Frank Can Take Heart Despite Champions League Loss To Psg

Thomas Frank's defiant connection going into what was shaping up arsenic a hiding to thing – aliases possibly conscionable a hiding – against Paris St-Germain was that he was "1,000% judge he knew really to build a squad and a club."

Bold words erstwhile caput coach Frank had nan disapproval of Tottenham Hotspur's fans ringing successful his ears aft what they perceived arsenic a tactical surrender successful nan northbound London derby conclusion astatine Arsenal connected Sunday.

And moreover bolder erstwhile nan opponents were nan Champions League holders, nan aforesaid PSG broadside that had trim a swathe done nan Premier League's elite arsenic Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Aston Villa were seen disconnected past season.

For an hour, successful nan dispute territory of Parc des Princes, Spurs showed capable determination and creation to support moreover PSG's "Ultras" populating Virage Auteuil comparatively subdued.

Before nan start, it was nan accepted Champions League juncture successful Paris, pinch a spectacular show of fireworks and pyrotechnics earlier kick-off, nan action past conducted to nan changeless rhythms of a drumbeat.

And astatine 1 constituent successful nan City of Light, Spurs were eyeing a stunning triumph until acheronian fell connected their hopes with a 5-3 defeat. It was a thriller but, successful nan end, a disappointing one.

Frank, echoing his ngo statement, would person been encouraged that Spurs showed coagulated foundations, only to crumble done their ain carelessness and nan benignant of basking spell from PSG that has done for amended teams than them successful nan Champions League, scoring 3 times successful 12 minutes.

Spurs shipped 5 goals to adhd to nan 4 conceded astatine Arsenal, but this was a markedly different capacity that astatine slightest showed affirmative intent. There is nary shame successful succumbing to PSG's value successful nan mode they did.

Spurs led doubly done Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani, who scored doubly against his genitor club, but it was still not capable to support PSG, lacking nan injured Desire Doue and pinch Ousmane Dembele connected nan bench, astatine bay.

Frank's statement moved distant from nan five-man defence that drew truthful overmuch fury against Arsenal, operating pinch a accepted backmost 4 protected by Rodrigo Bentancur and Archie Gray. He paired Richarlison and Kolo Muani up beforehand to bully effect.

It was besides line-up that suggested Frank whitethorn person had 1 oculus connected Saturday night's cardinal location crippled against Fulham, pinch Mohammed Kudus, Joao Palhinha, Destiny Udogie, Wilson Odobert and Xavi Simons near out.

Spurs, nevertheless were nary nan worse for that until they were submerged nether PSG's quality, Frank's action tireless retired of possession utilizing a man-for-man strategy which Luis Enrique's broadside initially struggled to combat, getting up nan transportation successful a mode that seemed alien to them astatine Arsenal.

Spurs were pressing high, looking to triumph nan shot backmost pinch a existent competitory edge. This, astatine least, looked thing for illustration a Thomas Frank team, contempt nan achy extremity result.

Frank was furious astatine his team's deficiency of aggression astatine Arsenal, visibly grimacing erstwhile he pointed retired they only won 17 retired of 53 duels and second-ball situations.

Commitment could not beryllium questioned here, but Spurs were undone by momentary lapses that ever consequence nan eventual reward against PSG.

Frank said: "I americium very pleased pinch nan performance. This was overmuch much nan personality of nan team, nan bravery and aggressiveness of nan team.

"There were tons of positives, nan 2 strikers scoring 3 goals betwixt them, nan full squad performed really well. The capacity was to get thing retired of nan crippled but past you request to person nan margins pinch you, but we can't concede immoderate of nan goals we did."

Spurs looked for illustration taking a deserved 1-0 lead into nan interval, only to move disconnected aft a set-piece, allowing nan superb Vitinha to equalise.

It happened again erstwhile Pape Matar Sarr, pinch nan people 2-2, carelessly ceded possession conscionable earlier nan hour, nan correction ending pinch Fabian Ruiz putting PSG up for nan first time.

Vitinha, a stellar performer successful PSG's Champions League win, was nan decisive performer pinch 2 stunning strikes to snuff retired nan Spurs lead, 1 pinch his correct ft different pinch his left.

Frank said: "Vitinha is nan champion midfielder successful nan world. He will beryllium nan adjacent Ballon d'Or winner."

PSG simply proved excessively bully successful nan end, but Spurs besides went immoderate measurement to answering justified disapproval astir a deficiency of threat, pinch Richarlison and Kolo Muani providing 3 goals betwixt them.

It was a bully nighttime for Kolo Muani, who has seen his effort to make an effect astatine Spurs held backmost by a dormant limb and a surgery jaw, restricting him to conscionable 4 starts and 345 minutes of action earlier this game.

Former Spurs and England goalkeeper Paul Robinson told BBC Radio 5 Live: "What I will opportunity is that Tottenham had a different attitude. Their application, their activity rate, their pressing, they started higher up nan field. There was a batch much to beryllium affirmative about.

"Unlike astatine nan play Frank tin put his digit connected things that went incorrect alternatively than scratching his caput and reasoning he didn't recognise his team."

The scenery now shifts to nan captious location crippled against Fulham - wherever Frank must again person his detractors he has foundations to build on.