Tottenham's 'Clean Sheet Mentality': Pragmatism Powers Thomas Frank's Start

Tottenham have shifted focus from free-flowing attacking play to defensive resilience under Thomas Frank.

In their Champions League opener, Spurs secured a 1-0 victory over Villarreal, marking their fourth clean sheet in five matches this season. Last year, they managed just one shutout in the opening five games under the more attack-minded Ange Postecoglou.

Midfielder Lucas Bergvall told Amazon Prime the team emphasised a "clean sheet mentality" after conceding too many goals last season. "They did not have a shot on target, so we did a really good job," he said.

Defender Micky van de Ven added: "We are a difficult team to play against. Structure-wise, we are standing really well and we all know what to do, so we're a tough side to beat."

Defensive Foundation, Offensive Trade-Off

Despite Villarreal’s 10 attempts, goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario had no saves to make, highlighting Spurs’ tactical shift. However, the pragmatic approach limited Tottenham to just one shot on target, leaving fans craving more attacking flair.

Frank admitted the team must improve offensively: "We have a very good foundation in terms of defensive organisation, but offensively is the area we need to get better."

Frank's Spurs have shown that solid defence can be as decisive as attacking flair, building a stronger foundation early in the season.

This topic was reported by BBC Sport.

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