Tottenham supporters were left furious with Thomas Frank’s substitutions as Spurs trailed 2-0 against Nottingham Forest.
Rather than turning to attacking options, Frank opted to bring on veteran defender Ben Davies along with midfielders João Palhinha and Lucas Bergvall shortly before the hour. The trio replaced Djed Spence, Rodrigo Bentancur and Archie Gray.
The decision did not go down well with the fanbase, with many voicing their anger and questioning the manager’s future. One supporter posted on X: “This is a sackable offence, honestly.” Another wrote: “I’d be shocked by these subs even if we were 2-0 ahead, never mind 2-0 behind.” A third added: “I just can’t understand Davies coming on — it’s madness.”
Davies, 32, who is Spurs’ third-choice left-back and fifth-choice centre-back, was making his first Premier League appearance of the season.
Frank’s bond with the supporters has been under increasing strain, particularly since his comments following the 2-1 home loss to Fulham in November. After goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario was booed for a costly mistake, Frank suggested those jeering were not “real Tottenham fans,” further angering sections of the crowd.
On Sunday, Callum Hudson-Odoi struck twice to put Forest firmly in control before Ibrahim Sangaré added a third after Frank’s triple substitution, sealing a 3-0 defeat at the City Ground.
The result leaves Tottenham 11th in the table, six points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, with their hopes of qualifying for Europe now under serious threat.
