Thomas Frank to be furious with Mohammed Kudus as damning Tottenham stat emerges
Thomas Frank still has some tissues to iron out if Tottenham are to continue their climb up the Premier League table.
Tottenham beat Leeds United 2-1 to move to third in the league standings, just two points off first-place Arsenal after seven matches, making a clear statement after a disastrous 2024-25 campaign.
Daniel Levy sacked Ange Postecoglou over their league form last term, with Spurs finishing the season 17th in the Premier League table, just one spot above the relegation zone.
Since then, the Lilywhites have splashed millions of pounds in the summer transfer window, bringing in the likes of Mohammed Kudus, Xavi Simons, and Mathys Tel on permanent deals.
However, while supporters are so much happier with the squad, there are clearly improvements to be made if Spurs are to be considered as true title contenders against the Gunners and Liverpool.
Mohammed Kudus must improve drastically in one key area
The main concern being held over Kudus’ head was his lack of involvement in the final third, having not scored in his first nine appearances in all competitions, at least until he faced Leeds United.
His assists should not be overlooked, having also helped claim points against Burnley and Bodo/Glimt, but clearly, the Ghana international is far too relaxed when in possession of the ball.
According to WhoScored (7 October), Kudus has been dispossessed more times than anyone else in Europe’s top five leagues, with his total moving to 21 in 10 appearances.
While he will also be near the top for successful take-ons, giving away possession on so many occasions will only put his teammates on the back foot, sometimes ending in his team conceding.
Nobody wants to take away from his spark, but if he could pick the right moments to attack, he would be far more dangerous in the attacking third and less dangerous to his teammates in the defensive third.
Kudus could replace the struggling Xavi Simons in the middle
It has been suggested that Kudus is far more effective in the attacking midfield role rather than out on the wing, but that would mean dropping another new signing, Simons, from the lineup.
Simons has yet to impress for Tottenham, with just one assist in his first seven appearances, but supporters are waiting patiently for the Dutchman to spark to life.
There are parts of the squad that have yet to quite gel together, but once they do, Frank could be looking at a world-beating team that could begin to push for more silverware in the coming years.