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Thomas Frank has encountered issues finding the right balance in his Tottenham midfield this season.

Thomas Frank has struggled to utilise Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur effectively, leading to criticism from supporters.

Palhinha started in defence during Spurs’ 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup, as Frank rang the changes.

While the Portugal international and Bentancur have struggled to adapt consistently well as a partnership, Frank has been told he does have a blueprint to follow that could yield success moving forward.

Thomas Frank has proven he can solve Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur issue

The Lilywhites’ performances at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium have been disjointed at times this season, as Frank still battles to find an effective starting XI.

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Many fans and pundits are of the opinion that Palhinha and Bentancur are too similar to work as an effective partnership at Tottenham, especially at home when teams often sit back and look to hit them on the counter-attack.

Tottenham expert and Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham thinks that moving forward, Palhinha should start as a lone pivot in the heart of midfield for home matches, but that the pair have proven they can be utilised effectively in away games as they were for the 2-0 win at Manchester City back in August.

Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, Wenham said: “I think for away games, as we saw it done to absolute perfection, like Man City away, it can work an absolute treat.

“For the home games, though, I think moving forward, the lessons have to be learned from the first four home games where we’ve only got one win, two losses and a draw. So, the lesson has to be that this does not work in the home games.

“Start Palhinha in the home games, but put him next to Pape Matar Sarr or Lucas Bergvall, rather than Bentancur, to give us a runner in there, give us some energy, box-to-box style.

“The away games, I’m still of the opinion, that we haven’t lost a game, we’re undefeated away, aren’t we? So, I’m still of the opinion that it works in the away games. I really am.

“So for me, I’d still be going with Bentancur and Palhinha every away game, and the home games, I’d be going with Palhinha with a Sarr or a Bergvall and then also Xavi Simons in the 10.”

What has Frank said about Palhinha and Bentancur partnership?

While supporters have not been completely enamoured by the pairing of Palhinha and Bentancur, it appears as though Frank likes the security of having two controlling midfielders.

Speaking after Tottenham drew 1-1 with Wolves at the end of September, Frank spoke glowingly about the duo.

In quotes reported by the Standard, Frank said: “I think it’s fair to say both Rodri and Joao have been very good for us so far in the season.

“And Lucas [Bergvall] has been fantastic, so you like to keep your players that are a little bit in the flow.”

Tottenham host Chelsea this weekend in a blockbuster London derby. It remains to be seen if Frank will stick with the pairing or if Wenham’s advice will be heeded.

Tottenham fans have apologised for doubting Guglielmo Vicario after Antonin Kinsky’s poor performance away at Newcastle United on Wednesday night.

Newcastle triumphed in a 2-0 victory over Tottenham in the Carabao Cup on 29 October, despite Tottenham prospering in a 3-0 win over Everton in the Premier League just days before.

While Richarlison was criticised for his display against Newcastle, one of the major differences between the Carabao Cup and Villa was the presence of Vicario.

Indeed, by the time the Lilywhites had conceded their second goal, fans were desperate to see the Italian international back in action for their team.

Tottenham fans realise Guglielmo Vicario’s importance

Vicario has been scapegoated by Tottenham fans this season despite conceding just seven goals in the Premier League.

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Indeed, there have been calls for Kinsky to become Spurs’ starting keeper over the past couple of weeks.

However, it now seems like a classic case of supporters failing to realise a good thing before it’s gone, with several Tottenham fans taking to X on 29 October to apologise for their treatment of Vicario.

“I’d like to make a formal apology to Guglielmo Vicario,” The Spurs Watch posted.

Under the post, one fan replied: “We took him for granted bro,” while another added: “Kinsky has one good game and suddenly he’s [Gianluigi] Buffon sat on our bench.”

“Don’t know why anyone was ever calling for Kinsky to start. Had a good first game, but was sh*t every game after, and his shot-stopping is horrendous. Should have saved both goals today,” another fan pointed out.

One more said: “Be careful what you wish for indeed,” and another added: “Never start him, Spurs fans are annoying as they prefer potential over experience.”

While it is far too early to write Kinsky off, it’s safe to say that Tottenham fans have gained a new level of respect for their starting keeper.

How did Antonin Kinsky really perform against Newcastle?

Tottenham took 11 shots to Newcastle’s 10 according to Sofascore, in a performance where Kinsky was not completely at fault.

