Archive August 13, 2025

It looked like being a dream debut for Tottenham boss Thomas Frank.

Leading 2-0 with little more than five minutes remaining against European champions Paris St-Germain, surely the Super Cup was on its way to north London.

Not so. A stirring comeback from the Parisians and a shootout win stopped Spurs from becoming the first Europa League winners to lift the Super Cup since 2018.

But the Dane’s fingerprints were all over this Tottenham performance, which showed promising signs for 85 minutes.

Set-pieces? Check. Pragmatism? Check. Efficiency? Check.

“I think we played a very good game against one of the best teams in the world, maybe the best at this moment in time,” said Frank, who replaced Ange Postecoglou as manager this summer.

“We had them exactly where we wanted them for 80 or so minutes. Then the momentum changed with the 2-1 goal. The team and fans have a lot to be proud of.

“The first half was almost perfect and obviously set-pieces were very good and we were very dangerous.

“At times I think we showed that we can play up against any team in the world.”

There’s work to be done for Tottenham; their late collapse was evidence of that.

Indeed, it should concern Frank that his team wilted at the first sign of pressure against a side who have had just two pre-season training sessions in the bag.

But for the vast majority of this Uefa Super Cup meeting that ultimately ended in penalty heartache, there were enough signs to suggest Frank has the basis of a system and approach that can be built on.

Inside the opening 10 minutes, the approach was entirely noticeable. Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario kicked long five times as Tottenham opted to keep their shape higher up the pitch rather than collect the ball deep inside their own half and pass their way up the field.

Ange Postecoglou’s high-risk approach was easy on the eye but the final 18 months of his reign at Tottenham – despite that euphoric Europa League win in Bilbao last May – told us the Australian’s methods weren’t working.

This was a Tottenham performance less to do with capturing the imagination than capturing the victory.

For example, Postecoglou was maligned for a perceived lack of attention to detail in regard to preparing for set-pieces.

It was significant, then, that both of Tottenham’s goals arrived via dead balls.

Expect Frank’s Tottenham to excel at set-pieces in their own penalty box, too.

His Brentford side conceded only three Premier League goals from set-pieces (excluding penalties) last season – three fewer than any other team in the division.

Offensively, Brentford were also one of the strongest. Only four teams – Arsenal (14), Crystal Palace, Aston Villa (both 16) and Nottingham Forest (17) – scored from more Premier League set-pieces last season.

Here in Udine, there were clear indicators that Spurs will develop such strength in the coming months.

This was an effective Tottenham display rather than an enchanting one.

Frank said: “I knew we had to do something different against PSG. It was a special operation. And 2-2 against PSG, I think you take that – that single result is good.

“In spells, we went more direct as we knew we could hurt them. There was focus on set-pieces, but there will always be a focus on set-pieces.

“High pressure is a non-negotiable. We went man for man in some aspects.”

There was a time when the style of play mattered to Tottenham fans. Ask Jose Mourinho. Ask Antonio Conte.

Both received criticism from supporters for their pragmatic styles. Tottenham’s traditions for producing attacking teams still carries weight to this day. It will be interesting to see if supporters get on Frank’s back for his tactical approach if things start to falter.

Tottenham debutants Joao Palhinha and Mohamed Kudus both showed promising signs in Italy.

Kudus, in particular, was excellent – his pace and power created problems for PSG’s rearguard throughout.

Yet Tottenham still have work to do in the transfer market before the window closes on 1 September.

Spurs are looking at offensive reinforcements. They are in club-to-club talks over moves for Manchester City winger Savinho and Crystal Palace attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze.

They are also after a centre-back before the deadline, but their first choice target Marc Guehi seems out of reach at the moment.

If Tottenham can sign two high-quality attackers and a defender before the window closes, then that would represent a successful summer in the market.

There are holes in Frank’s squad that still need plugging. Tottenham are trying to rectify that.

Former Tottenham and England keeper Paul Robinson, talking to BBC Radio 5 Live: In the next 24-48 hours, Thomas Frank has to go back to the training ground, unpack it, show the players video of everything they did well and put the belief back into them.

I think this will be damaging for Tottenham, I really do. You can see the players standing on the pitch separately in little huddles and on their own. They are absolutely devastated.

They got the trophy that they had been longing for last season and this could have been a real step forward for Tottenham. Instead it’s a real blow.

Former Spurs winger Aaron Lennon on BBC Radio 5 Live: You can see that the Tottenham players are hurting. As a player you know games you should win and this was one of them.

Five minutes to go, 2-0 up, see it out. Even when it goes to 2-1, you’ve got to know how to see a game out.

Tottenham didn’t handle that well enough.

I still think Tottenham need a few players in. There are links with Eberechi Eze and Savinho. Losing James Maddison [to injury] and Son Heung-min is huge for this football club – two big players and big characters and leaders, and lots of goals and assists.

Former Tottenham midfielder Danny Murphy talking to BBC Sport: Tottenham went man for man and gained control with their discipline. It has to be done perfectly and you can see they have worked on it.

The good thing for Tottenham was even when they dropped deep they were OK. There were a lot of good things for Tottenham fans from that first half.

Set-plays were a big part of Frank’s Brentford last season and I think that will be a good thing for Tottenham this season.

World number one Jannik Sinner reached the Cincinnati Open quarter-finals with a 6-4 7-6 (7-4) victory over a stubborn Adrian Mannarino.

Sinner quickly took control of the match when he broke the 37-year-old Frenchman in the third game.

Mannarino, ranked 89th in the world, saved a break point in the seventh game with an ace but the left-hander could not stop his opponent going on to claim the first set.

Play was suspended for rain with Sinner 40-30 on serve and 2-1 down in the second set, before the players resumed about two hours and 45 minutes later.

Mannarino proved a more obdurate competitor in the second set but, despite saving three break points at 5-5, eventually succumbed to the fourth when he netted a backhand to go 6-5 down.

Sinner was 30-0 up when serving for the match but some inspired tennis earned Mannarino his first break point which he took with a stunning forehand return.

However, Sinner produced back-to-back aces to win the tie-break 7-4 and extend his record to four wins in as many matches against Mannarino.

“He’s a tough opponent,” said Sinner. “Very different to all the other opponents. Not only because he is a leftie but also how he hits the ball – it’s very low.

“I struggled a bit to close it out but this can happen in this sport and I’m very happy to be in the next round.”

Elsewhere, Alexander Zverev needed just one game to complete his victory over Brandon Nakashima after rain had forced their match to be suspended overnight with the score 5-4 in the second set.

Zverev progressed 6-4 6-4, and will play again on Wednesday when he takes on Russian Karen Khachanov in the fourth round.

Meanwhile seventh seed Holger Rune is through to the quarter-finals after his opponent, American 10th seed Frances Tiafoe, retired with a back injury while trailing 6-4 3-1.

In the women’s draw, Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek made it through to the last eight with a 6-4 6-3 win against Sorana Cirstea.

World number three Swiatek, of Poland, hit 33 unforced errors against the Romanian but managed to complete her match before the rain delay.

“I wanted to be more solid than in my last match,” Swiatek said. “I’m happy with the level of my focus and the consistency.

“It was a good match for sure. Not easy conditions as well – super humid – so I’m happy that I didn’t let this affect me.”