The atmosphere at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has reached a breaking point, and the future of Thomas Frank now hangs by a very thin thread. Following a crushing 2-1 defeat to West Ham on Saturday, the pressure on the Danish manager has shifted from a simmer to a full boil.
While the fans made their feelings known with a chorus of boos at the final whistle, the story of this match and perhaps the end of Frank’s tenure cannot be told without looking at a controversial decision that left the club feeling robbed.
In a match that carried immense weight for both managers, it was Nuno Espirito Santo who left with the points and a smile. West Ham played a disciplined game, waiting for the right moment to punish a Tottenham defensive setup that can only be described as chaotic.
The deciding blow came in stoppage time when Callum Wilson, who had been on the pitch for only two minutes, took advantage of a defensive collapse to poke home the winning goal. The ease with which the ball reached Wilson’s feet in the danger zone was a damming indictment of the tactical coaching currently taking place at N17.
However, many believe the Lewis family might decide to sack Frank not just because of the scoreline, but because of a massive failure in the VAR room. Late in the game, Tottenham felt they were denied a clear path to victory.
Conor Gallagher made one of his trademark surging runs into the box, only for the ball to strike the hand of West Ham’s Ollie Scarles. Despite the appeals, the referee and the VAR officials remained unmoved.
Former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett has since weighed in on the incident, and his verdict is a tough one for the officials to swallow. He pointed out that the player’s hand was in an unnatural position and appeared to reach for the ball. In his view, the failure of VAR to ask the referee to check the monitor was a clear mistake.
In a game of such high stakes, where a single goal can decide a manager’s career, leaving such a subjective and impactful call to someone behind a screen rather than the on-field official feels like a lapse in professionalism.
While the penalty shout provides a strong argument for why Spurs were unlucky, it does not hide the deeper tactical flaws that have plagued Thomas Frank’s time at the club. One of the few bright spots under his leadership has been the team’s ability to score from set-pieces, evidenced by Cristian Romero’s powerful second-half header.
But that strength is completely undermined by a glaring weakness: defending those same set-pieces. The club is currently conceding an average of 1.30 goals per match, and time and again, they look vulnerable whenever the ball is delivered into their box.
The statistics from the West Ham game tell a story of a team that has plenty of the ball but no idea what to do with it. Tottenham controlled 62% of the possession, yet they struggled to create anything resembling a clear-cut chance.
In contrast, West Ham was far more efficient, racking up an expected goals (xG) tally of 2.69. This lack of attacking intent and creative spark is starting to make it look like the players are confused by the instructions they are receiving. When a squad looks lost on the pitch, the responsibility ultimately falls on the man in the dugout.
Nuno Espirito Santo arrived at his former stadium under a similar cloud of pressure, but he managed to keep his cool and execute a clear plan. Frank, meanwhile, seems to be drowning in the expectations of the North London giants. The gap between having the ball and actually winning games has become a canyon that he hasn’t been able to bridge.
As the dust settles on another disappointing London derby, the conversation has moved away from “if” Frank will be sacked to “when.” While the VAR error was a genuine blow that changed the course of the game, the fundamental issues with the team’s defensive structure and lack of offensive identity are harder to ignore.
If this was indeed Frank’s final night in charge, he will likely point to that missed penalty as a moment of injustice. But for the owners and the fans, the 2.69 xG allowed at home speaks much louder than any refereeing mistake.
| Match Statistic | Tottenham Hotspur | West Ham United |
| Final Score | 1 | 2 |
| Possession | 62% | 38% |
| Expected Goals (xG) | 1.12 | 2.69 |
| Goals from Set-Pieces | 1 | 1 |
| Defensive Errors | 3 | 1 |
