Van de Ven and Spence have apologised – Spurs boss Frank

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank has revealed Djed Spence and Mickey van de Ven apologised for their behaviour at the end of Saturday’s game against Chelsea.

Frank asked the defenders to join him and the rest of the players in a lap of appreciation for the supporters following the 1-0 defeat but they ignored him and marched straight down the tunnel.

It was not a good look after a demoralising defeat but Frank said the pair accepted they were wrong.

Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s Champions League game with FC Copenhagen in North London, the former Brentford boss said: “Micky and Djed came into my office yesterday and just said they wanted to say sorry for the situation. They didn’t want it to look bad or any misconception that you can get in this beautiful media world.

“So there was no disrespect meant at all towards me or the team. They were just frustrated with the performance from us and the booing during the game.

“Of course I was happy they came in because I knew the questions would come today. We had a good chat but we will keep it internal. It would be very, very, very unusual for me to throw a player under the bus, because we’re all human.”

One of the small issues – Frank

Speaking immediately after the game, Frank attempted to play down the significance of the pair’s dissent and insisted it was not a big deal, especially in the context of another home defeat.

“I understand why you ask the question, but I think that is one of the small issues,” Frank said of the incident.

“We have Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence who are doing everything they can. They perform very well so far this season and everyone is frustrated. We do things in a different way, so I don’t think it is a big problem.

“All the players are of course frustrated. They would like to do well, they would like to win, they would like to perform well, so I understand that. I think it is about which is difficult to be consistent in good times and in bad times. That is why I went around to the fans as I did. It is more fun when we win, I can tell you that.”

Impotent Spurs flop at home again

Tottenham have not won a league game at home since the opening day and registered an xG of just 0.05 against Chelsea – the lowest for a Premier League side home or away this season and Tottenham’s lowest on record since Opta started collecting Premier League xG data in 2012/13.

That prompted a furious reaction at the final whistle with Spurs fans venting their anger, but Frank insists the team is improving.

“Of course it is a relatively small sample for me to look into if I am honest,” he said. “First and foremost we need to work very hard on keep adding performances, to keep adding layers, to keep improving. We work very hard on the training pitch, in meeting rooms on actions and I see a good improvement in the team in general. 

“Of course, we are coming on the back of a bad performance – there is a big flashing light right now. Everyone has a little bit of a struggle to look past that to see some of the very good performances we have had this year as well. 

“I also think we are coming in off the back of what was in many ways a fantastic season and also a tough season. If anyone had said that we would now be 17 points after 10 games, unbeaten in the Champions League – everything is not perfect, but there is a decent foundation. 

“Everyone would have taken that situation where we are now in terms of 22 defeats last year and finishing 17th.”