Opinion: Five Tottenham players who could thrive under Thomas Frank next season
Thomas Frank is officially the new Tottenham Hotspur manager, so we wanted to take a look at five Spurs stars could thrive under his leadership next season.
Tottenham confirmed the appointment of Thomas Frank as head coach on Thursday evening, along with four members of his coaching staff set-up in N7.
The 51-year-old is no stranger to the squad he is set to manage, as back in February, Frank offered glowing praise to a ‘very, very good’ Tottenham trio and several other members of the Spurs team.
In fact, Frank’s admiration for Tottenham has been going on for years, as it was revealed by one of the members of his backroom staff that the Dane often joked about taking charge of Spurs with them.
With the 51-year-old now confirmed as having taken over at Tottenham, we have now put together a list of five players who will thrive under the tutelage of Thomas Frank.
Pedro Porro could flourish in a traditional full-back role under Thomas Frank at Tottenham
Under Ange Postecoglou, we often saw Pedro Porro invert into midfield during games, as the Australian looked to overload the centre of the pitch.
This approach did have some positives for Porro, who frequently received the ball deep in midfield on the right-hand side, allowing him to create from deeper positions with his pinpoint crosses into the box.
That move paid off a number of times, particularly in the Europa League. However, under Thomas Frank, Porro could be tasked with a more traditional full-back role, overlapping his winger and getting to the byline where he can whip in dangerous crosses.
Porro, of course, is a good crosser of the ball and allowing him to overlap and get into areas where he can be a more aggressive and effective attacking outlet, would definitely improve his numbers and output.
Destiny Udogie likely to benefit from overlapping role under Thomas Frank at Tottenham
On the opposite flank, Destiny Udogie would also stand to gain from a tactical shift, as he would be encouraged to overlap rather than invert – a contrast to how he was used under Ange Postecoglou.
As we have seen, the full-back is often at his best when he makes use of his blistering pace to overlap, stretch the pitch, and recover quickly when Spurs are hit on the counter.
Thomas Frank is not one to employ the famous inverted full-back system, and this shift in tactical shape could suit Tottenham’s full-backs better, as they appear more natural in traditional roles rather than hybrid responsibilities.
Brennan Johnson set for pressing and poaching role under Thomas Frank at Tottenham
Brennan Johnson is another player who could thrive under the tutelage of Thomas Frank, should the Dane complete his move to North London.
The Welsh forward is fresh off the back of his best-ever goalscoring campaign, having netted 18 goals in all competitions for Tottenham.
Most of his strikes came from close range, with Johnson often lurking at the back post and popping up in the right place due to his sharp anticipation in the final third.
Frank managed to get similar output from Bryan Mbeumo at Brentford last season, as the Cameroon international racked up 20 Premier League goals, many from similar positions and movements.
That attacking framework could suit Johnson just as well, who would also be tasked with pressing high and running in behind to stretch opposition defences.
Dejan Kulusevski could be unleashed in a free number ten role under Thomas Frank at Spurs
Dejan Kulusevski is currently sidelined and is expected to miss pre-season due to the injury he sustained against Crystal Palace last season, which required surgery.
Kulusevski could make his return in September, according to a recent update, meaning he will begin working under Thomas Frank slightly later than most should the appointment go through.
Kulusevski could flourish in Frank’s 4-2-3-1 system, most likely occupying the number ten role, where he would be given the freedom to roam the pitch and create when in possession.
Mikkel Damsgaard notched 10 assists playing a similar role under Frank last term, and a comparable return from Kulusevski would not be out of the question.
Radu Dragusin could benefit from Spurs switching to a back three under Thomas Frank
When Thomas Frank initially took over at Brentford, he preferred a 3-5-2 setup, deploying three centre-backs and using wing-backs to stretch the pitch.
While he has since moved away from that system, it remains a viable option should the situation at Tottenham call for it.
One player who could stand to benefit from such a tactical tweak is Radu Dragusin, who struggled under Ange Postecoglou’s high defensive line.
The Romanian defender was often caught out, leading to costly errors. A switch to a more compact and defensively solid shape under Frank could be just what he needs to finally settle into a Spurs shirt.
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