However, Aaron Ramsdale made six saves for his team, earning him the highest rating on the site, whereas Kinsky saved just one.

Meanwhile, for a keeper who is often praised for his ball-playing ability, only 66 per cent of his passes and 29 per cent of his long balls were accurate.

Comparatively, Ramsdale made 10 recoveries and three clearances, while five of his saves came from inside the box, not to mention his stunning effort on Pape Matar Sarr’s effort from range in the second half.

In a game that turned out to be the battle of the keepers, Ramsdale, unfortunately for Tottenham, came out on top.

Tottenham may have a close replica of Mousa Dembele in their ranks this season.

The former Belgium international made 240 appearances for the Lilywhites across his seven-year stay at the club, and quickly became a cult hero among the fanbase.

Dembele was an unsung hero for Tottenham over a number of years, although Dele Alli recently hailed the midfielder’s ability as a player earlier this year.

Thomas Frank never got to work with the box-to-box star, but he will surely be excited to hear that he has a player with similar qualities as part of his current group.

Mohammed Kudus is Spurs’ new Mousa Dembele

Mohammed Kudus has made an exceptional start to his Tottenham career in recent weeks after moving from West Ham in the summer, and he already looks like an outstanding addition to their squad.

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The Ghana international already has five league goal contributions to his name, and he has been a constant thorn in the side of defences since the start of the campaign.

The 25-year-old has been receiving plaudits from all quarters recently, and he has just received the most eye-catching comparison of them all.

Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes that Kudus is a close replica of Dembele in terms of the skillset that he provides.

“Kudus is like having two players rolled into one,” Wenham said.

“On one hand, he’s this tricky, skilful right-winger that gets loads of goals and assists. On the other hand, he’s like a massively powerful central midfield player.

“He’s the closest equivalent we’ve had to Mousa Dembele, in terms of the strength that he’s got and the way he holds players off, although they’re completely different players.

“Having those two abilities in one player is very, very dangerous.”

Tottenham need to place huge price tag on Mohammed Kudus

Kudus’ start to life at Tottenham has been so impressive that it is surely a matter of time before the world’s elite start showing an interest in him, regardless of the fact that he has only just joined Spurs.

The Lilywhites’ £55million purchase is already looking like a bargain, and they will only be willing to lose him in future years for a significant profit on their initial investment.

With that in mind, a figure in the region of £150m could genuinely be a suitable valuation for them to try and ward off the likely interest in Kudus from the top clubs, which will inevitably come if he continues in his current vein of form.

Spurs will undoubtedly not want to lose their star man for several years to come, but his start has been that impressive that they may already have to begin taking preventative measures.

Tottenham were knocked out of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday as they were beaten 2-0 away at Newcastle.

The Lilywhites produced an excellent performance to win 3-0 away at Everton in the Premier League on Sunday, but they lost their unbeaten away record this time around, as goals from Fabiam Schar and Nick Woltemade settled the tie.

Lucas Bergvall was brilliant for Tottenham during the defeat, but he could do little to prevent Eddie Howe’s men from running out as winners at St James’ Park and booking their place in the next round.

Thomas Frank recalled Richarlison to the starting XI to lead the line in the North East, and the Brazilian had a typically eventful night throughout the 90 minutes.

Alan Smith can’t believe Richarlison complaints after Fabian Schar goal

Richarlison is being tipped to depart Tottenham in the January transfer window, but for now, the striker has been a key part of Frank’s plans in recent weeks.

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However, he was largely ineffective against Newcastle on Wednesday, as the Magpies marshalled him well from start to finish.

Games involving the 28-year-old rarely pass without incident, and his actions came under scrutiny once again when he vociferously protested to referee Chris Kavanagh after Schar nodded home from a corner to put the hosts in front in the 24th minute.

Richarlison was unhappy at Kavanagh’s decision not to allow Djed Spence to get back into position, after initially delaying the corner to allow the defender to tie his lace.

The striker was eventually shown a yellow card for his trouble, and ex-Arsenal forward Alan Smith was left baffled as to why he was complaining so strongly.

“There was no challenge, nobody attacking the ball, it’s so soft from Spurs’ point of view, it’s a gift for Newcastle,” Smith said during Sky Sports’ coverage of the game.

“Richarlison was complaining to the ref bitterly afterwards, and I’m not sure what they were complaining about. He went on at the ref for quite some time during the celebrations, but I’m not quite sure what the grief is all about.”

