Tottenham Hotspur

Thomas Frank spoke to the media at the City Ground after our 3-0 loss against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Sunday.

Here's what he had to say...

It feels like two steps forward, then a big leap back - what did you make of it?

Thomas: "Yeah, absolutely agree. That was very disappointing. It was a bad performance. Frustrating, because I think the last three games were good on performance and results, they're normally linked. You can lose a game like this. That's the frustrating part, of course. I think, until the 1-0 goal, it was a little bit back and forth for both teams, half transitions both ways and then after the first goal, I think we lost structure and were more disjointed. Then the 2-0 goal killed the game off. Basically, we were not in the game after that, in my opinion. That's part of keeping the structure, keep the game plan, keep going, keep doing the right things. So, that's definitely not the first time we've seen that, this year, last year, whenever. That's something that's ongoing work in progress before we're more consistent in that. It doesn't help that we made two mistakes with the first two goals but, again, that can happen in football. So, we just need to keep doing the right things. so everything looks the right way. Then on top of that, we decide to throw the ball away at least 25 times. So, we can't hit each other 25 times. That's going to make it difficult for you to create anything or to win a game."

You said you wanted to be more aggressive, offence-minded - are the players taking it on board?

Thomas: "It's very simple. If you don't perform, you can say all the right things, if you're a little bit out of sync, then you see things like this. When you are on track and in sync, you see the last three performances. That's very simple. If you perform, you keep doing the right thing, then it makes it easier of course and then I just think the little small thing that is difficult. We win together, we lose together, but I can't pass the ball on the pitch. So, if we lose the ball 25 times, I think it's fair to say that it's pretty difficult to create something."

Does that come into it when you're 2-0 down, make three subs and one of them is Ben Davies, one of them is Joao Palhinha? I think a lot of the fans are hoping for attacking players...

Thomas: "We had four offensive players on the pitch. I think that's fair to say. So, I felt that, just to go back to the bit before where I say we're disjointed. So, if you're disjointed, you can have 11 offensive players on the pitch. It will not help. So we need to be in sync, and then it helps, and hopefully we can find a way back after that."

With Archie Gray's mistake, is that something you hope he'll learn from as a young player?

Thomas: "I've said before, mistakes happen, stuff like that. Of course I'll be irritated about it because you like to avoid it, but he will learn. I think it was a classic thing, you see, week in, week out. It's ball-playing to one of the two sitters, bounce it out, first touch, not take a touch. He will learn from that. I'm pretty sure he'll use one touch next time."

No issue with the goalkeeper with that?

Thomas: "No. I think you see that every week in the Premier League, from every team, all over the world. So, there's no problem with that."

You're always a very calm and measured manager in these press conferences after the bad results, are you a bit different in the dressing room with the players?

Thomas: "I think I do everything to control my emotions, which is a hurricane inside me because of course it's deeply frustrating that we're not doing better today after three good performances. I think it's extremely important to be calm and measured, and of course have very, very direct and clear messages at the right time, so they're not in doubt of what I think. I'm very honest about where we are. That's why I was also very honest today. It was a very bad performance. No two ways about that. I also know that to change this, this will take some time, because no one wants to hear about that. It's just reality. I think the ones who have followed the club and the team, I think it's fair to say there's been a few not-too-consistent performances and that's a thing we are working very hard on."

Did you have any issue with Djed Spence coming off and throwing his jacket about?

Thomas: "I didn't see it. Of course, I will look back to be aware of it. I think there can be three reasons. He can be disappointed with his own performance, the team's performance, he can be disappointed with being subbed off. I'll ask him about that."

People would understand the up-and-down results a bit but it still feels like the floor of this team is very low. Do you agree with that?

Thomas: "I think that is a fair assessment, unfortunately. That's something we need to work very hard on, that these setbacks can't affect us that much. I'm pretty sure when I watched the game... when did we concede the first goal? 28 minutes. I think when I watch it back, it was probably not that bad until the first goal. So, it can't be one goal that makes it so disjointed for 15 minutes. It can't happen. You can have a day where it's not perfect. How many games have you seen where it's not perfect? Then you find your way into it. Then you maybe draw 1-1, win 2-1 in the second half where you eat your way into it. That's just ongoing work we need to work so hard on."

Is it a mental thing?

Thomas: "I think it's a combination of mental, structure, coolness. Stick to the game plan, focus."

