Manager Watch: Ange Postecoglou

[nedley]

Bissouma has been crap for months. He was right to drop him

I guess he should have dropped Son in that case. And Maddison....

It's not just about dropping players that are out of form.

Bissouma had battered Arsenal on numerous occasions previously. He didn't deserve to be dropped any morooe than a handful of others.

I mean Kulu. I championed him to start. He was bang out of form. But it was right to start him.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

It's just some things are so obvious but he isn't fixing them. We are terrible at set pieces, both defending and attacking. We are being targeted by sides with set pieces with our keeper in particular being targeted yet it wasn't until we conceded another 2 set piece goals today that we actually helped vicario out and put someone close to him.

He says he doesnt believe in set piece coaches but if he doesn't change his mind on this and adapt a little in other areas then he'll be won't get a full 2nd season.

Where has he said that?

I thought Mason was set piece coach or Mason & Jedinak?

You’re absolutely right it needs addressing and I’d be astonished if it’s not something we worked on this summer pre season.

This season was never going to be perfect but there are a heck of a lot of positives to work with, iron out the negatives and sign a good 5 players and we will make another step forwards next season, I have no doubt about that.

Richy coming on to me showed just how much we need to sign a top class striker who ideally is better than Richy so we have both to pick from and Son can go back out to LW, that front 3 with Johnson on the right caused them all sorts of problems.

 

[Whazam]

I've given us plenty of credit for the game. I felt we started well, controlled the tempo and Arsenal didn't really lay a glove until they got the set pieces and came into the game.

We still made some sloppy mistakes.

I thought we controlled the ball well, and was very disappointed and annoyed at the way we conceded the same goals we always seem to lately.

I think Arsenal allowed us to dominate possession, somewhat the same way they did v City, probably because of how good defensively they are and they are assured in their ability, however we were very good at winning it back from them early on in the first half. We were just too slow to build on that with passes backwards rather than runners forward.

We allowed them into the game and we looked like we lacked a bit of belief when we went 2 down.

I thought we deserved a draw to be honest but when you defend the way we did for their two set piece goals you don't deserve anything other than the mountain you give yourself to climb.

Apart from your view of Arsenal deliberately conceding possession, we actually seem to be pretty much in agreement.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

I guess he should have dropped Son in that case. And Maddison....

It's not just about dropping players that are out of form.

Bissouma had battered Arsenal on numerous occasions previously. He didn't deserve to be dropped any morooe than a handful of others.

I mean Kulu. I championed him to start. He was bang out of form. But it was right to start him.

All true it’s squad management. I think the issue we have is we don’t have enough midfield and attacking players who are clear first choice. The back 4 picks itself every week when fit, the same cannot be said for the midfield and attack.

Look at Arsenal and for the most part their midfield and front 3 are the same 6/7 players most matches. When Liverpool were flying under Klopp they mostly had Henderson, Fabhino, Winjaldium, Mane, Firminiho, Salah.

City are a bit different but they have ridiculous quality depth that no other team in world football has, so not comparable.

We need to recruit in a way this summer so that our midfield 3 and front 3 more or less picks itself for the big games.

 

[sidford]

Where has he said that?

I thought Mason was set piece coach or Mason & Jedinak?

You’re absolutely right it needs addressing and I’d be astonished if it’s not something we worked on this summer pre season.

This season was never going to be perfect but there are a heck of a lot of positives to work with, iron out the negatives and sign a good 5 players and we will make another step forwards next season, I have no doubt about that.

Richy coming on to me showed just how much we need to sign a top class striker who ideally is better than Richy so we have both to pick from and Son can go back out to LW, that front 3 with Johnson on the right caused them all sorts of problems.

Postecoglou explains why he 'wouldn’t feel comfortable' hiring a set-piece coach

Ange Postecoglou has explained that he wants all aspects of the side to be integrated, which is why he does not feel comfortable hiring specialists...

www.spurs-web.com

 

[spurs mental]

Apart from your view of Arsenal deliberately conceding possession, we actually seem to be pretty much in agreement.

That's only based off what they did v City and the similarity we saw today.

Admittedly I don't watch much of them as they're players are such fannys so it could be more of a trend this season that they do it anyway.

 

[muppetman]

Ange said he already has his coaching staff working on set pieces and doesn't generally employ an out and out specialist.

Some on here have taken this to mean that he doesn't care about defending corners, or something.

 

[13VanDerBale13]

Ange said he already has his coaching staff working on set pieces and doesn't generally employ an out and out specialist.

Some on here have taken this to mean that he doesn't care about defending corners, or something.

Clearly ain’t working

 

[Bobbins]

Funny cause we were winning the ball regularly from them in build up.

So if that's them letting us have the ball, I have no idea about the game.

Interesting, so you think we completely dominated them and deserved to win the game, like the post I was replying to?

 

[spoon]

Sitting in the stadium 3-0 down after 35-40 minutes and with them goons taunting us was just the worst feeling. Don’t care what anyone’s says Ange and his coaching team needs to fucking own up for the fucking trash defending. He can fucking have prime Maldini but if he isn’t working on defensive stuff we’ll entertain but won’t win anything.

 

[$hoguN]

I think Ange realises the set pieces are an issue but he’s looking at the bigger picture which is that overall we aren’t where we need to be and just by fixing the set piece defending won’t put us at the level he eventually wants us to be.

I don’t think he’s being stubborn about the set pieces and saying he won’t address it, he said our concentration wasn’t acceptable but he’s looking at the bigger picture.

I love Ange and but I do agree with some that he needs to tweak a few things tactically as it won’t matter if we sign all the best players in the world, any top class team can see and exploit our weaknesses quite easily right now.

