Manager Watch: Ange Postecoglou

[allatsea]

Yep, for all the current talk about Jose and Conte, can you imagine what we'd be playing like under them in a situation like this?
It would be total backs to the wall stuff, with everyone in our half apart from Sonny on the halfway line.
We'd still lose but wouldn't even give ourselves a chance of winning.

Can you imagine the reaction in here if they were still our Manager ?

 

[djhotspur]

Doubt it. When all are fit we will have GLC, Gil, Sarr, Peresic and Richarlisson on the bench.

And solomun

 

[Ghost Hardware]

Doubt it. When all are fit we will have GLC, Gil, Sarr, Peresic and Richarlisson on the bench.

Im not sure Peresic will play for us again considering his injury and contract plus there has already been a lot of talk about Richy potentially leaving in Jan. But i guess on the flip side we have Solomon to come back in and whoever we buy to replace Richy if he does leave. Maybe Ange think's Donley still some way off being ready and needs a loan first. I feel like he even said something along those lines a press conference a month or so ago. I do agree with you tho, I don't see what the negative is in throwing Donley on for a few mins here and there when numbers are short and legs are tired. Also If we did end up getting more injuries and we had no other choice but to play Donley then he would have had no experience prior. I do feel Ange's sub's have been surprisingly defensive at times.

 

[ljinko888]

I'm optimistic because with many of our main starters unavailable we still are able to slice through opposition teams at quick pace with players in our team who aren't on the same calibre as the starters and don't have many minutes in their legs themselves. These replacement players will have to be counted on for a while yet so it is good they can play the way Ange needs, just the final execution isn't there.

This is why not having Kane anymore really hurts. Last few years he's been scoring loads of goals under rigid managers who don't set the team up to create lots of chances. If he was in this set up it's scary to think where we could be.

 

[-Afri-Coy-]

Can you imagine the reaction in here if they were still our Manager ?

Im curious to see how things are in here at the end of the season if we finish around the same place as last season, and without a cup.

I know it’s a long shot that we win the FA Cup anyway, but European football is incredibly important for our books. (From the board’s perspective, not actual financials)

I wonder if everyone who is so positive now will still have the same opinion in that scenario. Obviously we’re all hoping for the best, but eventually results are going to matter the most and not how we played. Unfortunately you don’t win things or get CL football just by playing entertaining football. We need the results too.

All conjecture on my part, but an interesting thought nonetheless.

 

[13VanDerBale13]

I was always envious of how Brighton played, even with ‘inferior’ players.

I’m glad we now have a manager, who’s creating the same.

Lets just hope our relationship with XG, is better than theirs

 

[-Afri-Coy-]

I was always envious of how Brighton played, even with ‘inferior’ players.

I’m glad we now have a manager, who’s creating the same.

Lets just hope our relationship with XG, is better than theirs

Unfortunately our recruitment is nowhere near as good as theirs, yet. We have improved over the last couple years though so let’s hope it keeps getting better. Ange deserves that much and more.

 

[Shanks]

We've been a "few windows" away from achieving something for at least 15 years.

25 years easy.

akthough in all fairness to this dude, it’s pretty clear cut the type of player/character he wants, just feels a little different this time

 

[McFlash]

Im curious to see how things are in here at the end of the season if we finish around the same place as last season, and without a cup.

I know it’s a long shot that we win the FA Cup anyway, but European football is incredibly important for our books. (From the board’s perspective, not actual financials)

I wonder if everyone who is so positive now will still have the same opinion in that scenario. Obviously we’re all hoping for the best, but eventually results are going to matter the most and not how we played. Unfortunately you don’t win things or get CL football just by playing entertaining football. We need the results too.

All conjecture on my part, but an interesting thought nonetheless.

My 15 year old lad said at the start of the season that top six was his aim this year, along with an improvement in the football and he's stuck with that - even when some were getting carried away with our start.

If we can get top six, playing how we're playing and especially because of the hurdles that have stood in the way, I'd count that as a good first season.
If we can keep in touch during this "crisis" and finish strong, we could get higher and I'd be over the moon.

 

[RuskyM]

Unfortunately our recruitment is nowhere near as good as theirs, yet. We have improved over the last couple years though so let’s hope it keeps getting better. Ange deserves that much and more.

