The journey of a football team under a new manager is often measured in small steps rather than giant leaps.
For Tottenham Hotspur, the early stages of the Thomas Frank era have been defined by a noticeable shift towards defensive solidity and organization.
However, their recent 2-2 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion offered a glimpse of something more a team beginning to find its attacking flair without sacrificing its defensive principles.
It was a performance that captured the attention of pundits and fans alike, including former England striker Michael Owen, who was particularly impressed with what he saw.
Owen pointed out that while Tottenham did not leave the Amex Stadium with all three points, they demonstrated a crucial new dimension to their game.
For much of the early season, the team’s strength has clearly been its defensive resilience, sometimes at the expense of free-flowing attacking football.
Against Brighton, however, Spurs were creative, aggressive, and relentless going forward. They created enough high-quality chances to have won the match, which is a significant positive to take from a game in which they found themselves two goals down.
What stood out most to Owen was the complete change in identity from the team of last season. He described Spurs as a “totally different” unit, noting the shift in both style and tactics under the new management.
He praised the team as being “much more functional,” a phrase that encapsulates the balanced approach Frank is trying to implement. This is a team that can now defend as a cohesive unit but also possesses the attacking intent to trouble any opponent.
Even when the scoreline was against them, Owen felt Tottenham were playing well and controlling large parts of the game, which wasn’t always the case in previous campaigns.
This growing momentum has not gone unnoticed. The introduction of players like Xavi Simons off the bench provided a clear spark, adding creativity and directness that turned the tide of the match.
This ability to change a game from the bench is a luxury that the manager will welcome. More importantly, the team displayed a tactical maturity that has sometimes been missing.
They pressed Brighton high up the pitch, pinned them in their own half for long periods, and created numerous opportunities, all while maintaining a defensive shape that prevented the kind of counter-attacks that hurt them so often last year.
In many ways, performances like this are more important than results at this stage of the season.
They build confidence, reinforce the manager’s ideas, and show the players what they are capable of achieving.
The comeback against Brighton was evidence of a growing belief within the squad a belief that they can compete with anyone and overcome adversity.
As the players continue to adapt to Thomas Frank’s system and build understanding with each other, there is a real sense that this Tottenham team has several more gears to find. The foundation is being laid, and the future looks increasingly promising.