Richarlison’s antics are tiresome at Tottenham

Richarlison is never far from controversy at Tottenham, and he is clearly a player who wears his heart on his sleeve during games.

However, his hot-headed moments of madness are quickly becoming tiresome, given that they arise from very little most of the time.

The former Everton frontman has shown his lack of consistency yet again of late, as his form has dipped after a bright start to the campaign, and Wednesday’s incident likely stemmed from his frustration with himself as much as anything.

He hasn’t delivered the goods since he arrived in North London, and January is surely the perfect time for Spurs to cut him adrift and send him elsewhere.

Tottenham fans have been left furious with Richarlison after the 2-0 loss to Newcastle on Wednesday.

Richarlison started the season well for Tottenham, with three goals in the first five Premier League matches.

However, Richarlison has since failed to score in his last eight appearances for Spurs, which is not good enough when Dominic Solanke is out injured.

The Brazil star’s discipline does not help him to win his doubters over, and that was the case again as Tottenham crashed out of the Carabao Cup.

Tottenham fans want Richarlison to be sold

Tottenham ace Richarlison was booked for dissent after complaining to the referee after Newcastle opened the scoring through Fabian Schar.

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It appeared that his complaints were justified with Djed Spence tying his laces as the Magpies took the corner that led to the strike.

However, Spurs fans have called out his actions, which were typical of his hotheaded nature, with many asking for him to be sold.

One supporter said: “Have to sell Richarlison and Johnson. Both are an embarrassment.”

Another called for Frank to give Dane Scarlett a chance instead, saying: “Richarlison a waste of space. Give Scarlett a game.”

One fan asked if Everton would take him back, saying: “Sick of Richarlison, when can Everton take him back.”

Why Tottenham and Richarlison need to part ways

The supporters calling for an exit are right, the 28-year-old is not consistent enough to be a starting-calibre player for Thomas Frank‘s side.

He is also far too injury-prone for the Lilywhites to rely on him to step up and score the goals, as he has missed a total of 74 matches in his four seasons with the N17 club.

Both parties need to come to their sense and seek an exit, it is the only conclusion that makes sense.

It is unlikely that they could get anywhere near to the £60million that they paid to sign him from Everton, but at this point, they may as well just cut their losses.

If they are to taste success in the big competitions, they need players who can thrive in the top matches, and the Brazilian has not shown that he can do that.

They can upgrade on him and buy a player who has more discipline and is more lethal in front of goal.

Tottenham had their Carabao Cup dream ended by Newcastle United in a 2-0 defeat on Wednesday night.

The North Londoners continued their woeful recent record at St James’ Park, as they slipped to a fourth straight defeat on Tyneside in all competitions.

Lucas Bergvall was the shining light for Tottenham in the defeat, but his creativity was ultimately unable to haul his time back into the tie after goals from Fabian Schar and Nick Woltemade gave the hosts a commanding lead.

Thomas Frank’s side will feel hard done by after a key decision went against them during the game, and it has now become clear that their protests may have been justified.

Tottenham right to be frustrated by Newcastle’s first goal

Micky van de Ven profited from Tottenham’s set pieces in their win at Everton last weekend, but this time, dead-ball situations were the Lilywhites’ undoing.

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They failed to properly organise themselves from Sandro Tonali’s 24th-minute corner, and they were made to pay as Schar planted a header into the bottom corner of Antonin Kinsky’s net.

Nevertheless, there were plenty of protests from the visitors after Djed Spence wasn’t allowed to get back into position by referee Chris Kavanagh, who had delayed the taking of the corner to let the defender put his boot back on.

Ex-PGMOL chief Keith Hackett – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes that Kavanagh lost concentration while the set piece was being set up, and was wrong to allow the ball to be delivered so quickly.

“This really is poor officiating from Kavanagh,” Hackett said.

“He has allowed the stoppage in the game to allow Spence to tie his lace. Good practice is then to restart the game once Spence is in position. I feel that this might be a loss of concentration by Kavanagh to allow this to happen.”

Spurs should have defended the set piece better

Frank has had Tottenham extremely well-organised so far this season, but they let themselves down with their lapse in concentration on this occasion.

They failed to adequately cover Spence’s role in the centre of the box while the full-back was stood out adjusting his boot near the corner flag, and they ultimately paid the price for that as the ball came in.

