Three things we learned from Tottenham loss as Thomas Frank has a bigger problem than Cristian Romero | OneFootball

The captain is making life very hard, but there is a more serious issue to solve

United dominated after the break, and Bruno Fernandes made the points safe late on to ensure Michael Carrick’s winning start as interim boss continued.

Is Romero more trouble than he’s worth?

Cristian Romero was the subject of 25 questions in Thomas Frank’s pre-match press conference on Thursday, so of course, he was going to be the centre of attention at Old Trafford.

Romero’s Instagram outburst on Monday evening, the second time in a month his social media activity has come in for criticism, stated that it was “disgraceful” that Spurs had 11 senior players available against Manchester City last weekend.

Cristian Romero was sent off for the second time this season

Martin Rickett/PA Wire

His sending-off just before the half-hour mark, while harsh, has done nothing to help his reputation. He crashed into Casemiro, landing studs up on the United midfielder’s ankle.

Romero will now miss games against Newcastle, Arsenal, Fulham and Crystal Palace after his second dismissal of the season, leaving his team in the lurch as they struggle for defensive options.

Thomas Frank stood by his captain, naming him in the starting line-up but, not for the first time this season, was let down by the Argentine.

Romero, who has now been awarded six red cards in his Spurs career, is a polarising figure, and Frank must surely start to wonder whether the 27-year-old is more trouble than he is worth.

Udogie injury underlines transfer failures

It feels like every week Tottenham face new issues in defence.

Romero’s dismissal against United means the centre-back will now miss four league games, and with Udogie coming off injured early in the second half, Frank is desperately short of options at the back.

Djed Spence had been in contention for today’s game, but he was unable to recover in time from a calf injury. Kevin Danso, meanwhile, remains out after innocuously hyper-extending his toe before last weekend’s draw with Manchester City.

Left-back Ben Davies looks set to miss most of the season after undergoing surgery on a fractured ankle, while it is hoped Pedro Porro will be back for the north London derby.

Destiny Udogie make it 11 first-team injuries

Getty Images

Spurs’ injury crisis has been felt most sorely at the back, and while Brazilian left-back Souza showed glimpses off the bench, with some neat driving runs and recovery challenges, Frank will need to reshuffle his backline again when Spurs host Newcastle on Tuesday.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but Frank will be left wondering whether he and the board could have acted to address their defensive injury issues, even if only with a short-term loan.

Anti-board sentiment grows

It was always going to be interesting to note the supporters’ reaction to Romero’s social media outburst earlier in the week.

Romero’s social media post highlighted his own frustrations with the club’s board, and the away end at Old Trafford passionately backed their captain in the opening stages, with chants of “Romero is right, the board are sh**te”.

Brennan Johnson, who left the club during the recent transfer window, was also chanted about.

Supporters were left frustrated with the club’s January business, with Spurs failing to make a senior signing on Deadline Day, and they made their feelings heard not for the first time this season.

Anti-board sentiment has been growing all season, and while Frank has always maintained that the club were never going to make snap decisions in reaction to the club’s mounting injury list, it is not a decision that has proven popular among supporters.

Spurs have put all their trust in executing their plans for the summer transfer window. It is a risky strategy and one that simply has to work if fans are to be convinced of the club’s vision for the future.