Thomas Frank must face up to Tottenham's biggest problem in bid to improve form | OneFootball

Spurs have cruised into the Champions League knockout stage but remain grounded in the Premier League

However, another spirited performance in the Champions League, sealing their place in the round of 16 with a 2-0 win away to Frankfurt, has provided a glimmer of hope.

One of the resounding victories of Frank’s tumultuous reign came away to City just two games into the season, and Spurs have a good recent record against Pep Guardiola’s side.

Thomas Frank is juggling multiple injuries

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As it was two seasons ago, though, the atmosphere inside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will be somewhat conflicted.

With City battling Arsenal for the title, there has been the suggestion that some Spurs fans would rather see their team drop points than win and hand their north London neighbours an advantage in the title race.

A 75th-minute walkout has also been planned by the supporters’ group Change for Tottenham in protest against the club’s board, but Frank is paying no attention. He has continued to remain calm and focused while dissent swirls around the club.

“I don't know (if Spurs fans want to lose). I know that the Spurs fans will, how can you say, will support the team and understand the conflict,” Frank said in his pre-match press conference on Friday.

There will be no snap decisions in the final days of the transfer market, despite as many as nine senior players potentially missing out against City through injury.

I am not in doubt that we will improve and do better throughout the season

Thomas Frank

Micky van de Ven is “touch and go”, having not travelled to Frankfurt with an unspecified minor injury. But even with James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur, Mohammed Kudus, Lucas Bergvall, Ben Davies, Richarlison and Pedro Porro all out, short-term fixes will not be prioritised ahead of Deadline Day.

“I think the best clubs, they take good, calm, sensible decisions,” Frank said. “Also, when it's a little bit windy, not going as well as we want it to, because I think that's key for what we want to build. It's absolutely key.”

Spurs are eight points above the relegation zone, and even talk of potentially being dragged into a battle towards the bottom of the table has led more supporters to make up their minds about Frank.

Calculated and unwavering in his belief in the long-term ambitions of the club as he talked up the Lewis family’s commitment to financing a rebuild, Frank is keeping his head down and pushing on.

“I think the fans and everyone should not be in doubt of that,” Frank continued. “They are really, really committed to this is going to be successful.

Tottenham have been cruising in Europe

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“We all want it to be a bit better, but all the processes and all the things beginning to tick behind the scenes, I am not in doubt we will see big benefits of that in the future.

However, with Spurs circling closer to the bottom three, Frank has to be careful not to bury his head in the sand.

Spurs need to look to the long-term to build sustainable success, but if results continue to slide, Frank will inevitably run out of time.

As Spurs chief executive, Vinai Venkatesham, put it in his open letter to fans two weeks ago, actions speak louder than words.

As much as the board want to back Frank, results don’t lie, and if relegation chatter starts to intensify, they may well be forced into a decision.

Sooner rather than later, Frank needs to find momentum.