Analysis: How Spurs could look under Thomas Frank

Football writer Adrian Clarke looks at the tactics and management style of new Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank and assesses how he could look to set Spurs up.

Thomas Frank is now a proven head coach at the highest level, having guided Brentford to a top-half finish in two of the last three seasons.

Frank has earned his shot at managing a bigger club, and has been charged with the task of reviving Tottenham Hotspur as a Premier League force.

Let's take a closer look at what the Dane will bring to the club…

What is Frank's style and how might Spurs look under him?

Spurs’ tactical approach under their new head coach will be adaptable, aggressive, thoughtful and attack-minded.

Frank’s Brentford were the Championship’s top scorers in both his full seasons in charge at that level, playing an attacking brand of football.

During that period, they were also possession-based in style, averaging a 56.15 per cent share of the ball.

In the Premier League they have had a lot less possession, although the Bees enjoyed their highest average last season (47.82 per cent).

Whichever way they play, Frank’s teams always score plenty of goals.

Brentford averaged 57 goals per season over four campaigns, and were the Premier League's fifth-highest scorers in 2024/25 with 66.

That positive approach should go down well with Spurs supporters.

Without the ball, Frank’s principles revolve around creating overloads designed to crowd space, usually in the wide areas.

They force teams to switch their point of attack by knocking opponents out of their rhythm.

At certain moments, Spurs will be asked to press high in a man-to-man set-up, striving to regain the ball in advanced areas.

Holding a risky high line to do so, this will not be a huge departure for the squad Frank inherits from Ange Postecoglou.

As shown in the tables below, Spurs and Brentford were almost identical in this facet of the game last season.

At the back end of 2024/25, Postecoglou also began to deploy a pragmatic, low-block style of play, and this is something we have also seen plenty of from Frank.

In matches where he wants to be more cautious, he may deploy a compact back five.

The journey so far

Before becoming a full-time coach, Frank taught at all levels from pre-school to higher education.

He has a degree in physical education, and in his late 20s he studied sports psychology.

This background provides the new Spurs head coach with impressive communication skills and emotional intelligence.

So, it is no surprise he is regarded as empathetic, and one of the best man-managers around.

Consequently, the challenge of handling a dressing room full of international stars will not faze the 51-year-old in the slightest.

After Frank impressed as a coach at junior levels, the Danish FA appointed him manager of Denmark's Under-16 and Under-17 teams in 2008.

Five years later, he was appointed manager of Brondby. He guided them to the Europa League qualifiers in back-to-back seasons.

Then, in December 2016, Frank joined Brentford as one of Dean Smith’s assistant coaches, before taking over as head coach in October 2018.

Who are Frank’s biggest influences?

He likes visionary coaches, citing Morten Olsen as his greatest inspiration for changing the face of Danish football with his 4-2-3-1, with wingers at the heart of the team.

Three other big names also impacted him, as discussed in 2018 when he became head coach at Brentford.

At the time he said, "Diego Simeone, his way of defending, wow! Guardiola’s positions when building up, fantastic. Jurgen Klopp’s counter pressing and high pressing is amazing. Can we mix that? Then, no problem."

These differing role models have shaped Frank’s approach, which is one of the most varied among all top-flight managers.

How will he set Spurs up?

Frank’s preference is to use a back four.

He inherited a 3-4-3 when succeeding Smith at Brentford, but in both of his full seasons in charge at Championship level, his first-choice shape was 4-3-3.

Injuries prompted the Dane to revert to 3-5-2 late on in 2020/21 and it was a tactical ploy which inspired their promotion via the play-offs.

In the Premier League, he has relied a lot more heavily on that shape, showing a penchant for using it against the division’s most difficult, possession-heavy opponents.

Frank's defensive formation at Brentford

Last season, Frank pivoted away from a back three though, starting that way in just four of Brentford's 38 league matches.

He also deviated from 4-3-3 (eight matches), preferring the use of Mikkel Damsgaard as a No 10 in a 4-2-3-1 (22 matches).

When you analyse Frank’s formations at Premier League level it would be fair to presume he will consider three primary formations at Spurs.

Frank's most-used formations in PL

How could Frank's Spurs XI look in his three most-used formations?

Who will suit Frank’s approach?

Pedro Porro is a player who will fit well with the demands of his new manager.

Frank places a lot of emphasis on width, asking his teams to put lots of crosses into the danger zone.

He demands that quality balls are whipped across the face of goal; Brentford have been ranked inside the top six for successful open-play crosses in all of the last three seasons.

Brentford's crossing stats and PL rank

Porro is, by some distance, Spurs’ most effective crosser.

The Spain international executed 34 accurate deliveries last term, with no one else in the squad producing more than nine.

Frank can also be direct in his tactical approach, with the Bees ranking second last season for successful long passes.

Porro is superb in that department, racking up 84 successful long passes, far more than anybody else at Spurs.

Spurs players' successful open-play crosses and long passes 24/25

Frank also likes pace, power and mobility in forward areas.

Ollie Watkins, Ivan Toney, Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa have all been success stories under his guidance, so Dominic Solanke looks a good fit as the central striker.

Solanke made the fourth-highest number of off-the-ball runs last season (847), and I suspect Brennan Johnson, a player Frank tried to sign for Brentford on more than one occasion, is another lively forward who will fit in well with the new regime.

Dejan Kulusevski’s incessant industry will also delight his new head coach, who places great emphasis on unselfish running for the team.

The Swede covers a lot of ground and is comfortably Spurs’ best presser.

Interestingly, Brentford’s Damsgaard was ranked first among top-flight midfielders in 2024/25 for possession wins in the final third.

Kulusevski’s excellence in that area could mean he is preferred to somebody like James Maddison at No 10.

Midfielders with most possession won in final third 24/25

How does Frank differ to Postecoglou? 

The key difference between Frank and his Australian predecessor is his tactical flexibility.

Until the final few weeks of his tenure, Postecoglou was married to a philosophy of bold, adventurous football, even if it meant his high defensive line was often exposed by runners.

His replacement at Spurs is more of a horses-for-courses type.

Frank will adjust his strategies to stifle opponents’ strengths, and to prey on the weaknesses he sees.

So, Spurs' players will have to develop a new understanding of their roles and adjust on a game-by-game basis.

What can we expect?

After finishing in 17th place last season, surely the only way is up for Spurs under Frank.

The Dane’s high-energy style will suit most of the players, and they should enjoy his attack-minded approach.

Taking on board variations to their tactical requirements, depending on who they face, is something they must quickly adapt to, though.

Frank will also have much less time in between matches to formulate game plans.

Brentford played 43 matches in all competitions in 2024/25, compared to Spurs who took part in 60 fixtures.

A decrease in prep time is something the Dane and his staff must acclimatise to, and that will not be easy.

Whichever way you look at it, there is no doubt Frank has earned his opportunity to manage at one of the Premier League’s biggest clubs.

He will face a lot of new challenges, but Frank looks a good fit.