An impatient Angel Postcoglou once again defended Tottenham’s technique and said he would never replace him despite the six goals he scored at home against Liverpool.
The Spurs, affected by injuries, won 6-3 to Liverpool in a chaotic match in northern London, the second time in the history of the Premier League that the club granted six at home, and that leaves them languishing in 11th place At Christmas.
Spurs’ tactics were criticised after the game, with Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher saying “nobody has ever won anything playing like that”.
Postecoglou, who defended his philosophy midweek after Spurs threatened to lose a three-goal lead opposite Manchester United, was unhappy to answer additional questions about his technique a few days later.
“I have been patient in the last 18 months, answering the same questions again and again,” said Postcoglou. “If other people need to replace my approach, it will not be replaced.
“We’re doing it for a reason, we’re doing it because we think it’ll help us be successful.”
Spurs, unable to make any changes from midweek, were forced to field a makeshift back four with Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven still out and Destiny Udogie, who returned to the bench, not deemed fit enough to feature.
Eighteen-year-old midfielder Archie Gray played at centre-back alongside back-up option Radu Dragusin and Djed Spence, who many thought would leave in the summer, at left-back, with deputy Fraser Forster in goal.
Despite seven players being unavailable, Spurs played at full strength against the Premier League leaders and were punished with ruthless action by Arne Slot’s team.
“If other people do not perceive the cases in which we are in the demanding situations that we have from the point of view of the team and the team, which are as obvious as I need to make them now, I perceive that other people think that I only vibrate the transfer and replacement and in a way that would make us another team.
“But that’s the way it is, I’m going to continue to focus on building this team to be the team we want. In the meantime, we’ll have to accept that there will be demanding situations along the way. “
Jamie Carragher questioned Postecoglou’s uncompromising approach in the face of such a daunting injury crisis and suggested he would not win anything playing like that.
“I don’t expect Tottenham to win the Premier League, however, no one has won any game like this,” the Sky sports pundit said after the game.
“It’s almost Kevin Keegan. It falls a little short.
“You will have to respect the opponent, you will have to respect the defensive appearance of the game. “
He added: “I get the idea. It’s not about a style of play. If everyone’s fully fit and he wants to do things slightly different – every manager who comes in has got a little different way of doing things.
“You’ve got to have something that’s a little bit different, that makes you special, that makes you start off in Australia and get yourself to the Premier League. It’s a brilliant journey he’s been on, and he’s got a way about that.
“But when you have your equipment, not when you have bare bones. “
Zinny Boswell of Sky Sports:
Angel Postcoglou was dissatisfied with questions about his technique after Spurs’ 6-3 loss to Liverpool. This arises in terms of equity. But how is it possible that this is not the case?
This is the third game of the consecutive house in which the Spurs have granted 3 or more goals. They also granted more goals, faced more shots and allowed more than any other Premier League team in December.
All this would be intelligent if the effects went well. After all, they are the artists. But there have been 3 victories in the last 11 games. And at home, a victory in six.
Injuries and absences, of course, are a great explanation of those effects that have left the Spurs languishing in the 11th position. However, surely, if the team is so exhausted, now it would be the time, not to replace the approach, but to modify it. Just to relieve pressure.
Postecoglou disagrees. Maybe you’re right. The fact is, we probably won’t know until he gets his players back from injury and has a stronger team to choose from. In the meantime, the fit players who are available will have to suffer. But we will be entertained.