You're trying to bed in all these new ideas, but you're at a club where maybe the average time span of managers hasn't been that long, do you feel that you'll get the time to put everything you want into place?

Thomas: "I can't see why not. I think it's pretty evident that if no-one gets the time, no-one can turn this around. This is not a quick fix."

Christmas and New Year is always on a hectic schedule, how do you look to navigate this in the next couple of weeks?

Thomas: "First and foremost, we have, finally, a more or less full week going into Liverpool next time. After that, we have eight days to Crystal Palace. That gives a little bit of time to train and try to get on top of some of these things. That's also the challenge. No complaints, just the fact. We try to change things with very short time between games. It's just a little bit more tricky. We need to utilise the time in the next two weeks massively and then we have five games in a short amount of time."

Are you expecting Matt Wells will still be at the club next week?

Thomas: "There's definitely a few rumours about that. We will, how can you say, when we know if that will happen or not happen, we will announce it."

You spoke there about keeping your composure and being calm. Do you think the players did that well enough in general?

Thomas: "I think that's two small situations. I think in general, no matter what, to have that coolness on the pitch and relentless concentration and focus, that's a big thing of being a top team."

Drew Spence reached the milestone of 200 Barclays Women’s Super League appearances in Sunday’s dramatic draw 3-3 with Manchester United.

The midfielder, who celebrated a new long-term contract earlier in the week, started the game at Leigh Sports Village and, in doing so, marked 200 matches in England’s top flight.

A summer signing from Chelsea in July, 2021, Drew has become just the sixth player to reach this milestone in the competition but has created history by being the first player to have represented a nation other than England.

The 33-year-old has made 63 appearances for us in the WSL with her other 137 games in the competition coming for the Blues across 12 campaigns.

She has netted 21 goals in the league – eight of those which are with us – and registered 15 assists – five of those in our colours.

In total, she has made 76 appearances for us in all competitions.

Martin Ho said his ‘players gave him everything’ and were ‘outstanding’ for large parts of the game despite Manchester United producing a late comeback to earn a3-3 draw on Sunday.

Everything was going to plan in the first half as Bethany England – her fourth of the season - and Eveliina Summanen headed us into a two-goal lead at Leigh Sports Village despite the home side striking the woodwork on three occasions and Toko Koga producing a key block on the line.

We further extended our advantage against the Champions League side in the second half as Martha Thomas, on her first WSL start of the season, fired home against her former side to give us a 3-0 lead just after the hour mark. However, United continued to pose a threat and struck back with two goals in an eight-minute spell to make it 3-2 with eight minutes left on the clock.

“I thought for 70 minutes, we were outstanding - our attacking play and how we defended,” Martin told us, reflecting on the game. “We just got to the back end of the game and they pushed it really well. The players have given me everything and I couldn’t have asked any more. They’ve battled through the whole of that game, and they’ve given me everything in this first part of the season. I’m just absolutely gutted for them.

“You never want to concede three goals - the players don’t and I don’t either, but when you’re playing against the top teams, they push you right to the end. We’ve had injuries, but that’s not an excuse. We have a good enough squad and the players have given me everything. I’m gutted we couldn’t get it over the line.

“We can take a lot of pride from this and we’ve taken big steps. We’ve grown as a team and come here to push Manchester United on their own patch, especially after going 3–0 up."

With three clinical finishes to give us a three-goal lead at one stage in the contest, Martin was pleased with our attacking intent throughout the 90 minutes and said there were many positives take ahead of into our Subway Women’s League Cup quarter-final tie against United next weekend – once again away from home.

Reflecting on the finishes, he said: “Especially Martha’s goal in the second half - that’s her second in three games.

“From all three goals, I thought they were all really well worked. Our attacking play today, when we got it right, was very good. We got into dangerous situations and we can take a lot of pride from that.

“Defensively as well, there’s a lot of pride to take. Now we reset, regroup and be ready for next week. It’s our final WSL game before the Christmas break.”

Thomas Frank said he was 'burning inside' after our 3-0 loss against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground in the Premier League on Sunday.

Hopes were high after back to back wins against Brentford last weekend and Slavia Prague in the Champions League in midweek, but it wasn't to be as a goal in each half from Callum Hudson-Odoi (28, 50 minutes) and Ibrahim Sangare's piledriver on 79 sealed our fate.

Speaking to us afterwards, Thomas reflected: "It's hugely annoying, burning inside... I had such a good feeling going into this game, then we deliver this performance, which is not good enough. It's a bad performance, overall.

