With Thomas Frank’s appointment now official, consideration shifts in direction of how his Tottenham crew could look.
His 312 video games in control of Brentford offered some clues in terms of what formations he likes to make use of and the fashion of play the Dane plans to implement.
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However the actuality for Frank is that the stakes are increased than ever earlier than, particularly with a Champions League marketing campaign on the horizon.
He is additionally coping with gamers of a collectively increased – and dearer – calibre at Tottenham than at Brentford.
So, what can followers count on of Frank’s Spurs?
And, maybe extra intriguingly, how would possibly the crew line up?
For starters, Brentford underneath Frank shared a variety of related traits to Tottenham underneath Ange Postecoglou.
They had been attack-minded, with the Bees scoring the fifth-most targets within the Premier League final season with a formidable tally of 66.
Goalscoring was a constant theme of Frank’s tenure at Brentford because the membership scored 56 and 58 targets within the two previous prime flight campaigns.
Bryan Mbuemo and Yoane Wissa had been central to the membership’s goalscoring efforts within the 2024/25 season because the duo netted a staggering 20 and 19 targets respectively.
But it surely’s not simply with the ball Brentford had been a pressure to be reckoned with underneath Frank.
They had been like a rabid junkyard canine with out it.
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In accordance with Opta, Brentford accomplished a staggering 319 excessive turnovers within the league final time period.
It was the sixth-most within the league and just one behind Tottenham, highlighting a standard hyperlink between Frank and Postecoglou’s kinds.
Along with their excessive turnovers, Statmuse ranked Brentford because the crew with the fourth-most ball recoveries accomplished within the last third.
The Bees gained the ball a formidable 1,928 instances within the last third, which was 53 extra recoveries than Tottenham, who had been ranked seventh, made.
In a manner, Tottenham followers ought to count on extra of the identical in terms of watching their gamers be extremely aggressive out of possession underneath Frank.
On the subject of how Brentford preferred to assault, the Bees had a bent to bombard the opposition field with crosses.
Most profitable crosses in 24/25 Premier League
Final season, the Bees accomplished 113 crosses, the fifth-most within the Premier League, per Opta.
Tottenham had been just one place behind within the rankings, with 108 profitable crosses.
These statistics level in direction of Frank wanting his crew to play in broad areas earlier than getting the ball in, so lots can be anticipated from his wingers whereas his full-backs can be anticipated to affix in on assaults.
Though Frank proved to be a extra pragmatic supervisor than Postecoglou, even when the Australian tweaked his gung-ho method in direction of the top of his tenure, the Dane’s core rules are there to see.
Extremely aggressive with out the ball and a bombardment into the field from broad areas.
Now, how would possibly Frank go about his line-up?
All through his time at Brentford, Frank usually used a 3-5-2, 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 formation.
Given he completed the 2024/25 marketing campaign utilizing the 4-2-3-1 line-up it appears logical to proceed that theme, though there’s each likelihood Frank seems to modify issues up as soon as the brand new season rolls round.
In purpose, Guglielmo Vicario stays the primary selection and there was little reporting a couple of potential substitute.
Due to this fact, it is secure to count on the Italian will retain his place.
At left-back, Frank’s arrival might unlock Future Udogie.
Below Postecoglou, Udogie usually needed to invert right into a midfield position fairly than keep as a standard left-back.
Thomas Frank’s most-used formations within the Premier League
However given Frank’s propensity for getting his gamers to cross the ball usually, it may very well be the right tonic for Udogie to remind followers of his attacking qualities.
Comparable goes for Pedro Porro, who made the third-most profitable crosses within the league final time period (34) from 133 tried.
At centre-back, Micky van de Ven is the logical selection however his companion is of larger intrigue.
Ordinarily it might be Cristian Romero, however given stories have linked him with a transfer away and the actual fact he curiously timed his farewell publish to Postecoglou lower than an hour after Frank’s arrival, the World Cup winner isn’t any assure to stay in a Tottenham shirt going into subsequent season.
It is why Kevin Danso is the safer decide to line up alongside Van de Ven, though there could also be scope for Frank to herald a proper centre-back of his selection.
For the midfield pivots, Rodrigo Bentancur and Archie Grey might show to be a formidable pairing.
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Grey was linked with a transfer to Brentford earlier than he joined Tottenham, so Frank can be aware of the standard he brings.
He now has key Premier League expertise underneath his belt having been thrown into the deep finish out of necessity by Postecoglou amid the membership’s damage disaster final time period.
As for Bentancur, he presents a relaxing presence within the midfield and might preserve the ball circulating whereas additionally providing some wanted chew in challenges.
The attacking three in entrance of them is the place issues get a bit attention-grabbing.
Following Frank’s appointment, talkSPORT understands the membership has stepped up their curiosity in Mbeumo, who performed one of the best soccer of his profession underneath the Dane.
Though Manchester United are additionally in for his signature, the actual fact he already loved a working relationship with Frank might give Tottenham a serious enhance within the Mbeumo sweepstakes.
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Dejan Kulusevski would function because the attacking midfielder, along with his business and guile the precise profile Frank needs from his gamers within the last third.
As for the left-winger, talkSPORT understands Tottenham maintain real curiosity in Manchester Metropolis outcast Jack Grealish.
The 29-year-old would provide one thing utterly totally different to anybody within the Tottenham squad.
Given Metropolis had the longest sequence day trip of anybody within the Premier League (15.54 seconds, per Opta), with a sequence being a passage of play for a crew that ends in a defensive motion, stoppage in play or a shot, Grealish’s finest talents had been shackled.
However given Brentford had the sixth-shortest sequence time (9.31 seconds), it reveals Frank needs issues to occur rapidly and that fits Grealish, who grew to become a £100million star in 2021 because of his sensible dribbling abilities that propelled Aston Villa up the sector and into the ultimate third.
Up prime, count on Dominic Solanke to retain his spot as he’ll relish the numerous crosses coming his manner.
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Tottenham followers will not have to attend terribly lengthy to see the seeds of Frank’s tactical plan in motion.
The membership’s first pre-season fixture takes place on July 26 in opposition to Luton City earlier than they journey to Asia for video games in opposition to Arsenal and Newcastle on July 31 and August 3 respectively.
They’ll wrap up preparations for the brand new marketing campaign on August 7 with a pleasant in opposition to Bayern Munich.
