Under the management of the likes of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, successive losses usually led to a feeling of doom and gloom among the North London faithful.

After three defeats in a row, Spurs bounced back with a hard-fought point against Manchester City on Sunday courtesy of Dejan Kulusevski‘s late header.  Despite the recent losses the fanbase has generally been quite upbeat and accepting of the fact that they are at the beginning of a new project.

A big reason for that is the type of front-foot, high-octane football that Postecoglou has got the side playing, with Anderton admitting that it is a refreshing change of a few years of counter-attacking football.

(Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Darren Anderton is enjoying Spurs under Ange Postecoglou

The former Tottenham midfielder told Stats Perform (as relayed by beIN SPORTS): “I have loved it. I have really enjoyed the transformation that’s going on. As a Spurs fan and an ex-Spurs player, to watch them has been a breath of fresh air.

“It’s been a joy to watch them this year. I’d have to say over the last couple of years I would not be rushing to turn the TV on at some points. But I think that the style of football is so entertaining. Spurs fans want to see that. And if you can do that and be successful as well, then it’s great.

“I feel we’re always going to create opportunities with the style of football and the quality of the players. I obviously remember from my time and how we used to attack under Ossie [Ardiles]. I feel like there’s that excitement here but with that little bit more emphasis on obviously being difficult to beat as well when it needs to be done.

“Whereas Ozzy, when we asked him what we do when we lose the ball and what shape, he said, ‘Hey, you’re good players, you should never lose the ball’. So this is exciting, but I think with a stronger squad and with better defensive players.”

Anderton feels that despite Tottenham’s poor results last month, their performances have not dipped, claiming that the Lilywhites have been quite unlucky.

Speaking before the City result, he added: “Yes, in the last three games they’ve got beat. But I thought the Wolves game, they didn’t play particularly well, but probably still should have won the game. I think in the Chelsea game, if Son’s goal had been allowed to stand and we went 2-1 up, I think we might have gone on and won four or five.

“And then the Villa game, I think the Villa game is just a good game. I think, obviously, there are some VAR decisions that probably didn’t go our way, but that’s just sometimes in football how things go.”

However, Anderton acknowledged that Tottenham’s struggles might continue over the coming weeks until their key players return to action.

The 51-year-old added: “Obviously, it’s going to be difficult to sustain it with the injuries that they’ve got. They’re just going through a little bit of a spell. James Maddison started so well. He’s going to be a huge miss.

“I don’t think the team has had a player like that since Christian Eriksen. The way that he gets the team to play and the way to still keeps playing on the front foot is refreshing to see.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Despite our injuries and recent spell of defeats, I am genuinely excited about the future for Spurs under the current head coach. Postecoglou has made a huge difference already at Tottenham and it would not be an exaggeration to say that the Australian has helped a lot of Spurs fans rediscover their love for the club.

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Ahead of Spurs’ trip to the Etihad Stadium, several pundits warned Postecoglou that his side will get decimated if he sticks to his preferred high-risk, attacking approach, and urged him to be a bit more pragmatic (BBC Sport).

However, the Australian made it clear ahead of the game that he will not change his methods even though Spurs are missing several key players (Football.London).

For much of the first half on Sunday, it looked like the predictions of the doomsayers were going to come true as Tottenham kept giving the ball away in their third and City were all over the away side like a rash.

However, Spurs came out with much more purpose in the second half and played out from the back effectively and continued to flood bodies forward

The away side got their just reward, fighting back to level from a goal down on two occasions to put an end to their three-game losing streak.

(Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)

Roberts impressed with Emerson, Davies and Ange

Roberts remarked that it is evident from Tottenham’s performance that the players have fully bought into Postecoglou’s methods.

The former Spurs captain reserved particular praise for the makeshift centre-back duo of Emerson Royal and Ben Davies.

It’s funny but regardless of how we go over the next few months I honestly think this manager is absolutely brilliant. The players clearly all believe in him.

Well done @Emerson_Royal22 after a tricky first half you did very well 2nd half.

And @Ben_Davies33 fantastic to

— Graham Roberts (@GrahamRoberts4) December 3, 2023

Spurs Web Opinion

There is no doubt in my mind that we would have lost this game heavily if we had decided to defend deep with ten men behind the ball. Postecoglou believed that our best chance of getting something from this game is to look to get forward and score goals, and he has been proven right.

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We did not see the best of Johnson in his first few outings for Spurs, with the winger’s season being interrupted by some injury problems.

However, in the last two matches against Aston Villa and Manchester City, the 22-year-old has shown glimpses of his quality, demonstrating the kind of potential that convinced Tottenham to pay £47.5m for his services in the summer.

