Tribal Football

Frank laments Spurs defeat: Bad decision-making; poor intensity

Frank laments Spurs defeat: Bad decision-making; poor intensity
Frank laments Spurs defeat: Bad decision-making; poor intensityČTK / imago sportfotodienst / IMAGO

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank says he can understand the fans' jeers after defeat at home to Chelsea on Saturday night.

The Blues won 1-0 thanks to Joao Pedro's strike with Spurs struggling to create any threat for Chelsea's defence on the night.

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Asked about the boos at the final whistle, Frank said: "Yes, 100 per cent. We all sense the frustration and the emotions. That is part of football. It is extremely painful and of course that is part of the job to face you guys now and answer the very good questions when you just are burning inside.

"And you like to find solutions, watch the game back and see what went wrong, but I think it’s about trying to stay calm. In general, I think Chelsea were good and we were definitely second best.

"We performed badly. I think we lacked energy and intensity and that freshness we didn’t have that. Then I think the high pressure they came with, I don’t think we solved it well enough even though we worked on it, so that we need to keep working on. I think our high pressure, we lacked a little bit in the beginning until we got on top of it and then they went up 1-0 and we are chasing. Then it’s a bad circle where we are chasing, lacking intensity and energy and bad decisions."

On taking off early substitute Xavi Simons, Frank said: "There's a reason why we didn't start him, of course. I think he's played two starts, short turnaround. Also, that energy and freshness I talked about, played 90 minutes Wednesday night. So that's why we decided that, and then he played 70 minutes here. So I think that was nothing. It's just because it looks different when you come on after three minutes and get subbed off.

"I think when players make mistakes on the pitch, if they lose a ball or they miss a pass, of course I can get irritated. In general, I'm not talking about a specific situation. But that's part of football."

On if he had a message for frustrated Tottenham fans, the Dane added: "Today of course everyone will be frustrated. I'd say we have 24 hours and then we need to look forward again. Today was one snapshot that didn't look good. I think there have definitely been other spells that have been better.

"There's no doubt, and I keep saying it, that we have a front four that is new. We have to build together with short turnarounds in games. We'll do that. I'm not in doubt that will happen. I think every team I've coached has scored a lot of goals. It will happen again in the future here."

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