It has been a topsy-turvy begin to life at Tottenham for Thomas Frank.
No workforce have received extra Premier League factors on the street than Spurs this season – and just one workforce, winless Wolves, have received fewer on dwelling soil.
That virtually sums up how issues have been for the boss since he was appointed in June, whereas he has additionally needed to cope with the off-field drama of Daniel Levy’s departure and a boardroom reshuffle in N17.
So, who may Spurs look to signal to present their season a elevate? What is the newest on the important thing gamers at present on the therapy desk? And what’s actually occurring with Dominic Solanke? Right here our Tottenham professional MATT BARLOW solutions all of your burning questions…
What are our plans for the January switch window? How will Daniel Levy’s exit have an effect on issues?
It’s the primary switch window with out Levy within the cockpit however I might be stunned to see a radical change of coverage.
Fabio Paratici, again in an official sporting director’s function after his ban, might be in overdrive and almost certainly scouting for individuals who can enhance the primary workforce or repair short-term issues.
Having former Juventus man Fabio Paratici again within the fold makes me assume Spurs will discover a transfer for Serbia striker Dusan Vlahovic (proper)
When January comes round, it could be that Dominic Solanke is match and in kind and the problem appears like one thing that may wait till the summer time
Proper now, the precedence seems to be at centre ahead, however Spurs want one from the very high bracket to enhance the workforce and never one other from the following degree right down to litter what they have already got.
When January comes round, it could be that Dominic Solanke is match and in kind and the problem appears like one thing that may wait till the summer time.
The Paratici issue makes me assume they may on the very least try what’s occurring with Dusan Vlahovic, whose contract at Juventus expires in June. His state of affairs has modified barely since Luciano Spalletti changed Igor Tudor as boss.
Spalletti says he needs to maintain Vlahovic and would really like him to signal a brand new deal, however the 25-year-old Serb is on large wages price £10million a 12 months after tax and a free switch in the summertime can be vastly profitable for him.
If Spurs can afford to pay him what he’s asking for then this deal, both in January or in the summertime, feels at this stage a extra viable possibility than Ivan Toney, who has been topic to loads of hypothesis due to his hyperlinks to Thomas Frank.
Toney at 29, would jar with Tottenham’s coverage of recruiting youthful gamers with scope to develop and his inflated Saudi wages would make him probably costlier than Vlahovic.
Equally, a world-class goalkeeper would give them a lift and, regardless of signing Antonin Kinsky lower than a 12 months in the past, Spurs are actively trying. Guglielmo Vicario has had some sensible moments this season however doesn’t command his penalty space and is commonly focused at set-pieces. May they, for instance, make Aston Villa a proposal they will’t refuse for Emi Martinez?
There is a component of the unknown as a result of no person is certain exactly how the Lewis household plan to observe up on public guarantees to put money into the workforce for sporting success.
Ivan Toney has been topic to loads of hypothesis due to his hyperlinks to Thomas Frank from their time collectively at Brentford
Tottenham additionally want a high-class goalkeeper, and Emi Martinez of Aston Villa could match the invoice
Even when there’s a will to return out spending, January is a notoriously tough market.
There may be loads of pleasure round Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo who would match completely into a job on the left wing unclaimed since Son Heung-min left for LA. However within the final three switch home windows, Spurs have spent £125million on Xavi Simons, Wilson Odobert and Mathys Tel.
Additionally they have extremely rated teenage winger Mikey Moore out on mortgage at Rangers – he has suffered in a tough first half of the season at Ibrox and may profit from a recall.
I’m unsure it is sensible for Spurs to wade into what may turn out to be a mid-season public sale alongside Liverpool and others for Semenyo just for him to compete for a similar roles within the workforce as these gamers, probably blocking their progress.
Yves Bissouma might be allowed to go away for the precise value and Spurs plan to set off a clause to increase his contract by a 12 months to 2027 in the event that they don’t promote in January.
What score would you give Thomas Frank for the job he is performed to this point?
6.5/10.
There’s been particular enchancment defensively, which was the primary problem. Frank’s Spurs are way more safe on the again, stronger at set-pieces at each ends and far tougher to beat than beneath Ange Postecoglou final season.
There have been video games, particularly at dwelling in opposition to stubborn guests, once they haven’t been fluent or inventive. Possibly not taking part in with the free-spirited sense of journey some Spurs purists want to see. Possibly too involved with what these opponents can do.
Yves Bissouma might be allowed to go away for the precise value and Spurs plan to set off a clause to increase his contract by a 12 months to 2027 in the event that they don’t promote in January
Frank’s Spurs are way more safe on the again, stronger at set-pieces at each ends and far tougher to beat than beneath Ange Postecoglou final season
I’m taking a look at it from a impartial viewpoint, however I believe Frank deserves time to work on the following phases. He is aware of they should be extra inventive in open play, and you may see him tweaking and tinkering with totally different formulation to search out options.