The Wales international troubled Josko Gvardiol with his pace and energy in the first half before doing the same in the second to Kyle Walker on the other end of the pitch in the second period.

Meanwhile, Kulusevski started as the number ten once again before moving to his familiar right-wing role in the second half, with Swede being a nuisance both on and off the ball for Pep Guardiola’s men.

(Photo by DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty Images)

Postecoglou wants more goals from Tottenham duo

The pair combined for Tottenham’s 90th-minute equaliser, with Kulusevski outmuscling Nathan Ake to get on the end of Johnson’s cross and send it sailing past Ederson into the top corner.

Ange Postecoglou told BBC Sport about the duo: “Deki [Kulusevski] was excellent the whole game and we count on him attacking the box from that side. 

“Him and Brennan [Johnson] have goals in them, we haven’t had enough out of them yet but they are there. It’s great those two combined for a great goal at the end.”

Spurs Web Opinion

While there has never been any doubt about Kulusevski’s quality, I always felt that a player of his ability needs to contribute more regularly in the final third, which he is now starting to do.

I have been thoroughly impressed by Johnson in his last two performances, with the 22-year-old appearing to grow in confidence with each game.

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Tottenham have made it a habit to entertain so far this season, with their recent clashes against the likes of Chelsea and Aston Villa being rather watchable for the neutrals.

The Lilywhites were involved in another Premier League classic at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, fighting back twice to draw level in the second half.

While Man City will feel that they should have got all three points, given the chances they created in the first half, Tottenham were certainly good value for a point, given the way they fought back in the second period.

Guardiola was quite complimentary of Postecoglou ahead of the game, admitting that he enjoys watching Spurs play and remarking that the Australian makes ‘football a better place’ (Reuters).

(Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Postecoglou and Pep’s chat after Man City 3-3 Spurs

The Tottenham head coach has now responded in kind, praising his counterpart for the kind of team he has built at Manchester.

When asked what he discussed with Guardiola during their embrace after the final whistle, Postecoglou told Football.London: “We promised goals. We delivered so it was entertaining.

“He’s got a fantastic team. He’s had such a fantastic team for such a long time. I obviously want to beat them mate but you can appreciate just what a fantastic football team they are.

“I guess from his behalf, he’s always been, not just publicly but privately, always very complimentary about me and my work. Not always directly to me but I’ve found out through other sources and coming from someone like him I have great respect for.”

Spurs Web Opinion

One can understand why there is plenty of mutual admiration between Postecoglou and Guardiola, with both managers having similar footballing beliefs and principles.

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Postecoglou made only one change from the clash against Aston Villa last week, with Yves Bissouma coming into the starting eleven in place of the injured Rodrigo Bentancur, thus sending a clear signal that he wanted his side to take the game to the Premier League champions.

However, for the bulk of the first half, the away side struggled to play out from the back and kept making errors, with Pep Guardiola’s men having plenty of joy in winning possession high up the pitch and creating chances.

Spurs were lucky to come into half-time with just a one-goal deficit but they came out with a lot more intent in the second period, with Hojbjerg coming on at the interval for Bryan Gil.

(Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg impresses off the bench

The introduction of the Dane gave Tottenham a lot more control in the middle of the park and Postecoglou admitted that he was delighted to see his players go toe-to-toe with City for the majority of the second period.

When asked if the change he made at half-time made the difference, the Australian told Football.London: “I think it helped. I thought Pierre was excellent in the second half.

“His experience out there, I thought we just as a group had a lot more conviction about our football, just passing it and not second-guessing ourselves and being hesitant with our passes like we did in the first half.

“Look I’m on the touchline and everything outside looks easy but when you’re out there you’re facing a world-class team in a venue where they don’t give up too many things.

“It’s understandable in many respects but at the same time, as I said to them at half-time, whatever fallout or bad outcome there is, I’ll take the responsibility.

“I’m the one that’s putting them out there. Let’s at least show a little bit more conviction about the kind of football team we want to be and I thought they did that in the second half.

“You’re never going to totally dominate a game of football here but in the second half, I thought we were very much in the game against a very good football side.”

Spurs Web Opinion

I thought Hojbjerg was extremely poor against Wolves and against Villa after replacing Bentancur in the first half.

However, the Dane showed yesterday just what he can offer, solidifying the midfield when he came on. While the jury is still out on whether the 28-year-old is effective against a mid to low-block, he has a lot to offer in games where we do not have much of the ball.

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Many were caught by surprise when Postecoglou chose to name a centre-back pairing of Emerson Royal and Ben Davies against Aston Villa last week.