Fabio might be as crooked as a corkscrew but by god can he pick a player.

And our recruitment’s not as good as Brighton’s (who’s is) but tbf theirs also sort of requires they lose someone every window, which I don’t think we as fans (or Levy above in fairness) would appreciate. Most transfers don’t work out for whatever reason, so whilst the additions have undoubtedly improved us, the way Ange has utilised Porro, Sarr, Deki, imo Emerson and potentially now Bryan and Gio is encouraging. More so than the last few years of “how can I use these stupid pricks” anyway.

 

[Cochise]

I don't think we can have much to complain about regarding Ange. He's giving us great football with a fairly young team and in the case of yesterday doing so with players that don't quite suit his philosophy. The first year was about embedding those ideas and sorting through the squad to find the players who could work out long term and those that could not.

Our season has gone off the rails but that's down to factors outside of his control imo.

 

[easley91]

My only gripe from yesterday was the Skipp sub. I think it should have been Donley instead in that situation. Hojbjerg for Bentancur I understood.

 

[rossdapep]

I quite enjoyed finishing 4th while beating Woolwich 3-0, Villa (A) 4-0, Leeds (A) 4-0, Newcastle (H,) 5-1 Norwich (A) 5-0, City (A) 3-2 - selective memory works both ways!

Yeah it was fantastic.

But then Conte undid all that by doing god knows what in the summer prior to that and killing all belief and positivity.

 

[jurgen11]

Yeah it was fantastic.

But then Conte undid all that by doing god knows what in the summer prior to that and killing all belief and positivity.

The last 4 months of that season were possibly the worst ever experienced. Nearly killed the love for the club I have had for 50 years

 

[rossdapep]

Can't wrap my head around how anyone could disagree with the view that our unique identity, family-like atmosphere, and playing style are more crucial than just winning games or trophies.

Even if we were to face 15 losses in a row, my support and belief in Ange's vision and progress wouldn't waver. It's about understanding the broader journey and staying committed to the process. Results may fluctuate, but the long-term development and identity of our club matter most.

We're not City; winning isn't the sole focus for us. Maintaining our club's DNA and trusting Ange's progress should take precedence. The joy of watching our team play exciting football and the unity within our fanbase matter more than just the result on the scoreboard.

Let's stay true to who we are, support the process!

Arsenal are reeping the benefits of this now.

They let Arteta go really low and there was a period where they lost something like 7 in 10 and weren't even playing that well.

They just stuck with him and allowed him to mould it how he wanted it, depsite lots of calls for his head.

Now they are (unfortunately) a really stable team that can win even if they play poorly.

That comes about because players have belief in what they are doing so even if it isn't working they fight for it.

I think under Ange we are already so far ahead of what Arteta started with.

This season has always been about 'the identity' and fostering a family like mentality, whilst establishing a real core.

Ange seems to have done that already.

Unfortunately, because we started the seaosn so strongly it has warped people's minds into thinking we are title contenders but we were always going to have a bump as we are not there yet.

I ahve to be honest, i am glad the bump is happening now rather than March/April because the 'Tottenham bottled it' calls would start and I also don't know how this group of players would handle that yet.

It is probably better to go through the 'pain' earlier on so that the mentality becomes more hardened for moments like that.

Final point, if you look at the following coaches and stages of their eras at their respective clubs and compare, Ange is doing incredible.

Pep - 8th season (Starting 3rd cycle I'd say)
Arteta - 5th season (end of first cycle)
Klopp - 9th season (Started 2nd cycle last season)
Howe -3rd season (Midway through 1st cycle)
Ten Hag - 2nd season (Still in 1st cycle)
Emery - 2nd season (Still in 1st cycle)

I may be wrong with some of these cycles but I think you get the point.

Ange has already.

Adapted to and played Arteta's team off the park second half.
Beaten Klopp.
Beaten Ten Hag with an outstanding second half.
Played Emery off the park until they wiped Bentacur out and still were the better team.

Klopp's first 2 seasons at Liverpool were a lot like this, there was a lot of promise but not always the right results.

 

[Trix]

Arsenal are reeping the benefits of this now.

