Ange Postecoglou's quip about oncoming trains has never felt more apt for Tottenham. After a demoralising 2-0 home defeat to Fulham, the club's slide under Thomas Frank has reached new depths, with the manager openly criticising supporters for booing goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.
The loss to Fulham, who had not won away in the Premier League this season, saw Spurs 2-0 down inside six minutes. It was their third defeat in a week and extended a woeful home record: just three wins in 21 league matches at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, against Southampton, Manchester United and Burnley.
Frank, who has overseen only three wins in 13 matches across all competitions, pointed to the victory over Manchester City in August as a high point. Since then, Spurs have beaten only West Ham, Villarreal, Doncaster, Leeds, Everton and Copenhagen — none of whom are in the top echelons of their respective leagues.
The defensive solidity that characterised Spurs' early season has evaporated. They conceded 13 goals in three matches last week, including four at Arsenal despite starting with five defenders. Only Guglielmo Vicario's heroics had prevented heavier defeats in recent months.
In attack, the approach has become predictable: crosses from Pedro Porro and Mohammed Kudus are the main threat, but Spurs rank 18th in the Premier League for shots, averaging fewer than ten per game. Frank's system is easily neutralised, and the set-piece reliance has not compensated.
Frank's frustration boiled over post-match. He corrected a journalist who said Spurs were 2-0 down inside eight minutes, insisting it was six. He also condemned the booing of Vicario after an error, saying 'true' fans would not do that. However, the pressure is mounting, with the team showing no signs of improvement.
