Thomas Frank is still using much maligned Ange Postecoglou tactic at Tottenham, and the stats prove it

Contrary to popular perception, one metric shows that Thomas Frank has doubled down on a high-risk tactic that Ange Postecoglou used at Tottenham.

Tottenham have the joint-second-best defensive record in the Premier League, having only conceded five times in their seven league games so far.

That is a huge improvement from last season, when the Lilywhites had one of the most porous defences across the division.

The general perception is that Spurs are happy to sit back and counter-attack this season, as opposed to the high line they used under Postecoglou.

In fact, some pundits have even accused Frank of parking the bus at Tottenham, but the numbers suggest that the story is very different.

Tottenham have the highest defensive line in the Premier League

Postecoglou was often criticised at Spurs for using a very high defensive line, as some saw that as almost suicidal and the reason behind the club’s defensive struggles.

However, journalist Rodrigo Cumbraos has now shared some very interesting data about Tottenham’s defensive line under Thomas Frank.

The numbers suggest that when Spurs do not have the ball, their defensive line is 7.92 metres higher than it was under Postecoglou.

In fact, Tottenham have the highest defensive line without the ball across the Premier League and the 6th highest across the top five leagues in Europe

Spurs are one of the most intense pressing sides in the Premier League

Another perception of Spurs under Frank is that they do not press as high up the pitch as they did last season and are happy to defend in mid-block most of the time.

However, according to DataMB, Tottenham rank first when it comes to their passes per defensive action (PPDA) in the Premier League, which stands at just 8.72.

PPDA refers to the number of passes an opposition side is allowed to make on average before they encounter a defensive action, and is a metric that measures the intensity of the team’s press.

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