Goals from set plays. Goals from centre halves. Long throws, an aerial assault and defensive resilience to neutralise the European champions.
The Thomas Frank revolution is under way. The style of football could hardly be more distinct from the one we witnessed under Ange Postecoglou but the thrill and the drama not at all dissimilar.
Two goals up through Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero and Tottenham seemed to be coasting to another piece of silverware when Paris Saint-Germain slipped into the groove, fought back level and took the UEFA Super Cup final to penalties.
Vitinha missed the target, and Spurs went 2-0 up again before Van de Ven’s was saved and Mathys Tel pulled his wide. Nuno Mendes scored the winning spot kick and the silverware goes to Paris not London.
With the performance over 90 minutes, though, Frank has imposed himself on Tottenham supporters. This is the way the Dane operates, with a strategy designed to combat the strengths of the opposition and a team packed with aggression.
His new chairman, Daniel Levy, who missed the game while in the United States with his family, would have enjoyed the occasion if not the final outcome.
Spurs didn’t have much of the ball. Passes did not purr, they did not pour forward, and here’s the thing. There are different ways to play the game. Different way to go about collecting your silverware.
They came within three minutes of adding another trophy to the one they claimed in Bilbao, in May, and nobody will complain if they take the good points from this performance and build them into something more over the course of the season.
Not even at Spurs, where they can be derided for their purist principles.
Frank handed debuts to his two senior summer signings Mohamed Kudus and Joao Paulhina and lined the team up with a back three. Freshly appointed captain Romero was central between Van de Ven and Kevin Danso.
Kudus and Richarlison worked in tandem up front with Pape Matar Sarr breaking out as the most advanced of three midfielders. They made a strong start as you might expect for a team six games into their preparation and opponents who came in straight off the beach.
Pedro Porro, enjoying the freedom of the wing back role, fizzed the first effort of the game narrowly over from 25 yards.
PSG returned to training this week after the FIFA Club World Cup final a month ago, and working a significant change into their game, with goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier in at the expense of Gianluigi Donnarumma, the scourge of the English on so many occasions.
Donnarumma is bound for the exit with Manchester City reportedly interested.
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Chevalier, 23, has been signed from Lille for £33million and Luis Enrique, who was effusive in praise of Donnarumma on the eve of the game, claimed it was about a strategic change of direction.
This means he has signed a ‘keeper who oozes comfort on the ball and likes to come out and join the play, although judging by the second goal he ought to prioritise keeping it out.
His first save of the night was a routine one to turn over a 20-yarder unleashed by Richarlison after a promising link up with Kudus. Not a difficult save. Rodrigo Bentancur headed wide from the corner which followed.
Enrique’s team were certainly not in the groove they were when they swatted aside four Premier League teams and destroyed Inter Milan on the way to their first Champions League title.
But they have such quality that it could not fail to sparkle when they did begin to zip some passes about and always threatening on the break with scintillating pace and four out-and-out attacking players in the starting line-up.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia fizzed one wide on the turn and Bradley Barcola buzzed in the space behind Porro, the space most teams usually seek to exploit when they play against Spurs.
Ousmane Dembele lashed over a chance that fell to unexpectedly from a hoof clear by Van de Ven.
But Frank’s back five were strong. One striking aspect of his first selection was the sheer size and power on parade as Spurs lined up for ceremonial duties before kick-off.
With Vicario in goal, three huge centre-halves, two huge midfield screeners, Djed Spence at left wing back and Richarlison up front. Strong too, as Kudus proved when he flattened Vitinha, simply by running into him.
Spurs were aggressive, physical and menacing from set plays, the last of which will have delighted the new boss. It is one of his central to his methodology and distinct from his predecessor.
Van de Ven’s goal was classic Frank. A long diagonal free-kick launched into the deep by Vicario for Romero to head back across goal from somewhere near the left wing. Paulinha rolled Marquinhos and his shot was turned onto the frame of the goal.
It was a fine reflex save by Chevalier but Van de Ven was first to the rebound, sweeping the ball into the open net with his right foot. The sharpness of the extra preparation and the aerial power together with great effect.
They led at the interval despite only 35 percent of the ball and Kudus was close to making it 2-0 in stoppage time at the end of the first half, heading against a post after Danso and Richarlison won headers.
Romero headed in the second, with a run to meet a Porro free-kick beyond the back post soon after the restart. Chevalier made a complete mess of it. He reached it with both hands and tried to push it wide under pressure from Sarr but only pushed it into the corner of the net.
Spurs might have scored more. Danso crashed a header into the side netting and fooled 4,500 fans into thinking it was 3-0 and Porro swerved a free kick wide.
PSG rallied, finding their best in the final third of the game. Frank’s team had to defend as they tired and substitutions disrupted the flow.
Barcola had a goal ruled out for offside. Then Kang-in Lee scored. There were hints of the closing stages of the Europa League final about the nerve-jangling ending as six minutes were added on.
But this time Spurs conceded late. Dembele’s cross was headed in by Goncalo Ramos and a thrilling contest would be decided on penalties. Chevalier emerged as a hero but there is plenty to encourage Frank.
