Thomas Frank is confident he deserves more time to improve Tottenham's performance following their 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest. Callum Hudson-Odoi scored twice, with Ibrahim Sangare adding a third at the City Ground. This defeat leaves Spurs six points behind Chelsea in fourth place after 16 games, raising questions about Frank's future.
Spurs have accumulated just 22 points from their first 16 Premier League matches this season, with a record of six wins, four draws, and six losses. The last time they had fewer points at this stage was in the 2008-09 season when they had only 18 points. Despite criticism of their attacking play under Frank, Spurs had been impressive away from home in the 2025-26 season.
Before facing Forest, Tottenham was the
only team in the Premier League to score in every away game this season. However, they managed just one shot on target against Forest, marking the third instance since the start of the 2022-23 season where they recorded one or fewer shots on target in an away match. This also occurred against Crystal Palace in October 2023 and Aston Villa in May 2025.
Frank addressed whether he would be given time to implement his ideas: "I can't see why not. I think it's pretty evident that if no one gets the time, no one can turn this around. This is not a quick fix. " He expressed frustration over not performing better despite three good performances prior to this match.
22 - Tottenham have picked up just 22 points across their opening 16 Premier League games this season (W6 D4 L6), last recording fewer at this stage of a league campaign in 2008-09 (18). Stuttering. pic.twitter.com/yEktBYLcBh
- OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 14, 2025
Frank emphasised the importance of staying calm and delivering clear messages at appropriate times. "I'm very honest about where we are as well," he stated, acknowledging that it was a poor performance but recognising that improvement will take time. He noted that those who follow the club are aware of some inconsistent performances.
The match saw Spurs fall behind when Guglielmo Vicario's pass put Archie Gray under pressure, leading to Hudson-Odoi's goal after Sangare intercepted. Tottenham has made five errors resulting in opposition goals this season, second only to Wolves' seven errors. They also lead the league for most errors leading to opposition shots with 20.
Defending Players Amidst Criticism
Despite these mistakes, Frank defended Vicario's involvement: "I think you see that every week in the Premier League and from every team all over the world. " He described it as a common occurrence and expressed confidence that Vicario would learn from it and improve next time.
The coach remains optimistic about turning things around for Tottenham but acknowledges it will require patience and hard work. The team's inconsistency has been evident, but Frank is determined to address these issues moving forward.
