Dr Tottenham has been curing sick groups once more this season, with Burnley the subsequent affected person hoping to be remedied.
Spurs have already rehabilitated Bournemouth and West Ham this month.
The Cherries ended their 11-game winless run with a 3-2 dwelling win, whereas the Hammers ended their 10-match winless league run with a last-gasp 2-1 win in north London.
However Burnley’s illness is even worse, with the relegation-threatened Clarets on a 13-game winless league run.
Spurs supplied a treatment for a newly-promoted struggler final season as Ipswich ended their 10-game winless return to the top-flight in November 2024. A month earlier, Crystal Palace had additionally been healed by Spurs as they ended their eight-game winless begin to the league marketing campaign.
Beneath-pressure Spurs boss Thomas Frank is aware of the Dr Tottenham surgical procedure can’t be in operation at Turf Moor on Saturday, with defeat an unthinkable prospect for the Dane.
Among the stress on Frank was relieved on Tuesday with a much-needed 2-0 dwelling win over Borussia Dortmund within the Champions League.
“He’s quietened a few people for a few days,” ex-Spurs captain Michael Dawson mentioned on Soccer Particular.
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Michael Dawson believes Frank has silenced a couple of critics with the win over Dortmund
“It was a very good performance [against Dortmund], but you’ve got to move on to the next one.
“That is one ticked off, however Burnley away from house is an even bigger kettle of fish now.”
Indeed, it is for Frank.
A loss at second-bottom Burnley this weekend would see the pressure reach new levels. Spurs could even find themselves 16th and seven points above the drop if results go against them, with a nightmare February to come.
Their four games next month are against sides in the top eight, as they host Manchester City, Newcastle and north London rivals Arsenal, plus a trip to Manchester United.
What makes this run much more daunting is that Tottenham’s Premier League type has been abysmal.
They’ve received simply two of their final 13 league video games, with solely Burnley, Wolves and Bournemouth successful fewer for the reason that begin of November.
Spurs have additionally misplaced 31 league video games for the reason that begin of final season – solely bottom-side Wolves (36) have misplaced extra in that point.
‘Dortmund win was an encouraging efficiency’
But when Saturday’s match at Turf Moor was dressed up in Champions League branding, then there could be actual confidence of Tottenham getting the job executed.
Frank’s aspect have been a distinct beast in Europe this season, with the midweek win over Dortmund propelling them as much as fifth within the Champions League desk and giving them an enormous likelihood of robotically qualifying for the final 16.
Frank must translate this European type domestically.
Of the 18 Spurs managers to have taken cost of twenty-two or extra Premier League video games, solely Juande Ramos and Ossie Ardiles have a decrease win fee than Frank (31.8 per cent).
Final weekend’s loss in opposition to West Ham took his file to simply seven wins in 22 league video games.
“I thought it was going to be very difficult for him to be able to keep his job after that result,” ex-Spurs midfielder Tim Sherwood instructed Sky Sports activities Information.
“I believed it was an encouraging efficiency in opposition to Dortmund. There was quite a lot of stress on that sport. They did very effectively.
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Tim Sherwood mentioned whether or not he would take the position of interim head coach at Tottenham after Jamie O’Hara urged he ought to if Frank is sacked
“I thought they played with an attacking style of football. They’re doing brilliantly in the Champions League, but their performances have to pick up in the Premier League.
“They have an enormous sport away at Burnley.
“The pressure would mount up [if they lose], certainly. Away at Burnley, it’s going to be difficult for Tottenham, but they should win that game.
“However they need to have overwhelmed Bournemouth. They need to have overwhelmed West Ham. They need to have overwhelmed Fulham at dwelling [2-1 loss in November].
“So they’re not playing with any style, and they’re not getting any results, unfortunately.”
The type is what has upset quite a lot of Spurs followers.
Tottenham have had simply 235 pictures within the Premier League this season, with solely 5 groups registering fewer. In the meantime, Spurs’ common of 10.7 pictures per sport is their lowest on file in a single marketing campaign since 1997/98.
However Frank will hope that the “magic” of Tuesday’s win over Dortmund, wherein that they had 16 pictures, is usually a catalyst for a much-improved aim risk.
Frank ‘cursed’ by prolonged harm checklist
Frank has been unfortunate with accidents in his efforts to make Spurs extra attack-minded, with midfielder Lucas Bergvall the newest participant to be sidelined.
Frank mentioned at his pre-match press convention that he felt “cursed”, with Spurs shedding probably the most days from accidents and sicknesses this season, whereas additionally they presently have a league-high of 9 gamers unavailable.
Frank has been with out the influential pair of James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski all season – gamers that might have had an actual influence in making his aspect extra eye-catching.
However one harm enhance Frank has had just lately is the return of Dominic Solanke.
His comeback from a five-month lay-off was key in Tuesday’s Dortmund win as he scored his first aim of the marketing campaign on his first begin of the season.
Solanke’s presence up entrance allowed Xavi Simons to place in a man-of-the-match efficiency, because the Dutchman orchestrated the victory.
Frank will want these two firing once more on Saturday if he’s to alleviate the stress on him additional and take one other step to show issues round.
