Manager Watch: Ange Postecoglou

[AngryBob]

spot on. we push all these players forward, have no idea when we get to the final 3rd, then get countered.

We actually make the pitch smallers, too small, no space for anyone to do anything and easy to defend. With our second tonight, even though it was on the turnover, it showed how being a bit deeper gave us the space to play a pass into and for BJ to attack the space using his pace and directness.

 

[13VanDerBale13]

Already feels like it's been going on for months. I just can't fathom how the ciub possibly thought we had done enough in terms of forwards options but we are where we are

How anybody was okay with this window I do not know. A smack of reality.

 

[Actionman80]

What’s the problem, he put faith in the fringe players to give the first XI a rest, didn’t work so called on the big guns towards the end and we got the result, isn’t that the ideal scenario in this cup?
We tried the same last year, it backfired, this year it worked

 

[Spurs_1981]

What’s the problem, he put faith in the fringe players to give the first XI a rest, didn’t work so called on the big guns towards the end and we got the result, isn’t that the ideal scenario in this cup?

I just think a lot of people are desperate for a performance, something that can give a little hope because it feels a bit bleak just now. In isolation of course everything you mention is positive but the overall performance didn't exactly assuage the anxiety going into the weekend.

 

[cliff jones]

He seems to have all the intangibles needed to succeed with us. I haven't seen many fans that can or want to disagree or argue with anything he says. He really wins you over with how straight to the point he is.

Then it comes down some other things. The tactics fit our club like a glove. We want to go for it and he does to. The evidence suggests the players still need to show more in this area in terms of scoring first IMO because scoring affects how you defend and how the other team, when losing, attacks.

Player recruitment remains a question mark. I like that we have bought young talent but we have to give Ange time to nurture it assuming it is the right level of talent to go on and achieve top end success. I am concerned that we show a lack of willingness to go for the best and seem snake-bitten on it as we have really missed on the players we have pushed the boat out for in recent years.

This is just me trying to draw conclusions, but I also wonder if Ange seems taken aback by how "fragile" the fan base is and how quickly the grumbles and complaints can turn up. But it seems apparent he faced a lot of that at Celtic too.

Good points, then lost me at fragile fan base. Yawn.

 

[Albertbarich]

Good points, then lost me at fragile fan base. Yawn.

Those pesky fans selling out every home game and away end. Awful bunch

 

[Nice One Cyril]

Simplistic maybe, but I just want a team that I enjoy watching again.

 

[npearl4spurs]

Simplistic maybe, but I just want a team that I enjoy watching again.

Interesting what a difference 12 months makes eh

The one hope we have is that we're getting some kind of reverse-Angeb@ll progression where instead of questioning him and everything at the beginning, we have to question it now then it really explodes into life...

 

[rossdapep]

I am one of those who has been saying Ange needs to perfect his Plan A before he makes major tweaks.

However, I worry we don't have the pieces to play his Plan A to perfection.

Therefore he needs to start to make some big calls in certain positions and realise which players cannot play certain roles.

For example, Maddison and Deki. Not sure if those 2 together is the way forward.

Consider the inverted Full back situation because you have 3 very solid options to play wing back now.

 

[SaKkA.kenchiku]

I like Ange, seems a good guy, but man I can't see him lasting... But it'll be the same story with whoever would replace him.

This is the issue, we will keep repeating. I am concerned this is right, and he may not last. I’d really like (unless we are losing nearly all games and on relegation form) us to stick with 3 full seasons. Otherwise what is the point of buying young and developing players in a system to drop it mid way to re address the squad again. I am not sure why we see form drop in year 2 as a meaning the plan is failed. We have started to put things in place, Season two is not the time to pull the plug, unless drastic form happens. Arteta was sitting boTom after 4 days. They lost top 4 to us at the end when it was theirs to win. Ferugson etc…. Of course there are surely examples where it does not work after 3 years. To be clear i am worried and concerned with the football now but unless we are hovering above relegation after Xmas then we should be continuing with the process and then go again for the 3 year. If it’s still 6-10 position then we have to look to a new manager. If we change manager it’s another build or adjustment and we are still most likely to be in 6-10 position for a year or 2 again. Rinse repeat if we cut the manager Year 2 mid season….

