The Athletic FC Podcast Are Spurs fans losing faith in Frank?
11 snips
Dec 3, 2025 Join football experts Chris Waugh, Charlie Eccleshare, and Dan Kilpatrick as they tackle Tottenham's struggles to create chances amid Cristian Romero's late heroics. They dive into Newcastle's tendency to drop late points and Eddie Howe's tactical decisions impacting team consistency. The discussion broadens to Thomas Frank's leadership at Brentford, questioning whether he can regain fan trust. They also explore the rising concerns of Spurs’ identity crisis and the potential impacts of returning players on their season.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Spurs' Creativity And Leadership Gap
- Spurs repeatedly struggled to create chances and relied on freak moments or set plays to score.
- Dan Kilpatrick argues absence of leaders like Son and Madison compounds the team's lack of spark.
VAR Intervention Sparked Controversy
- The VAR-reviewed penalty for Newcastle felt marginal and controversial, inflaming Spurs supporters.
- Chris Waugh and Dan Kilpatrick note it shouldn't have met the high bar for review but VAR protocol forced the call.
Newcastle's Summer Disruption Explains Inconsistency
- Newcastle's inconsistency stems from a difficult summer, disrupted recruitment and fixture congestion.
- Chris Waugh says squad changes, injuries and rotation have left them unable to sustain peak intensity.