Manager Watch: Ange Postecoglou

[kent brockman]

Totally. That's a personnel issue though. We don't have clinical goalscorers, that's a fact. We miss Maddison's cutting edge in the final third too. We got a little predictable towards the end, in that Kulu was running back into traffic on the right, whereas Sonny had a quiet game. Johnson, who I'm sure will improve, looked more like Dele Alli towards the end of his Spurs career than the 50m fast winger we supposedly signed.

Richy missed a sitter a few minutes before they scored the 2nd, that's another striker who can't strike. We need personnel.

Agreed. Sonny really is our only goal scoring threat, although low-block teams seem to stifle him pretty easily. Especially (like you say) in the absence of Maddison’s creative spark. I fear that we probably will need quite an overhaul of our front three to turn this around.

 

[Westmorlandspur]

Or Klopps first 2 until he signed Allison & VVD.

We need the equivalent signings but in attack + 1 back-up CB.

Let’s be honest, Klopp only signed these two because those financial halfwits at barca paid 140m for Coutinho.
can we have some luck from Saudi with 50m for Richy and spend it equally wisely

 

[muppetman]

I am willing to fight anybody who is starting to question Ange and/or his philosophy right now.

 

[Westmorlandspur]

I said we'd be 14th with those managers and this squad.

If Harry was in this team, I don't think we'd have lost against Villa or Wham.

Yes but we wouldn’t have Maddison or VDV.
We finished 8th with Harry. We will finish higher this season.

 

[Metalhead]

I love Ange and if we get injured players back and some proper depth in the squad i think he'll do great things.

But I would like to see more ability to adapt when things aren't going well.

We don't really have the players to go full-on Ange's style of football right now so we either need to bring in young players who fit that philosophy or try to do things a bit differently whilst we have the likes of Hojberg and Davies in the team.

See again, Ange has been very clear that this is the way that his teams play. I don't know why people continue to suggest that he should adapt. He's been SO clear about it.

 

[muppetman]

See again, Ange has been very clear that this is the way that his teams play. I don't know why people continue to suggest that he should adapt. He's been SO clear about it.

Plan B is to do Plan A better, he's literally said this.

 

[13VanDerBale13]

Really hope he realises now, we need bother a winger and a striker

 

[PaulM]

Gio wasnt able to find anything in front of him there was no space, I was thinking when he took him off Deki was going to comw central and Gil on the right.

Personally I thought bringing Gio off was crazy and it was a sub I wouldn't have made. But, to be fair, it was a bit of creativity from Skipp on Sunday that set us on our way to an equaliser at City.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

Don’t think it’s a quality issue necessarily, just the balance doesn’t look right in that type of game yesterday. Shouldn’t have the wide forwards coming in and condensing the limited space even more.

But you have to look at the nature of the opposition and their tactics. When an opponent parks the bus and packs the box, if you leave your WF wide then they have 2 options. Ether put in a cross or play it around the edge of the box. Putting in a cross, even if they are excellent at it, is very speculative simply because of the opposition numbers. Passing it around the edge of the box often results in what we saw yesterday, lots of sideways passes with very little end product. This is something that City do all the time, the only difference is they have very technical players who can put a defender on their back foot by their dribbling. Doku is a prime example of why City's side to side possession play works because he can discombobulate a defender. Even they tho will looks toothless when their more technical players like Silva and Doku are having a bad day. We don't have one single wide player who can do that bar maybe Solomon... maybe. Kulu is solid enough on the ball and Johnson never has been a 1v1 player against a set defence. Yes we might need another target man as Son whilst being a great CF isn't a physical one, but the issues stem from our extremely limited wing play. Again its why Maddison had such a big impact because it wasn't just his passing it was also his skill with the ball at his feet that terrified defenders. This is something that needs to be addressed as a priority in the upcoming windows.

 

[Gb160]

I don't think anyone is saying Ange out. But last night was average and that stops with him sadly. Actually think people are being quite relaxed given the run we are on

I think the relaxed attitude towards our bad run is many fans actually looking at the context.
Less than half a season under a new manager, and we looked excellent until that freak show of the Chelsea game which fucked us with regards to injuries and suspensions.

 

[RuskyM]

Personally I thought bringing Gio off was crazy and it was a sub I wouldn't have made. But, to be fair, it was a bit of creativity from Skipp on Sunday that set us on our way to an equaliser at City.

Gio’s also not played a full 90 since April, which I feel is valuable context.

 

[rossdapep]

I don't think there is anything tactically to change. The play up to the penalty area is fine, at that point as a collective we need to improve our composure, decision making, and just feels like all of a sudden we feel the pressure and start second guessing ourselves. We knock it around under pressure and in tight spaces for two thirds of the pitch, yet it's like in front of goal with defenders bearing down they need another touch or half a second or to look rather than being decisive.

Individually though it is different.

Don't think we need a striker, as the chatter is starting to go. Son's job is to poach and make short sharp bursts through the defensive line/in front of goal. He's doing this fine, even last night he was there for many tap in's if the final ball was better.

