Tottenham flop now looks finished at Spurs after Dortmund

At Tottenham Hotspur, Thomas Frank is in for a penny, in for a pound. The Danish coach will just hope that the Lewis family stay on the same page.

The under-pressure Spurs boss knew that defeat at home against Borussia Dortmund would have struck catastrophic damage against his tactical engine, but, for the most part, it was a controlled display that tightened a hold on automatic promotion to the last 16 of the Champions League.

While Tottenham still need to make gains in attack, this was a step in the right direction, with Dominic Solanke back from injury and getting on the scoresheet with a unique finish.

Richarlison is currently sidelined, but this could be a boost that runs against Mathys Tel‘s chances, with the young Frenchman seemingly pushing for an exit from N17.

Why Tel could be leaving Spurs

Tel, 20, has been omitted from Frank’s Champions League squad for the second time this season, with Solanke taking his spot in the European line-up.

To say he’s frustrated would be an understatement, and with Paris FC in France looking to strike a deal before the end of the transfer window, Tel must sense an opportunity to jump ship.

He’s a talented and dynamic forward, with a natural eye for goal, but Tel is clearly unfavoured in Frank’s system, and the recent win over Dortmund will have eased the immediate pressure from the hierarchy (and maybe the fanbase too).

Of course, Tottenham will need to sign a replacement before the end of the transfer window. Brennan Johnson was sold to Crystal Palace at the start of the month, and Mohammed Kudus has since injured his hamstring and is slated to return after the March international break.

Even with all these variables at play, Frank may feel there’s one forward in the squad whose days are numbered in a Lilywhites shirt.

Spurs flop looks finished after Dortmund

Many players have been culpable for consistently poor performances this season, but some in the final third might feel hard done by, having found little creative support behind them.

Randal Kolo Muani would be among them, having struggled for success in attack after joining on loan from Paris Saint-Germain last summer.

However, the 27-year-old can offer no complaints after his recent substitute appearance in the Champions League, tamely shooting straight at Gregor Kobel when played through by the excellent Xavi Simons.

Football.london handed him a 5/10 match rating, the lowest of anyone in a Spurs shirt, and Solanke’s pressing and energy at number nine suggest he will be the first-choice striker when fully fit.

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On the field for only 20 minutes, Kolo Muani was branded “lazy” by journalist Kyle Freeguard after failing to chase down a splayed delivery over the top. He made just one successful pass during that time and only amassed 7 touches.

Having previously declared himself to be a tenacious and hard-working forward, many Spurs fans will understandably be disgruntled by this development, especially when considering that Tel may leave in the coming days.

Perhaps he felt it was a lost cause, but Djed Spece zipped up the touchline and showed the kind of heart and spirit that Frank lauded post-match. Kolo Muani, who will return to PSG this summer, is clearly not going to earn a full-time job in north London, and it’s hard to argue he’s even earning his keep as a loanee.

With Dane Scarlett already waiting in the wings and playing with a homegrown prospect’s passion, when he gets a chance to impress, it might be time for Kolo Muani to take a back seat.

While it would be ludicrous to cut the France international’s loan spell at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium short, there’s little question that he struggled to get himself on the same page as his teammates, certainly paling in comparison to Solanke.

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