Manager Watch: Ange Postecoglou

[Spursmatty87]

There is no middle ground for our fan base is there?

We are either winning the league or sacking the manager.

Definitely shouldn’t sack Ange however, Ange needs to earn his corn right now/ in the summer. I hope we’re ruthless probably more work to do than we realised.

 

[dontcallme]

Udogie and Porro have been excellent this season. We definitely need wing back options as backup instead of the full backs we have in Davies and Royal.

We've done a lot of good work in the transfer windows this season but there's still work to do.

 

[rossdapep]

What I find mind boggling is how early in the season we looked more comfortable with this new system than now. Seems counterintuitive that with more time playing and adapting we look more confused and hesitant with the link-ups plays. But this inconsistency is to be expected in the first season, specially after a whole different approach by the last 3 managers. It takes time to really get a grip of a new system and tactics.

I actually think it's easy to explain.

1. Freshness. Season just begun, no expectations and players playing more freely. Lighter load.

2. Injuries and wear and tear. As a season goes on players get more fatigued and tend to play more in recovery mode rather than full of energy.

3. Disruptive factors. Injuries, AFCON, Asian Cup, other teams adapting to our tactics. All of these factors did not exist earlier in the season so players could just play and not worry about these obstacles.

Teams like City and Liverpool cope with them cause they have fuller squads and are so well drilled, all they do is dig a little deeper.

We are having to dig deeper but also don't have the depth and experience. We are also still learning Ange's way.

Another factor is that we have a young squad.

Deki, Johnson, Udogie, Porro, VdV, Sarr. Young players tend to finish a season a little weaker cause they don't have that adrenaline burning that comes with youthfulness, they have to mature.

 

[Joe Bjorn Hotspur]

There is no middle ground for our fan base is there?

We are either winning the league or sacking the manager.

Most definitely feels like that: why I’ve reduced my time on Spurs socials just to matchdays etc.

I know it’s the nature of the game but we are 6 / 7 months into a completely different style of football to the previous 4 / 5 years which brings with it intricacies as well as fitness levels that will take time to get used to. Patience is needed with this as well as with ourselves at times.

 

[theShiznit]

What Ange needs to address is that the patterns of movement and one touch play seem to stop when there is block of players to get through.
The only interchange that happens against a low block is players coming out of their positions outside of the low block and that isn't really moving around the defence.

So really we're having the same problems we've had breaking down the low block that we've had we've these players with other managers.

It may have been better with Udogie and Porro but it may not have been.

 

[Misfit]

Lots of great posts here tbh. Some blowing off of steam too. Better here than in the 3D world after all.

Fact is we've not been firing on all cylinders for a while. Many reasons for that of course. We've not been awful either but compared with early season form the drop is noticeable.

After all that is said, sometimes you just don't play well in a game and lose, and that's all it is. There are no deeper, underlying cracks that could open up and subsume the entire club itself going forwards. It was just a relatively shit performance. It's not like the oppo are chopped liver.

 

[Stamford]

Still fully behind the manager but we haven't played well in some time. I'm looking for a performance more than a result right now. In also think whoever is coaching the set pieces needs to change, the first goal is one of the worst I've seen us concede in a long time.

 

[felmani26]

Trust the process

 

[Gardham90]

Agree. I was impressed by how quickly our players seemed to get the way Ange wanted them playing. Our performances and results at the beginning of the season was very impressive.

Unfortunately a few injuries seemed to derail us quite quickly. A few players haven't got back up to speed since returning from their injury.

I'm confident that we are on the right track but this season might not be quite as good as it looked like it could be.

I think it's more the fact that teams have figured out how to counter us. Play behind the advanced full backs and you can get at us.

 

[sidford]

FFS we lose a game and drop down to 5th (yea that's right fucking FIFTH) and theres some people wetting themselves?! Get a fucking grip, did anyone think we would be anywhere near this position after 2/3 of the season?!
Think of klopps first season, that was as radical a change for pool players as this is for ours. It was always going to take at least a season if not possibly up to 2 for him to have the squad he needs and the players get up fully trained up to what he needs.

 

[dontcallme]

I think it's more the fact that teams have figured out how to counter us. Play behind the advanced full backs and you can get at us.

Disagree. Teams know how to setup against us same as they do other sides. But when at our best it's much harder to do so.

 

[joey.leone]

I think it's more the fact that teams have figured out how to counter us. Play behind the advanced full backs and you can get at us.

