What Next for Tottenham Hotspur?
Tottenham Hotspur is enduring yet another dreadful season in the Premier League. With the recent sacking of Thomas Frank and the team currently sitting in 16th place, Spurs have definitely hit rock bottom. It’s no different from last year when Spurs slumped to a disappointing 17th place finish which was definitely underwhelming for a club of their stature. Though it was not all doom and gloom as the Lilywhites secured Champions League qualification on the back of a superb Europa League campaign where they ended up as the champions, defeating fellow English side Manchester United in the final.
Even after winning major silverware with the club, head-coach Ange Postecoglou was sacked at the end of the season. It was quite evident that the club management was not satisfied with the team’s domestic performances under the Australian head-coach. Spurs hired the services of Brentford coach Thomas Frank and also strengthened the squad with a host of talented players like Xavi Simons, Mohammed Kudus, Randal Kolo Muani and Joao Palhinha in the summer. However, little has improved, their woeful domestic form continues to torment them as they currently lie in 16th place with 29 points with the relegation zone too close for comfort.
In stark contrast, their Champions League campaign has been impressive as they secured automatic qualification from the league phase that included Europe’s elite and storied clubs. Spurs won five games out of their eight with two draws and a solitary defeat. This disparity in form could be explained by the difference in the format of the two competitions. The Champions League is a cup competition where a team performing on a particular day can cause an upset and even an inconsistent team can go far in the competition while a league consists of a demanding 38-games season where consistency is key when facing familiar opponents in a highly competitive environment.
As a consequence of a string of poor results in the league, their defeat to Newcastle United at home on 11th Feb was probably the last straw as Spurs head-coach Thomas Frank was sacked following a tumultuous eight months in charge. Frank came in with a huge reputation having worked miracles with Brentford on a shoestring budget, first getting them promoted into top-flight and then sustaining the Premier League for several seasons. Though the Spurs job proved to be a step too far for him and too soon perhaps. Former Juventus and Marseille coach Igor Tudor has been appointed as the Spurs manager until the end of the season.
Here we take a look at the factors that affected Spurs this season and how they can look ahead to the future –
Injuries have derailed their season yet again
Similar to last season, Spurs have been decimated by injuries to key players several times this season. James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke suffered long-term injuries and have spent most of the season on the sidelines. In addition, they currently have about 5-7 players out injured with Mohammed Kudus, Rodrigo Bentancur, Pedro Porro, Richarlison, Lucas Bergvall and Destiny Udogie being the crucial absentees. Spurs have yet again struggled with not having the luxury to field their first eleven for a consistent run of games. Whether this is down to style of play, training and recovery issues or some players just being more injury-prone than the others. Experiencing multiple injury concerns in back-to-back seasons is something massively concerning and one that needs to be considered seriously and addressed in a decisive manner.
Mitigating factors with so many injuries can’t be ignored and Thomas Frank has been somewhat unlucky that even after strengthening the squad in the summer, injuries have prevented him from playing his best 11 for a significant period which has definitely affected them adversely this season.
Poor tactical approach from head-coach Thomas Frank
Thomas Frank had instilled a high-intensity style of play in his Brentford side. He was an adaptable coach there and fostered technical ability, strong defensive structure and also made his side excel in set-pieces. His style worked superbly with the personnel he had at the Bees but Spurs play a more attacking brand of football and there has been a feeling that he hasn’t been able to utilise the quality in this Spurs side.
In a league that has moved from a possession-based, technical style of play to a more physical style, Frank wasn’t able to make the transition to the more defensive style with set-piece superiority. On many occasions, it felt like he was being rather reactive, trying to adapt to the opposition’s tactics rather than being proactive and forcing the issue.
Injuries didn’t really help his cause either but he further isolated himself from the players by poor man management as well. At big clubs, a manager not only needs to guide the players but also manage egos in the dressing room, which he clearly failed to achieve.
Player indiscipline has been another worrying factor
Spurs’ issues with player indiscipline during games and their behaviour towards the manager has been a worrying sign of discord in the dressing room. A lot of instances have been witnessed where some players have consistently reported late to training, some players refused to shake hands with the manager after poor results and there have been needless yellow and red card incidents during crucial games. A recent example was the sending off of Cristian Romero in a big home game against Manchester United. Spurs have been the most indisciplined side this season tied in first place with their London rivals Chelsea and have received 64 yellow cards and three red cards in 26 league games so far this season.
For a team to perform well, there should be a feeling of togetherness, positivity and camaraderie in the dressing room but that doesn’t seem to be the case with Spurs. Indiscipline on the field is indicative of frustration, desperation, and lack of belief in the coaching style.
Conclusion
As Spurs announced a temporary managerial appointment in Igor Tudor until the end of the season, it’s most definitely being viewed as a firefighting option. Their immediate priority will be to ensure top-flight survival and go far in the Champions League. As they are out of both domestic cups, there is a strong possibility of going trophyless this season but they have more pressing matters on their mind. If rumours are to be believed, the Spurs management could be looking at the fan-favourite Mauricio Pochettino as a probable permanent managerial appointment after the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Without a doubt, Spurs have a fairly talented squad with potential top-class players in Mohammed Kudus, Cristian Romero, James Maddison, Pedro Porro, Micky van de Ven and Xavi Simons. This is a foundation they can surely build on with further quality additions next summer. However, they would need to keep hold of their star players amidst growing frustration at the North London club.
As things stand, Spurs will be hoping for the ‘new manager bounce’ to help them secure Premier League status, before turning their attention to a crucial rebuild in the summer. With the competition for European places rising in the Premier League every season, getting themselves back into top four places is going to be highly challenging.
We do believe that even with the injuries and the poor recent form, Spurs might comfortably survive relegation but they are miles off from challenging for trophies in the next few seasons. At best, they would be looking to get back into the proverbial ‘Top 6’ as another transitional season approaches with a coaching change along with a potential exodus of ageing and injury-prone players along with new signings.
