Ange Postecoglou must learn from Arsenal to rectify Tottenham's madness: Henry Winter verdict
“Tottenham Hotspur!” Chelsea fans sang en masse. “It's happened again.” It's the Battle of the Bridge revisited, the moment when the Spurs' season took a full turn like it did in 2016. It's a Bridge too far. He is asking for the Spurs dreams to end for another year. Their fans accepted it, many of them meekly slipping into the West London night early like deflated guests leaving a party that had become raucous.
No wonder they continue to heavily support their head coach, Ange Postecoglou, for all the unresolved flaws in his team, the open-door policy on set pieces or the risky high line. They like his commitment to the attack, the change in mood after the negativity of José Mourinho and Antonio Conte's tenures, even though they are much more successful coaches elsewhere.
Postecoglou agrees with the club's legend that “to dare is to do.” They also understand that he lost his best player, Harry Kane, to Bayern Munich and lost important players to injuries, including Destiny Udogie. The Italian's absence, along with that of Ben Davies, meant that Emerson Royal started at left back and was given a tough time by Noni Madueke. That's not Postecoglou's fault. He also inherited deficiencies in a team that needs more investment from the board. Micky van de Ven and Brennan Johnson have certainly been smart buys.
Balance is required when evaluating Postecoglou. It is legitimate to question elements of his philosophy, but clearly premature to question his future. It is his first season in the most demanding league in the world. With four games remaining, Postecoglou has led the Spurs to 60 points, the same as last season's total. Taking the starting point that Postecoglou remains the right man for Spurs, close scrutiny is entirely justified, especially as fourth place and Champions League qualification are surely now beyond his means. The hopes of the beginning of the season have evaporated.
Spurs are seven points behind Aston Villa with just a game in hand after a deserved defeat at the Bridge. It has been five brutal days for Postecoglou and his players. They lost at home to Arsenal, they lost the chance of a fifth place in the Champions League after midweek results that improved the coefficient of the German clubs, and now lost 2-0 against Chelsea. It has happened again, just as they started promisingly against Chelsea at home in November before collapsing, ruining their unbeaten start to the season. They have only won two of 15 against Chelsea. Resilience remains an issue.
They lost by goals set pieces, Trevoh Chalobah and Nicolas Jackson scored after free throws. It's happened again. There are 16 conceded in set-piece situations. It's crazy. It's almost as if the Spurs willfully and repeatedly neglected a very obvious vulnerability, and this is where Postecoglou deserves criticism.
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“The definition of insanity is repeating the same action over and over again, expecting a different result.” That sums it up and Albert Einstein wasn't even a football fan. He liked sailing, chess and the theory of relativity more, but he is right. What the Spurs are doing is a form of madness and it can be rectified. Postecoglou has to hire a set piece specialist. No one at Spurs will appreciate having to learn from Arsenal, but it is necessary. Their set-piece coach, Nicolás Jover, has helped Arsenal score 22 times from set-pieces. I once attended one of his sessions in Brentford and his attention to detail was incredible. Jover also ordered the players to stand up and talk through clips, discussing the plan and their own movement.
Marginal gains matter. So the fragility of set pieces has inevitably intensified the spotlight on Postecoglou and his philosophy. Too arrogant? Is it time to take a more radical approach? Spurs need to better protect Guglielmo Vicario for a start (and to be fair to Postecoglou, he deputized Pape Matar Sarr to protect Vicario from White in the second half, but Arsenal were 3-0 up at the time). Opponents know how to drop the ball on the Spurs goalkeeper and, in Arsenal's case, get Ben White to distract him. Postecoglou maintains that he prefers a collective approach and that his assistants, such as Ryan Mason and Mile Jedinak, work on set pieces. But we live in the age of the specialist. Every club needs a young man.
It's like your commitment to a high line. Postecoglou needs to mix things up, as his opponents plan. Twice in the opening stages, Mykhailo Mudryk slid the ball behind the high line for Nicolas Jackson to run towards. The Spurs are predictable. After the defeat at the Bridge, Postecoglou told reporters that “I have to look at myself and see how I am preparing this team.”
However, there were few objections to Postecoglou's starting eleven. James Maddison had no rhythm, so he started on the bench. Spurs briefly showed more urgency and precision when Maddison arrived, but Chelsea remained in control. Postecoglou's options were limited and clearly the club needs to invest in the team in the summer, as well as signing players like Bryan Gil. They need more quality and more leaders. Otherwise, the brief hope ended by frustration will happen again.
Henry Winter presents the Sunday edition alongside Shaun Custis at 9am every Sunday on talkSPORT. Listen through the talkSPORT appon DAB digital radio or through your smart speaker.
