Frank 'losing respect' of Tottenham dressing room as ex-player makes scathing claim
Former Tottenham star Ramon Vega has launched a scathing attack on Spurs boss Thomas Frank after their 5-3 loss to PSG in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
Tottenham show flashes but fall to PSG defeat in Paris
Spurs’ unbeaten European run came to a grinding halt in spectacular fashion as the European champions powered to a thrilling victory at the Parc des Princes, with midfielder Vitinha stealing the headlines by scoring a sensational hat-trick.
Frank’s young side showed tremendous character by twice taking the lead in a pulsating encounter, only to be overwhelmed by PSG’s attacking quality during a devastating second-half spell.
The match showcased both the promise and vulnerability of Spurs’ inexperienced squad, with teenagers Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray impressing before defensive lapses proved costly.
Vitinha’s treble told the story of the evening. The Portuguese thundered home a spectacular long-range equaliser just before halftime, curled in his second to restore parity after the break, then sealed his hat-trick from the penalty spot following Cristian Romero’s handball, with his performance epitomizing PSG’s clinical edge when opportunities arose.
Randal Kolo Muani was another positive for Tottenham, scoring twice against his parent club and notching an assist for Richarlison to briefly give Spurs hope of an unlikely win.
Randal Kolo Muani
8.7
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
8.4
Vitinha
8.4
Willian Pacho
8.1
Joao Neves
8.0
via WhoScored
However, Fabian Ruiz’s composed finish and William Pacho’s close-range effort during PSG’s dominant period ultimately proved decisive.
The defeat leaves Tottenham precariously positioned sixteenth in the league phase standings after five games, significantly increasing pressure on Frank ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash against Fulham.
The Dane has attracted, to say the least, very mixed reviews since replacing Ange Postecoglou in the summer. Frank’s spell has been marred by concerns surrounding creativity and a ‘boring’ style of play, with Spurs nearly bottom of the pile for numerous attacking metrics so far this season.
This includes an expected goals (xG) of just 11.0, which is the fourth worst in the entire Premier League.
xG
11.0
17th
Non-penalty xG
11.0
16th
Progressive passes
413
12th
Shots
110
19th
Shots on target
40
15th
Average shot distance
15.6 yards
17th
Many are wondering if Frank really is the right man to take them forward, and their crushing North London derby loss last weekend didn’t exactly plead his case.
Ramon Vega makes scathing Thomas Frank claim after Tottenham defeat
Speaking to talkSPORT, former Lilywhites player Vega made his thoughts on Frank crystal clear this morning — even stating that Postecoglou was the better man for the Spurs job.
Vega also says that the dressing room doesn’t appear to have that same respect for Frank, with the pundit questioning his ability to be a leader.
Given Frank is now starting to attract these kinds of opinions, absolutely nothing but a win will do at Fulham this weekend.
However, he’ll have to make do without star defender Cristian Romero, who’s suspended for the clash.