THOMAS FRANK knows what he is getting into at Tottenham.
But it could now become a lot tougher for Mikel Arteta.
Plenty of Tottenham supporters will now be demanding that Ange Postecoglou’s replacement proves he is a level above the Aussie who ended the club’s 17-YEAR trophy drought.
Yet while the Dane will need to have some “frank” conversations, that Europa League victory in Bilbao will have an equally big impact six miles down the Seven Sisters Road.
Suddenly, after Son Heung-min lifted the trophy into the Basque night air, Spurs are not Spursy any more.
Rival supporters can no longer mock their empty trophy cabinet.
It might have been the worst European final in history, secured by the scrappiest of goals, against a Manchester United side destined to be remembered only for their ineptitude.
Yet Spurs are proven winners, at last.
But there is one club in the capital which does appear to have forgotten how to get over the line.
Arsenal have been London’s best, by a street, for three seasons.
Boss Arteta has fostered a sense of purpose building a formidable unit and restoring, even enhancing, the bond between the club and its fans — however much pre-game anthem “North London Forever” can grate.
Yet while Spurs, Chelsea and Crystal Palace all lifted silverware this term, just as West Ham did in 2023, the Gunners’ best shots have fallen a fraction short of their targets.
Plenty of Arsenal fans will insist they do not care. Of course, they will.
Arteta’s men have come close to lifting the Prem crown, twice shaded out by Manchester City before being the only threat to champions Liverpool over the past ten months.
It was Arsenal who went deepest in the Champions League, too, putting Real Madrid to the sword before being ousted by Paris Saint-Germain, the new kings of Europe.
But Bukayo Saka’s admissions this week of his feelings of “hurt” at the triumphant scenes he witnessed in Bilbao, Wroclaw and Wembley were a window into the true reality.
There comes a point when being the best of the rest is not enough.
And those trophy lifts by Son, Enzo Fernandez and Marc Guehi mean that moment may have been reached.
Arteta’s faith in the underlying numbers, in the expected goals metric and other analytical and statistical tools, is unquestioned.
But he appears to be a believer in the “one more heave” theory of football management.
A couple of key additions — with Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi and Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko clearly identified as the priority acquisitions for around £115million for the pair — to bolt on to what he has, and that will be enough. Except it might not be.
Arsenal under Arteta are all about control and, at times it feels, to the exclusion of imagination and spark.
But their rivals might be breaking the glass. City’s £108.4m early summer spending spree has been a statement of intent.
Liverpool are likely to have German ace Florian Wirtz and left-sided full-back Milos Kerkez in to add to Jeremie Frimpong who is already through the door.
Chelsea are ready to splash more of Todd Boehly’s seemingly limitless cash.
Arteta knows the fans will now expect him to deliver on his promises.
His only trophy came five years ago, with an FA Cup final win over Chelsea in an empty stadium during the unprecedented aftermath of the pandemic.
Like a tree falling in the Amazon rainforest, some will ask if a Wembley win when there was nobody there to watch it really happened.
Arsenal were unexpected challengers three years ago, leading the way until the last week of April when they hit the wall.
The following campaign they were only overhauled in the final fortnight.
Yet last term, hindered by injuries, red cards and some refereeing shockers, they were never really within touching distance of the Anfield side.
Failure to reinforce significantly in the January window, despite the manager’s public pleading to the board, was critical.
That teams were terrified of Arsenal’s set-piece prowess was unquestioned.
Yet that threat significantly dissipated after centre-back Gabriel limped off against Fulham at the start of April.
Too many supporters have bought into the conspiracy theories, too.
The belief that “they” — whether that be the Premier League, FA, Uefa or PGMOL — are all part of a wide-ranging anti-Arsenal pact.
Allowing that to fester risks giving players a get-out clause as well when things, as they do in football, go against them.
It all adds up to extra scrutiny on Arteta from the first kick of the 2025-26 season. More questions. Additional demands and expectations.
Answer all of them and he can book a modelling session with the statue maker.
But stumble again and it may be the beginning of the end.
Thomas tanking
IT has taken only four games but Thomas Tuchel seems to have brought the England squad together — just not as he planned.
The tough-talking German was supposed to be the missing ingredient after all the near-misses under Gareth Southgate.
But after watching the miserable displays against Andorra and Senegal, it seems the players were united in not really wanting to be there.
And that was before Tuchel brought his dear old mum into it.
Brits love sport
GREAT to see a near-full house at Lord’s on Wednesday for the first day of the World Test Championship final.
The weather wasn’t great and plenty would have wanted Australia and South Africa to BOTH lose.
But further proof Brits will turn up for the opening of an envelope if there’s a sporting event inside.
Riots before World Cup
RIOTS on the streets of Los Angeles and elsewhere.
The Marines and National Guard called in, plus a crackdown on unwanted visitors.
Who says the Americans aren’t getting prepared to host the World Cup a year out?
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