How Tottenham manager Thomas Frank is effectively masking Spurs' weaknesses

Struggling from open play, set pieces could be Tottenham's way forward this season after defeating West Ham United 3-0 away on Saturday. With an opening goal in the second half via a corner kick delivery from new signing Xavi Simons to Pape Sarr, it was just how manager Thomas Frank would have liked to draw things up. Cristian Romero had a goal from a dead-ball situation taken away due to a foul in the box, but deliveries from Simons and Mohammed Kudus were coming from dangerous areas all match long.

Tottenham's second goal, a header from Lucas Bergvall, may not go down as a set-piece goal, but coming from a long ball from Romero and beating West Ham keeper Mads Hermansen with a header in the box, it was another goal that shows the rehearsed plays that Frank is drilling into this side.

Last season, Tottenham only scored 10 goals in Premier League play from set pieces, which was among the bottom third of the league, while allowing 13 from similar situations, also among the bottom third. It may be early, but the team are flipping the script under Frank. Tottenham haven't allowed a set-piece goal this season, while they've now scored two from those situations in only four games. They may not be on the pace of Arsenal in becoming Set Piece FC yet (the Gunners already have five goals from set plays), but it's a step in the right direction.

This team is still a work in progress, looking to find their footing from open play without Heung-min Son, who departed to join Los Angeles FC. The attack is also without creative midfielder James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, which is why the addition of Simons and Kudus are so important. There may have been a wild ride in the transfer market, missing out on Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze, but Tottenham ended up having a solid transfer window and it's paying off early.

They'll need time in order to figure out how to fit all these new players together, especially in possession, but if one thing is clear, Tottenham won't finish 17th in the league again. After winning the Europa League and moving on from Ange Postecoglou over the summer, expectations are high for Spurs upon their return to Champions League soccer, and Frank was given a draw that Spurs will feel confident about, especially based on early play.

Tottenham Champions League fixtures

Schedule: Villarreal (h), Bodo/Glimt (a), Monaco (a), Copenhagen (h), Paris Saint-Germain (a), Slavia Praha (h), Borussia Dortmund (h), Eintrach Frankfurt (a)

Defensive improvement will give Tottenahm a good chance to start off on the right foot before an away trip to face PSG while also giving Frank time to figure out his best XI. When facing the Parisians again, Tottenham will want things to be more like the first half of the UEFA Super Cup where they went ahead via Micky van de Ven than the second half in which they let a two goal lead slip away.

That was the moment that it was clear that Frank may be onto something with Tottenham and balancing multiple competitions, it will now be time to put it all together to take the next step as a club. Set plays will help get them there but if Kudus and Simons continue to click, this is a team ready to surprise, not only making it to the last 16 of UCL but also finishing in the top four of the Premier League.