Why Pedro Porro lashed out at Bergvall — and how the youngster’s half-time behaviour exposed deeper issues at Tottenham

The major issue facing Thomas Frank is that Tottenham Hotspur have shown no real progress under his leadership.

Spurs sit 10th in the Premier League with 18 points from 13 games, scoring 21 goals and conceding 16. At this stage last season, they had seven more goals, two fewer conceded, and were two points better off in seventh place.

If Arsenal beat Chelsea on Sunday, Tottenham will be almost as far from the top of the table as they are from bottom-placed Wolves, who trail by 16 points with a game in hand. Managerial changes are meant to bring improvement, but that hasn’t happened.

Frank has a history of slow starts at Brentford and Brøndby, and his bright early weeks at Spurs may have only delayed the inevitable this time. Unlike his previous clubs, Tottenham will not give him the same patience — especially when the football is becoming increasingly difficult to watch.

Opta highlighted after the defeat to Fulham that Spurs are averaging just 9.5 shots and 3.2 shots on target per match, their lowest numbers in a Premier League season since 2003–04.

The disconnect with the supporters remains glaring. Boos at half-time, full-time, and after Mohammed Kudus’ goal were among the few moments of passion from a fanbase that has grown numb. They feel they’re paying premium prices for poor quality.

Despite that, 60,546 fans still came on Saturday, even though Spurs have won only three of their last 21 home league games. Right now, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium feels far from an enjoyable outing — unless you’re an away supporter. For everyone else, it’s more like a trip to the London Dungeon.

This time, they watched their team concede twice in the opening six minutes — the earliest Spurs have ever let in two goals in a Premier League home game. Kenny Tete’s deflected strike put Fulham ahead after three minutes, and moments later Guglielmo Vicario came out of his box, won the ball, but bizarrely chose a weak pass instead of clearing it. Harry Wilson collected it and curled into the empty net. Vicario was booed with his next touches and sarcastically cheered when he finally kicked the ball out of play.

Vicario has been crucial for Spurs this season, making the fans’ reaction even more uncomfortable — reminiscent of the Davinson Sanchez boos in April 2023. After the match, Vicario accepted responsibility for the second goal and said the team needed to stay composed. He also fronted media interviews, insisting the squad could not be swayed by reactions in the stands.

Fulham could have scored more, with Samuel Chukwueze hitting the post and only a last-ditch tackle from Micky van de Ven preventing a third. Kudus pulled one back, but the early damage was decisive and the atmosphere barely lifted. When Lucas Bergvall tried to rally the crowd for a corner, he got only faint noise in return.

Tottenham were chasing a draw at home against a team with the league’s worst away record, while Spurs themselves have the second-worst home record. The half-time boos told their own story. In the team huddle before heading down the tunnel, 19-year-old Bergvall and stand-in captain Van de Ven were seen urging the squad on — a sign of how fractured the group feels.

After full-time, the boos returned, and the stadium played “Munich” by Editors — a familiar soundtrack for Spurs fans after defeats. The players applauded from afar instead of approaching the south stand. Bergvall seemed ready to go over but changed his mind when he saw Vicario turn away.

Only weeks earlier, Vicario had escorted the concussed Swedish teenager away after someone in the same stand shouted abuse at him.

This time, Pedro Porro stormed off at the whistle, then reappeared and marched across the pitch shouting at Bergvall, seemingly telling him not to applaud the fans. Porro then headed back down the tunnel, ripping off his shirt. He had endured a poor performance, misplacing most of his crosses and needing Van de Ven to rescue him defensively.

Frank addressed the boos afterwards, saying supporters should not target players during the match. While defending Vicario, he risked widening the gap between himself and parts of the fanbase. His frustration grew as the press conference continued.

His unusual formation — a skewed 4-3-3 with Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani paired centrally and Kudus on the right — left the left flank empty and made Spurs predictable. Fulham quickly adapted, funnelling Spurs’ play toward Porro and Kudus.

When told the formation overloaded the right side, Frank acknowledged it before explaining he wanted two strikers close together, though the early 2-0 deficit complicated the plan.

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