Life comes at you fast at Spurs. Four games in and Postecoglou has already gone full circle, experiencing every result and emotion. A decent away draw to begin with, the good alongside the indifferent. Then came the highs of a fine victory together with a pulsating, joyous atmosphere with him at the centre of it all. After a good win away, the team is gelling then the comedown after last night’s defeat. Some treat him like a saviour but last night he showed frailty that is all too human.
He is very much his own man, a real strength that appeals to me enormously. It has taken him a long while to get a top job and he is clearly determined to do things his way. But Ange’s team selection against Fulham was a mistake in my view. Rotation was the wrong option. I understand the need to give playing time to as many members of the squad as possible. However, this was outweighed by other priorities. Against a PL team away from home when we’re not under undue fixture pressure because there’s no European football, we should put out a strong side. There’s no need to rest fit players. The manager was quoted this week as saying how much he always wants to win, at anything. I’m not a huge fan of the League Cup but for a team who has won nothing since 2008, freed of European distraction, this was a big game for us and we should have gone big with team selection.
Also, Spurs are in the middle of rebuilding the team in a league that doesn’t allow the luxury of the time and space to do so, therefore the opportunity to develop teamwork and partnerships was more important in my eyes than seeing what players with, Solomon apart, known strengths and weaknesses can do. Ange said he wanted to learn more about his squad and he will rightly be highly disappointed in their reaction. He gave them a chance, they didn’t take it. Some of our passing was frankly appalling, basic stuff that we failed to do.
Wholesale changes simply don’t work for us. They never have (I still shudder at the memory of the Sheffield United cup-tie last season), and last night’s selection created unnecessary disruption. Skipp, LoCelso, Emerson and Hojbjerg were poor, but without making excuses for them, our whole system was out of kilter. And this undermined the very thing that has been his real achievement so far, creating cohesion from chaos in a very short space of time thanks to his coaching and motivational skills.
Ange strikes me as a coach who puts his faith in his players. He’s learned a painful lesson. At least we have a clear idea of the core of the side. If you want to win a game, I’m never keen on playing the back-up keeper – more painful memories of Vorm chucking a couple in his own net. Forster is a decent back-up, although his penalty-saving technique of sitting down just before the kick needs work, but play Vicario behind VDV and Romero, Bissouma proving his value in his absence, Maddison the difference-maker with Son and Kulu wide, Kulu adding a bit more to the middle as required. To know this after four matches, we’ve have come a long way in a short time, and so we move forward.
Life at Spurs brings other pressures for managers. Postecoglou has to carry the unwanted burden of the recent past at Spurs, things that are not his responsibility but which are tangible and he cannot avoid. Some of this he sees as an opportunity. He relishes playing attacking football and bringing through younger players, and this overcomes the energy-sapping legacy of the dull, unadventurous football of his predecessor. However, last night he failed to confront the lack of trophies, as big a mistake as his team selection.
He may be his own man, but it is hard to avoid another defining element of the past, the way the board runs the club. They have consistently prioritised a top four finish as opposed to going full out to win a nice shiny bauble. Have they set targets? Fans want a cup but above all want to see the team having a proper go, and if we fail, so be it but at least we gave it everything. And then there’s recruitment. Ange may have learned a lot about his players but there’s precious little time left in the window to do something about it.
Ange is good for us. He will build a team, motivate them and there are good times ahead. I’m fully aboard the Ange train, full steam ahead, senior railcard in hand. But there’s disappointment and anger around the fanbase today. 6000 fans plus many more in the home sections came to the Cottage to celebrate the new Spurs and felt let down.
He’s a good manager, right for us, but he’s not the messianic Greek god some make him out to be and we would do well to remember that. Already legends and myths have grown up around him, a creation of fans desperate for change. We are mythmaking because we need a hero who is a force for good, able to exorcise the evil spirits of stupefying, mind-numbing football from the Lane armed only with a couple of inverted fullbacks and a winning way in press conferences. Some hang on every word and divine meaning from each sentence. Not enough for fans to sing his praises, he has his own song and the seal of approval from Robbie Williams.
