Thomas Frank names four things that ‘irritated’ him in Tottenham defeat at Nottingham Forest
Thomas Frank laid bare his frustration after Tottenham Hotspur were convincingly beaten 3-0 by Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, outlining four key areas that left him deeply irritated by his side’s performance.
Spurs were second best throughout a bruising afternoon in the East Midlands, as Forest punished sloppy mistakes and a lack of intensity to claim a deserved victory. Callum Hudson-Odoi proved to be the standout figure, playing a decisive role in all three goals and tormenting Tottenham’s back line with his direct running and composure in the final third.
The opening goal arrived inside the first half-hour and stemmed from a costly error. Ibrahim Sangaré robbed teenage midfielder Archie Gray just outside the Tottenham penalty area before calmly squaring the ball to Hudson-Odoi, who had the simple task of tapping into an unguarded net from close range. It was a moment that summed up Spurs’ shaky start and set the tone for the rest of the contest.
Forest wasted little time in doubling their advantage after the interval. Hudson-Odoi struck again, this time producing a moment of improvisation as his cross-shot floated over Guglielmo Vicario and nestled into the far corner. Tottenham’s problems were compounded late on when Sangaré capped off a dominant midfield display by rifling a stunning effort into the top corner from distance, putting the result beyond any doubt.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the final whistle, Frank did not hide his disappointment, describing the display as one of Spurs’ most frustrating performances of the season.
“It was hugely disappointing,” Frank admitted. “It’s burning, it’s annoying. That was a bad performance. Especially in the first half, we looked disjointed and disconnected. We didn’t win enough duels, and that’s a massive problem in a game like this.”
The Tottenham boss went on to highlight his side’s inability to keep possession or build any sustained momentum, despite repeatedly winning the ball back.
“When we did regain the ball, we couldn’t find each other,” he said. “It felt like we gave it away every single time. Simple passes, basic decisions — we lost the ball far too often. I wouldn’t be surprised if we lost it 20 times from straightforward situations.”
Frank also pointed to individual errors as a decisive factor, particularly for the opening two goals, while stressing the need for greater consistency across the squad.
“Of course, the first two goals come from mistakes, and that happens in football,” he added. “But it’s about how often it happens. We’ve taken two steps forward recently, and today it felt like a step back. That comes down to individuals, but we are in this together. We win together, and we lose together.”
Tottenham’s commitment to playing out from the back again came under scrutiny after the early error, but Frank defended the principle behind the approach, insisting it remains the right way to play.
“It’s clear,” he explained. “You see it every week in the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga — all over the world. Sometimes it’s about receiving the ball and bouncing it out with your first touch. On paper it’s simple, but when things go against you, you still need to keep doing the right things and keep calm.”
Despite the heavy scoreline, Frank conceded that Forest were worthy winners on the day.
“Black and white, we lost 3-0 here,” he said. “The better team won today. There’s no getting away from that.”
There was also a flashpoint during the second half when Djed Spence showed visible frustration after being substituted for Ben Davies, throwing his arms in the air and discarding his coat on the touchline. When asked about the incident, Frank appeared unaware of the reaction.
“I haven’t seen it,” he replied bluntly. “Thank you for the information.”
Finally, Frank addressed the travelling Tottenham supporters, many of whom voiced their displeasure at full-time after making the long journey north.
“As I’ve said before, if you don’t perform, then their frustration is more than fair enough,” he said. “They expect better, and today we didn’t give them that.”
The defeat leaves Spurs searching for answers once again, with Frank under growing pressure to find consistency and restore belief after another damaging setback.