His substitutions in opposition to Manchester United had been booed – however labored. He isn’t an fool. He is aware of what he’s doing. He’s additionally conscious he has to compete in opposition to a few of the finest groups and largest budgets in world soccer with out spending as a lot as they do, and that’s inconceivable when you don’t plan to cease opponents doing what they need to do.
It’s a query of steadiness. It all the time is at Spurs. And it’s a tough one to unravel.
What’s the newest on Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison’s accidents? When can we count on them again?
Maddison, injured in August, received’t be again a lot earlier than the tip of the season. It’s a critical harm and even when he’s match to coach I might count on Frank to be cautious along with his return, primarily based upon Radu Dragusin who’s getting ready to a return from an identical knee harm.
Dragusin, out since January, has been again in coaching for some time and anxious to start out taking part in once more however performed for the primary time final week, solely 45 minutes with the Underneath 21s, behind closed doorways in opposition to Leyton Orient.
He was needed by Romania for this worldwide break. Spurs resisted his official call-up as a result of they had been eager to maintain him beneath their management however they’ve allowed him to affix the Romania camp for coaching solely.
Kulusevski stays on track for a return in December.
Maddison, injured in August, received’t be again a lot earlier than the tip of the season. It’s a critical harm and even when he’s match to coach I might count on Frank to be cautious along with his return
Dejan Kulusevski, considered one of Spurs’ few vibrant lights final season, stays on track for a return in December
How does Lucas Bergvall match into this workforce? He’s a large expertise however I’m frightened there’s not a spot for him on this system
That’s a good query. Bergvall is an thrilling expertise however I sense Frank is a bit more involved about his carelessness in possession than most supporters, which I believe is the explanation he’s reluctant to play him recurrently in one of many deeper midfield roles.
In the intervening time, I believe he competes for the No10 function with Simons. And possibly over time Frank adjusts the form of the workforce and finds a spot for him in a midfield with one six and two eights. It’s essential to keep in mind that Bergvall continues to be solely 19.
Will Randal Kolo Muani be out for a very long time along with his fractured jaw, or will we see him taking part in in a Zorro masks earlier than lengthy?
Spurs are relieved the specialist determined there was no surgical procedure required, which might have dominated Kolo Muani out for a few months. As it’s they may match him for a protecting masks and get him again sooner, however he’s not going to be match to face Arsenal on Sunday.
Frank should really feel cursed by the accidents. It’s barely totally different to final season when lots of Spurs’ injured gamers had muscle points which had been simply blamed upon the workload of the schedule and Postecoglou’s excessive depth coaching regime.
Kolo Muani broke his jaw in an innocuous collision with Harry Maguire and Solanke has been out for 5 months and counting after turning an ankle in a pre-season recreation, an issue which later required an operation.
Spurs are relieved the specialist determined there was no surgical procedure required for Randal Kolo Muani, which might have dominated him out for a few months
How can Frank repair our abject dwelling kind?
This most likely goes hand in hand with all the opposite issues, equivalent to the standard of recruitment or the calibre of the gamers and the seek for the precise steadiness, which might be barely totally different at dwelling to away video games as a result of few visiting groups will arrive in N17 and take the sport to Spurs.
Some will play purely on the counter-attack, others combine it up with a excessive press, however all of them know it’s prudent to frustrate the house crowd as a result of when the ambiance turns, it makes Spurs anxious and vulnerable to overcommit going ahead.
It eats away at confidence when making an attempt to play by means of the press and results in particular person errors, particularly among the many least skilled gamers. When concern creeps into the soccer, it means they’re now not making instinctive selections on the ball.
It’s a cycle they have to break to vary the temper, and it would take a stroke of excellent fortune to assist them do it.
What’s occurring with Solanke? Is it simply harm points or is there extra to his absence? Does Frank not fancy him?
Nicely, he’s injured. He damage his ankle in Frank’s first pre-season pleasant and has not been absolutely match since, initially making an attempt to play by means of it whereas in discomfort, then making an attempt a therapy of relaxation with injections and finally giving in to surgical procedure.
Any conspiracy idea that he’s someway match and raring to go and never being chosen by Frank is ridiculous.
Solanke was the very best of the Spurs forwards final season. He scored 16 in a misfiring workforce, and his presence was invaluable past the targets
Solanke was the very best of the Spurs forwards final season. He scored 16 in a misfiring workforce, and his presence was invaluable past the targets as a result of he holds the ball up and helps the workforce up the pitch.
Spurs had been a lot better with him within the workforce final season and within the quick time period may do with him again even when in the long term they’re purchasing for an improve.
Frank clearly is unsure about his finest ahead unit. There are loads of gamers at his disposal and but he can not discover a mix he likes. He has used 14 totally different mixtures of entrance 4 in 18 video games to this point and by no means used the identical yet another than twice.
