Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario have issued a public apology to the club's supporters following a dismal 4-1 defeat away to arch-rivals Arsenal in the North London Derby.
Frank described the performance as "extremely painful" as his team were thoroughly outplayed, with Arsenal's Eberechi Eze scoring a stunning hat-trick in a one-sided affair at the Emirates Stadium.
An Apology for Lack of Fight
Both the manager and his goalkeeper were united in their assessment that the team failed to show the requisite fight and competitive spirit for such a crucial match. The only moment of note for the visitors came from a speculative Richarlison effort from 40 yards that beat David Raya.
"It was a bad performance," Frank stated. "It was completely the opposite of what the intention was when we came here. We can only apologise to the fans."
He pinpointed the failure to win individual battles as a primary cause for the heavy loss, specifically referencing the second and third Arsenal goals where defenders were easily bypassed.
Tactical Gamble Fails to Pay Off
In a bid to stifle the league leaders, Frank opted for a defensive back-five formation. However, he admitted the tactical switch made little difference without the necessary intensity from his players.
"I tried to play a 5-4-1. I will always take responsibility," Frank said, confirming he changed the system at half-time. "No matter what formation we play today, we don't have enough duels or intensity in the decisive moments."
Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario echoed his manager's sentiments, refusing to blame the tactics and instead focusing on the players' passive approach.
"The game plan we prepared was different. Today we didn't fight," Vicario said. "We have to apologise first of all for this. I think we waited too much to get into the game. We were too passive."
Looking Ahead After Derby Demolition
The defeat continues a worrying trend for Spurs under Frank, who took over in the summer, having also struggled to threaten against other top rivals like Chelsea.
Attention now must immediately turn to a daunting midweek trip to face Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday. Both Frank and Vicario stressed the need for the squad to stick together and produce a swift response.
"We have a big night on Wednesday but we need to stick together," Vicario added. "Tonight we didn't show the things we are normally capable of."
On a contentious note, Vicario addressed Eze's first goal, for which he was unsighted by Arsenal players in an offside position. The goal was checked by VAR but stood. The keeper, however, was adamant: "I think the way the game went it wouldn't have changed anything."
