Spurs flop must drop

Tottenham Hotspur’s unbeaten run in all competitions was extended to three games in all competitions with Tuesday’s Champions League win over Slavia Prague.

The Lilywhites achieved an impressive 3-0 victory in Europe thanks to penalties from Mohamed Kudus, Xavi Simons and an own goal from opposing defender David Zima.

Manager Thomas Frank seems to have finally found a winning formula, as seen in recent weeks, despite having failed to win in five games so far, four of which came in the Premier League.

There is clearly a period of adaptation required following his summer appointment, and some may argue that the Dane is starting to reach his full potential in his current squad.

But despite last night’s three-goal win over North London, the manager will no doubt have noticed some glaring flaws that need to be fixed in the coming weeks.

Spurs’ biggest poor performance against Slavia Prague

Winger Wilson Odbert was given the chance to start against Slavia Prague in the off-season, after starting each of the last four games on the bench.

However, the Frenchman struggled to make the desired impact, as evidenced by his record of losing 86% of his duels, leading to his withdrawal in the 76th minute of the match.

Other figures, such as zero successful dribbles and two missed big chances in the final third, also highlight that despite the trust Frank has shown in young players, he has not had a positive impact.

Pedro Polo was unable to produce the usual attacking quality that the fan base has become accustomed to in recent years, and he wasn’t the only one who struggled to produce during wins.

The Spaniard completed just one of his five attempted crosses, completed just 66% of his pass attempts, and was largely ineffective when in possession.

He also failed to win a tackle against the Czech side and failed to attempt a dribble, exposing North London’s lack of quality at both ends of the pitch.

Spurs star has to leave after Slavia Prague

Spurs have spent a lot of money in recent years to remain competitive in the Premier League and to compete for titles under Frank in the coming years.

In the recent summer alone, the Lilywhites’ bosses backed the manager with more than £120 million in a bid to make an immediate impact in his first year in charge.

Xavi Simmons is just one of the players added by the organization during the offseason, but he has struggled to make an impact in various competitions in recent months.

After not scoring in 17 games until last week, the Dutch star is starting to find his form again, as evidenced by his two goals in his last two games for the Lilywhites.

The same cannot be said for striker Richarlison. He has always struggled for consistency since his £50m move from Everton in the summer of 2022.

The Brazil international has been Frank’s starting centre-forward for the majority of the 2025/26 season so far, and has since scored a total of seven goals in all competitions.

While such results may seem admirable, he has often been missing at key moments this season, as seen in Tuesday’s game against Slavia Prague.

He was again given the starting role at the top of the pitch, but was unable to provide the ball in front of the goal and was substituted in the 68th minute.

Richarlison recorded just 22 touches, fewer than goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who had 50, showing his lack of influence in north London.

He also completed just nine passes and lost the ball seven times, further underscoring his inability to make a positive impact in the Champions League.

The Brazilian also missed one big chance in front of goal, won only 50% of his aerial duels, and often struggled to provide Frank with the focus he so desperately needed.

As a result of his performance, the striker was given a match rating of just 6/10 by Football London’s Alasdair Gold, further highlighting his struggles in north London.

After such a performance, Frank will no doubt be left with no other option than to drop the forward and give the likes of Matthijs Tell and Randal Kolo Muani a chance to compete for the number nine spot.

There is no doubt that Richarlison has been a decent option for Spurs in recent years, but it is becoming clearer with each passing week that he is not quite at the level needed to be successful.