Aston Villa increased the pressure on Thomas Frank after eliminating Tottenham Hotspur from the FA Cup, leaving the Danish manager facing tough decisions about his struggling squad.
During the match, Villa fans—and even some Spurs supporters—mocked Frank with a “you’re getting sacked in the morning” chant. Tottenham endured a disastrous first half, falling 2-0 behind thanks to Emi Buendia (22′) and Morgan Rogers (45+3′).
Frank appeared to rally his players at halftime, as Tottenham returned to the pitch with renewed energy and pulled a goal back through Wilson Odobert (54′). However, they couldn’t find an equalizer, and the game ended 2-1, drawing boos from the home fans.
The manager now faces a challenging road to turn around Tottenham’s fortunes, with many supporters openly withdrawing their backing. Some believe that if Frank is dismissed, at least one underperforming player should leave alongside him.
Porro Under Fire
Spurs’ ongoing recruitment struggles have increasingly put Pedro Porro in the spotlight. Once highly rated, the Portuguese right-back has seen his reputation decline after a series of poor performances.
Against Villa, Porro struggled defensively, allowing Donyell Malen to create Buendia’s opening goal and leaving gaps for Villa’s second. His possession game was weak—completing just 74% of passes—and he was frequently out of position. Frustration boiled over when he argued with the linesman and received a booking.
Porro has been a regular under Frank this season, but his defensive lapses are now clear for all to see. With Djed Spence on the bench, many feel the English full-back should take over at right-back rather than being used out of position on the left. Frank eventually replaced Porro with Spence in the 82nd minute, signaling a potential shift—but Frank’s future may be uncertain, and Porro could follow if changes are made.
Fans’ Reactions
Tottenham’s FA Cup exit leaves them out of domestic cup competitions, with only a slim Champions League hope remaining for a successful season. Fans vented their frustration on X, with many criticizing Porro’s performance:
“Porro has been an absolute calamity this game. He really needs to turn it around.”
“Every time Porro gets the ball, he gives it away.”
“Get Porro off the pitch. Absolutely disgusting performance.”
“Pedro Porro is Sergio Reguilon with a right foot.”
Some supporters even compared him unfavorably to past players, with calls for his replacement growing louder.
Porro, who joined Spurs from Sporting CP in the summer of 2023 for £39.7 million, may now face competition from Djed Spence and potentially a return to Real Madrid, which has reportedly shown interest in the former Manchester City player.