I think our energy levels are lower now than earlier in the season, which has affected our pressing and ability to cut out the counter attacks. It's been a tough season for continuity with injuries, international tournaments etc. I think there's a mixture of fatigue for the players that have played non stop and rustiness for the returning players.

 

[thelak]

I think it's more the fact that teams have figured out how to counter us. Play behind the advanced full backs and you can get at us.

I would agree with this in that a lot of games recently it’s looked like we have an isolated two at the back at times

Anges tactics are high risk reward though but do seem to require the attack side to be firing all the time to offset the chances conceded with the fullbacks so high up

and tbh most games we concede at least 3-4 great chances to the opposition

Needs to address that and somehow get more of a balance into the team

still very much a transition season though where the players are learning the system and some are proving unsuited

we’ve seen enough to know it’s a few personnel and tactical tweaks away from being very exciting

 

[mil1lion]

If we play the exact same way just with higher intensity and less loose balls we will be fine. It's only that we have too many under 100% at the moment. There's knowing what we do and there's being able to do anything about it. Teams know what we're going to do but it's just not fully functioning at this moment so they have a better chance.

 

[JAYSTAR]

Its time to play Son centrally and to put Richarlison back on the bench. Tippy tappy football does not work against teams who defend well. We need players who can shoot and score from the edge of the box, like Son. Ange needs to figure this out quickly.

 

[SpursForever71]

FFS we lose a game and drop down to 5th (yea that's right fucking FIFTH) and theres some people wetting themselves?! Get a fucking grip, did anyone think we would be anywhere near this position after 2/3 of the season?!
Think of klopps first season, that was as radical a change for pool players as this is for ours. It was always going to take at least a season if not possibly up to 2 for him to have the squad he needs and the players get up fully trained up to what he needs.

To be fair mate, i think a lot of posters are just giving a bit of constructive criticism, rather than just ranting.
Was given earache by my sister while watching the game saying i cant criticise Ange lol, but i was only saying what i was seeing at the time.
As i said in my previous post its all about balance, it will come i have no doubt.

 

[Teegart]

Today just highlighted how lacking we are squad wise in certain areas, which is understandable with barely 2 windows into Ange’s reign.

Case in point Emerson and Davies today. They performed admirably when emergency filling in at CB, but they were totally out their depth today. Their passing and ability to produce forceful dribbles from deep is no where near the required level for the roles. Also, neither have the athleticism to properly get back into shape from their inverted position when we’re defending.

It’s an extremely difficult position to play in Ange’s system and i’d expect quality backups for Porro and Udogie will be high on the priority list. As will a true 1v1 technical winger.

I’m not worried, and expect that we back Ange effectively in the summer transfer market to fill the squad holes that need filled if we want to be a success.

 

[SpursForever71]

Today just highlighted how lacking we are squad wise in certain areas, which is understandable with barely 2 windows into Ange’s reign.

Case in point Emerson and Davies today. They performed admirably when emergency filling in at CB, but they were totally out their depth today. Their passing and ability to produce forceful dribbles from deep is no where near the required level for the roles. Also, neither have the athleticism to properly get back into shape from their inverted position when we’re defending.

It’s an extremely difficult position to play in Ange’s system and i’d expect quality backups for Porro and Udogie will be high on the priority list. As will a true 1v1 technical winger.

I’m not worried, and expect that we back Ange effectively in the summer transfer market to fill the squad holes that need filled if we want to be a success.

I felt for Davies today up against Neto, Royal was poor for the most part. I get its not easy for players outside of the 1st 11 to just slot straight back in though (match fit etc). It is obvious there is a huge downgrade between 1st and 2nd choices in these positions though.

 

[Joely]

We are work in progress and results like today are not a total surprise to me. Overall it's been a good season so far however we were always going to hit bumps in the road.

We are in the midst of building a squad but in the summer we need to be ruthless imo. Royal and Davies can do a job on their day and are useful as part of the squad but if I'm honest, neither is a natural fit in Ange's system and would have no issue moving both on and raise funds for players who have the attributes to play in the system. Same goes for Hojbjerg, Gil and possibly a few others.

 

[bubble07]

I felt for Davies today up against Neto, Royal was poor for the most part. I get its not easy for players outside of the 1st 11 to just slot straight back in though (match fit etc). It is obvious there is a huge downgrade between 1st and 2nd choices in these positions though.

Aït-Nouri would be great back up to udogie​