Tottenham Hotspur ended their third friendly of the season in a draw against Luton Town.
Chances were few and far between in the game for an unimpressive Spurs side, with the majority of the chances falling to the hosts.
Will Lankshear had a golden chance late on, which he skewed wide, with Mohammed Kudus coming close in the first half from a similar range after impressing again.
Nonetheless, it was a fairly uninspiring game from the visitors who face rivals Arsenal in Asia next Thursday.
Everything Thomas Frank does is deliberate in intention, and the choice made to play two teams in two different friendlies seems completely sensible.
The typical pre-season routine is to give every player some minutes, but with the squad size, it usually limits each player to no more than an hour of football.
But today, for the last fixtures in England before Tottenham Hotspur jet off to the far east, two fixtures have been played by entirely different teams.
Wycombe Wanderers were welcomed to Hotspur Way this morning and challenged a competitive Spurs side to a 2-2 draw, with Pape Sarr notching a brace through his predatory attacking instincts.
However, this afternoon in Luton in front of a fairly full Kenilworth Road would always be taken more seriously. Perhaps Thomas Frank’s lineup suggests that, but only those involved will know whether this is perceived as his stronger team.
Either way, it is yet another look at the Frank ideology, and an attempt to see if there is a better understanding among the players of the requirements to play this style of football successfully.
Attacks lack creative prowess
A concern throughout the entirety of the game was the lack of creative spark in attack. Perhaps Mikey Moore occupying the ten position was a hindrance to this, but Spurs looked empty in the middle.
As a result, long balls were favoured in many attacking phases, which quite quickly led to the end of a particular attack.
Without the passing precision of the likes of Pedro Porro or Lucas Bergvall, the ball was often lost very quickly - a theme that was not apparent in the last game against Reading.
The constant turnovers favoured the hosts, who were sharper throughout the game, and created far more goalscoring opportunities compared to the visitors.
It is important Spurs buck their ideas up in this department; you can certainly understand the interest and persistence of signing Morgan Gibbs-White based on these 90 minutes.
Strong defensive shape
Another solid defensive display will encourage. The shape has evidently been worked on in training and looks far more organised than last season.
Destiny Udogie’s absence meant Jamie Donley deputised in left back, which certainly increased the defensive difficulty for Spurs. The young English attacker was targeted by the Luton press due to his inexperience in that role, and Micky van de Ven was regularly covering for him.
Otherwise, Spurs were often found recycling the ball after the opportunity to attack disappeared.
Frank is a more possession-based coach than his predecessor, and will seek to keep the ball rather than waste it. This hurt Spurs today, who were struggling fitness-wise compared to the Hatters.
Kudus vs Johnson
The comparison of these two wingers exemplifies why Thomas Frank wanted Mohammed Kudus.
It was a tale of two wingers, the Ghanaian one of the best on the pitch with his stunning low centre of gravity, strength and dribbling, which drives Spurs up the pitch seamlessly as he shrugs off players as if they do not exist.
On the other side, Brennan Johnson was having one of his off days. Lackadaisical, wasteful and lacking innovation, he was a constant source of wasted possession for Tottenham Hotspur. It does feel as if the Europa League final goalscorer will be fighting for his place in the starting side next season.
Cover needed for Udogie and Solanke
Destiny Udogie and Dominic Solanke were both due to start in Luton today, with the latter out due to a minor ankle injury.
Injuries are not uncommon for this pair, and their positions lack support in the squad. Surely, Spurs have the funds to dip into the transfer market and find an alternative to replace those two when they were injured, because today was telling.
Tel is raw as a footballer, and his inexperience means that leading the line hampers the Lilywhite attacks. He is often drifting into awkward positions, vacating the central position and assisting in the breakdown of attacks. His talents are far more effective on the wing.
Udogie’s absence, which is unknown at this stage, will concern Frank, and after watching Donley ride the left-back role for most of the game, he must consider his options.
Tottenham Hotspur now begin their tour of Asia, with a North London Derby up first on Thursday. It will be an intriguing first look at how competitive this Spurs side is.