Folklore and legends may be fantastical but they serve to give meaning to what we do and who we are. Let’s follow Ange from the darkness of Conteball into the light, but he’s just a hardworking manager learning about the Premier League. Don’t make him into something he isn’t and should not be.
And that revolting strip looks like a red sock got left in the high temperature white wash.
TOTTENHAM ON MY MIND 
Why has Austin not been given a chance in goal, Forster is slow in everything he does 4 Fulham penalties were presents as he decides to move well before the kick is taken.
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They seem keen to keep Austin so they must rate him. Forster is a decent second string but how a giant of a man like him could make himself so small in front of those penalty takers is beyond me
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Thank you for a thankfully measured response. I agree with much of what you’ve written here. I’ve enjoyed watching Spurs for , aside from a few months here & there, in maybe 4 seasons but he erred in his selection last night IMO. Many of those players would do fine in a well oiled team, but collectively they’re well short. More than one or two changes disrupts far too much, but it happens over & over again , no matter the manager.
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Cheers Ivor, agree completely.
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I’m holding my peace until the end of the transfer window but last night was entirely avoidable. Ange blew it and no amount of dissembling will convince me he needed to approach the game in this halfcocked manner. Ange knows his team and squad. And any fringe player with half a shout would already have featured. He knows who’se in and who’se out. I am terrified we’ll come away from this window without a proper centre forward. Richarlison confirms with every appearance that he can’t lead the line and his body language make N’Dombele look electrifying. I fear Son has peaked, too. We desperately need energy up front, not another promising winger. Ange’s season rests on these next three days.
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Avoidable indeed David. I can only think that he was over-confident in his players’ abilities, espeically Hojbjerg, who is better than the rep he gets from many Spurs fans but who I would have expected to take charge in centre mid, whereas he did nothing of the sort. And yes, love Sonny but we’re waiting and waiting for a consistent resurgence in his form, same goes for Richie. Plus we need proper cover at CB. Busy window needed, so little time
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It’s clear that Spurs will play their fewest number of competitive games from now, the end o f August, through to early January, for circa 20 years or more. All games are PL until that important 3rd Rd of the FA Cup. So, where does that leave us? No luxury of having games in which to experiment with tactics, and players played out of position, anymore, but at least Ange knows fully what he has to do, and who he needs to play and where …given suspension, injury or individual loss of form ..in every game. Also, tiredness shouldn’t be a factor with so few games. So, that means it has to be a top squad ‘all-for-one and one-for-all’ mentality, whereby players can go straight from the training pitch and slip easily into a game set-up, and a position vacated by a regular first-teamer. I know this sounds like basic stuff, but it gives Ange the best possible chance in his first season of challenging for Top 4. Of course I would have loved to see a long run in the League Cup and, being a traditionalist, I’d love to see us win our first FA Cup for 33 years, but if I continue to be excited by Ange’s ‘first team’ in the PL (with all the learning curves and bumps in the road impending) then I’ll be happy and patient. Let’s just hope that Ange gets two or more in by Friday, including the brilliant Brennan Johnson, and removes 5 or 6 who either didn’t feature, or did, last night.
Just a footnote. Whose bright idea was it to pick Sanches as the 3rd penalty taker? When he walked up I just knew he wasn’t going to score, and sadly I wasn’t surprised. I don’t dislike Sanches. He’s been a loyal servant for Spurs for years, always ready to step in and try his hardest ..but his demeanour has never been the best, and it wasn’t last night. He looked petrified and unsure, and, as Spurs’ fans, we just knew it would put the tin lid on an awful evening.
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A fractured Spurs fanbase united in their dismay as Dav stepped up. I assume we practice these things and he had the bottle to volunteer…. and agree that the only consolation is that in the space of four games, Ange has probably learned as much as he would in half a season
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Thanks Alan. I think I am in broad agreement with most Spurs fans’ views on the line up, performance, the nth disappearance of another trophy chance.
Fulham played aggressively, with pace and verve at times and managed the conditions better, if they struggled with rain etc too and weren’t amazing. But, they thoroughly deserved to win and we were fortunate to get to pens. Luckily Tete was off the field so Perisic could finally get a cross over…
Some of those put in last night are good players, but we do them as well as Spurs’ chances a disservice by rotating en bloc versus a good side away. Moreover, as Conte in Sheffield, and Mura was it? and Nuno somewhere else, etc, etc, etc, you signal so clearly they are the stiffs, you are likely to get a stiff performance, esp so near to end transfer window when many are looking to leave or being begged to leave.
