It turns out the DNA of serial winners cannot be developed within three months. Tottenham should have been able to announce themselves kings of the continent here in Udine, flimsy though any grand statements after a Uefa Super Cup win might be. Thomas Frank had challenged them to back up the heroics of Bilbao with a statement in the Friulian heat and, by the evening’s end, he should have been basking in the kind of start that can define a new manager’s tenure.
Instead he received a reminder that there is no quick fix to some deep-rooted habits. For long periods Spurs, faced with a lethargic Paris Saint-Germain, resembled a perfectly imprinted version of the Frank playbook. They pummelled their opponents in the air, their two-goal lead owing much to well-executed free-kicks and plenty more havoc arising besides. On top of that they looked at ease with a three-man back line that gave a stellar attack little encouragement. With five minutes of regulation time left there was no sign they would be subjected to penalty-inflicted torment.
