Thomas Frank addresses Tottenham anger issues and gives passionate Cristian Romero defence

Thomas Frank has been on the Tottenham defensive as his out of sorts side prepare to face Crystal Palace in a tough-looking Premier League clash this weekend. Spurs lost to Liverpool last time out to leave them seven points from the top four heading into Christmas.

Frank has already come under pressure amid rumours Spurs could already be considering a change, but the Dane does seem safe for now, with Tottenham likely to take a patient approach.

But defeats like the one against Liverpool won’t help, and not necessarily because of the result itself. Tottenham had two players sent off in the ill-tempered clash, and while the Xavi Simons red card was, perhaps, a little unlucky, there could be no complaints about the red card captain Cristian Romero received late in the game.

The Argentine lost his temper and lashed out, and he wasn’t the only Tottenham player to lose his col during the game. Ahead of facing a Palace side on a run of three straight defeats, that triggered a question to Frank as to whether his players needed to calm down a little as they enter the busy festive period.

“I understand why you asked the question, because that was definitely the topic after the game, which is probably fair,” Frank responded. “I think it's two different situations. If you're talking about a player that's a little bit disappointed because he’s subbed off or disappointed with his own performance or whatever it is, I think that's two different things.

“I think it was more fair if it happened two to three times this season than what happened in the game. I think it happens sometimes. If you don't play with your emotions, don't play with passion, you don't play to win, then of course you also need to have a cool head. Of course, that's part of it. So, the answer is no.”

Romero defended

Romero has come in for heavy criticism after his red card, with the Argentine expected to lead by example, even in situations where the game reaches boiling point. But Frank has defended the centre-back, adding: “I speak to the players in general. As I said, I know we can put that label on when it is a captain. For me, all the players need to have a cool head and lead by example. You cannot have only one leader on the pitch. I know he is the one with the armband.

“So, that is one thing. We are talking about a player, a very passionate player, that when he is at his absolute top, he carries the team on his back, like he did in the Europa League final. Without him, we would not have won the trophy. Like he did away to Newcastle, like he has done many times. When you are very passionate, sometimes you can maybe, in a few moments, lack the extra coolness. Sometimes, maybe. It is something he is working on. I think you have a player where the second goal for me still is a clear, clear, clear foul. And, okay, I have not played on the highest level. Everyone who played on the highest level, if they know there is a foul, they know it is a foul. They are very, very reactive. It is a clear foul.

“So, he felt hard done by. So, the mistake he did there was he was running, unfortunately, touching John Brooks. That means he, when you touch the ref, unfortunately, you need to have the yellow. But, let's say it was a foul, given, you do not get the first yellow, you do not get the second yellow. The second yellow is a mistake, obviously, from Cuti, which he is agreeing on, but before that, he was the one that competed like a very passionate for the first corner, competed on that duel, and the second duel he scored the 2-1. So, you need to accept, if you have passionate players, that it is part of it.”

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