Thomas Frank accepts ‘boring’ chants from Tottenham fans after Brentford stalemate

Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank conceded supporters’ frustrations were justified after his side were held to a goalless draw by Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Thomas Frank admitted he understood the criticism from Tottenham supporters after his side produced a flat attacking display in a 0–0 draw against Brentford on Thursday night.

The match marked a bittersweet return to west London for Frank, who spent seven years in charge of Brentford and guided the club to Premier League promotion in 2021 before leaving to take over at Tottenham during the close season.

Frank received a warm reception from home supporters before kick-off and was even presented with a gift bag by a Brentford fan. However, the goodwill quickly faded as Tottenham’s travelling support voiced their displeasure during a lifeless contest.

Spurs failed to register a shot on target until stoppage time, prompting chants of “boring, boring Tottenham” from their own fans in the second half, along with songs referencing players from more entertaining eras in the club’s recent history.

“It seems the fans are not too satisfied, and that’s fair,” Frank said afterwards. “It wasn’t a top performance. You have to acknowledge the defensive side of the game, but of course the offensive side needs to be better.”

Spurs struggle to convince under Frank

Tottenham sit 12th in the Premier League at the halfway stage of the season, with Frank still searching for consistency during a difficult start to his tenure in north London.

His cautious approach has drawn scrutiny from supporters, particularly given the club’s traditional ‘to dare is to do’ identity and the attacking philosophy associated with his predecessor Ange Postecoglou.

Postecoglou was dismissed despite ending Tottenham’s 17-year wait for silverware by winning the Europa League last season. While the Australian also struggled domestically in his second campaign, Frank is already testing the patience of a demanding fanbase.

Spurs’ only effort on target came late on, but Richarlison’s tame finish was comfortably gathered by Brentford goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher, summing up a disappointing attacking display.

The draw also ended Tottenham’s 137-match run in the Premier League without a goalless result.

Frank defends defensive display

Despite the criticism, Frank pointed to his side’s defensive discipline as a positive against a difficult opponent.

“The positive is coming here against a very good home team that you need to respect and keeping them to a low number of chances,” he said. “That’s a very strong defensive performance.

“The biggest negative was the number of unforced errors. We made too many mistakes, and when we got into good areas we lacked the cutting edge on the day.”