We definitely need two wide players though, especially for the multitude of games like this against teams parking the bus and defending their penalty area. High acceleration, high agility, great close control direct dribblers able to go both ways and stress the edges of opposition defences. I've said all along that I only saw Johnson as a Son understudy and my mind hasn't changed (Son, Johnson, and Veliz as a young 9 with size I'd be content with). Kulusevski I'm rapidly losing patience with - we all know he has something, and he is better in more open games, but the system tends to switch to the right flank and have the wide man with ample opportunity to go at the defence, yet momentum dies too often as the ginger wardrobe stumbles forward.

Midfield still needs another ball player. Even with Maddison and Lo Celso I'd want one more (I'd play two 8/10's most weeks, I've said numerous times), and it's a shame Bentancur is out again because tbh I much prefer a pass and move, circulatory pivot than the Bissouma/Dembele extra dribbling flashiness but sloppy and/or fairly myopic passing ability.

Ultimately though I/we all keep saying Rome wasn't built in a day. All we can do is remain patient at the moment. The foundations look fine, we're getting glimpses of what could be, but there is a road to go down and additions needed before we get there.

Totally agree with this.

I think we just have very limited possibilities of switching things up right now.

Deki, for example. Ange doesn't tolerate players not 'playing' or making forward play. He would haul a player off or that.

Yet we currently have no real option to replace. Johnson maybe? but he was doing the same on the other flank so he then has a choice to make as Deki is the only one of that frontline who is more of a playmaker type. Johnson, Richy and Son all better at running behind and not getting on the ball and instigating.

The biggest killer for us at the moment, is as you say, not having ball players. Bentancur and Maddison completely change the outlook as you essentially have 2 players who are going to instigate but also have quality to do something around the penalty area.

Takes players out of the game.

But at the moment we have wingers who don't have the trickery to beat players constantly or the efficiency with their final ball and midfielders who lack that ability to cut defences open.

I don't see Lo Celso as that player either. He does a job and I do really rate him but you need another more direct creator alongside him as he lacks a bit of dynamism and power.

 

[eddiebailey]

Ange has a tendency to do that thing managers do where they make a tactical substitution during the match, and it works, so that becomes the starting line up for the next game, regardless of the fact that the new opposition play completely differently.

 

[Shanks]

Just back him and support him.

Always a huge ask to change years of culture in a club.

Give him the times and support, only need to look at our neighbours, everyone and their dog wanted arteta gone in that first season...

 

[Ghost Hardware]

Gio’s also not played a full 90 since April, which I feel is valuable context.

And we have a game on Sunday which we will need him for. TBH I have far more issue with him starting PEH. West Ham were always going to sit deep and soak up pressure. Starting the game with two DM's was overkill and added nothing.

 

[mattstev2000]

See again, Ange has been very clear that this is the way that his teams play. I don't know why people continue to suggest that he should adapt. He's been SO clear about it.

I don't think people are questioning whether he was clear about it or not. They're questioning whether his clearly defined philosophy is likely to produce real trophy winning success in a league like the PL.

Do plan A better isn't a plan B.

Personally I love his attacking philosophy and want to see it in 90% of our games, but there are very odd occasions when he could do with being a bit more astute.

 

[beats1]

I really struggle to see what type of striker he needs

People are blaming Richarlison but it seems Ange wants a striker that isn't really a striker, it seems his strikers aren't involved much at all judging his time at Celtic

We can sign a toney and etc. but they wont get the same type of balls and we don't play on the counter much

 

[Metalhead]

I don't think people are questioning whether he was clear about it or not. They're questioning whether his clearly defined philosophy is likely to produce real trophy winning success in a league like the PL.

Do plan A better isn't a plan B.

Personally I love his attacking philosophy and want to see it in 90% of our games, but there are very odd occasions when he could with being a bit more astute.

I know what you mean but I think that it's one of those ones where people can keep saying it but this is what he does. It would be the same as repeating ad infinitum that Conte should throw caution to the wind. This is Ange's philosophy - the entertainment aspect is somewhat overemphasised as he is interested in the end product of the attacking play. That's what the players need to get right - there is no confusion, no half measures, no 'happy' medium bollocks. The players need to be more ruthless.

 

[Bobbins]

Probably the same twats who did #saynotoange in the first place. Twitter or X shouldn’t ever be mentioned on here it’s full of absolute morons and is run by a moron.

Agreed, though not sure why my reporting of people's reactions warrants a Dislike rating, especially since I didn't mention Twitter...

 

[The Scarecrow]

I don't think anyone is saying Ange out. But last night was average and that stops with him sadly. Actually think people are being quite relaxed given the run we are on

Ange is a victim of his own success here. Before the season people were saying that this season would be rough, that it would be a transitional season where we'll see brilliance but also endure a lot of frustrating matches. Then the season starts, we hit the ground running, and everyone raises their expectations.

He won the league with Celtic in his first season there, but it was quite close, and people who watch that league have said that it wasn't until the season after that they really hit their stride.

In Japan, he won the league in his first season, but the team weren't top of the league before the third to last gameweek. After GW 8, they were 9th.