Tottenham's Set-Piece Mastery Not Enough vs PSG

Thomas Frank's Tottenham debut nearly became a dream start, as Spurs led European champions Paris St-Germain 2-0 with just five minutes remaining in the Super Cup. However, a dramatic PSG comeback and subsequent penalty shootout victory denied Tottenham the trophy.

Frank's Tactical Blueprint Emerges

The match revealed key aspects of Frank's managerial approach:

• Set-piece mastery: Both Tottenham goals came from dead-ball situations
• Pragmatic formation: A shift to 3-5-2 from last season's setup
• Direct play: Early long balls from goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario
• Defensive organization: Only three set-piece goals conceded at Brentford last season

"We had them exactly where we wanted them for 80 minutes," Frank said. "The first half was almost perfect and our set-pieces were very dangerous."

Areas for Improvement

The late collapse exposed vulnerabilities:

• Difficulty handling pressure against a PSG side with minimal preseason preparation
• Questions about maintaining intensity for full 90 minutes
• Potential fan concerns about pragmatic style versus Tottenham's attacking traditions

Transfer Market Priorities

Tottenham remain active in the transfer market with key targets:

PositionTargetsAttackSavinho (Man City), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace)DefenseMarc Guehi (difficult), alternative center-backs

New signings João Palhinha and Mohamed Kudus showed promise, with Kudus particularly impressive with his pace and power.

Expert Analysis

Paul Robinson (BBC Radio 5 Live): "This will be damaging for Tottenham. They're absolutely devastated - it's a real blow after last season's success."

Aaron Lennon (BBC Radio 5 Live): "At 2-0 up with five minutes left, you have to see the game out. Tottenham didn't handle the pressure well enough."

Danny Murphy (BBC Sport): "The discipline was excellent. Set-pieces will be a strength this season. A top-four challenge and good Champions League run are realistic targets."

While the result was disappointing, Frank's first competitive match showed promising tactical foundations that could shape Tottenham's season ahead.