We can criticize tactics, lack of flexibility and team selection this is reasonable, but unless it’s left us in relegation battle just hold and give it the time Arteta had. As an example. Klopp also…(albeit it not as drastic as Arteta example) he needed 3 years to really solidfy his approach. Klopp I am not sure how flexible he was with his approach either… Stick to the 3 year process unless we are close to getting into a relegation battle. We are not getting relegated. We are turning way to early on the team, Look at Johnson, he’s scored the winner and looks visibly unhappy and not appreciated by us. We are roughly 4 games in and not even playing badly most games… it’s been much worse and we are already hanging players out …

 

[coy-spurs1882]

This is the issue, we will keep repeating. I am concerned this is right, and he may not last. I’d really like (unless we are losing nearly all games and on relegation form) us to stick with 3 full seasons. Otherwise what is the point of buying young and developing players in a system to drop it mid way to re address the squad again. I am not sure why we see form drop in year 2 as a meaning the plan is failed. We have started to put things in place, Season two is not the time to pull the plug, unless drastic form happens. Arteta was sitting boTom after 4 days. They lost top 4 to us at the end when it was theirs to win. Ferugson etc…. Of course there are surely examples where it does not work after 3 years. To be clear i am worried and concerned with the football now but unless we are hovering above relegation after Xmas then we should be continuing with the process and then go again for the 3 year. If it’s still 6-10 position then we have to look to a new manager. If we change manager it’s another build or adjustment and we are still most likely to be in 6-10 position for a year or 2 again. Rinse repeat if we cut the manager Year 2 mid season….

We can criticize tactics, lack of flexibility and team selection this is reasonable, but unless it’s left us in relegation battle just hold and give it the time Arteta had. As an example. Klopp also…(albeit it not as drastic as Arteta example) he needed 3 years to really solidfy his approach. Klopp I am not sure how flexible he was with his approach either… Stick to the 3 year process unless we are close to getting into a relegation battle. We are not getting relegated. We are turning way to early on the team, Look at Johnson, he’s scored the winner and looks visibly unhappy and not appreciated by us. We are roughly 4 games in and not even playing badly most games… it’s been much worse and we are already hanging players out …

what's the point sticking to an approach that won't work?

 

[coy-spurs1882]

That was rancid.

Things will be alot clearer come the international break.

Brentford, United and Brighton . No hiding place

as things stand we are going to lose all 3 of them

 

[jolsnogross]

I like Ange, seems a good guy, but man I can't see him lasting... But it'll be the same story with whoever would replace him.

People are over reacting but he's not helping himself at the moment. My suspicion is he's very confident in his tried-and-trusted methods and feels he has little to worry about from the hierarchy because they've said they're on board. So he'll keep pushing through the current difficulties of inadequate attacking, hoping the penny drops through adversity and things change. That's fair enough as a theory and has worked in other leagues at other teams.

The two big assumptions though: he thinks the hierarchy won't change on a dime as soon as dissatisfaction starts affecting them. And he reckons he can overcome the flakiness of Spurs players that seems inter-generational...or at least, inter-cycle.

Precedent would suggest he's wrong on both counts and fans are certainly turning already.

I would like him to build some momentum by finding his first eleven. And, for example, making fewer changes in tonight's game to help that process along and really build some confidence. As it was, we had a much-changed side and disjointed performance, and we squeaked through. We need our attackers to scrap and fight a lot more than they currently are - it's all happening at arms length too much at the moment.

 

[npearl4spurs]

Post Coventry presser

 

[McFlash]

I did find his starting line-up and substitutions a bit odd today.

I'm far from a tactical expert but I struggle to understand some of his choices today.

 

[amathews3416]

Damned if you do, damned if you don't when it comes to team selections. All I ever hear from Spurs fans is wanting to give younger players or fringe players opportunities. A championship side in the Carabao Cup seems like the perfect opportunity for that. Don't play well and everyone is screaming about not picking a better side.

 

[DiVaio]

I mean Werner should be nowhere near our squad let alone 1st eleven. No idea why we extended his loan, nowhere near good enough, even as a squad option

Because he was very effective in a role Ange wanted him to perform, but absolutely awful in a role SpursCommunity and Twitter wanted him.

 

[panoma]

The problem Ange has is that every team bar City and Liverpool will deploy the same tactic which is to sit deep and let us walk right in to the trap of over committing men who basically clog up our own attack and force us to get countered on. Unfortunately it’s seems that Ange has absolutely no answer to this as we don’t look like we know how to create a shot let alone a decent chance. It’s very worrying.

Spot on.

The Johnson goal was so out of character for us: We actually won the ball high up the field and hit Coventry on the break.

I almost expected Benta to stop, pass it backwards and wait until Coventry was well organized before commiting to the attack. That just seems the way we prefee to play for some reason.

 

[E17yid]

Already feels like it's been going on for months. I just can't fathom how the ciub possibly thought we had done enough in terms of forwards options but we are where we are

The problem is, we could’ve had Messi and Mbappe in that team last night and we still would’ve created fuck all.

 

[Mr Pink]

Already feels like it's been going on for months. I just can't fathom how the ciub possibly thought we had done enough in terms of forwards options but we are where we are

Doing the bare minimum as always.