Granted, they were without arguably their strongest header of the ball in Van de Ven, but it was still defending that left a lot to be desired for a Premier League side.

Their frustration at the referee is definitely justified, but the Lilywhites should be looking a little closer to home when it comes to laying the blame.

Tottenham may already have fears of Mohammed Kudus leaving them just months after he first stepped through the door.

The Ghana international has been a revelation since he made the move across London from West Ham during the summer transfer window, and his impact in N17 has been exceptional so far.

Kudus’ remarkable start to his Tottenham career has already prompted suggestions that he is destined for a place in the PFA’s Team of the Year, and he has been reinforcing that idea with every passing game of late.

Thomas Frank appears to have a superstar on his hands in the winger, but that will naturally bring its own concerns as he continues to make a name for himself at Spurs.

Mohammed Kudus to attract interest from world’s elite imminently

Tottenham’s £55million signing of Kudus certainly raised eyebrows in the summer, with many people pointing towards his disappointing 2024-25 campaign as a reason for concern.

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However, the wideman has quickly made the doubters eat their words in the opening weeks of the campaign, as he has established himself as one of the first names on the team sheet for Frank.

The 25-year-old has been excellent for his new club, and already has five goal contributions from the opening nine league games.

However, when you look at his underlying numbers, the quality that he provides becomes even more abundantly clear.

Kudus is currently leading Europe’s ‘big five’ leagues in a staggering four separate metrics, with no other winger currently bettering him for assists, accurate crosses, duels won or successful attacking actions, according to DataMB via their X account.

Tottenham have only just got hold of their new gem, but with eye-catching stats like that already attached to him, it is surely only a matter of time before one of the world’s elite clubs begin to show an interest.

He already looks like a phenomenal investment for the North Londoners, but they do not sit at the top of the food chain in world football, and that could easily become clear within the next few transfer windows.

£55m deal already looks like a bargain for Tottenham

Kudus ranks among Tottenham’s most expensive buys of all time, but his impact has been so transformative for them so far that he is already making that fee look like a bargain.

Interest from the likes of Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the future will certainly be a worry for Spurs, but they would undoubtedly be able to protect themselves by demanding an astronomical amount for their star man.

He is already leading his team for goal contributions, big chances created, key passes and successful dribbles (Sofascore), so his influence, and therefore value, is only likely to grow from here onwards.

The sky is the limit for Kudus if he continues in his current vein of form, and that will quickly have concerns developing at Tottenham if potential suitors begin to circle.

Richarlison’s future at Tottenham has come under the microscope on several occasions in recent months.

The Brazilian was heavily linked with a move away from N17 during the summer transfer window, but ultimately stayed put at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Richarlison began the season in electric form for Tottenham, but his performances have since tailed off in recent weeks, showing signs of the familiar inconsistency that has plagued his time with the Lilywhites.

Talk of a potential departure has once again been on the rise of late, and it now appears as though a return to his homeland could be on the cards for Richarlison in January.

Flamengo in discussions over ‘values’ of Richarlison transfer

Richarlison was hotly tipped to depart Tottenham during the summer transfer window, with a return to Brazil among many potential options that emerged for the frontman.

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He survived the axe at Spurs on that occasion, but that has done little to dispel the idea of him leaving the club in January, especially since Thomas Frank has dropped him to the bench for league games in recent weeks.

Flamengo are now being linked with a move for the 28-year-old, who is understood to have already given the green light to a potential move to the Brazilian giants, according to journalist Fabricio Lopes, via Bolavip.

Richarlison has made it clear that he would be keen to take up their proposal if he ultimately decides to turn his back on Europe in the near future.

Flamengo “really want” to seal the striker’s arrival, but there are concerns regarding the “values” of a potential deal, with discussions currently being held to try and work out a structure for a possible agreement.

Tottenham have to sell Richarlison now if they want to recoup any money

Richarlison’s contract at Tottenham expires in the summer of 2027, which puts a fresh sense of urgency on any plans to move him out the door.

The Lilywhites paid a fee rising to £60million to sign him from Everton back in 2022, and with just over 18 months remaining on what will surely be his final contract in N17, time is running out for them if they want to recoup any of that cash.

A significant loss feels inevitable regardless of how and when they sell the striker, but the chances of them receiving a reasonable offer next summer are slim when clubs would only have to wait another year to get him for free.

