Thomas Frank - Head Coach

[SissokoWasGood (BoL)]

I think if you take out the long term injuries from last season/preseason what we have seen is much more normal than last season - seeings as you lot are hell bent on making it a talking point. I look forward to the rest of the season being an acceptable write-off though as a result...

I think Frank deserves credit that seeming perma crocks like Richy and VDV have been able to play consistently this year. I wonder with VDV how much was down to the change in running style initiated last season, but it is noticeable that two players who were seemingly always dealing with something have been able to play pretty consistently.

No doubt last year was a complete anomaly in terms of numbers of injuries. Obviously a few of them were impact as well, eg Vicario, and I think a lot of it was down to the fact that we had no other option to chuck players out there when only just recovered so we had no one else. And it meant we had a really tough period where probably no player was really 100% ‘fit’ because they were all close to getting injured.

Now it seems like it’s happening about a month later. I’m not looking to give Frank a kicking over it, just like I sympathised with Ange last year over it too. (I may be wrong but I remember reading that muscle injury wise we weren’t actually far off the rest of the league, there was also the Moore virus and a few other things I’d have to go and refresh myself on). I actually feel more for Frank because I think he has sincerely made an effort, at least in his mind, to reduce the likelihood of injuries. That extra rotation, that lower tempo, has probably cost of results early in the season. With the hope that the pay off would probably come in a busy period like this. It just hasn’t worked out.

If these injuries keep up I’d absolutely be willing to write off the league for the CL and FA Cup again!

 

[Bishop]

Yeah, only because they had the versatility to switch out to full-back. Ditto with VDV with VVD still doing the biz. Toby had that with Kompany.

In some ways it's like saying that most likely our best full-back is Romero. If we had world class centre halves, Romero would still be selected ahead of Porro and Spence.

Toby actually featured more than Jan did at CB. I know a lot of Spurs love Jan more more but in the wider football world Toby was the more highly rated CB. Toby was often paired with Kompany because he could play both sides with Jan at LB.

Thinking back to it all of actually call Toby excellent and Jan very good. But a great pairing together.

 

[Raziel]

I think Frank deserves credit that seeming perma crocks like Richy and VDV have been able to play consistently this year. I wonder with VDV how much was down to the change in running style initiated last season, but it is noticeable that two players who were seemingly always dealing with something have been able to play pretty consistently.

No doubt last year was a complete anomaly in terms of numbers of injuries. Obviously a few of them were impact as well, eg Vicario, and I think a lot of it was down to the fact that we had no other option to chuck players out there when only just recovered so we had no one else. And it meant we had a really tough period where probably no player was really 100% ‘fit’ because they were all close to getting injured.

Now it seems like it’s happening about a month later. I’m not looking to give Frank a kicking over it, just like I sympathised with Ange last year over it too. (I may be wrong but I remember reading that muscle injury wise we weren’t actually far off the rest of the league, there was also the Moore virus and a few other things I’d have to go and refresh myself on). I actually feel more for Frank because I think he has sincerely made an effort, at least in his mind, to reduce the likelihood of injuries. That extra rotation, that lower tempo, has probably cost of results early in the season. With the hope that the pay off would probably come in a busy period like this. It just hasn’t worked out.

If these injuries keep up I’d absolutely be willing to write off the league for the CL and FA Cup again!

To give him credit, Richi, VDV and Romero are obviously better managed this year, additionally walking into season with last year's left over injuries has put extra pressure on the squad.

That said, he's taking huge risk with Porro and Bergvall seems to be brought back too early.

 

[Muttley]

It would be interesting to see who are the next round of players to come back. I know it's Biss vs Sarr tomorrow at AFCON so one of them returns home. If it is Biss, I wonder whether Frank will use him.

Aside from that, we'll be looking to strengthen Bergval after his recent injury. Davies looks healthy again but is always susceptible to these multiple hamstring injuries over the last 5 years. Udogie isn't probably too far away but I think we've lost a lot of faith in his ability to stay fit.

