It’s generally felt across the Tottenham Hotspur fanbase that Thomas Frank has made a solid start to life at the helm.
Contextualising the Danish tactician’s early months in the hot seat: Spurs finished 17th in the Premier League last season, malfunctioned under Ange Postecoglou. Still, they won the Europa League and salvaged a pathway into the Champions League, but all was not well, and Ange probably did need to leave.
Tottenham are more stable under Frank’s wing. Gone is the fevered energy that the previous system was defined by, with a smoother and calmer approach in its place.
This, however, has had offensive ramifications. The Londoners are third in the Premier League after seven matches, 13 points on the board. They have scored 13 goals, but boast an xG (expected goals) total that leaves plenty to be desired.
(1st) Arsenal
14
11.9
(2nd) Liverpool
13
10.9
(3rd) Tottenham
13
7.4
(4th) Bournemouth
11
8.4
(5th) Man City
15
12.1
(6th) Palace
9
12.7
Still, context. James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, two key sources of creativity, have not touched a blade of grass this season as they recover from injuries.
Using this statistical thread, we can observe the biggest winners and losers from the early months of the Lilywhites’ campaign.
Biggest winners & losers of Frank's tenure so far
Maddison and Kulusevski aside, who are losers in that they are incapacitated, there have been plenty of differing fortunes down N17 this season.
To a lesser degree, Dominic Solanke has also been beset with injury issues this term. Arriving from Bournemouth for an initial £55m fee in 2024, the striker has struggled for consistency ever since his arrival, regarding both form and fitness.
After joining Tottenham on a permanent basis this summer, having spent the second half of last term on loan, Mathys Tel is struggling to find his footing, although the versatile French forward scored before the international break and has bundles of ability. He has started only two top-flight fixtures and was excluded from the club’s Champions League squad.
However, Mohammed Kudus has been flying since making a cross-London switch from West Ham United. The snappy winger, 25, has one goal and four assists across seven Premier League outings thus far. Squawka confirm he has attempted (57) and completed (30) more dribbles than any other player in the division.
Plenty of promise across the frontline. Defensively, Tottenham look stronger too. In midfield, loanee Joao Palhinha has made a strong start, and Sky Germany suggest a permanent deal with Bayern Munich could be struck before long.
However, the fact remains that Spurs need more impetus up top, and there’s one forward who might have scored a few since the summer, but could be on borrowed time all the same.
Spurs forward is already on borrowed time
With Solanke’s fitness levels failing him and Tel yet to earn Frank’s trust on the big occasions, Richarlison has been the focal frontman at Tottenham this season.
The opening weeks of the season promised much, but Richarlison has struggled to impress over the past month; the goals have dried up and, as per Sofascore, he has averaged only six passes per match in the Premier League.
TalkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor even acknowledged the Brazilian was “on fire” in front of goal at the start of the campaign, with a brace on the opening day against Brighton & Hove Albion, but that one goal from nine appearances since underlines the issues with the 28-year-old leading the line.
While Agbonlahor’s comments might be somewhat incendiary, there’s a truth underlying the argument. Richarlison is a fierce striker on his day, and is more than capable of stringing together a purple patch, but consistency across the span of a season has long been his enemy, and is something he has yet to demonstrate at Tottenham.
“The same thing happens season after season with Richarlison. He will have a couple of good games, he’ll have three or four games where he will give absolutely zero, and if he’s leading your line, with Solanke’s injury problems, that’s a scare for me for Spurs.”
Given that he cost such a hefty sum when moving from Everton in 2022 for £60m, there’s a sense Richarlison may indeed be on ‘borrowed time’, especially since the board were open to cashing in this summer, with a return to Everton mooted before David Moyes’ side explored other options.
At the start of the season, the fearsome forward had his manager’s trust; however, having been benched during the win at Leeds United before the break, it’s fair to suggest that mindset might have shifted.
Richarlison has entered the penultimate year of his £90k-per-week contract at Tottenham, and given the obvious need for something more in attack, it’s not out of the question that he will be sold before his deal in north London expires.
Whether this enacts sustainable and positive growth in the final third for Tottenham remains to be seen, but Frank is a manager worth his salt, and while he has publically named Richarlison among his most trusted lieutenants at number nine, it’s likely he harbours tacit uncertainties around his ability and how this will affect Tottenham as they look to build on last year’s success and challenge both domestically and out on the continent.
Across 101 matches for Tottenham, Richarlison has posted 23 goals and 11 assists. This isn’t good enough to warrant a prominent position at the front, and Frank and co are likely to move for a new centre-forward with a more impressive track record in front of goal to keep the momentum moving forward and take this team to an even higher sphere.
