Tottenham: Thomas Frank seeks fast start as he bids to avoid familiar issue at Spurs | OneFootball

Frank needs early results to get fans on board with his move to make Spurs more pragmatic after the swashbuckling style of Ange Postecoglou

Thomas Frank’s Tottenham face Paris Saint-Germain in the Super Cup in Udine on Wednesday

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After a 41-year wait for a European trophy, Tottenham have the chance to do it all over again 84 days later.

“It’s the easy part now - the honeymoon,” Frank said. “Everyone is happy, the sun is shining, we haven’t played a game yet. I think the honeymoon is five, six weeks of pre-season. Then it’s reality."

Frank is bidding to strike a balance between style and substance at Spurs

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The sun is set to be shining on a blisteringly hot evening in Udine, but the honeymoon is over and the serious business has arrived.

The Super Cup appears a more significant game for Spurs than PSG, who have not played for a month. Spurs, on the other hand, have come to the end of a not entirely convincing pre-season.

They were well-beaten by Bayern Munich last week, bringing a swift halt to any momentum picked up from the impressive defensive showing in the win over Arsenal in Hong Kong.

Frank has placed an emphasis on improving the team's structure since taking charge and there have been clear signs of improvement, though that has come at a cost.

Spurs have scored twice across their past four pre-season matches - a goal from close to the halfway line from Pape Matar Sarr and a deflected Brennan Johnson strike.

Wednesday’s Super Cup meeting with Champions League winners PSG will be a major early test for Frank’s Spurs

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Sarr has largely played as the most advanced midfielder, with Frank searching for solutions after a serious knee injury to James Maddison saw him join Dejan Kulusevski as a long-term absentee.

That is not a problem of Frank's making and he has not been helped by a quiet transfer window. It feels essential that Spurs add more creativity to midfield this month and talks over a move for Eberechi Eze have started.

On current evidence, if Spurs are to win games this season, particularly against teams of PSG's calibre, it will come by narrow margins. Frank will maximise set-pieces and make this Spurs side harder to beat, but a familiar debate at Spurs could soon emerge.

Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte prioritised results over style. Nuno Espirito Santo did little to excite during his fleeting visit to the Spurs dugout. Ange Postecoglou, at least before the Premier League form collapsed, had his swashbuckling style to fall back on. Sections of the fanbase were to an extent willing to forgive the team shipping goals and dropping points while being entertained.

The hope will be that Frank can strike a middle ground. He deserves the necessary time and patience to try and do so, but there is a need for him to hit the ground running with results. A European trophy in his first competitive match would earn some early goodwill.

Frank needs to hit the ground running, with Spurs facing Burnley in their Premier League opener on Saturday

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Defeat to PSG, though, particularly after such a poor showing against Bayern, would pile the pressure on Spurs ahead of the Premier League opener against Burnley. The Clarets had a remarkable defensive record in the Championship last season and will provide an immediate test of Spurs' ability to break teams down.

With Kulusevski and Maddison injured, Heung-min Son no longer at the club and Dominic Solanke having endured an injury-hit summer to date, Spurs need a talisman to step up and provide the spark in the final third.

Mohammed Kudus' pre-season displays have suggested he could be that player. He has caught the eye on the right wing but could be used as a No10 to help solve that particular headache for Frank.

Sarr has done a decent job in that role, but Kudus would offer the unpredictability and attacking spark that has been missing for much of pre-season.

Until that cutting edge is displayed by this Spurs side on a regular basis, the scrutiny on results will only increase. Frank knows that is his new reality.