Thomas Frank admits Tottenham 'struggled' with one key aspect against Villarreal

Thomas Frank has revealed what pleased him most about Tottenham Hotspur’s performance against Villarreal, but also admitted that there was one area of concern with his side’s performance.

Tottenham made a winning start to their Champions League campaign, keeping with yet another clean sheet, but the performance certainly did not tick every box.

The game was littered with mistakes in possession from both sides, especially in the second half, but the most important thing for Spurs fans is that their side got three points on the board in the club’s first Champions League encounter in three years.

It was also Thomas Frank’s first Champions League match as a manager, and as expected, the Dane is delighted to emerge with a win from a tough game.

Thomas Frank reveals what he liked about Tottenham’s win over Villarreal and one area of concern

The Tottenham head coach revealed that he is over the moon that his side managed to keep yet another clean sheet: their fourth in their last five matches.

He praised the way that his players defended and made it difficult for Villarreal to create chances, but confessed that Spurs struggled offensively.

When asked what he made of Tottenham’s performance against the La Liga outfit, Frank told Football.London: “I thought it was a big win. In any competition, it’s good to get three points and get a good start. I’m happy with that. I’m happy with the clean sheet.

MORE SPURS STORIES

“I’m happy with the defensive side of the game. I think we were extremely good and limited Villarreal to very little throughout the game. They were a good team, I really admire.

“Obviously, offensively, we struggled on the day to create something against a good team. They also defended very well, which we knew in the 4-4-2 structure. They were very aggressive. When we were on the day, I think, they needed the highest level in terms of touch, passes and decision-making, and they nailed that.

“Then it was a very even game that we edged in the end. What I like is that our foundation is strong. Now we are four games won, three in the Premier League, one in the Champions League, and we have four sheets, which is massive.”

Frank is not concerned about Tottenham’s struggles in attack

Despite admitting his team’s struggles going forward, the 51-year-old insisted that he is not alarmed by the lack of chances created.

Frank pointed out that some players are still getting used to playing with each other and the new offensive structure they are operating in.

Expanding on Tottenham’s challenges going forward, he said: “Obviously, we are building the offensive structure more and more. Xavi Simons has just come into the club. It’s fair to say he and Djed need a little relationship, of course, to get going.

“No complaints, it’s just natural. I think there was a spell in the second half where we decided to give the ball away every single time we had it. We gave the ball away, let’s bring it back. Oh, give it away, let’s bring it back. Of course, it’s a little bit easier to sit here with a smile, but of course, at that level, we will raise of course.”

Click here to read article