Thomas Frank emotional after what he saw Tottenham player do in impressive Leeds win
Tottenham bagged a much-needed win against Leeds United on Saturday afternoon.
Thomas Frank was looking for a reaction from his players after their worst performance of the season against Bodo/Glimt, and that is exactly what he got.
Mohammed Kudus starred for Spurs and scored the winning goal after Mathys Tel and Noah Okafor’s strikes for either side.
After the 2-1 win at Elland Road, Frank was full of praise for one player who enjoyed an emphatic afternoon.
Thomas Frank hails Mathys Tel for Tottenham impact
Tel has endured a tough start for Spurs since making his move from Bayern Munich permanent over the summer.
Frank omitted Tel from his Champions League squad, which is bound to have affected the 20-year-old.
Furthermore, the Frenchman has delivered some forgettable performances when called upon, leading to intense criticism.
However, Tel did superbly to score his first goal of the season, with his deflected effort finding its way past Karl Darlow.
The forward was not too involved in build-up play, completing just 29 per cent of his passes at Elland Road.
However, Tel did land 50 per cent of his shots on target, while managing two touches in the opposition box.
| Stats | Total |
| Minutes played | 73 |
| Accurate passes | 2/7 (29%) |
| Expected goals (xG) | 0.12 |
| Shots on target | 1/2 (50%) |
| Touches in opposition box | Touches in the opposition box |
“So so important [for Mathys]. I’m almost emotional about him,” Frank said after the game on 4 October.
“I’m so happy for him with the character he showed as a young man.”
Indeed, Tel deserved the positive words from his manager in which would have been a serious confidence boost for him.
Tel must cement place in Frank’s side
Frank has backed Tel publicly, and he would have been thrilled after his player produced in the final third at Elland Road.
The number nine position is very much up for grabs this season, given Richarlison’s mixed form and Randal Kolo Muani’s injury.
While nobody would have been expecting Tel to secure a regular place within Frank’s team, the door is now well and truly open for him.
Tel has converted 25 per cent of his shots in the Premier League this season, while he averages 0.2 efforts on goal per game.
The forward will surely be disappointed that his goal came just before the international break, and it could scupper his rhythm.
However, when he returns, there is every chance that Frank will field Tel as his main man.
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