 

[Mikey10]

Takes about 2 seconds using AI - no?

No idea. 2 seconds wasted though.

 

[Mikey10]

Could be pure b@llocks, but just read the Club is calling an Emergency meeting this afternoon

Someone probably left the lights on overnight in the changing room last week.

Look after the pennies and the pounds look after themselves.

 

[braineclipse]

Or perhaps just stop playing the bricky low block?!?

But yes, playing VDV left back to allow Spence to rotate with Porro at right back would also be sensible, especially as we know that Danso is a passable partner for Romero and if playing this horrible, low block system we don't really need to have pace in the centre but we do need players who can defend deep one on one and win headers in the penalty area.

Against Bournemouth I would have preferred a proper mid block to the half arsed high press we played at times where they always had an obvious and often somewhat progressive pass on and played well into our half with relative ease repeatedly.

 

[braineclipse]

I think if you take out the long term injuries from last season/preseason what we have seen is much more normal than last season - seeings as you lot are hell bent on making it a talking point. I look forward to the rest of the season being an acceptable write-off though as a result...

If it means going deep into the knockout stages in Europe the league would be an acceptable write off this season in a couple of weeks unless our form improves.

 

[Muttley]

Against Bournemouth I would have preferred a proper mid block to the half arsed high press we played at times where they always had an obvious and often somewhat progressive pass on and played well into our half with relative ease repeatedly.

Which phase of the game we talking? There was sort of 4 or 5 different phases of that game.

I saw a team that went 2-1 down and then went for it. Then when they got to 2-2 they were still going for the winner and were in the ascendency.

Are you talking 2-2 where we should have gone mid block?

 

[SissokoWasGood (BoL)]

Which phase of the game we talking? There was sort of 4 or 5 different phases of that game.

I saw a team that went 2-1 down and then went for it. Then when they got to 2-2 they were still going for the winner and were in the ascendency.

Are you talking 2-2 where we should have gone mid block?

This is great point.

I feel that under Frank we have often started games with an intense press. Even against Brentford we did this. It’s likely to see if we can get in front and then play the next phase of the game on the counter.

Seems like it all went to play for the first bit of the Bournemouth game. But conceding two in a phase where we were dropping numbers back just kills us.

We then chased it, and had numbers forward.

 

[billyiddo]

This is great point.

I feel that under Frank we have often started games with an intense press. Even against Brentford we did this. It’s likely to see if we can get in front and then play the next phase of the game on the counter.

Seems like it all went to play for the first bit of the Bournemouth game. But conceding two in a phase where we were dropping numbers back just kills us.

We then chased it, and had numbers forward.

Brentford would switch between a high press and counter attacking under him so that would make sense

 

[Raziel]

Brentford would switch between a high press and counter attacking under him so that would make sense

Which is fine, if you understand the triggers, we don't seem to.

You also don't play both Bentancur & Paulhinha in the side if you plan to high press, I'd argue Richi is the only one of our current fit strikers that does it as well (took too long to bring him on, considering RKM was having a mare)

 

[DubSpur]

 

[billyiddo]

Which is fine, if you understand the triggers, we don't seem to.

You also don't play both Bentancur & Paulhinha in the side if you plan to high press, I'd argue Richi is the only one of our current fit strikers that does it as well (took too long to bring him on, considering RKM was having a mare)

Which is fine, if you understand the triggers, we don't seem to.

You also don't play both Bentancur & Paulhinha in the side if you plan to high press, I'd argue Richi is the only one of our current fit strikers that does it as well (took too long to bring him on, considering RKM was having a mare)

I think potentially our recent/ongoing injury problems will have been a cause for concern wrt the high press - we haven't seen much of it this season (the press). Coming off the back of last season I do think that injuries would have been a big talking point during the interview process and at the forefront of our plans for the season - eg how to rotate and navigate the first half of the season especially

 

[thfcsteff]

Toby actually featured more than Jan did at CB. I know a lot of Spurs love Jan more more but in the wider football world Toby was the more highly rated CB. Toby was often paired with Kompany because he could play both sides with Jan at LB.

