Jamie Carragher seriously impressed by Tottenham’s ‘best signing’ this year
Thomas Frank’s positive start to his managerial tenure at Tottenham may not instantly adhere him to the clubs fan base.
Tottenham’s 3-0 win at Everton lifted the north London club up to third in the Premier League table, with Frank looking to lead them back into the Champions League spots following a 17th placed finish under Ange Postecoglou last season.
However, Spurs were knocked out of the Carabao Cup with a 2-0 defeat at Newcastle in midweek which puts to an end any hope of winning the first major trophy on offer this season.
Such a setback adds more pressure to achieve a high Premier League finish with Spurs welcoming London rivals Chelsea to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next.
Thomas Frank is being ‘tolerated’ at Spurs
Speaking to The Telegraph [31 October], former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher thinks Frank is currently being “tolerated” by the Spurs support.
“For the time being, Frank’s pragmatic approach is probably more tolerated than adored,” Carragher claimed.
“Frank was appointed at an ideal moment because there is so much room for improvement. The downside is he is being underestimated because everyone knows Spurs were such underachievers.
“Since there was zero chance of Spurs being relegated, Frank literally could not have done any worse than Postecoglou in the Premier League. It was inevitable they would get far better very quickly.
“My instincts are that the relationship between Frank and his new fanbase will be a slow burner.“
Frank’s best signing revealed
Carragher believes that the addition of Joao Palhinha from Bayern Munich to the Spurs midfield has been Frank’s best bit of business so far.
“The best signing under Frank so far is Joao Palhinha, a highly effective ball-winner more so than a playmaker,” Carragher said.
| Minutes Played | 693 |
| Duels Won % | 63.5% |
| Aerial Duels Won % | 57.7% |
| Tackles | 39 |
| Interceptions | 7 |
“In the early stages of his Spurs career, Palhinha is exactly what Frank and his new club need, and it could bring instant success.
“Going forward, there will have to be an evolution, as the pairing of Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur is perceived by supporters to be over-cautious in home games.”
Spurs want to make Palhinha’s move from Bayern Munich permanent in the summer, with the club having already tied Rodrigo Bentancur down to a new contract.