An impatient Ange Postecoglou once again defended Tottenham’s approach and said he would never change despite shipping six goals at home to Liverpool.
Injury-hit Spurs were thrashed 6-3 by Liverpool in a chaotic game in north London, just the second time in Premier League history the club has conceded six at home, and it leaves them languishing in 11th at Christmas.
Spurs’ tactics were criticised after the game, with Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher saying “nobody has ever won anything playing like that”.
Tottenham have conceded 31 goals in Premier League home games in 2024; their most in a single calendar year since 2007 (34)
Postecoglou, who defended his philosophy in midweek after Spurs threatened to throw away a three-goal lead against Manchester United, was not pleased to be fielding more questions about his approach just a few days later.
“I’ve been really patient the last 18 months, answering the same questions over and over again,” said Postecoglou. “If people want me to change my approach, it’s not going to change.
“We’re doing it for a reason, we’re doing it because we think it’ll help us be successful.”
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Tottenham’s match against Liverpool in the Premier League
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 having seven players unavailable, Spurs still played their full-throttle football against the Premier League leaders and were punished by a ruthless showing from Arne Slot’s side.
“If people don’t understand the circumstances we’re in, the challenges we have from a team and squad perspective, which are as obvious as I want to make them now – I get the idea that people think I should just flick the switch and change and somehow that would make us a different team.
“But it is what it is, I’m just going to continue staying focused on trying to build this team to be the team we want. In the interim, we’re going to have to accept there’s going to be challenges along the way.”
Carragher: Nobody has ever won anything playing like that!
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The Super Sunday Panel break down the tactics and defending of Tottenham to concede a third goal just before half-time against Liverpool
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.
“Not that I expect Tottenham to win the Premier League but nobody has ever won anything playing like that,” the Sky Sports pundit said after the game.
“It was almost Kevin Keegan-like. The other team I could associate with that was almost Brendan Rodgers with Liverpool, where it was just end-to-end, 6-3, 5-4, and at the end of it they just come a little bit short.
“You’ve got to respect the opposition, you’ve got to respect the defensive side 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’ve got your best team, not when you’re down to the bare bones.”
Analysis: Ange’s entertainers are suffering
Sky Sports’ Zinny Boswell:
Ange Postecoglou was disgruntled that there were questions about his approach after Spurs were beaten 6-3 by Liverpool. It does come up a lot in fairness. But how can it not?
This is the third home game in a row that Spurs have conceded three or more goals in. They have also conceded more goals, faced more shots and allowed more chances than any other team in the Premier League in December.
All of this would be fine if results were going well. They are the entertainers, after all. But there have been just three wins in the last 11 games. And at home just one win in six.
Injuries and absences, of course, are a big reason behind these concerning results that have left Spurs languishing in 11th. Surely, though, if the squad is so depleted, this would be the time, not to change the approach, but to tweak it. Just to ease the pressure.
Postecoglou doesn’t agree. Maybe he is right. The truth is we won’t really know until he gets his players back from injury and has a stronger squad to pick from. In the meantime, the players that are fit are available will have to suffer. But we will be entertained.
