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Four things at Tottenham that could be completely different under Thomas Frank next season
Tottenham Hotspur have a new manager in the dugout, announcing the appointment of Thomas Frank as Ange Postecoglou’s replacement.
The Dane has left Brentford to join Tottenham on a contract until 2028, replacing Postecoglou after he was sacked at the start of June.
Frank has also brought three members of staff from Brentford, namely Justin Cochrane, Chris Haslam and Joe Newton.
Andreas Georgson has also joined Frank’s coaching staff, arriving from Manchester United.
Postecoglou paid the price for Tottenham’s 17th-placed Premier League finish, along with a relative lack of tactical flexibility for much of the season.
TBR Football now looks at four ways in which Tottenham’s style of play could be different under Frank next season.
More aerial challenges but fewer fouls and wayward efforts for a more versatile Tottenham
Frank has been deemed the ‘polar opposite’ of Postecoglou, and one of his main coaching strengths is likely to have been the main draw for Daniel Levy.
Tactical flexibility
Frank has made a name for himself as a manager who isn’t afraid to change his tactics, which has kept Brentford punching above their weight for a long time.
Although Frank’s preference is to use a back four, he has often played a back three at Brentford, both in the Premier League and in the Championship.
| Formation | Premier League games | Championship games |
| Back three | 71 | 40 |
| Back four | 81 | 85 |
In addition, Frank has used no fewer than nine formations during his time in the Premier League.
| Formation | Times used |
| 3-5-2 | 53 |
| 4-3-3 | 51 |
| 4-2-3-1 | 22 |
| 5-3-2 | 16 |
| 4-4-2 | 4 |
| 4-5-1 | 3 |
| 3-4-1-2 | 1 |
| 3-4-2-1 | 1 |
| 4-3-1-2 | 1 |
Back in 2018, Frank expressed his desire to “mix” the styles of play of several top European coaches.
He said, as per the Premier League : “Diego Simeone, his way of defending, wow! Guardiola’s positions when building up, fantastic. Jurgen Klopp’s counter pressing and high pressing is amazing. Can we mix that? Then, no problem.”
The tactical rigidity often seen under Postecoglou is set to become a thing of the past.
Being more selective with crosses and shots
Frank is known for his use of data in the game, previously stating he is not the biggest fan of shots from outside the box, as per .
Last season, 23 percent of Brentford’s efforts came from outside the area – the lowest in the league – compared to 28 percent for Spurs.
In addition, Brentford attempted 675 crosses last season, while Spurs delivered 752.
That’s not to say Tottenham will be low-scoring, however. It just means the players will likely have to be more selective.
Considering Brentford were the joint fifth-highest scorers in the league last season (66 goals), there’s a good chance Spurs will develop more of a cutting edge.
More aerial challenges
The third aspect that could change at Tottenham involves aerial challenges, something Brentford were known to be experts at.
Last season, Brentford contested 1,210 aerial duels – the highest in the league – while the 2023/24 campaign saw the Bees contest 1,259 aerial duels.
By comparison, Tottenham mustered 872 last season and just 760 in 2023/24.
Fewer fouls
While Tottenham could well contest more balls in the air, Frank will likely demand much more discipline on the ground.
Brentford’s tally of fouls in the league last season was 320, while the 2023/24 campaign saw them give away 385 fouls.
Indeed, only Manchester City committed fewer fouls than Frank’s Brentford last term.
By contrast, Tottenham conceded 446 fouls last season and 423 fouls in the previous campaign.
Why Tottenham’s young players could go to the next level under the new coaching staff
Cochrane’s arrival at Tottenham has been welcomed by Spurs fans, as he has been deemed one of the best young coaches in the English game.
In addition, Cochrane has considerable experience working with young players, which is good news for the likes of Mikey Moore, Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray.
He was previously an academy coach at Tottenham, spent time with Manchester United’s youth setup, has managed England at various youth levels.
While at Spurs, Cochrane helped oversee the development of the likes of Noni Madueke, Kyle Walker-Peters, Japhet Tanganga, Oliver Skipp and Josh Onomah.
Other players who have blossomed after working with Cochrane include Tino Livramento, Lewis Hall, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo.
Former Spurs coach Chris Ramsey sung Cochrane’s praises in an interview with in 2022.
“He had a massive passion for the game,” said Ramsey.
“He ended up working with the young players and showed his skill and ability to teach. That is what he is – an absolutely fantastic teacher and coach.”