Im all for ‘growth’ and learning and improving that’s is absolutely part of a development cycle but if you take Klopps Liverpool, I could be wrong but I don’t remember them conceding goals quite as easily and often as we are and also I don’t remember it being the same type of goals due to either bad set piece tactical set-up and/or in-game tactics which can be easily exploited, Liverpool’s issues were more individual errors and a lack of quality, in came Allison & VVD and the rest is history, but for us yes we need personal improvement especially in attack but Ange needs to tweak and adapt a few things tactically otherwise we will continue to suffer the consequences from these clear weaknesses.

He clearly sees it and is ignoring it though because he thinks there are bigger issues. The problem is that game in game out our inability to decide when to pass around the back and how we zonally mark from corners is an issue.

It’s been true of all season that the zonal system hasn’t worked. Time and time again we have relied on Vicario or the gods to save us. Now that the refs aren’t protecting Vicario at all teams are just roughing him up whilst we continue to allow attacking players to charge in (overloading our zones). It’s every week.

I have a real issue with Ange right now, as I totally understand you have to keep the team playing to the vision but the unwillingness to deal with our biggest issues is costing us

 

[marion52]

Everyone has a right to criticise but we need to be patient.
this is Arteta‘s 4th season, it’s Ange’s first. He is doing ok but we have to stick with it and see how/if he improves us. I certainly don’t want to start yet another cycle of sacking a manager and starting again.

 

[spursville]

Clearly ain’t working

Agreed. How long does it take to work on set pieces each week ffs and make sure we're not as poor as we have been?

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

Everyone has a right to criticise but we need to be patient.
this is Arteta‘s 4th season, it’s Ange’s first. He is doing ok but we have to stick with it and see how/if he improves us. I certainly don’t want to start yet another cycle of sacking a manager and starting again.

this. Ange isn’t stupid, he will know where we need to improve. Still such early days in his project, as you say this is Arteta’s what 4th, 5th season after having spend hundreds of millions…

Give Ange more time and better players and we will keep improving.

If it’s this time next season with him having signed 5-7 new players across summer and January and we still can’t defend corners and concede goals on the break for fun and he’s not changed anything tactically etc then I’d start to worry but I’m not worried right now, it was always going to be a rocky up and down season and 5th is about right, if anything it’ll be 1-2 places higher than I thought we’d finish.

Let’s hopefully finish the rest of the season strongly, I fancy us to have a chance in all remaining games now bar city.

 

[E17yid]

Even if we lose the rest of our games he’s got to be given next season (or at least the start of it).

Pressure is on, though. At the moment I’m clutching onto the fact we’re still higher up than I thought we would be and ultimately our title winning form during the first 10 games or so counted against us. Still lots of work to do, second season I’m expecting better.

 

[Trix]

But if this was such a clear issue, I'm confused as to how it's not been exploited more frequently, because it's effectively a silver bullet. I just cannot imagine such a clear issue being ignored by oppositions for so long. (I don't have an Athletic subscription so can't read the article unfortunately).

This isn't me denying it is a problem - you can't deny it - but given how much teams try to get marginal gains, this seems bewilderingly easy, and for all the talk of this not being the SPL those teams at least do *some* preparation.

I think it's become more apparent as times gone on. The better the better the opposition the easier it is to exploit. In the prem every team has great delivery and tactical awareness.

Well we know you don't like people having different opinions to you
Apparently I double down when simply putting my own opinion across
Sorry but there is no black and white on this, it's just opinions but yeah you're right and I'm wrong

There is black and white. Find my a pundit or an analyst that thinks zonal marking in this day and age a good idea. Find Me another top level club that still marks with a full zonal system.

You won't be able to because it's an outdated system that has failed over and over. Why we do it I have no idea but it's costing us week in week out now that teams have the blue print on how to exploit ours. That's the problem with zonal marking every team does it slightly different but once it's been worked out it's easy for everyone to copy.

 

[Oh Teddy Teddy]

Even if we lose the rest of our games he’s got to be given next season (or at least the start of it).

Pressure is on, though. At the moment I’m clutching onto the fact we’re still higher up than I thought we would be and ultimately our title winning form during the first 10 games or so counted against us. Still lots of work to do, second season I’m expecting better.

He will be. It’s the natural cycle — you get a season, implement your style and find out where you need to improve / sign players.

Over the summer, he needs to address those deficiencies tactically and bring in better players. The club needs to actually back him and give him the players he needs. Everyone has to be on board, no ifs, no buts.

Then sack him Christmas if it gone to shit

 

[Stamford]

The performances are so poor. Him starting the season well and it then getting worse just doesn't fill you with a lot of confidence

 

[nedley]

I suppose a target man type striker and Rodri like CDM who can both head the ball away at set pieces would be good.

Yep.

Richy will be gone this summer imo.

After training all week and he comes on 65 mins.

He's not the one for Ange evidently

 

[mil1lion]

I think it's become more apparent as times gone on. The better the better the opposition the easier it is to exploit. In the prem every team has great delivery and tactical awareness.

There is black and white. Find my a pundit or an analyst that thinks zonal marking in this day and age a good idea. Find Me another top level club that still marks with a full zonal system.

You won't be able to because it's an outdated system that has failed over and over. Why we do it I have no idea but it's costing us week in week out now that teams have the blue print on how to exploit ours. That's the problem with zonal marking every team does it slightly different but once it's been worked out it's easy for everyone to copy.

I'm sure there are teams who still do it. I only really follow what we do but I'm sure we're not alone. I'm not disagreeing it has it's flaws. I just don't think the players are devoid of blame either. Hojbjerg for example picks up a natural position that most teams do. It was the same position Kane would defend. In fact a lot of teams still use some element of zonal marking. Usually you have a few players with set positions and the rest man mark. You still need the players to defend their position better than they have been.