"I thought, especially after the first goal, we looked even more disjointed. Before that, they were winning more of the duels, landing more of the second balls and the worst thing is I think we threw the ball away about 20 times, simple passes, and when you lose those three elements, it's very difficult to win a football match.

"Before the (first) goal, there were maybe four, five transition moments, just hit the free player and we can run at them, but we missed (the pass) and then we had to go the other way. So, that was the frustrating thing, but every game has spells when it's not working, it's not perfect, but that's where you stay in the game, do the grind, do the hard work and then work your way into it, but we didn't do that today."

Thomas was pleased with how Archie responded to losing the ball for Forest's first goal. "He still wanted to get on the ball, constantly, was still positive. He will learn from the goal."

Thomas now has a clear week to prepare the players for Liverpool at home in the Premier League next Saturday (5.30pm UK). "There's a lot of adjustment where we came off the back of three good performances, this was a bad one, so we need to adjust, get it right and bounce back."

We suffered a disappointing defeat at the City Ground on Sunday afternoon as Nottingham Forest ran out 3-0 winners.

Despite back-to-back home wins last week, we were second best on the banks of the River Trent as Callum Hudson-Odoi scored twice and Ibrahim Sangare hit a magnificent third to seal our fate, while we managed just one shot on target in the game.

Thomas Frank made two changes to the team that started our 3-0 win against Slavia Prague in the Champions League on Tuesday night – Rodrigo Bentancur and Randal Kolo Muani coming in for Joao Palhinha and Wilson Odobert. It was the same team that started against Brentford last weekend.

The first big chances of the game came just five minutes in and went to the home side. Nicolo Savona delivered a cross from the right and Sangare’s powerful header crashed back off the post, Igor Jesus’s shot was then blocked and, from the rebound, Nico Williams hit a drive which Guglielmo Vicario saved superbly diving to his left.

Our first sight of goal was a Richarlison header which he sent wide from six yards out from a Kolo Muani cross on 14 minutes while, 10 minutes later, a teasing cross from Williams into the box was glanced just wide by Nikola Milenkovic. We fell behind just before the half-hour mark with a goal that could have been avoided, Vicario passing the ball straight to Archie Gray on the edge of the area and he was closed down immediately by Sangare, who stole the ball off him and advanced on goal before touching it off for Hudson-Odoi to tuck home.

Gray almost made amends at the other end, hitting an excellent volley on the turn in the 34th minute which was saved low down by John Victor in the Forest goal, while the home side went close again shortly after, Morgan Gibbs-White with a clever back flick that touched off Bentancur and skipped just past the far post.

We trailed by one at the break, but that quickly became two early in the second half, when Hudson-Odoi cut onto his right foot out wide on the left and sent over a cross which looped over Vicario and into the far corner. A triple change just before the hour saw Gray, Bentancur and Djed Spence replaced by Palhinha, Lucas Bergvall and Ben Davies but it was Forest with two further chances as Jesus and Omari Hutchinson both hit efforts that fizzed just wide.

While we were seeing more of the ball as we looked for a way back into the game, we didn’t trouble Victor at all and instead, it was Forest who extended their lead further with 10 minutes left, Hudson-Odoi teeing up Sangare who struck a left-footed rocket 20 yards which flew into the top corner off the post. Vicario prevented further damage with two minutes remaining, saving Gibbs-White’s 22-yard free-kick and then Hutchinson’s effort from the rebound.

We can now confirm the starting line-ups and substitutes for today’s Barclays Women’s Super League clash with Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village (kick-off 2.30pm UK).

Martin Ho has made two changes to the team that started in last Sunday’s win over Aston Villa.

Martha Thomas comes into the starting XI for her first WSL start of the season, replacing Jess Naz who has suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury (ACL).

Defender Tōko Koga also returns to the backline after missing out on the Villa win last weekend with illness. She comes in for Molly Bartrip who is named amongst the substitutes.

Midfielder Drew Spence is set to make her 200th WSL appearance this afternoon as she starts alongside Eveliina Summanen in midfield.

Kit Graham is back in the matchday squad for our clash with United and is on the substitutes bench.

Here’s how we line-up…

Kop, Nilden, England (c), Holdt, Vinberg, Hunt, Thomas, Spence, Summanen, Neville, Koga.

Substitutes: Heeps, Radbourne, Bartrip, Rybrink, Graham, Gunning-Williams, Dennis.

