The atmosphere at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has reached a fever pitch, but not for the reasons the supporters had hoped for at the start of the season. Following a bruising 2-1 defeat at the hands of Newcastle United on Tuesday night, the club finds itself in a state of genuine crisis.
The statistics are becoming impossible to ignore: Spurs are now without a win in their last eight Premier League matches, a run of form that has seen them slide dangerously close to the bottom of the table. With eleven league losses already recorded this term, the North London side sits just five points above the relegation zone, a reality that feels miles away from the Champions League ambitions usually associated with the club.
Despite the mounting pressure, manager Thomas Frank remained defiant after the final whistle against Newcastle, insisting that his position within the club is secure. However, the reality behind the scenes may be quite different. Reports from reliable industry insiders, including the BBC’s Sami Mokbel, suggest that the Tottenham hierarchy has already begun exploring contingency plans.
While no official decision has been made, the board is reportedly looking at potential replacements should they decide that Frank’s time in the dugout has come to an end. This “plan B” approach is common in modern football, but the fact that these discussions are surfacing now indicates that the manager’s credit has almost entirely run out.
The timing of this slump is particularly poor, given the upcoming fixture list. Tottenham’s next outing is the North London derby against Arsenal on February 22. The Gunners are currently leading the league and chasing their first title in over two decades, making them the most formidable opponent possible for a struggling Spurs side.
There is a significant gap in the schedule before that match, which gives the Tottenham board a window of opportunity. If they intend to part ways with Frank, doing so now would allow a new manager enough time to stabilize the squad and implement a basic game plan before facing their fiercest rivals.
The mood among the fanbase has already turned. On Tuesday night, the majority of the home supporters made their feelings known with a chorus of boos directed at both the players and the manager. While it is true that Frank has had to deal with a staggering number of injuries to key first-team players, the excuses are starting to wear thin.
For a club of Tottenham’s stature, losing consistently to teams like Nottingham Forest, Fulham, Bournemouth, and West Ham is seen as unacceptable. If a defeat to Arsenal results in the club actually slipping into the bottom three, any remaining support for the manager will likely vanish.
Looking back, the club’s struggles seem to be part of a longer, more systemic issue. Spurs finished a disappointing 17th in the Premier League last season, narrowly escaping the drop. That campaign led to the sacking of Ange Postecoglou, with the hope that Thomas Frank could bring a more pragmatic and stable approach to the team.
However, the expected domestic improvement has failed to materialize. Instead of moving back toward the top four, the club appears to be repeating the same mistakes, stuck in a cycle of managerial changes and inconsistent performances.
The question now is whether a win against Arsenal should Frank still be in charge for that game would even be enough to save him. Some believe a derby victory could be his “saving grace,” providing a much-needed boost in morale and a temporary shield against the critics.
Others argue that the problems run deeper than a single result and that a fresh start is the only way to avoid a genuine relegation scrap. The stakes could not be higher; if significant improvements aren’t made immediately, the prospect of one of England’s “Big Six” fighting for its top-flight life becomes a very real possibility.
