Saturday marked virtually two years to the day since Tottenham Hotspur have been hammered 4-1 on this similar fixture in opposition to Chelsea — solely then, Spurs followers chanted their supervisor’s identify on the remaining whistle.
On the time, Tottenham supporters have been “loving Massive Ange as a substitute” as Ange Postecoglou’s high-line, high-risk model had these in attendance marvelling on the chaotic unpredictability of all of it.
Tottenham’s 1-0 defeat to Chelsea on Saturday was greeted with a refrain of boos at each the halftime and fulltime whistles for Spurs supervisor Thomas Frank. His personal gamers, Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence, appeared to disregard his request to remain on the pitch and walked straight down the tunnel.
As Frank made a degree of applauding followers afterwards, some gave the impression to be aiming some alternative phrases in his route.
“All of the gamers are after all pissed off,” Frank stated. “They want to do nicely, they want to win, to carry out nicely. I perceive that. You will need to be constant in good occasions and dangerous occasions. That is why I went round to the followers as I did. It’s extra enjoyable after we win, I can let you know that.”
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Pushed on the Van de Ven and Spence snub, Frank continued: “I perceive why you ask the query however I feel that is among the small points. We have now Micky Van de Ven and Djed Spence, the 2 are doing the whole lot they will, they’ve carried out very nicely up to now this season. Everyone seems to be pissed off. We do issues differently so I do not see that as a giant downside.”
To provide Postecoglou his due, the November 2023 recreation was his first defeat as Spurs boss, which left them second within the Premier League desk. But even after shedding right here, Tottenham left the pitch in third place, above Chelsea on purpose distinction.
Model is a crucial high quality in these components, and the largest subject right here was Spurs’ lack of attacking cohesion.
It might be customary in these circumstances to counsel they ran out of concepts however the alarming factor for Frank is that they did not seem to have many to begin with.
The significance of “anticipated objectives” stats is usually overplayed however no one might argue with the stark image it painted right here: Spurs’ xG of 0.05 was their lowest-ever in a Premier League recreation since information started, relationship again 504 video games to the 2012-13 season.
“I’d say that after all harm massively,” stated Frank. “I’ve by no means been in command of a staff that created that little in a single recreation. By no means. So, that after all I’ll look into what we have been doing. That is one factor. Every part is slightly bit linked.”
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Did Thomas Frank get it improper for Spurs vs. Chelsea?
Janusz Michallik reacts to Tottenham’s “disappointing” efficiency throughout their 1-0 defeat to Chelsea within the Premier League.
Spurs had three photographs within the match, conceded João Pedro’s Thirty fourth-minute winner after two errors taking part in out from the again and have been indebted to goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario for a string of high quality saves to maintain the rating down. Substitute Jamie Gittens blazed over an excellent late probability which might have given the scoreline the slant Chelsea deserved.
There are underlying causes and mitigating components to the hostility Frank skilled.
Some followers didn’t need Postecoglou to depart after final season, regardless of a dreadful league marketing campaign after delivering the membership’s first trophy in 17 years by profitable the Europa League in Could. And it stands to cause that if the shift in direction of Postecoglou’s excessive taking part in model was marked, the return journey can’t be thought-about with out issues.
Moreover, Frank is open concerning the lack of fluidity Spurs at the moment possess, partly as a consequence of accidents to key gamers together with James Maddison, Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski but additionally their summer time switch window points which noticed them miss out on Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze earlier than buying Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani late within the window.
They have been additional disrupted by shedding Lucas Bergvall after simply seven minutes as a consequence of concussion protocols, which prompted his withdrawal. Bergvall needed to proceed however he staggered in regarding style on the touchline and the proper determination was rapidly made.
Simons got here on to renew the problem he’s up to now fighting: injecting creativity to a staff missing inspiration.
And Frank has inherited a troubling residence document which stretches again over a 12 months. Spurs have now performed 20 league video games at this gorgeous residence stadium and gained simply 4.
Their efforts right here prolonged to dropping the same old 10-minute pre-match video montage and permitting the group to construct an environment organically. It did not yield the specified end result as a result of what Spurs lacked from open play, they compounded with some terrible set-piece supply.
Rising frustration within the second half may very well be charted by a sequence of dead-ball conditions. On 64 minutes, Pedro Porro performed a free kick to Mohamed Kudus who performed it again to him. One other cross went out huge and the ball went out of play. Cue anger within the stands.
5 minutes later, Porro overhit a free kick straight into Robert Sánchez’ arms. Extra anger. On 87 minutes, Kudus hit a nook which Sanchez claimed simply. One other alternative to play ahead noticed Vicario play it quick to Spence, who performed it again to Vicario and the Italian launched the ball forwards to Sanchez. And within the recreation’s remaining act, Spence hoofed it upfield aimlessly for Sanchez to assemble once more.
The boos have been deafening. With out departed chairman Daniel Levy to behave as a focus for such fury — which he did for thus a few years — the followers took goal on the staff and Frank.
For Chelsea, Caicedo was wonderful as soon as once more, profitable the ball twice for Pedro’s purpose, main Maresca afterwards to declare that “him and [Manchester City’s] Rodri are the 2 finest defensive midfielders on the planet” proper now. The Blues at the moment are as much as fourth and Caicedo’s contribution to that achievement is profound.
Chelsea groups in years passed by got here to the outdated White Hart Lane and gained so usually they nicknamed it ‘Three Level Lane.’ That is, then, in some senses a well-recognized feeling however one Spurs have been imagined to banish as they goal to compete for the largest prizes on an annual foundation.
The duty of plotting a path to that place now lies with Frank and this was a clumsy early reminder of the longstanding frustration after years of falling quick.