Tottenham Fans Could Turn on Frank if He Continues to Field ‘Baffling’ Midfield Pair After Villa Defeat

Thomas Frank may need to rethink Tottenham’s midfield setup after their 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon, with two players in particular facing uncertainty over their starting spots following underwhelming performances.

Entering the game five points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal, Spurs needed all three points to stay in the title race. A victory would have moved them within two points of Arsenal and one ahead of Manchester City.

Tottenham started brightly, taking an early lead through Rodrigo Bentancur, but Villa equalised with a fine strike from Morgan Rogers before Emiliano Buendia completed the turnaround with a curling effort past Guglielmo Vicario.

Frank must reassess his defensive midfield setup
Despite combining for the opener, neither Bentancur nor João Palhinha impressed against Villa. The pair have been Frank’s preferred midfield duo in recent weeks, forcing Pape Matar Sarr, Archie Gray, and Lucas Bergvall to settle for bench roles.

While both midfielders provide defensive stability—especially Palhinha—they lack creativity and attacking drive. Their influence faded as the match progressed, leaving Spurs short of spark going forward. Bentancur, despite scoring, created little else, registering only one key pass and a minimal expected assist value of 0.01. Palhinha, meanwhile, contributed defensively but struggled to link play with the attacking trio of Mohammed Kudus, Xavi Simons, and Wilson Odobert.

Frank’s decision to persist with such a defensive pairing has frustrated Spurs fans, many of whom voiced their discontent on social media after the loss. One supporter wrote: “The insistence on Palhinha-Bentancur is utterly baffling. We’re driving with the handbrake on.” Another added: “Another week of Bentancur and Palhinha is a sackable offence.” Others directly blamed Frank’s tactics, accusing him of waiting too long to make substitutions and stifling the team’s attacking rhythm.

Given that Sarr and Bergvall provide more attacking intent, Frank may need to replace one of Bentancur or Palhinha to achieve better balance. Introducing a more forward-minded midfielder could make Spurs more fluid and dangerous in possession, helping them convert dominance into wins against beatable opponents.