With that in mind, January feels like the right time to part ways, and as a result, Tottenham should consider whatever sort of offer Flamengo are capable of making.

Richarlison has had countless chances to impress since he came to the club, and the time has come when Spurs cannot afford to persist with him for much longer.

‘This player can still succeed at Tottenham after what I saw him do vs Arsenal’

Wilson Odobert will need one special moment in a Tottenham shirt for his career to take off.

There has been recent demand for Odobert to stake his claim on Tottenham’s left wing.

Thomas Frank has given him ample opportunities as of late, including on big UEFA Champions League nights such as Spurs’ recent goalless draw to Monaco.

Despite this, the youngster has failed to convince fans that he’s Son Heung-min’s successor at Tottenham.

Wilson Odobert needs to have ‘shining’ moment at Tottenham

Odobert has convinced many in North London that his talent is worth investing in.

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However, he has yet to prove himself at the highest level, which is why speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, Tottenham expert and Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham believes Odobert needs a good run of form to improve his confidence.

“For me, the best game I’ve ever seen him in is still the friendly against Arsenal in the summer,” Wenham said.

“I saw him taking on people. I saw him taking on Ben White and taking him apart, and I really wanted that to be his level moving forward.

“But in the games he’s played this season since, whilst we’ve seen glimpses, I haven’t seen a complete performance like I saw in that friendly against Arsenal.

“But then he goes away with France Under-21s, scores four goals, wears their number 10 shirt seems a really big player for that team.

“So he’s one where I think he just needs his sort of shining moment in the Tottenham shirt. Hopefully, he needs a game where he not only dominates, but gets a couple of goals or something like that, and then his confidence is sky high and the fans are behind him.

“I do think he’s got the ability within him, but if he can have that standout moment, he can really push on. Because, as I’ve said all season, there’s a space on the left wing for someone to claim, but no one is seemingly putting their hand up and demanding that they’d be given that shirt on a week-by-week basis.”

How has Wilson Odobert performed this season?

Odobert remained on the bench during Tottenham’s 3-0 win over Everton, which was likely a result of the knock he picked up against Monaco earlier that week.

Other than that, he has had a good run of games on the left wing as of late, which indicates that Frank is keen for him to take over the position.

The lack of goals is concerning, but at his best, the youngster has been a joy to watch, often taking on his man on the left-hand side, and while he hasn’t been Spurs’ best performers, he’s definitely been one of their more exciting ones.

Real Madrid are one of several clubs supposedly keeping tabs on Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven, with a price tag already being set.

Van de Ven surpassed his own Tottenham goalscoring record when he netted a brace during Spurs’ 3-0 win over Everton in the Premier League.

The defender has scored three goals in two seasons in North London but has already netted five this period.

This means that Van de Ven is currently Tottenham’s top scorer in a stat that is both impressive and a worry for Thomas Frank. As a result, the last thing the Lilywhites will want is to lose him.

Tottenham set £87m asking price for Micky van de Ven

Tottenham are demanding £87m to part with the centre-back, according to Fichajes on 27 October.

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It is believed that the North London club are well aware of the gem they have on their hands, and their valuation reflects this.

Real Madrid are one of the clubs interested in Van de Ven, but they are set to face competition from Liverpool and Bayern Munich for his signature.

The defender, who arrived at Tottenham from Wolfsburg in 2023, has become an integral member of Frank’s squad in recent months.

He is the perfect blend of pace, technicality and defensive prowess, and it’ll take something extraordinary for Spurs to part with him.

Can Tottenham afford to lose Micky van de Ven?

Tottenham arguably have one of the best defences in the Premier League on paper.

Captain Cristian Romero has been a staple in Spurs’ backline, while youngsters Luka Vuskovic and Kota Takai are climbing through the ranks.

However, Kevin Danso will likely be the man to replace Van de Ven if he does leave over the coming months.

Indeed, Danso’s performance against Everton would’ve left Romero sweating. He was an absolute brick wall from beginning to end, making 18 clearances against the Toffees.

This was the most by a Spurs player in a Premier League game since Jan Vertonghen in December 2016.

While the Austrian international is talented enough to hold down the fort if Van de Ven does leave, his departure will impact Tottenham’s squad depth.

This means the North London club will have to sign at least two additional centre-backs over the summer.

This is a tough ask for a team that already has one of the best defenders in the world, and as a result, the rewards of losing Van de Ven do not outweigh the costs.