It appears that most fans were dissatisfied with the outcome over the weekend, with many resorting to social media to express their reservations with the manager’s matchday decisions.
Spurs dropped to fifth place after the loss, which was compounded by Aston Villa’s victory over Fulham, one point behind the top-four spot they are aiming for.
Despite the terrible outcome, it’s fair to state that with thirteen games left in the 23/24 season, it’s far too early to draw any harsh judgments or complaints.
Ange Postecoglou has been revolutionary in his first season at Tottenham, altering the team’s identity after years of being known for slow-moving, counter-attacking football. The gaffer’s influence has been nothing short of amazing, as he has battled injuries, developed young talent, and competed against quality sides.
“Today, we let up two or three decent counter-attack chances, one of which I believe was offside. That is what will happen against the Wolves. A lot of this is just game state. As I previously stated, gaining a foothold in the game and putting them under pressure reduces their opportunities to go the other way.
The peculiar nature of the game, as well as the opposition’s performance in the last third, undoubtedly contributed to the loss, but as Ange mentioned, Tottenham’s lack of attacking threat, rather than their defensive ability, was also to blame. Regarding this, the manager mentioned how the club has suffered in that aspect in recent weeks.
“Certainly, if we want to dominate games, we need to start aggressively and put the opposition on the back foot. And we haven’t really done that in the past two or three games. Previously, we did it, and it provided us a foothold in games that we don’t have right now.”
It’s fair to say that the squad got off to a poor start on Saturday, but things picked up in the second half, with Dejan Kulusevski scoring in the first minute. Spurs ended with more shots (15) and considerably superior possession (78%). It appears that they simply did not capitalize on their opportunities in the same way as Wolves did.
Concluding on his prior comments, Ange conveyed a similar message to what he’s been saying all season:
“Ultimately, when you’re not successful, everything looks like rubbish. That’s not how I look at football, and I didn’t think we were fantastic going into this game. As I keep saying, we’re still laying the groundwork for anything to be built. To be honest, I think a lot of our defensive work this season has been exceptional, especially given the players we have and their experience. It has been one of our strengths, and we will continue to strive to improve in all areas.”
For the time being, it appears that strong criticism is premature. Spurs could have been more clinical in the attacking third and more active in the defensive third (particularly on the first goal, which came from a corner kick and left the Tottenham defense startled and confused).
Given the terrible setback, there is more pressure to do better in the following game. However, with Tottenham’s match against Crystal Palace still two weeks away, the manager should have plenty of time to regroup his team and solve the faults he spotted during Saturday’s game.
The Premier League season is still far from over, and Spurs have plenty of time to maintain their top-four position, guided by a manager who believes his squad can continue to adapt to his brand of game.
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