goes to ground.

“Madley waves away appeals for a penalty kick, and I will support his decision. However, he then failed to take any action.

“If it was not a penalty kick, then it had to be an act of simulation and a yellow card should have been shown.

“If referees are going to ignore simulation, then the cancer in the game will continue to grow.”

Xavi Simons guilty of second offence within days

Unfortunately, this is the second time in two games where Hackett has had to talk about Simons’ behaviour on the pitch.

Speaking to Football Insider at the weekend, Hackett hit out at Simons for “cheating” in their 2-2 draw against Brighton when the former Paris Saint-Germain player threw himself to the deck while battling with Diego Coppola.

“I’m surprised that Chris Kavanagh has not cautioned that player for an act of simulation. That’s a clear act of simulation,” said Hackett.

“He’s attempted to win a penalty, and it’s that type of incident where you’ve got clarity, no tangling of legs, and he goes to ground. It’s a yellow card. If referees don’t see these and caution them, players will continue to take advantage of these incidents.

“I’d like to see an addition to VAR intervention on a yellow card. It should be an automatic yellow card. If we want to keep the game on the right footings, sportsmanship needs to come into the foundations.

“Cheating has no place in the game. What is it if it’s not cheating? It’s very clear. It reinforces the referee’s decision not to award a penalty, but we see this a lot.”

Thomas Frank no doubt needs to have a chat with Simons.

He’s an incredible talent and the last thing Tottenham fans will want is to see him get a reputation for himself, accumulate yellow cards through simulation and get suspended for vital games.

Tottenham cruised through to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup with a 3-0 win over Doncaster Rovers.

The Lilywhites continued their bright start to the new season and were able to avoid any potential embarrassment with a routine victory over their third-tier opponents on Wednesday night.

Thomas Frank rotated the Spurs team for the visit of the South Yorkshire outfit, and early goals from Joao Palhinha and an own goal from Jay McGrath quickly erased any fears of an upset, before Brennan Johnson capped off the result in stoppage time.

Frank’s men enjoyed a comfortable evening on home turf, and with that in mind, Tottenham News rates the performance of every Spurs player out of 10.

Joao Palhinha shows his class in wonderful display

Joao Palhinha has been a revelation for Tottenham since he arrived on loan from Bayern Munich, and he showed both his experience and his class against Doncaster.

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The Portugal international dropped into a centre-back role to allow Archie Gray to play in his natural midfield position, and it was a seamless transition for the 30-year-old.

He gave his side the lead with an overhead kick early on, and used the ball in typically excellent fashion, completing 90% of his passes, but also did the defensive side of the game well.

Palhinha completed nine defensive actions, the second-highest total of any Tottenham player, and won 66% of his duels throughout the encounter.

The former Fulham man has been an excellent signing so far, and he turned in a wonderful 8/10 display on Wednesday night.

Mathys Tel abysmal for Spurs

Mathys Tel has found it difficult at Tottenham in recent weeks.

The French youngster has been starved of football so far during Frank’s reign, but he failed to take his opportunity when it was presented to him on Wednesday night.

He squandered a fantastic opportunity to open the scoring for the hosts in just the third minute, but inexplicably failed to even make contact as the ball was played across the box.

Another chance fell the way of the 20-year-old midway through the second half, but he miskicked his effort in a finish that was indicative of a player who is struggling for confidence.

Tel had just 29 touches of the ball throughout the evening, a total that was lower than any other Spurs player who started the game.

The former Bayern Munich man struggled to have any sort of positive impact on the game and was worthy of little more than a 4/10 rating.

Tottenham player ratings vs Doncaster Rovers

Antonin Kinsky – 7

Pedro Porro – 7

Joao Palhinha – 8

Kevin Danso – 7

Djed Spence – 6

Archie Gray – 7

Rodrigo Bentancur – 7

Brennan Johnson – 6

Xavi Simons – 7

Wilson Odobert – 6

Mathys Tel – 4

Substitutes

Richarlison – 6

Lucas Bergvall – 6

Destiny Udogie – 6

Luca Williams-Barnett – N/A

Mathys Tel has been handed the opportunity to impress for Tottenham in their Carabao Cup tie with Doncaster Rovers.

The Frenchman has found life difficult in N17 in the early stages of Thomas Frank’s reign, and has found gametime hard to come by since the start of the campaign.

Tottenham left Tel out of their squad for the Champions League, which has prompted speculation that he could already be nearing the end of his time in North London, despite only joining permanently in the summer.

Frank has handed the youngster a start in Wednesday night’s clash with Doncaster, but it hasn’t gone to plan for him so far.

Tottenham fans slam Mathys Tel for ‘horrible’ miss

Tel was an unused substitute for Tottenham in their draw with Brighton last weekend, and he has still started just once in the Premier League so far this season.

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The Lilywhites were quick to turn his loan into a permanent move at the start of the summer, but his performances have left a lot to be desired since his £30million move.

The forward has got his chance to impress the new manager in the visit of Doncaster, and he spurned a glorious chance early into the encounter.

Tel couldn’t get on the end of Brennan Johnson’s ball across the face of goal, and surely would have found the back of the net had he been able to make contact.

However, Tottenham fans have been quick to jump on the former Bayern Munich star following the miss, with one fan describing the moment as “horrible.”

Mathys Tel needs a loan move away from Spurs

Tel’s lack of football at Tottenham is creating something of a vicious circle for him of late.

He can’t get more football unless he impresses when given the opportunity, but equally, it will be difficult for him to stay sharp when he isn’t playing games.

A loan move in January certainly feels like the best fit for all parties at this moment in time.

If Tel could go back to the Bundesliga for a few months, it would hopefully allow him to rebuild his confidence, as it is continuing to take near-constant hits at Spurs right now.

He still has a big future ahead of him, but it may be best for Tottenham to take him out of the firing line for now.