On the evening of 7/1, before kickoff at Vitality Stadium, Frank was seen strolling with a coffee cup. He appeared oblivious to the prominent Arsenal logo on it. The image quickly went viral, sparking outrage among Tottenham fans, given their long-standing rivalry with Arsenal. On social media, many Tottenham supporters called for the 52-year-old coach's immediate dismissal, citing the team's declining performance.
"I didn't notice it at all. If I had known and still held that cup, it would be stupid", Frank explained after the match. "It's sad that football has to worry about such things. I would never intentionally do anything foolish".
According to BBC Sport, Frank was given the familiar coffee cup by a staff member upon arriving at the stadium. The reason for the match organizers using an Arsenal-branded cup remains unknown, though Bournemouth had hosted the Gunners for a Premier League matchday 20 fixture just four days prior.
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Coach Thomas Frank holding a cup with the Arsenal logo before Tottenham's 2-3 loss to Bournemouth at Vitality Stadium on Premier League matchday 21 on 7/1. *Photo: PA Wire* |
Beyond the cup incident, the match highlighted Tottenham's ongoing issues. Similar to their draw against Sunderland last weekend, Spurs started well with Mathys Tel scoring in the 5th minute. However, Bournemouth mounted a comeback, taking the lead through goals from Evanilson and Eli Junior Kroupi. In the 78th minute, Joao Palhinha equalized for Tottenham, making it 2-2. But in the fifth minute of injury time, Antoine Semenyo, a player reportedly set to join Man City, sealed Bournemouth's 3-2 victory with a shot from outside the box.
After 21 matchdays, Tottenham sits 14th in the Premier League, mirroring their position at the same point last season. Back then, they were eight points clear of the relegation zone and finished the season 17th. Currently, Spurs are only six points ahead of 17th-placed Nottingham Forest.
From a technical standpoint, Tottenham is among the teams creating the fewest chances in the league. Only four teams have registered fewer shots than Frank's side since the season began. Despite this, their finishing efficiency is relatively good, having scored 30 goals, more than eight other Premier League teams. Tottenham also ranks 16th in touches in the opponent's box and leads a negative statistic: making 25 direct errors that led to opponent shots.
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Joao Palhinha (in yellow) scores the equalizer for Tottenham, making it 2-2. *Photo: Shutterstock* |
"It's truly painful", Frank admitted after the match. "Conceding in injury time makes everything hard to accept".
Former goalkeeper Shay Given commented that the Danish coach "looked exhausted and stressed", indicating the heavy pressure currently facing Tottenham.
Following the match, Palhinha and Micky van de Ven had an argument with a group of Tottenham fans. Pedro Porro needed goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario to intervene and de-escalate the tension.
"The players and I are disappointed. The fans are too, which is completely natural", Frank stated. "Football is about emotion, and right now, everything is very unfortunate for Tottenham".
On 10/1, Tottenham will return home to face Aston Villa in the FA Cup third round.
By Hong Duy (via BBC)