Ange has been playing, watching and coaching football teams long enough to know the pitfalls of en masse changes against 2-3 changes in a more settled side playing well. So, for me, last night is on him at least as much if not more than the players. This was a Conte cup team selection, performance and post-match interview frankly.
Hopefully, he’ll have learned a lesson. I believe in him, still, such early daus and so many questions over squad post 1 Sept. We need a big reaction at Burnley. We have often not got one in previous seasons after a disappointing defeat, let’s see.
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Yes I too still believe. As you say, this was a return to Conteball. I’m surprised given his expereince and still wonder if the board have had a quiet word in his ear about priorities but we have more space this year than in any season for the past, what, 15? Full pelt at Burnley tomorrow, I hope.
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Alan , unfortunately we havnt had a good premiership squad for years , once we put out a second eleven we loose , Ange should have known this , the club only spends money so we keep our heads above water , they have never spent to have 2 good players for each position and why did he let Sanchez take a penalty that was suicidal , keep in touch , regards, Dennis
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Agreed. I’ve said the same for all our recent managers – if you want to win a match, I never understand why we change the entire team. We’re simply not good enough. Even City lost at Saints last year after changing their lot
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A good summation, Alan, as per usual. I’d go along with all you’ve said. But it’s early days and his persona strikes me as hapiing hidden depths. Your view of that drab looking third kid is almost as disappointed-sounding as mine. Let’s hope there’s only better things in the offing –
Steve
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I know the kit is aimed at a generation or two younger than us Steve, but it smacks of being leisure wear not a football kit and it’s not that easy to see at pitch level
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Daniel Levy needs to go, we now have at least 15 players who ear BIG MONEY who doesnt even have to show up for practice since they will not play at all and yet fans say we have “no squad depth” we have 15 players to many and no depth, wow…
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Thanks Alan. I’m one of Ange’s biggest supporters, fighting his corner against the more sniffy, snobbish Spurs fanbase but was enraged at that selection when announced and still have a sense of betrayl. You have once again drawn the right conclusions.
Sean Hurl
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I admire you for engaging on twitter, Sean, I can’t deak with that stuff day in day out. Ange was a sound choice as manager – let’s put this down to fast learning-by-doing
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The League Cup was there for the taking this year.
He’s not the messiah. He’s a very naughty boy.
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I tried so hard to avoid using that! Even though it makes me laugh every time!
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Only 4 games in and the moaning starts afresh.
I’d be more concerned about the performance from a group of experienced players which included six regular internationals. Maybe there was resentment at playing for ‘the 2nd eleven’ but I believe Ange had every right to expect more from that group.
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Wrong selection in my view but they could have given him more, a lot more.
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Hi Alan…Im probably among the minority who think the “I must win a cup thing” is a creation of the press and punditry who, needing content to fill up page space and broadcast time have over hyped our “need” for silverware…
Shrinks call it “auto suggestion” or something along those lines.
I don’t recall an obsession with silver ware in the pre-Poch era.
I think the Hammers were not overly worried about silverware, then it unexpectedly landed in their laps and I’m sure it was a great pleasure for them when it did (as it will be for us again one day).
Any loss by my team always disappoints ofcourse, and we have learnt something about our team depth in terms of press-resistant, ball playing individuals-we barely make a complete starting 11 of that type, let alone on our bench. We are indeed a work -in -progress.
Football in the elite leagues nowadays is characterized by pressing each other to death, we better quickly and decisively embrace this type of player in our recruitment. This applies to all field positions. (If Salomon our recent recruit does not fit that narrative, then it’s an “Ooops” moment.
For the football player, it’s a sink or swim scenario. They may have to get a personal trainer-at their own expense…..
The non-type will at best fit within the Championship for the time being.
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Yes, a work in progress indeed and I’m patient. I do think that the selection didn’t help anyone, though. I can deal with not winning things, what I can’t abide is not trying to win a trophy. I want us to have a proper go, and simply, we don’t
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