Is Thomas Frank’s Pragmatism Suffocating Spurs?

It’s a strange time to be a Spurs fan. Only seven months ago, the streets of North London were a sea of white and navy as we celebrated a first European trophy in four decades. That night in Bilbao felt like the start of something, a definitive end to the years of "Spursy" jokes. Yet, as we sit in mid-December 2025, that victory feels like a lifetime ago. The high of the Europa League has been replaced by a familiar, nagging anxiety. We are currently stuck in 11th place, and the brand of football on display under Thomas Frank has many wondering if we’ve traded our identity for a pragmatism that isn't even delivering results.

Tactical Rigidity vs. The Angeball Chaos

The contrast between last season and this one is jarring. Under Ange Postecoglou, we were a high-wire act. It was reckless, often exhausting, and ultimately led to a dismal 17th place league finish that nearly saw us drop into the abyss. However, there was a clear soul to the team. This season, Thomas Frank has arrived with a mandate to "stop the bleed," but the remedy feels as painful as the ailment.

The recent 3-0 drubbing at the City Ground was a perfect example of the current malaise. We looked structured but completely static, unable to break down a well-drilled Forest side while still appearing remarkably fragile on the counter. The "heavy metal" football has been replaced by a slow, methodical build-up that lacks the spark we've grown accustomed to. Fans are starting to voice their frustration, with the chants for a certain former Argentine manager growing louder with every misplaced pass in our own half. Frank was supposed to bring the "Brentford model" of efficiency to N17, but right now, it feels like we’re stuck in second gear.

Reactive To Progressive Tactical Identity

The real tragedy of the current setup isn't just the league position, it's the sheer lack of entertainment. Even when things were going south under previous managers, you could usually bank on some form of drama or a bit of flair to keep things interesting.

Now, that creative edge has been blunted in favour of a more conservative approach that feels entirely un-Spursy. If you are going to be pragmatic, the fans will only buy into it if you are winning matches, but when you are stuck in mid-table, it just feels like turgid football for the sake of it.

The inconsistency of the side has even made them a tough call for the bookies, with the latest markets at NetBet Sport showing just how much the confidence in a home win has eroded lately. The patience in the stands is wearing thin, and there is a growing sentiment that if we were going to struggle for results, we might as well have stuck with the 'heavy metal' football that at least gave us that trophy in Bilbao.

Life After Son and the Simons Burden

Navigating the post-Son Heung-min era has proven to be a far more arduous task than the board likely anticipated. When the legendary captain departed for LAFC in August, he took with him more than just a guaranteed goal return; he took the club’s emotional core. Xavi Simons was brought in to inherit the number seven shirt and the creative burden, but he often looks like a man playing with his feet tied. In Frank’s rigid 4-3-3, a player of Simons' mercurial talent is being asked to prioritise positional discipline and defensive rotations over the off-the-cuff brilliance that made him so coveted. It is a recurring theme under the new regime.

Mohammed Kudus, another marquee arrival from the summer, frequently finds himself isolated on the periphery of matches, a casualty of a system that values a safe tactical floor over a high-risk attacking ceiling. While Frank argues that this structure is necessary to avoid the defensive collapses of the previous year, it is clearly stifling the natural instincts of our most expensive assets. Last season, for all the defensive carnage, Son and the forwards were at least allowed to express themselves and take the initiative. Now, we have a team that is neither solid enough to keep clean sheets nor daring enough to blow teams away, leaving the new signings looking like square pegs in very round holes.

The Verdict: A Tactical Crossroads

The board is currently at a crossroads that feels all too familiar. When they appointed Frank, the rhetoric was all about stability and building a sustainable project, yet the reality on the pitch looks anything but settled. There is a lot of talk about showing the same kind of patience that Arsenal famously gave Mikel Arteta, but that only works if the fans can see the building blocks of a successful side through the frustration. Right now, most of the Tottenham faithful only see a team that has lost its spark and a manager who is still trying to prove he can adapt his methods to a big-six environment.

Sacking the man who won us a European trophy because of a poor league finish was always going to be a gamble, and the jury is still very much out on whether it will yield any long-term benefit. Whether Frank can find a way to reintroduce some of that Bilbao spirit while maintaining his defensive structure remains to be seen, but the margin for error is shrinking. If the atmosphere in the stands doesn't improve soon, the pressure on the hierarchy to make another change will only intensify.