After securing victories against Burnley and Manchester City to start their Premier League season, Tottenham suffered their first slump under Thomas Frank in late August.
It came at home to Bournemouth, a 1-0 defeat thanks to an Evanilson goal.
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Nearly three months later, this match seems important. Spurs offered almost nothing on offense, failing to register a single shot in the first half and finishing with an xG of 0.17 despite being behind 85 minutes. Since then, they have not won at home in the league.
At the time, a weak protest of this nature seemed like an isolated case that could be excused in the face of stiff opposition, but instead it has become the norm.
It was also the first and only time so far that Frank named an unchanged starting line-up from one Premier League match to the next.
Spurs have made 28 changes to their starting XI in the league this season, with only Wolves and Chelsea making more.
He left with the same team that had beaten City at the Etihad a week earlier, it didn’t work out and Frank has been tweaking ever since, looking for solutions that still haven’t been found.
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Spurs have made 28 changes to their starting XI in the league this season. Only Wolves and Chelsea have done more.
This wouldn’t be a problem if Frank just rotated his options to keep the energy up, but there was too much chopping and switching with the other team in mind. Frank prioritized quashing the opposition over nurturing relationships on the Spurs side.
Pressure is mounting on the Dane after dismal derby defeats to Arsenal and Chelsea, and a growing feeling that the team is not improving.
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They were short of ideas during the attack on Bournemouth in August and this has remained an almost constant theme since. Fans need something to root for, the feeling that Frank is building a project to justify his patience, even if the results are mediocre.
Spurs’ best recent offensive performance came against Copenhagen in the Champions League. The caveat to who the opposition is is obvious, but there were much better signs with Destiny Udogie and Wilson Odobert on the left, who brought out the best in Xavi Simons.
Four days later, Frank strangely accompanied Djed Spence and Richarlison on the left against Manchester United. It was only when Udogie and Odobert came on in the second half that Spurs offered anything resembling an attacking threat.
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Thomas Frank is prone to DIY (Action Images via Reuters)
There is now a strong case for Frank to choose how he feels about his starting lineup and stick with it. This would help the players, who too often look lost on the pitch, and give the feeling that Spurs are working towards something.
This isn’t a team with elite offensive options, but there are certainly enough to produce more than what’s been seen in recent weeks. Frank has often turned to the more defensive option and a braver approach is needed.
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Lucas Bergvall was one of Spurs’ best players earlier in the season, but he has since struggled to find minutes. A formation with him alongside Joao Palhinha, Xavi Simons in front of them and Destiny Udogie and Wilson Odobert on the left immediately looks more exciting.
Randal Kolo Muani, Mathys Tel and Richarlison shared the minutes up front but the attackers need confidence and that comes from running down the side.
Even with a jaw injury, Kolo Muani is the best option and should start close enough to every game when fit. His relationship with Simons is one that the Spurs should prioritize.
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If Frank’s adjustments brought results, especially against Spurs’ biggest rivals, then the performances could be somewhat forgiven.
Instead, it currently looks a lot like confusion and not versatility. Stifling the opposition is not a good enough philosophy, certainly not at a club like Spurs.
More than three months into the season, consistency in both the starting lineup and offensive play patterns has been sorely lacking. One would surely help the other.