They let Arteta go really low and there was a period where they lost something like 7 in 10 and weren't even playing that well.

They just stuck with him and allowed him to mould it how he wanted it, depsite lots of calls for his head.

Now they are (unfortunately) a really stable team that can win even if they play poorly.

That comes about because players have belief in what they are doing so even if it isn't working they fight for it.

I think under Ange we are already so far ahead of what Arteta started with.

This season has always been about 'the identity' and fostering a family like mentality, whilst establishing a real core.

Ange seems to have done that already.

Unfortunately, because we started the seaosn so strongly it has warped people's minds into thinking we are title contenders but we were always going to have a bump as we are not there yet.

I ahve to be honest, i am glad the bump is happening now rather than March/April because the 'Tottenham bottled it' calls would start and I also don't know how this group of players would handle that yet.

It is probably better to go through the 'pain' earlier on so that the mentality becomes more hardened for moments like that.

Final point, if you look at the following coaches and stages of their eras at their respective clubs and compare, Ange is doing incredible.

Pep - 8th season (Starting 3rd cycle I'd say)
Arteta - 5th season (end of first cycle)
Klopp - 9th season (Started 2nd cycle last season)
Howe -3rd season (Midway through 1st cycle)
Ten Hag - 2nd season (Still in 1st cycle)
Emery - 2nd season (Still in 1st cycle)

I may be wrong with some of these cycles but I think you get the point.

Ange has already.

Adapted to and played Arteta's team off the park second half.
Beaten Klopp.
Beaten Ten Hag with an outstanding second half.
Played Emery off the park until they wiped Bentacur out and still were the better team.

Klopp's first 2 seasons at Liverpool were a lot like this, there was a lot of promise but not always the right results.

Arsenal also spent a lot of money year on year despite not qualifying for Europe. It's still to be seen if DL will do the same. I'm also concerned that FP and Gabaninni have moved on and are no longer in the driving seat as far as identifying and facilitating transfers.

Lets see how it goes over the next two windows but it's as obvious as the day is long without financial help to buff the squad it won't matter how good of a coach Ange is.

 

[marion52]

I think he might blood some youngsters if we weren’t already playing a bit of a cobbled together side, with the injuries and suspensions. With a solid defence he could take more of a chance.
The Villa game was a bit of bad luck and mistiming or we may well have had much more of a lead.
As others have said if we hadn’t started quite so well we wouldn’t even be talking this way.

 

[Fidget]

Was feeling down about the result yesterday. Worries me somewhat that lack of fear and positiveness might fade. Hopefully Ange can stop this from happening and so far seems he can. Two more very challenging tests to this coming up and so important we keep playing the same way!!

 

[Doctor Dinkey]

Im curious to see how things are in here at the end of the season if we finish around the same place as last season, and without a cup.

I know it’s a long shot that we win the FA Cup anyway, but European football is incredibly important for our books. (From the board’s perspective, not actual financials)

I wonder if everyone who is so positive now will still have the same opinion in that scenario. Obviously we’re all hoping for the best, but eventually results are going to matter the most and not how we played. Unfortunately you don’t win things or get CL football just by playing entertaining football. We need the results too.

All conjecture on my part, but an interesting thought nonetheless.

I couldn't care less if we finished 15th if we were playing progressive football and you could see we were headed in the right direction. However I'm not sure if Daniel Levy will feel the same. I expect us to finish 6th-8th, and I do wonder whether that will be enough to keep Ange in his job, knowing how trigger happy levy has been in the past.

 

[Oscar22]

Why do people keep jumping into this thread and talking as if they’re some sort of fan calling out other fans.

Lots of people are literally reviewing the game we played yesterday as a game, selection, subs etc and I keep seeing people come in with these long posts about supporting a process…

I’d say 99% at least DO support the process, and they DO support Ange… they’re literally just on a football forum discussing what happened in yesterdays game and how they feel it could of gone differently.

That’s what you do on a football forum, if you question a substitution it doesn’t mean you’ve sacked off the manager and don’t buy into the fact that so far we’ve massively over performed given the circumstances and that he’s actually really good for us.

You are allowed to criticise and critique certain things without it meaning you’ve gone all ‘Ange out’ on everyone.