Two stylish victories against German opposition have bought Thomas Frank time, a precious and elusive commodity for any Premier League boss and especially one under pressure.
Precisely how much time will depend on him picking up some points and halting the alarming slide towards the relegation zone.
But by qualifying in the top eight of the Champions League and avoiding next month’s play-off round and because they are already out of the domestic cups Tottenham now have just six games in 40 days before they return to European competition.
Time to rest and recover if not to get all the injured players back. Time to plot the strategy for big games against strong teams. Time to finetune the system Spurs have stumbled upon somewhat fortuitously due to an extreme shortage of players.
‘Big achievement,’ said Joao Palhinha after Wednesday’s 2-0 win at Eintracht Frankfurt. ‘But we have many things to do in the Premier League. We want to change the momentum.
‘We know the reality of where we are in the table and we need to change this because it’s not the image from Tottenham, definitely. It’s not the position in the table that everyone wants to be. We will try to do everything as we can to change.’
After 10 days of genuine progress, the next 40 at Tottenham could be pivotal for Thomas Frank
Spurs beat Eintracht Frankfurt to qualify in fourth place in the Champions League group phase
It has been 10 days of progress since the win against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, when Frank switched to a 3-4-2-1 formation, mainly due to having only a dozen senior players available, and started for the first time with fit again Dominic Solanke up front.
In Frankfurt, Randal Kolo Muani stepped effectively into the centre forward role so as not to overload Solanke after six months out.
In between, a 2-2 draw at Burnley was a disappointing result despite a decent performance and Frank copped serious flak from travelling fans, the hardcore Spurs faithful, many of whom have made the judgment he is not the man to deliver the sort of fluent adventurous football they crave.
In Frankfurt though, they did flow. They dominated, controlled the game, found a quicker tempo and a better rhythm. Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert have been more effective in this system. Forwards scored the goals. Simons had one ruled out. Odobert hit a post.
At the back, they protected Guglielmo Vicario and kept another clean sheet, the sixth in eight European ties.
One or two things are finally dropping for Frank. His decision to replace Mathys Tel with Solanke in the Champions League squad paid off, as did his call to start Kolo Muani in Frankfurt.
‘We are with all the hands together,’ said Palhinha in support of his boss. ‘The responsibility is mainly with the players. We should do much better in some key moments. We conceded some goals we couldn’t concede in important games and since Brentford we lost some important points.
‘The responsibility is not with the coach. But of course, we know how it is in football. Sometimes it’s not easy to be a coach. But the responsibility is with the players and some things team to improve.
In Frankfurt, Randal Kolo Muani stepped effectively into the centre forward role for Tottenham
The return of natural goal scorer Dominic Solanke has also provided Frank with a real boost
‘The main thing is to recognise where we need to be better. Don’t think too much on the past but look more to the future and what we want to do. We have top players and top staff. We all want to change the momentum in the Premier League.’
A goalless draw at Brentford on New Year’s Day was the start of a miserable run of form. Spurs took only three points against opponents they expected to beat: Brentford, Sunderland, Bournemouth, West Ham and Burnley. They also went out of the FA Cup.
And the next four fixtures look daunting, starting with City on Sunday then a trip to Manchester United and Newcastle at home before the derby against Arsenal.
If Frank is to turn the mood of those fans set against him then the derby looms large. After losing at home to West Ham, it did not seem like he would survive to take charge of it.
Now it feels as if he might and if he can plot Arsenal’s downfall, damage their title dream and avenge the painful 4-1 defeat at the Emirates Stadium in November, it will help him.
It might buy him more time, but the signs of improvement must develop also in the Premier League. Sink any closer to relegation peril and the board who want to back Frank will feel the pressure once more to make a change in search of a bounce.
Another signing will help because injuries are biting. The loss of Pedro Porro for four weeks with a hamstring injury leaves little room to manoeuvre in the wing back positions, and they have not abandoned hope of prising Andy Robertson from Liverpool before Monday’s deadline.
First though to Manchester City, a team they beat at the Etihad Stadium in August when Palhinha scored.
‘We had some games that we won, especially against City,’ said the Portugal midfielder on loan from Bayern Munich. ‘The team always gives everything. I know that for supporters it’s not easy to digest the position of the table.
‘I know it’s frustrating for them but also for us. We need all hands altogether and try to change the momentum on Sunday, against City. Let’s see. We will have this answer in the next few games. We will try to do everything as we can to change.’
