The plot strands are inextricably interwoven, with one unwavering through line: an inevitable stay of execution being granted over an unavoidable decision which would put the collective out of their misery.
How curious that the genesis of Thomas Frank’s doomed Spurs reign can be traced back at least as far as the 2024 FA Cup final, despite the north Londoners exiting that year’s tournament in the fourth round.
It was there at Wembley when Manchester United produced basically the only kind of result and performance which could possibly have overturned a call that had almost certainly already been made and was absolutely reported without challenge at the time.
On the sole basis of those 90 minutes, Erik ten Hag delayed his inescapable sacking for another five months, which in turn set Ineos’ Make Manchester United Great Again project back at least another two years.
It also gained Manchester United a back-door entry into the following season’s Europa League, a tournament they would reach the final of to face and lose to Spurs, whose manager sacrificed both his soul and what little remained of the club’s Premier League dignity for a trophy that similarly allowed them to stumble into this year’s Champions League with their shoes on the wrong feet, their top inside out and their board member hanging out of their jeans zip.
That, by the way, is an equally accurate metaphor for Dominic Solanke’s finish to solidify a result not even Spurs could mess up.
But back to the point and the overall need to accept that as funny as Spurs winning the Europa League while finishing 17th in the Premier League was, Spurs winning the actual Champions League while finishing 17th in the Premier League is going to be phenomenal.
And of course, in a game which was widely assumed to be Frank’s last in charge, Spurs delivered probably their best display under him so far.
Borussia Dortmund helped, with Daniel Svensson taking a red card in the 26th minute for the culture. That slight disadvantage was the backdrop for a pulsating shot count between the visitors as a whole and the excellent Xavi Simons, who was ultimately beaten 5-6 by Germany’s second-best team.
Yet there is a danger of taking slightly too much away from Spurs, who were the better side – and already a goal up – before that sending-off, and managed to avoid what at that stage looked like the most absurd, hilarious and inexorable doomsday scenario of contriving to somehow not win from a position of such dominance.
They navigated a difficult situation impeccably. Wilson Odobert was brilliant. Solanke made a substantial difference on his first start of the season. For about 15 minutes, the derided deployment of Djed Spence on the left wing felt like the early days of Gareth Bale’s career-altering positional shift.
The shift in focus to a more controlled approach once Solanke bundled in the game’s second goal was impressive. And coupled with PSG’s defeat at Sporting, it means that Spurs, 14th in the Premier League, are 4th in the extended Champions League.
Of course Frank, appointed for his English top-flight experience despite doubts over his European acumen, is in a relegation battle while planning for the Champions League knock-out stages.
Should this really change anything in terms of the manager’s future? Does a professional win against ten men override the awfulness of the West Ham defeat, the problems laid bare in the loss at Bournemouth, the eye-gouging torture of the Brentford draw?
Since this campaign began on September 16, Spurs have won as many Champions League games (four in seven) as they have Premier League matches (four in 18). The clean sheet count is four each, too. The amount of victories at home leans decisively towards their European fixtures.
Having spent most of the season laughing at Ange Postecoglou, calling him a big old loser and entirely ignoring the context and circumstances behind how and why Spurs finished 17th last season, is Frank not now embarking on an even more daring and preposterous high-wire act?
It really does feel like it, and it all goes back to another stay-of-execution win masterminded by a manager Spurs rejected for not being charismatic enough.
