Tottenham Hotspur’s exit from the Carabao Cup last night was evidence of the hot and cold nature of Thomas Frank’s tenure at the helm so far in 2025/26.
Coming into the clash against Newcastle United, the Lilywhites claimed a superb 3-0 victory against Everton in the Premier League – but such a showing at St James’ Park was the polar opposite.
Fabian Schar and Nick Woltemade’s efforts either side of the break secured the win for Eddie Howe’s men, with Frank’s first chance of claiming a trophy in North London evaporating in front of his eyes.
The Dane only made four changes from his starting eleven that defeated the Toffees on Sunday night, but little players failed to cover themselves in glory on Tyneside.
One player in particular was handed a second successive start last night, with such a run now expected to come to an end after his dismal display against the Magpies.
Brennan Johnson’s evening to forget against Newcastle
After Mohammed Kudus’ summer arrival from West Ham United, winger Brennan Johnson has often had to resort to minutes off the bench to make an impact for Spurs.
Such a decision may have come as a surprise to many of the Lilywhites faithful, especially after the Welshman ended last year on 18 goals – even scoring the winner in the Europa League final.
However, 2025/26 has been a different story for the 24-year-old, with his performances night and day from his spell under Ange Postecoglou last campaign.
His showing against Howe’s side was yet another disappointment – with his withdrawal in just the 65th minute highlighting his lack of positive impact in the North East.
Johnson only achieved a total of 28 touches, whilst losing possession on 14 occasions, subsequently gifting the ball back to the opposition every other time he was in control of the play.
Other figures such as zero dribbles and crosses completed further demonstrate his lack of creativity, something which Kudus has possessed in abundance – as seen by his tally of four assists for the Lilywhites.
Such was the level of disappointment around his showing, one Spurs analyst labelled the former Nottingham Forest star as a “passenger” – which proves Frank made the right decision by replacing him with the Ghanaian this summer.
The Spurs player who now looks finished under Frank
Alongside Johnson, numerous other players struggled to match the expectations placed upon them by the Spurs faithful ahead of the meeting with Howe’s men.
Joao Palhinha has been an excellent addition for the Lilywhites, offering the side the perfect ball-winning option at the heart of the midfield, but he was forced to operate out of position last night.
The issues at the back saw the Portuguese international drop into a centre-back role – ultimately taking away his best quality, as seen in his tally of zero tackles won.
Despite his lack of impact, Palhinha certainly left more of a positive impression than Richarlison, with the centre-forward once again ensuring an evening to forget.
After being dropped to the bench against former side Everton on Sunday, Frank recalled him to his starting eleven – handing the Brazilian the opportunity to prove his worth.
However, for the eighth game in a row, the 28-year-old was unable to find the back of the net, with his underlying figures showcasing his lack of impact against the Magpies.
Richarlison managed to complete just nine passes during his 78-minute display, whilst also losing possession on eight occasions, often being unable to provide the local point Frank has craved.
Minutes played
78
Touches
29
Passes completed
9
Possession lost
8x
Big chances missed
2
Dribbles completed
0
Chances created
0
Crosses completed
0
In front of goal, the Brazilian was just as wasteful, registering three shots on target, but two of which were defined as big chances missed – leading to one analyst labelling his showing as “unacceptable”.
His dismal display was further highlighted by his inability to complete any dribbles, crosses or create any chances for his teammate, with the manager desperately needing a solution to his problems.
Randal Kolo Muani was brought on in the second half, with the Frenchman producing numerous mazy runs which could see him handed the chance to start from the off against Chelsea.
As for Richarlison, his double on the opening day of 2025/26 has certainly fooled people into thinking he can be the talisman Frank needs to achieve success in North London.
However, there’s no denying that the Brazilian has ultimately failed to match those standards in recent weeks, as seen by his goal drought, which dates back to the 20th of September.
It’s clear he’s not the man the Lilywhites need to progress to the next level, with his career at the club pretty much all but over – which should open the door for a potential January exit.