We can confirm the starting line-ups and substitutes for our Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest at the City Ground this afternoon (Sunday 14 December, 2pm UK).

Thomas Frank has made two changes to the team that started the midweek win over Slavia Prague in the UEFA Champions League, with Rodrigo Bentancur and Randal Kolo Muani coming in for Joao Palhinha and Wilson Odobert, who are both on the bench.

Brennan Johnson also returns to the squad after missing the Slavia match – he’s among our substitutes.

Here’s our team in full...

Starting XI: Vicario, Xavi, Richarlison, Gray, Romero (c), Kudus, Pedro Porro, Spence, Bentancur, van de Ven, Kolo Muani.

Substitutes: Kinsky, Danso, Davies, Bergvall, Sarr, Palhinha, Johnson, Odobert, Tel.

Forest line-up as follows...

Starting XI: Victor, Williams, Murillo, Sangare, Hudson-Odoi, Anderson, Gibbs-White (c), Igor, Hutchinson, Milenkovic, Savona.

Substitutes: Gunn, Morato, Douglas Luiz, Ndoye, Kalimuendo, McAtee, Bakwa, Zinchenko, Abbott.

We’re back on the road on Sunday afternoon as we make the trip to face Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.

Here’s everything you need to know...

What time does the match start?

The game begins at 2pm UK time.

How can I watch the game?

Supporters in the UK will be able to watch the action live on Sky Sports Football.

Be sure to check out our Spurs on TV page if you’re following us from overseas to see if the game is live in your area.

As always, our Match Centre here on tottenhamhotspur.com and the Spurs Official app will bring you full live text and audio commentary throughout the match.

Video highlights will be available across club channels from two hours after the full-time whistle, with a full match replay available on SPURSPLAY from midnight.

What is the team news?

Brennan Johnson is expected to be back in the frame to face his former club after missing the Champions League win over Slavia Prague in midweek.

Thomas Frank has no further injury concerns coming out of that match, with Yves Bissouma, Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Dominic Solanke still out.

Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels will be assessed over a groin problem, while captain Ryan Yates is out with a hamstring injury.

Our Under-18s kick off their 2025/26 FA Youth Cup campaign on Tuesday evening (16 December) with a home tie against Brighton & Hove Albion at Stevenage’s Lamex Stadium – tickets are on sale now, priced at just £5 for adults and £2 for under-18s.

Why not come along and support our youngsters as we look to make our mark on the prestigious youth competition?

A number of the players involved in our headline-grabbing 9-1 win over Slavia Prague in the UEFA Youth League a few days ago could be in action, as new Under-18s Coach Jamie Carr looks to preside over another good performance under the lights.

Several of our young players have made appearances in first team squads this season, with Thomas Frank having named them among our substitutes in Premier League, UEFA Champions League and Carabao Cup matches during the opening months of the campaign.

Kick-off is at 7pm UK and tickets can be purchased online now via Stevenage FC’s ticketing website.

Alternatively, they’re available at the turnstiles on the night, although fans are advised to book early to avoid disappointment.

The Lamex Stadium in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, is clearly signposted from Junction 7 on the A1(M).

Stevenage train station is a 20-minute walk – or a short taxi journey – from the ground and is mainly served by LNER, Great Northern and Thameslink trains.

The stadium opens to fans one hour before kick-off.

Refreshments are available at the venue – payment is by card only.

If you’re unable to make it to watch the action in person, Tuesday night’s match will be broadcast live on SPURSPLAY.

We hope to see as many fans as possible turning out to get behind the team on Tuesday!

Highlights | Spurs U19s 9-1 Slavia Prague U19s

Martin Ho says that Jess Naz has been ‘in good spirits’ following the news of her rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament last weekend.

As reported earlier in the week, Jess suffered an ACL in the win over Aston Villa last Sunday and she has begun her rehabilitation process with our medical staff, and will undergo surgery.

“She's doing okay,” Martin told the media, when asked how the forward is doing following the news. “Whoever suffers an ACL injury is disappointed and frustrated, especially with Jess having had one before.

“She's been in good spirits in the last few days she been in. Although we know she will be disappointed inside.”

Then asked how much of a loss Jess is to the squad, he added: “Any player we lose is significant, and Jess is a big player for us. First, we look after her from a health and wellbeing perspective. The club will ensure that.

“Then we look at what we can do. We have good players in the squad who now have the opportunity to step up.”