Tottenham Flop Should Exit Alongside Thomas Frank After Dire Villa Showing
Aston Villa heaped further pressure on Thomas Frank by dumping Tottenham Hotspur out of the FA Cup, leaving the Danish head coach facing growing scrutiny — and potentially forcing him to rethink one of his underperforming regulars.
Frank was subjected to chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” from Villa supporters, with sections of the Spurs crowd joining in, after a woeful first-half showing. The visitors raced into a 2–0 lead thanks to goals from Emi Buendía in the 22nd minute and Morgan Rogers deep into stoppage time.
Whatever was said at the break appeared to spark a response, as Tottenham emerged with renewed intent and pulled a goal back through Wilson Odobert shortly after the restart. However, the equaliser never arrived, and the 2–1 defeat was met with loud boos at full-time.
Frank now faces a daunting task to reverse the mood around the club, with much of the fanbase seemingly having lost faith in his leadership. And should the club decide to part ways with the manager, supporters have made it clear they want at least one player to follow him out the door.
Tottenham 1–2 Aston Villa: Porro Under Fire
Tottenham’s recruitment policy has long divided opinion, and Pedro Porro now appears to be the latest target of supporter frustration. Once praised during his early days in north London, the Portuguese right-back has come under increasing criticism in recent weeks.
This defeat may have marked a tipping point. Porro struggled badly defensively, allowing Donyell Malen too much space in the build-up to Buendía’s opener and failing to track runners for Villa’s second goal. He also endured a difficult night on the ball, completing just 74% of his passes and frequently being dragged out of position.
His frustration boiled over when he was booked after angrily confronting the assistant referee. Despite being a regular starter under Frank this season, Porro’s defensive weaknesses have become increasingly apparent. With Djed Spence waiting on the bench, many believe the Englishman deserves a proper run at right-back rather than being used on the opposite flank.
Frank eventually substituted Porro in the 82nd minute after the defender registered 56 touches — a decision that some saw as a late acknowledgment of the problem. Whether the Spurs boss will be around long enough to make further changes remains uncertain, and there is a growing belief among fans that Porro should also be moved on if Frank departs.
Fans Vent Fury Online
Tottenham’s exit from both domestic cup competitions leaves them clinging to a remote Champions League dream to salvage an otherwise disastrous campaign. The poor start to Frank’s tenure appears to be nearing a critical point.
Porro joined Spurs from Sporting CP in the summer of 2023 for £39.7 million, having previously been on Manchester City’s books and linked with Real Madrid. Ironically, some supporters are now hoping Madrid revive their interest.
The backlash on social media was fierce, with fans branding his display “a calamity,” accusing him of constantly giving the ball away, and questioning why he wasn’t substituted sooner. Others labelled his performance “hall-of-shame worthy,” with one fan joking that he was “Sergio Reguilón with a right foot.”
As Porro faces mounting pressure from both supporters and competition within the squad, reports suggesting Real Madrid are considering a move may yet offer Spurs a potential exit route — and relief for an increasingly frustrated fanbase.