Tottenham: Thomas Frank bids to avoid repeating pattern of results in significant week for Spurs | OneFootball

Thomas Frank needs to ensure Spurs go into the October international on the back of positive results against Bodo/Glimt and Leeds

Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Matt Verri

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Five months on from a successful visit to the Arctic Circle, Tottenham find themselves making a familiar journey.

They are back in Bodo for another European night, though this time it will be the Champions League anthem blaring out around the stadium ahead of kick-off.

There was little drama, though, with Spurs putting in a professional display to reach the final, where they would ultimately book a return to Europe's premier competition.

It is Thomas Frank who has got to enjoy that particular reward and while the stakes are certainly not as high tonight as they were for Ange Postecoglou back then, this does feel like a significant week for the Dane.

He has enjoyed a fine start to life in the Spurs dugout, with the sole defeat in any competition coming at home to Bournemouth.

That was largely forgiven as a one-off poor performance on the day against very lively opposition, but two dropped points against Wolves on Saturday night was more of a concern.

Tottenham were frustrated against Wolves at the weekend

AFP via Getty Images

There were grumblings from the stands throughout the second half of that 1-1 draw, fans growing frustrated as the familiar sight of Spurs struggling to create from open play continued.

After the rollercoaster of the Postecoglou era, Frank has brought some much-needed calm and structure to the team. However, the style of play, at least for now, is not one that will get fans off their seats and there is added pressure on results as a consequence.

The opening Champions League win over Villarreal was not thrilling, but it was hard to complain about a fairly professional European display. Should results dip and the lack of creativity in attack remain, though, the pressure will build.

Having drawn at home to Wolves, Spurs need to pick the momentum back up heading into the international break. Frank has to get his side playing in a more effective manner in the final third, but he has little time on the training pitch to do so and has to keep picking up results in the meantime.

Away trips to Bodo/Glimt and Leeds are tricky ones and yet they might suit Frank, with less of an expectation that Spurs dominate the ball and take the game to their opponents.

Spurs went into the last international break off the back of that Bournemouth defeat and they cannot afford a repeat of that here with these two fixtures.

When they return to action in mid-October at home to Aston Villa, Spurs then have a brutal run of fixtures that includes Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and two trips to Newcastle all by the start of December.

By then, Spurs fans will hope their side has clicked into gear in attack and continued the winning start to the Champions League campaign.

If they can't have both, one feels essential. On current evidence the free-flowing football is not imminent, so it will have to be results.