Three things we learned from Tottenham defeat as Thomas Frank confuses players and Xavi Simons questions grow | OneFootball

Spurs remain without a home win in the Premier League since the opening weekend of the season

For the sixth consecutive match at home in the Premier League, Spurs fell behind. That has not happened since 2003.

Fulham were 2-0 up inside six minutes and but for Micky van de Ven’s heroics with two sensational clearances would have been four down at the break.

Mohammed Kudus pulled one back on the hour mark but there was to be no equaliser. It would have been more than Spurs deserved.

Home form piles pressure on Frank

Make that a barely believable three wins in the last 21 home matches in the Premier League.

That run includes plenty of football under Ange Postecoglou, but Frank has not been able to improve it at all. Spurs have won only once at home in the league under the Dane, on the opening weekend against Burnley. Since then it is six matches without a victory.

The pressure is well and truly on Frank. After heavy defeats to Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain, this was the fixture pencilled in to provide some relief, some evidence that Spurs were on the right path and able to display some attacking patterns of play.

Under pressure: Thomas Frank

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Instead, Spurs were generous hosts once again. One of Wolves' two Premier League points this season came away at Spurs and now Fulham have their first away win in the league.

Frank's side do not seem capable of beating anyone at home. They are not improving at all in attack and the defence, if anything, is getting shakier. The Spurs boss has huge problems.

System confuses players

Spurs' worst half of the season is a competitive market but the first 45 minutes here rivalled even their most dismal performances under Frank.

Quite what the Spurs boss was trying to do with his set-up was unclear. It was a system that bizarrely decided a left winger was unnecessary, with Lucas Bergvall and Richarlison only occasionally drifting out there.

The result was a painfully lopsided formation. Destiny Udogie was left to attack that flank by himself and both Fulham goals came from Spurs failing to cover down their left.

Tottenham players trudged off at half time

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The hosts had to focus their play on the right wing, though the extent of that was Pedro Porro and Kudus competing to see who could have the most crosses charged down.

After one passage of play in the first half, Joao Palhinha looked over towards Thomas Frank, seemingly hoping for some answers.

The system confused the Spurs players, not the Fulham ones. It was a surprise the changes came after 60 minutes rather than at half-time or even earlier.

Questions over Simons grow

With more than a third of the season now played, the picture for Xavi Simons is not a pretty one. He has just one Premier League goal involvement to his name, an assist from a corner on debut.

More concerning for him right now will be the fact he can't get into the team. Simons has been on the bench against Arsenal, Chelsea, and all of Spurs' away matches in the Champions League.

Frank insisted at his pre-match press conference that it was just a case of different players for different games, but it turns out that Fulham at home is not a match he views as one for Simons as either.

Xavi Simons failed to make a difference as Tottenham chased an equaliser against Fulham

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The obvious question is when, then, will Frank feel comfortable starting the £52million signing?

Simons was introduced on the hour mark and did little to force his way into Frank's plans. His only meaningful touch was a shot deflected over.

Frank is lurching between systems and lineups at the moment, but Simons being left out is becoming a consistent theme.