3rd place after 5 matches
Despite not securing all three points in their 2-2 draw against Brighton on Saturday, Tottenham Hotspur’s new manager Thomas Frank expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance. “I was truly impressed with the mentality we demonstrated today. The determination to stay in the game, keep pressing, and ultimately earn a deserved 2-2 draw,” he told the BBC post-match. “If there were to be a winner, it really should have been us.”
Frank’s optimistic outlook on dropping points reflects the significant transformation at the club following his appointment over the summer, replacing Ange Postecoglou. Once a team grappling with relegation worries, Tottenham now finds themselves in third place in the Premier League, with only one loss across their first five league matches this season. Progress appears to be unfolding for Frank and his squad, but how much have they truly improved since the managerial switch? Let’s examine the situation.
Comparing Postecoglou and Frank
In Thomas Frank’s first five league matches with Tottenham, he has achieved notable victories against Burnley, Manchester City, and West Ham, with the draw against Brighton and a 1-0 loss to Bournemouth being exceptions. Presently, Frank holds an impressive average of 2.0 points per league match at the club. Comparing his performance to that of his predecessor, it’s evident why Frank has found greater success.
As the above graphic shows, Frank boasts a higher points-per-game ratio and a significantly better win percentage of 60% compared to Postecoglou’s 41%. This improvement is largely attributable to Frank’s squad demonstrating greater control during their league matches. So far, Tottenham has averaged 2.0 goals scored per game while conceding only 0.6, with only Liverpool having netted more goals in the opening five fixtures, and only Arsenal and Crystal Palace conceding fewer goals.
This starkly contrasts with Postecoglou’s tenure, where Tottenham scored a reasonable total of 138 goals over 76 league matches but also conceded 126 during that period. Consequently, Postecoglou’s offensive record of 1.8 goals per game falls short of Frank’s, while his defensive record of 1.7 goals conceded per game is almost three times greater than that of his successor. This discrepancy undoubtedly accounts for Tottenham’s struggles near the bottom of the table last season, in contrast to their current position, just five points off the top this time around.
