Once again, Thomas Frank is on the receiving end of harsh criticism after another listless display by Tottenham Hotspur, who were torn to bits by a superior Monaco side in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
Spurs haven't shown any sort of firepower in the European competition of late, but, well, that's also been reflected in recent Premier League results, including a 2-1 loss to an otherwise ho-hum (at best) Aston Villa over the weekend.
Tottenham can't seem to get their midfield right, and one of the big mistakes of the last few weeks has been the sudden snubbery of Pape Matar Sarr, who was the biggest breakout surprise under Frank to start the 2025/26 season.
Sarr hasn't even started a game for Spurs since Sept. 13 against West Ham when he helped the club destroy the Hammers 3-0. In fact, Sarr was in the starting lineup for three blowout clean sheet wins to start the campaign against Burnley, Manchester City, and West Ham, yet he's been nowhere to be found since then.
Thomas Frank is pulling the rug out
Instead of letting the workhorse, smashmouth No. 8 cover three-quarters of the pitch like an N'Golo Kante regen, Tottenham's manager has increasingly turned to Rodrigo Bentancur in a pathetic pivot with Joao Palhinha that is plodding, uninventive, and so easy for defenses to figure out.
Sarr offers dynamism and even quality in the final third, as evidenced by winning goals and moments of individual brilliance he has pulled off for Senegal - and even occasionally Spurs. Instead of letting the 23-year-old blossom to a true breakout to Premier League stardom, Frank is pulling the rug out from underneath one of his legitimate top performers of the season.
It's a decision that baffles Spurs supporters, and in the aftermath of a 0-0 draw without Sarr in the starting lineup again, more questions are being asked about Frank and just what on earth his gameplan is with the midfield.
With a match against Everton in the Premier League up next, Spurs have to get their midfield right and fix their team from its literal foundation. Failure to do so will only lead to more and more dropped points and even Spurs heading into an early crisis point under Frank. Players like Sarr who are young, have upside, and are already vital to the team with clear positive results whenever they start have to be valued appropriately. Frank is botching that.