Tottenham contriving to lose two-goal leads in both the match and the penalty shoot-out in their Super Cup defeat might make it tempting for some to view this as the ‘same old Spurs’. But this was different. Thomas Frank’s fingerprints were all over the performance.
The new Tottenham boss did not get the result that he wanted against Paris Saint-Germain. The boost of silverware in his very first competitive game in charge would have been a huge moment for him. But there can be no denying that his ideas were evident.
Frank’s own assessment that “the operation was a success but the patient died” seemed fair. The tactics were largely vindicated. Even Luis Enrique said they deserved to win, only for PSG to belatedly show their true quality and snaffle away the trophy.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Thomas Frank reflects on the positives from the match against Paris Saint-Germain
“What a mentality throughout the game. A lot of things to be happy with.” That was Frank’s verdict. What will be fascinating to see is how much he tweaks those tactics given that it is Burnley up next before travelling to face Manchester City the week after.
It should provide an early insight into Frank’s flexibility.
Set-pieces can be Spurs’ strength
His influences in Udine were both overt and subtle. Most obviously, there were the two goals from set-pieces. Both centre-backs scoring could not have been more perfect given that this was a feature of his success at Brentford, proving almost a trademark.
No team in the Premier League scored more headed goals than Frank’s Bees last season. They had the highest average shot quality from set-pieces and a conversion rate second only to Liverpool. Brentford also conceded the fewest goals per set-piece.
Frank has long understood that these ‘cheap’ goals can be the marginal gains that make the difference and there will be Tottenham supporters who will appreciate this attention to detail because the ingredients are there for this to be a major weapon for Spurs too.
Nine of the starting line-up against PSG were over six feet tall. “We knew that was an area where we could hurt PSG and we worked very hard on it.” He talked of a “big focus on the set-pieces from all areas of the pitch” and stressed that he would keep doing it.
The opener came from a free-kick won near the halfway line and pumped towards the far post by Guglielmo Vicario. Frank is fond of creating overloads and it was noticeable that Spurs were looking for the free man at the back. It worked for their second goal.
While Frank talked of going “a little more direct” the reality is that this represents a more fundamental shift for Spurs, one hinted at when it became clear that Kevin Danso had won the long-throw competition in training. He took them from right and left in Udine.
Vicario’s passing highlights change
But nothing illustrates the change more clearly than the instructions given to Vicario. Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham played the fewest long passes of any team in the Premier League last season – sticking to that regardless of personnel or opposition.
Tottenham’s goalkeepers rarely hit the ball long under Ange Postecoglou last season
As a result, the two goalkeepers to play the fewest long passes per 90 minutes in the competition both played for Tottenham – Fraser Forster going long slightly less often than Vicario. But the Italian’s pass map against PSG showed there was a different approach.
Guglielmo Vicario’s pass map for Tottenham against Paris Saint-Germain in the Super Cup
Luis Enrique’s side are so fond of pressing that their tactics include booting the ball up the field from kick-offs just so that they can box in the opponent. Frank wanted his team to bypass that, robbing PSG of that opportunity, and it worked for much of the match.
Adjusting to stronger opponents
This ability to adjust is a big reason why Frank is in the job, of course. Postecoglou’s failure to do so was a factor in them conceding 65 goals last term, the most by Spurs in over 30 years and their most in a 38-game league season since the First World War.
Tottenham’s record against stronger sides was particularly appalling last season, losing 14 of their 16 Premier League games against teams that finished in the top eight. That was more than Leicester and Ipswich and even as many as bottom club Southampton.
Going to a 5-3-2 shape, something that he also did at Brentford, suggests there is a template for those games now. He decided upon it after losing 4-0 to Bayern Munich in pre-season. “I knew we had to do something a little bit different against PSG,” he said.
The big question that remains is how Frank adjusts the style against weaker opposition. A clue will come on Saturday when Spurs face Burnley. Tasked with breaking down the team with the best defence in England last season, that should be a very different test.
It is the sort of game for which James Maddison or, dare it be said, Morgan Gibbs-White or Eberechi Eze, might prove especially useful in picking out that pass to unlock things. Without them, it has the potential to be an awkward opener given the turnaround time.
New approach needed against Burnley
But Frank may have a fresh tactical plan. That has been the case ever since his Brentford were promoted to the Premier League via the play-offs in 2021 only to alter their approach upon promotion and survive comfortably, while the previous season’s top two in the Championship – Norwich and Watford – were both relegated.
Even last season, Brentford spent a higher proportion of time in a low block than any other team – and yet somehow managed to rank among the top three teams for possession won in the final third. He can flick the switch been pressing and defending deep.
There was evidence of that against PSG because for all the pressure that the Champions League winners were able to assert in the closing stages, there were also examples of Spurs getting after them. “High pressure is a non-negotiable,” said Frank.
That could be seen in the efforts of Joao Palhinha, Rodrigo Bentancur and particularly Pape Sarr, the midfield trio showing great enthusiasm to force PSG wide and support the wing-backs to cut out the crosses. Had all three stayed on, Spurs may have won.
For those who travelled to Italy, that lament may linger. But as Frank himself has said, he only allows himself 24 hours to wallow after a defeat. “I will make sure the players are ready and come flying out on Saturday.” Do not be shocked if the tactics change again.