Thinking back to it all of actually call Toby excellent and Jan very good. But a great pairing together.

I think the most interesting part of the discussion around Toby is that it was the first time Poch wanted to sell someone because they weren't in what he considered their peak physicality or form and he was shut down. I think it was 2017/18, after an injury layoff, and Poch accused him of coming back overweight which Toby took offense tom, thus a stand-off. A shame.

 

[thfcsteff]

I think potentially our recent/ongoing injury problems will have been a cause for concern wrt the high press - we haven't seen much of it this season (the press). Coming off the back of last season I do think that injuries would have been a big talking point during the interview process and at the forefront of our plans for the season - eg how to rotate and navigate the first half of the season especially

One thing which never got the attention it should've last season was that it came off the back of tournaments at odd times over the last two years plus some very late running summer tournaments. Footballers were at breaking points. The goons got hit hard in that sense too. I know there was a consensus that our fitness dept needed correcting, and they were not wrong of course. TF should get credit for VdV, Romero and Richy being fitter. VdV did alter his running style with a personal trainer as I understand it?

 

[SissokoWasGood (BoL)]

Which is fine, if you understand the triggers, we don't seem to.

You also don't play both Bentancur & Paulhinha in the side if you plan to high press, I'd argue Richi is the only one of our current fit strikers that does it as well (took too long to bring him on, considering RKM was having a mare)

I’d argue that if you plan on playing on the counter for 60 mins+ of a game you can absolutely play Bentinha together. It may not be to our taste, but logically it makes sense to me.

What you absolutely can’t then do is concede two goals from crosses when you have more than enough numbers back in your own half / area. That defies the logic.

Understanding the triggers is the biggest reason why I’ve been saying that Frank deserves time. In the sense that even a reactive manager needs time to get the players used to his system. I think we had started to show progress in that regard but conceding the first two especially against Bournemouth was really bad.

 

[Spur of the moment]

If anyone finds that funny I'd suggest they need help. The kind of internet b ollocks that makes Little and Large look like prime Billy Connolly.

You cannot see it's just a harmless prank? Wow.

 

[braineclipse]

Which phase of the game we talking? There was sort of 4 or 5 different phases of that game.

I saw a team that went 2-1 down and then went for it. Then when they got to 2-2 they were still going for the winner and were in the ascendency.

Are you talking 2-2 where we should have gone mid block?

I'm not sure my observation tracks nearly on to the phases of the game.

We did press high (not super high aggressive, man to man) for periods. To put it like this, how often did we get turnovers, win possession or throw ins, build momentum to attack ourselves from that. Compared to how often Bournemouth just passed their way through that and into our own half. To me that high press, when we did it, was mostly ineffective.

Whereas when Bournemouth properly pressed us we rather often struggled to get out.

I guess our press was more of a "force them to go long" type press. And they did do that at times. But too often for my liking that first line of pressure was just bypassed and they rather easily progressed the ball. May just be mt impression.

 

[NLS]

I can't stop thinking about the dire situation at the club and this morning I had a thought whilst lying in bed....

After Semenyo's goal there has been talk again about Frank not concerned about shots from outside the box as the Xg is low...

The Xg probably is low if attackers are closed down as instead of driving straight through the ball with power , the ball has to be 'curled' round the oncoming defender to a much smaller target and also travels much slower... This would allow the keeper to reach it etc....

As we seem to be proving, the Xg from uncontested shots from outside the area is a lot higher.. Why has Frank not considered this?

I have lost a lot of faith in Frank's ability to manage our club and if I am correct in my above thoughts it is yet another example of his unsuitability...

The thought i had about Liz Hurley was much more pleasant....

COYS