4 things to look out for in Tottenham's first pre-season game of the summer

Thomas Frank's Tottenham Hotspur are in action for the very first time this weekend, as we take on Reading in a pre-season friendly on Saturday afternoon.

The new manager has the chance to get a better idea of the state of his current squad over the next couple of weeks before we jet off to the Far East for our summer tour. These opening domestic fixtures serve an important fitness-building function, with results inconsequential.

While some are still hung up over Ange Postecoglou and the season three that never was, there's no denying the general excitement for what Frank can conjure up in N17.

Here are four things to keep an eye on when we take on Reading at the Madejski Stadium.

1. Thomas Frank's system of choice

While Ange did change tack during our Europa League run, we generally knew what we were going to get from his Spurs team tactially on a weekly basis. There's much more intrigue surrounding Frank.

Much of what makes the Dane so exciting is how capable he is of adapting by the game to give his team the best chance of success. He's no idealist, and us writers will be kept on our toes.

Thus, I'm intrigued to see how he sets us up on Saturday. He's only had a few sessions with some of the players, but we should still get a pretty good idea of his default system of choice. He switched between a 4-3-3, 3-5-2 and 4-2-3-1 at Brentford, and many expect the latter formation to best suit this current Spurs group.

We can't expect all that much by way of tactical intricacies, but it'll be particularly interesting to see the roles his full-backs play, as well as his starting midfield partnership.

2. First sighting of new signings

Some might've hoped that Morgan Gibbs-White would have been involved on Saturday, but Nottingham Forest's complaints mean the deal continues to stall.

However, we should catch a glimpse of two new faces at the Madejski.

Japanese centre-back Kota Takai and playmaker Mohammed Kudus both joined the club last week, and the new duo will be involved this weekend. Takai is regarded as one for the future but will be looking to put together a strong pre-season, while Kudus is very much expected to make an immediate impact.

The Ghanaian has quickly captured hearts and minds, but saying all the right things will count for very little if he struggles to hit the ground running. The presence of a new manager means it's not only the new signings who are attempting to get up to speed, which should benefit Kudus this summer.

3. Academy stars aiming to impress

Pre-season is a great opportunity for young guns to come to the fore. Rotation will run wild and free during these first two domestic summer outings, and several academy starlets are bound to get chances to impress.

There's plenty of buzz surrounding Jamie Donley, who had an excellent season on loan with Leyton Orient, while 16-year-old Luca Williams-Barnett has the potential to raise a few eyebrows this summer. I'm also hopeful that Reiss-Alexander Russell-Denny features.

Ashley Phillips and Alfie Devine are yet to ignite in north London but have plenty of promise, while Borussia Dortmund target Mikey Moore enjoyed his breakout season last time out. Many regard Moore as the next brilliant thing to emerge from our academy, and the winger showed more than enough last term to suggest that Frank will rapidly take to the teenager.

With top-level clubs often so unwilling to trust their own once competitive action rolls around, pre-season is a wonderful time to enjoy the effervescence of youth.

4. Make-or-break fixtures for those on chopping block

There's yet to be a high-profile departure from Hotspur Way this summer, with the new manager understood to be taking his time to assess each member of the Spurs squad before deciding whether to cut ties.

Yves Bissouma and Richarlison are the most notable names linked with moves away, and if the pair are keen on remaining in north London, these upcoming friendlies are hugely important fixtures. In truth, it may be hard to gauge all that much from outings against Reading and Luton, but the club may want to have their futures sorted out before the pre-season tour, especially if their sales have any bearing on potential incomings.

These aren't going to be high-intensity run-outs with plenty on the line, but don't be surprised if the likes of Bissouma and Richarlison are putting in that extra 5%.