Tag: Thomas Frank

Aston Villa pushed Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank closer to the sack with a 2-1 win over the troubled side in the FA Cup third round on Saturday.

Frank is on the brink after Tottenham paid the price for conceding twice in a woeful first-half display in north London.

Emiliano Buendia put Villa ahead, and Morgan Rogers increased the visitors’ lead.

Tottenham improved after the break, but although Wilson Odobert reduced the deficit, they were unable to avoid a second successive defeat.

The loss ended in suitably ugly fashion for Tottenham as their frustrated players became embroiled in a clash with Villa after the final whistle, as boos cascaded from the stands.

Tottenham have won just three of their past 14 games and sit 14th in the Premier League, only three places above where they ended last season under Ange Postecoglou.

If Frank can survive until next weekend, another loss at home to lowly West Ham would surely bring an end to his disastrous reign.

Frank added to his problems when he drank from a cup emblazoned with the branding of Spurs’ bitter rivals Arsenal before Tottenham’s 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth on Wednesday.

That embarrassing gaffe drew the ire of Tottenham supporters, who once again booed Frank and his players at the final whistle.

Now Frank is out of the Cup following the latest damp squib in the former Brentford manager’s wretched first season in charge.

Hired to replace the sacked Postecoglou, who ended the north Londoners’ 17-year trophy drought by winning the Europa League last season, Frank increasingly looks out of his depth at a club with Tottenham’s expectations.

Aston Villa, who haven’t won the FA Cup since 1957, have now won twice at Tottenham Hotspur this season after a 2-1 victory in the Premier League in October.

Unai Emery’s team also beat Tottenham in the FA Cup fourth round last season.

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Desperate to buy himself some breathing space, Thomas Frank ignored the trend of Premier League managers resting their key players in the FA Cup by naming a strong line-up.

To mark the 125th anniversary of becoming the first non-league side to lift the FA Cup, Tottenham wore a special commemorative kit with no player surnames on the back and the sponsors and club badge less visible than usual on the front.

Unfortunately for Frank, Tottenham’s first-half display was closer to a non-league effort than the standards expected of his expensively assembled team.

Aston Villa took the lead from their first serious attack in the 22nd minute.

John McGinn and Donyell Malen carved through the creaky Tottenham defence with a rapid exchange of passes before Buendia lashed high into the roof of the net from 10 yards.

Villa fans taunted the Tottenham boss with chants of “Thomas Frank is an Arsenal fan”.

And Frank’s problems mounted when Brazil striker Richarlison limped off with an apparent hamstring injury.

Tottenham were rudderless and it was no surprise when Rogers bagged Villa’s second goal on the stroke of half-time.

It was the kind of flowing move that Frank has so rarely been able to inspire from his players as Buendia’s deft back-heel teed up Rogers for a clinical close-range finish.

Tottenham were improved in the second half and Odobert reduced the deficit in the 54th minute.

Randal Kolo Muani won possession in midfield and slipped a pass to Odobert, whose low drive arrowed into the far corner from 12 yards.

In a brief burst of pressure, Xavi Simons hit the post before Kolo Muani’s strike forced a save from Marco Bizot.

But their momentum fizzled out in the closing stages to leave Frank with nowhere to hide.

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Tottenham manager Thomas Frank has hit back at Arne Slot after the Liverpool boss criticised Micky van de Ven for a “reckless” tackle that left Alexander Isak with a broken leg.

Defender Van de Ven crashed into Isak with a sliding tackle in a failed attempt to stop the Sweden striker scoring in Liverpool’s 2-1 win at Tottenham on Saturday.

Isak, who limped off after Van de Ven’s challenge, underwent surgery on an ankle injury that included a fibula fracture.

The 26-year-old is expected to be sidelined for at least two months after the injury to his left leg.

Slot launched a scathing attack on the centre-back when he faced the media on Tuesday, saying he was guilty of a “reckless challenge”.

“If you make that tackle 10 times, I think 10 times there’s a serious chance that a player gets a serious injury,” he said.

But Frank defended his player in his own press conference.

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“I obviously disagree in many ways,” he said. “We are talking about a defender that will do everything he can to avoid the goal.

“It is a transition, there is a ball down the side, and he is doing everything he can to block the shot, so he is sliding.

“Unfortunately, Isak plants his foot so it makes it look worse than it is, but that is a natural action for a defender.

“Put it this way, if my defender does not do that, they are not true defenders.”

Frank said Van de Ven would not put an opponent’s health at risk with a dangerous foul.

“Reckless challenge? I don’t think you see anything like that from Micky,” he said.

“I see him as a very fair and competitive player. That’s one thing. I know the two players have sorted it out, so that’s a good sign.”

Tottenham’s defeat against Liverpool added to the mounting pressure on Frank.

The former Brentford boss has struggled since arriving in north London in the close-season to replace the sacked Ange Postecoglou.

Postecoglou ended Tottenham’s 17-year trophy drought by winning the Europa League, but the poor domestic form that haunted the Australian has continued under Frank’s watch.

Tottenham are languishing in 14th place in the Premier League ahead of this weekend’s trip to Crystal Palace, but Frank remains confident he can turn the tide.

“This is one of the biggest clubs in the world so it makes it a bigger and different challenge,” he said.

“Where this makes it extra challenging is we also play Champions League and Premier League at the same time. We are trying to improve when at 100 miles per hour.”

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Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank is upbeat about the long-term future of Micky van de Ven at the north London club, despite reported interest from Spanish giants Real Madrid.

The centre-back scored twice in Sunday’s 3-0 win at Everton to take his tally for the season to five goals in 13 appearances, with Spurs now third in the table — five points behind leaders and arch north London rivals Arsenal.

Van de Ven has become a leading figure in the absence of injured club captain Cristian Romero and could lead the side out again in a League Cup match away to holders Newcastle on Wednesday.

Frank, attempting to retain the senior players in a squad that won the Europa League in May, was relaxed about keeping hold of van de Ven, who joined Spurs on a six-year deal in 2023, for all the talk that Real are tracking the progress of the 24-year-old.

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“Yeah, very happy with Micky. I think he has been brilliant for the club since he signed and he has taken some steps up this season,” Frank said.

“I think he actually defends even better. I think he is still very good on the ball, he added the goals and the headed goals, which I am very happy with. He’s a threat from set-pieces.

“Character and leadership are also growing, and as far as I know, we have a good contract with him, but definitely a player I see with a big future at the club.

“I think he is happy here, that is very important and we’re happy with him, so let’s see what happens in the future.

“I think the most important thing is it looks like he really enjoys his football, he really enjoys his time here, I am very happy with him, everyone is really happy, so that’s a good sign.”

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