Thomas Frank’s bright start as Tottenham manager is beginning to fade, as he experiences firsthand the intense pressure that comes with leading Spurs. Sunday’s heavy 4-1 defeat to Arsenal was one of the most dominant north London derbies in recent times, leaving Tottenham with just one win in their last five Premier League matches.
Despite showing attacking improvement in their 5-3 Champions League loss to PSG, Spurs remain stuck in a worrying pattern. After two difficult away fixtures, a home match against Fulham should—under normal circumstances—offer relief. But for Tottenham, home has been far from comforting.
Although they boast one of the best away records in the league, Spurs have managed only one home league win this season—against newly promoted Burnley on opening day. Creativity, goals, and attacking spark have been severely lacking at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Their home struggles aren’t new. Spurs have won just three league games at home in the last year, marking their worst run across a 20-game stretch in over three decades. It’s a stark contrast to their unbeaten final season at White Hart Lane in 2016-17, where they collected 53 of 57 possible home points.
Former Spurs midfielders Danny Murphy and Michael Carrick weighed in on the team’s ongoing issues.
Creativity Crisis at Home
Tottenham have scored only seven goals in six home matches, and only Burnley has fewer shots on target. Frank’s midfield choices have drawn criticism for lacking imagination, with Spurs completing just four throughballs all season, compared to Arsenal’s 43.
Murphy noted,
“Their midfield isn’t naturally inventive, and their forwards look short on confidence.”
Away from home, Spurs are able to play more cautiously and rely on counters, but at home, the expectation from 60,000 fans becomes suffocating. Tactical tweaks and frequent reshuffling in attack have prevented consistency, leaving the team hesitant and predictable.
Carrick agreed that the issue extends beyond the midfield, adding,
“Missing key players like Kulusevski, Maddison and Solanke makes it much harder to maintain that attacking edge.”
Fan Anxiety and the Heavy Atmosphere
Frustration in the stands has grown, with boos becoming a familiar sound during home games. According to Murphy, the tension from fans affects the players on the pitch significantly.
“It takes real mental strength to push through that pressure,” he explained, suggesting that just one or two strong home results could shift the mood entirely.
Despite having the second-worst home record this season—better only than Wolves—both Murphy and Carrick believe Frank will eventually solve the problems. Carrick insists it is still early in Frank’s tenure, saying the manager first focused on improving defensive structure, with attacking cohesion expected to come later.
Murphy remains optimistic that once injured players return and fixtures ease, momentum will follow.
“It’s short-term pain for long-term gain,” he concluded.
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