Everything Thomas Frank said ahead of reunion with Brentford, drops ‘special’ admission
Thomas Frank will have emotions to contend with when Tottenham face a visit from his former club, Brentford, on Saturday.
Football Insider understands that Frank is currently safe as Tottenham boss, but supporters are becoming more and more frustrated by the team’s performances in recent weeks.
After equalising twice through Cristian Romero, Tottenham rescued a point against Newcastle United in the dying seconds, seeing them remain above the Magpies in the Premier League table.
However, the last time the two sides met ahead of 6 December, Ange Postecoglou was on the winning side, with a Vitaly Janelt own goal added to by midfielder Pape Sarr.
Frank continues to be scrutinised at Tottenham, and with a visit from the Bees, having left the Gtech Community Stadium during the summer, there is another layer to the upcoming clash.
Thomas Frank preparing for ‘special’ clash against Brentford
Speaking in his pre-match press conference (4 December), Frank was asked about his former club, saying: “Of course, it’s a little more special for me because I face Brentford, where I was for nine years.
“Almost a quarter of my life there. I had a fantastic time there, and I enjoyed every second of it. A lot of people I’ll see on Saturday who I haven’t seen for a long time.
“I used to see them every day more or less so that will be special. It’s been preparation against a team of players I know very well, with small tweaks to what I used to do.
“A lot of their identity is the same, which makes it difficult in many ways. When the whistle goes, it’s all about getting the three points.”
Brennan Johnson could be Tottenham’s secret weapon against Brentford
Both Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa have good records against Spurs, but with neither at the club anymore, Keith Andrews will be relying on different stars for their trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
While Brennan Johnson has failed to convince supporters this season, his previous performances against the Bees could see him start on Saturday, with the Lilywhites in desperate need of a boost.
He has only four goals in 19 appearances across all competitions this season, but after notching 22 goal contributions last term, now would be the perfect time for him to step up.
Without Son Heung-min and Harry Kane, Spurs have been missing a consistent goalscorer for the past couple of campaigns, and Frank could target that position once the transfer window opens.
Although fans have warmed to Randal Kolo Muani, the Frenchman needs to score more than just two goals if the club are to make his move permanent at the end of the campaign.