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Thomas Frank - Head Coach

I’ve read his books and not been particularly impressed, but each to their own. You may be interested to know that in retrospect I can see some of his influences/teachings in the way you post

Spot on. Among others. I'm always learning of course...be really interested in anyone whose work you like, if so feel free to PM me...thanks
 
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Taking away all mitigating circumstances surrounding the game - the performance tonight was really good (as was Dortmund) - we attacked and controlled the game well in the phases that we were setting out to do so. Whether we can do that domestically remains the question.
Absolutely a very good and controlled even comfortable performance. Some positive signs in the Burnley game too. Will be interesting to see if we can do more of the same coming up against better teams. If we can Frank could still turn this around.

I'm not super confident it will happen, but time will tell.
 
Look at the game from a tempo perspective, that's where it doesn't work in the PL. Several moments today where we and Frankfurt were happy to sit back and let the other knock the ball around at walking pace in their own half.

The United game and the first Brentford game this season was the only time I saw a team play as slowly/with less urgency than us.

To make it work in the PL, we would need more tempo, and better ball retention, a lot of the other stuff could possibly translate
Agreed.

A pattern for me this season is that when we get the ball into decent situations in and around the final third our attacking players show themselves rather capable of creating chances. Just to be clear, not saying they're fantastic, but we do create a decent amount of chances from those positions.

Our main difficulties are getting there, getting the ball to the middle third in decent to good situations. Frankfurt, Burnley, to some extent Dortmund too as well as those games you mentioned teams have been fairly accommodating in that regard.

The number of teams in the PL that will be accommodating in that way is limited.

That for me will be one of the biggest tests in the upcoming tougher run. Can we progress the ball in a useful fashion against better teams.
 
Look at the game from a tempo perspective, that's where it doesn't work in the PL. Several moments today where we and Frankfurt were happy to sit back and let the other knock the ball around at walking pace in their own half.

The United game and the first Brentford game this season was the only time I saw a team play as slowly/with less urgency than us.

To make it work in the PL, we would need more tempo, and better ball retention, a lot of the other stuff could possibly translate

I think with the players we currently have it is a system which helps us. The front three tonight need to be playing in such proximity to each other. The reason Muani has been largely quiet for us is we don't play him properly. Like Simons. Odobert on the right looks good. The three of them work well together (certainly better than when isolated, or Muani's being asked to play a traditional hold-up CF role). I think with the likes of Gallagher, Sarr and Bissouma -all tempo players- we could find the necessary tempo to at least press like we did at times here. Again, to even consider this it's probably a case of acknowledging that the type of football we play under TF is the key, as waiting for a passer/passing game is likely not going to happen. So hey, all-in on something which could help/be an alternative to his 4-3-3...
 
Agreed.

A pattern for me this season is that when we get the ball into decent situations in and around the final third our attacking players show themselves rather capable of creating chances. Just to be clear, not saying they're fantastic, but we do create a decent amount of chances from those positions.

Our main difficulties are getting there, getting the ball to the middle third in decent to good situations. Frankfurt, Burnley, to some extent Dortmund too as well as those games you mentioned teams have been fairly accommodating in that regard.

The number of teams in the PL that will be accommodating in that way is limited.

That for me will be one of the biggest tests in the upcoming tougher run. Can we progress the ball in a useful fashion against better teams.

I am currently of this question - can we progress the ball in a manner which makes the best of both who we have and what Frank wants us to be (we might be saying the same thing).
 
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