Tottenham Hotspur latest: Thomas Frank on "hurricane" of anger as Nottingham Forest loss draws Ange Postecoglou comparison

Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank reacted furiously to his side's defeat against Nottingham Forest, and insisted that he needs time to solve the club's problems.

Spurs were beaten 3-0 on Sunday at the City Ground, deservedly losing to Sean Dyche's relegation-threatened Forest side.

The defeat left Frank's men in 11th place with 22 points in the Premier League, with just four points now separating them from the 16th-placed victors.

Fans and pundits have critiqued the 52-year-old for the team's lacklustre displays this season after a promising start to the campaign.

Frank expressed his anger at the team's display against Forest, and insisted that the process to recovery will not be fast, telling reporters: "There is a hurricane inside me, because, it's deeply frustrating we are not doing better [here] after three good performances.

"I'm very honest about where we are as well. I was also very honest – this was a very bad performance. No two ways about that, but also know that to change this, this will take some time. It's just reality.

"The ones who have followed the club and the team, it's fair to say there's been a few not too consistent performances, and that's the thing. We are working very hard. I can’t see why [I would not be given time]. If no-one gets time, nothing gets changed. This is not a quick fix."

Having sacked Ange Postecoglou in the summer despite winning the Europa League, there were expectations of improvement under Frank, but supporters are concerned that the club have stagnated.

Is Thomas Frank performing worse than Ange Postecoglou?

Spurs' points total of 22 after 16 matchweeks is one fewer than the club totalled at the same stage last season under Postecoglou.

The Londoners have scored 25 goals so far this season, but that number is 11 fewer than they managed after 16 league games in 2024-25, while their return of 21 goals conceded is two more.

It should be noted that Postecoglou oversaw 15 defeats in the team's final 22 top-flight outings, and it would be surprising if Spurs were to match that dire record this time around.

Frank inherited a club that had finished 17th in the Premier League, and while supporters are keen for the Londoners to be challenging higher in the table, the Dane's assertion that returning to an acceptable level will be a lengthy process is reasonable.

How can Tottenham Hotspur improve in the Premier League?

Tottenham are six points from fourth-placed Chelsea, and if they can address some of their problems on the pitch, then they could close that gap over the coming weeks.

One concerning area is the team's blunted attack, with Spurs having produced just one shot on target against Forest.

Frank has not been helped by injuries to key creators such as Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison, but perhaps replacing midfielders Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha would help in the final third.

Neither player is adept at passing, and Spurs have encountered difficulties when trying to progress the ball to forwards such as Xavi Simons, so signing a midfielder capable in possession should be a priority in January.