"Spurs' 2-1 home defeat to Aston Villa ended their FA Cup campaign at the earliest possible opportunity. They are already out of the Carabao Cup and languish 14th in the Premier League. They still harbor hopes of reaching the UEFA Champions League knockout rounds, but not even the most optimistic Tottenham fan would give them a chance of winning Europe's toughest club competition."
"Frank will consequently feel very exposed right now. Ange Postecoglou had the shield of a Europa League campaign to bat away some of the mounting criticism of his tenure. It ultimately ended in glory, too, as Spurs won their first trophy in 17 years by lifting the Europa League in May. But his team's underlying underperformance over such a long period of time still led to a change in the dugout."
"There are deep-rooted problems that Frank has inherited: an imbalanced squad short on quality, an impatient fan base and a porous defense. The problem is, it is getting harder to see any signs of progress in resolving them. Tottenham's early-season defensive resilience and set-piece prowess has dissipated. Villa eased into a 2-0 halftime lead here through goals from Emi Buendia and Donyell Malen, both well-worked but given undue space and time to play."
Tottenham exited the FA Cup after a 2-1 home defeat to Aston Villa, are already eliminated from the Carabao Cup and sit 14th in the Premier League. Champions League qualification hopes persist but appear unlikely, leaving Thomas Frank exposed. Ange Postecoglou previously benefited from a Europa League campaign that culminated in a trophy, masking underlying underperformance. Frank has inherited an imbalanced squad lacking quality, an impatient fan base and a porous defense, and visible signs of progress are scarce. Defensive resilience and set-piece strength have faded, while the attack remains disjointed despite occasional spirited displays.
Read at ESPN.com
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