Every word Thomas Frank said on Cristian Romero injury, Tottenham loss and sub incident

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Thomas Frank has been speaking after Tottenham's 2-1 Premier League defeat to Aston Villa, here is the full transcript from the Dane's press conference

Thomas Frank has reacted to Tottenham's frustrated 2-1 home loss at the hands of Aston Villa, who fought back to win the game after going behind to Rodrigo Bentancur's fifth-minute opener.

Morgan Rogers and Emi Buendia inflicted the damage for the visitors as Spurs dropped points for the third successive Premier League home match.

Spurs now return to Champions League action on Wednesday when they travel to AS Monaco.

Here is every word Frank had to say including a crucial update on injured captain Cristian Romero.

What did you make of the game today?

I think the way the game panned out was exactly how I expected it to be, if I'm honest. A very even game against a very good Villa team, set up very well by Unai, where I think we performed quite well. What is, maybe not through the roof, I'm thinking what is through the roof is that totally dominating Villa, which has been a very good team in the last couple of seasons, clearly a very good team with good players.

But I think we dominated in good spells, I think we came out with very good intensity, very aggressive, I think we were good in high pressure. I think first half especially we wanted some very good times and broke and had four or five very good nearby moments where it was good transition opportunities, got in front. Continued second half actually created some good opportunities, we could have scored both the 2-0 with Mo, ruled out for our side and the Wilson chance. And defensively I think we were excellent. We gave away very, very small, I think there's a

There are a couple of things you can look into when you look defensively. We gave away eight shots, I think, not even across, more or less. Very, very low xG and Vicario didn't have to make a save. So we've done that and then you've done well. We gave two goals away, that is in a position outside the box with a lot of players behind the ball, where you said to me before the game, they will shoot from there, Rogers and Buendia, with that situation. I said, yeah, of course, no problem, it's not dangerous. But a fantastic quality shot from Rogers. So in those nothing moments or very little moments, they had more quality than they did.

Obviously Spurs have been very effective from set pieces this season. Would you like to have seen a little bit more from them in open play?

Yeah, I think that's fair to say. I think Villa defended well, which we know they in general do. I think that's something we worked very hard on, tried to improve. I think the most disappointing thing is the area I'd like to improve a little bit better, was these four or five very good transition moments where we are in good positions, could have done more. And I mean it, I think we performed a good game without being through the roof and part of it was we could have had a bit more offensively.

Romero was forced out of the team, what happened?

Minor doctor issue, nothing big.

You've accrued 10 points on the road and only four at home. Can you explain what's going on, why you can't win at home?

I hope I can. Maybe, I don't think it's that simple. I think it's about looking into the performances. I think we performed well against Burnley, I think we performed well today. I think we had one very good first half against Wolves and then we had a bad game against Bournemouth. So that's probably the reason I think it's a game that is a draw, a clear draw.

And we could easily have won it instead of Villa and then it would have been a different narrative. So I look at the performance on the pitch, we did well, and look at the pitch we need to improve.

Bergvall and Kolo Muani were on the touchline waiting to come on before the second goal, why did it take so long to get them on?

When they were waiting, yeah, the big detail there is there was a set-piece. So we didn't want them to get on in the set-piece. That's normally the go-to rule you have as a coach. So unfortunately I think maybe it was one or two and then definitely extended it and then they scored. So I think that's why it looked long. But I would have loved to have them on at 1-1. I think that could have made a difference.

You spoke on Friday about the need for the fans to lift the players in the tough moments and also the players to sort of lift the fans by playing an exciting way.

How did you view those two things?

I think it was OK both ways. I think the fans were good. I think they helped what they could. And I think we, in moments, looked exciting and in moments we could have done a little bit better. So, of course, we would have loved a 3-0 win and the players were rocking and everything looked fantastic. But it didn't. But it looked quite good. Unfortunately, we lost 2-1 because of two quality moments.

Do you expect Romero to be available to face Monaco?

I don't know. He could be, he couldn't. I just don't know. Right now, if I'm honest, I had one focus I went into the changing room and then I spoke to the players and then I prepared a little bit for Anthony for the questions they're going to have. And then I worry about the players tomorrow.

Xavi Simons not up to speed yet?

I think we defend with 11 players. We also attack with 11 players. I think it's the whole team. Of course, it will always be, let's say, the front four. Today, Wilson, Mo, Xavi and Mati. That is the main guys that will be judged on it, which is fair. Other players coming on from the bench. I like Xavi's personality today, especially in the first half. I think he wanted to get on the ball, he wanted to create. I think he was very aggressive in the pressure. I think it was a fine game. I think I need to remember it myself when we judge players and they come into a new club, a new country. I know it's part of football. We judge them with a very small sample of games. I'm not in doubt that it will be good for us. Today was an average-plus game.

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