Postecoglou reveals thing he hated most about Spurs defeat to Arsenal
Ange Postecoglou reflects on North London derby defeat, questioning whether Spurs could have seized the moment against Arsenal in a heated clash, but ultimately conceding his side fell short of expectations.
Tottenham’s derby disappointment
Coming into the clash against Arsenal on Wednesday, confidence was high in the Tottenham Hotspur camp following back-to-back victories, one of which included a 1-0 triumph against Premier League leaders Liverpool in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg, a result that reaffirmed the squad’s potential under Ange Postecoglou.
However, the mood quickly shifted at the Emirates Stadium, as the intensity of the North London derby exposed frailties in Tottenham’s performance.
Heung-min Son’s early goal had offered a glimmer of hope for the visiting supporters, but this was extinguished when Dominic Solanke’s unfortunate own goal levelled the scores, and Arsenal seized control through Leandro Trossard’s precise strike.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal ultimately sealed a second derby victory over Spurs this season in the Premier League, leaving Ange Postecoglou’s men to rue missed opportunities, defensive lapses, and a performance that failed to rise to the occasion in such a significant fixture.
Ange Postecoglou hated the loss of Spurs identity
Speaking to BBC Match of the Day after the match, Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou reflected candidly on his side’s display, acknowledging both the missed potential and the undeniable shortcomings in their performance.
He said: “Yeah we could have got something but that is kind of irrelevant to the point that we were nowhere near the levels we needed to be at today.
“In the first half, we were way too passive and let Arsenal get into a rhythm. We hung in there, we hung in there the whole game really. Second half was a bit better but nowhere near the level it needed to be.”
On making two subs at half-time, swapping Yves Bissouma and Pape Sarr for James Maddison and Brennan Johnson, Postecoglou said (Football London): “It wasn’t about regaining control it was having different intent in our football.
“It’s not who we are, it’s not the way I set the team up. It’s not the way we want to play, to sit in there and allowing Arsenal to play to their tempo. It just wasn’t good enough.”
On that complete loss of Spurs identity, he added: “I think that second goal is endemic of our whole first half. Irrespective of everything else, like I said, we just didn’t play anywhere near the identity I want us to be.
“We are an aggressive team with and without the ball, we have shown that. We showed that seven days ago against Liverpool. Tonight, especially in that first 45, we were way too passive and that’s not acceptable.
“When you do that, these kinds of things creep in. Yea,h it was a disappointing goal the second goal to concede but it’s not like we were playing anywhere near the level we needed to.
“Like I said, the second half was a little bit better and we certainly caused them a few more problems with and without the ball but it wasn’t enough.”
Are the Spurs players to blame for derby defeat?
It is difficult to pinpoint what more Ange Postecoglou could reasonably expect from this group of players, given that they appear to be giving their all and adhering to his tactical principles.
If anything, the limitations of the squad became glaringly apparent in the derby, with Tottenham struggling to assert control in midfield or breakthrough Arsenal’s relentless press.
The midfield selection by Ange Postecoglou on the day was arguably a significant factor in Tottenham’s struggles.
I mean Pape Matar Sarr and Bergvall are great when it comes to winning possession and carrying the ball, however, they are not great when it comes to retaining the ball and keeping possession – they are two players with a similar profile and I feel that led to Spurs finding it hard to keep the ball in the first half.
The absence of James Maddison or Dejan Kulusevski in the middle of the park left Tottenham without the composure and vision needed to dictate play in key moments. The second half was much better because of the tweaks the manager made to the initial setup.
The post Postecoglou reveals thing he hated most about Spurs defeat to Arsenal appeared first on Spurs Web.