Some might have expected Dier to come back into the team against the Premier League champions on Sunday to cope with the physical presence of Erling Haaland.

However, Postecoglou stuck with the pairing of Emerson and Davies, and while the Brazilian did have some shaky moments in the first half, the pair grew into the game and finished strongly as Spurs emerged with a hard-fought 3-3 draw.

(Photo by Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images)

Eric Dier has a slight injury problem at Tottenham

Dier did not even make the bench for the clash but Postecoglou clarified ahead of the game that it was because the England international had pulled up sore in training.

The Australian told Football.London: “Eric pulled up sore after training and wasn’t available. He’s not available for today.”

With Cristian Romero now set to return from his suspension, some might wonder if Dier has already played his last game for Spurs, with the 29-year-old being heavily linked with a move away from Tottenham in January (talkSPORT).

Spurs Web Opinion

With Emerson and Davies preferred to Dier at centre-back, the Englishman will know that he faces potentially warming the bench for the rest of the season.

That may perhaps convince him to seriously consider the opportunities that come his way in January rather than waiting until his contract runs out in the summer.

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Tottenham have been going through a torrid time injury and suspension-wise over the last month, with Postecoglou having to navigate a tricky run of fixtures without an entire team of players.

The Australian had even remarked a few days ago that he does not remember a time in his two-decade-long coaching career where he has had so many players out of action at the same time (Football.London).

(Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)

Pape Matar Sarr could return this week for Spurs

However, there is now finally light at the end of the tunnel for Spurs, who put an end to a three-game losing streak on Sunday by emerging with a hard-fought 3-3 draw from the Etihad Stadium.

Richarlison made his comeback in the encounter, coming on as a late substitute and the game also marks the last match of Cristian Romero’s three-match suspension.

Postecoglou shared further good news regarding Sarr, suggesting that the Senegalese international is expected to recover in a matter of days.

The Tottenham head coach said (via Alasdair Gold): “We’ve gone through a fairly extreme time. We’ll get Romero back now and we’ve missed him. 

“Richarlison got some game time, Pape Sarr will hopefully be available by the end of the week but the rest won’t be back for a while. As we get the players back I’m confident we’ll pick up some momentum and we can battle with anyone.”

Spurs Web Opinion

The result on Sunday will do wonders to the players’ confidence and with Romero and Sarr now expected to come back, and with Postecoglou also having the option of turning to a fully fit Richarlison, things certainly look a lot rosier for Spurs than they did a few days ago.

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Tottenham may still have attacking talent like Heung-min Son, Dejan Kulusevski, and Brennan Johnson at their disposal, but injuries to a number of players has left the squad worryingly thin as we head into the winter period.

With James Maddison, Ivan Perisic, and Manor Solomon all out until next year, and Richarlison just beginning to recover from his own surgery, Ange Postecoglou needs reinforcements for his squad in the January transfer window.

Former Celtic winger, Jota, has been linked with a move to Europe due to the fact he is ineligible to play for Al-Ittihad in the Saudi league (TEAMtalk). Spurs are among the clubs looking at Jota, with Postecoglou potentially keen to reunite with the Portuguese attacker (Football Insider).

(Photo by Khalid Alhaj/MB Media/Getty Images)

Jota may not be right for Postecoglou’s Spurs

However, a new report from The Sun suggests Postecoglou is not letting his heart rule his head, and is still “mulling over” a potential move for the 24-year-old.

Apparently, Postecoglou is unsure whether Jota would “be a good fit for the Premier League” and the Australian still hasn’t “made up his mind” as to whether he will try and sign his former Celtic star in January.

The report adds that Jota himself is “keen to end” his time in Saudi Arabia, and wants to “join old boss” Postecoglou at Spurs. If Postecoglou does decide against the move, it’s said Wolves are also circling.

Spurs Web Opinion

Just because Jota worked out well for Postecoglou in Scotland, that doesn’t mean he will be right for the Spurs system or the English game. Postecoglou has to think very carefully about this move, and not let sentiment get in the way.

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Ange Postecoglou went into the game against Manchester City today having to deal with a growing injury list, and his top centre-back, Cristian Romero, still out due to a suspension. Still, speaking before the game, the Australian insisted he would not change his ways.

He is true to his word, too, as his Tottenham side well and truly went for it against the Premier League champions, despite the odds being against them from the start.

Spurs took the lead early on thanks to a Heung-min Son goal, but the skipper then turned the ball into his own net moments later. City went in at half-time in the lead, after Phil Foden rounded off a lovely move by Pep Guardiola’s side.

But, in the second half, Tottenham nullified the threat of City and got themselves back in the game through a Giovani Lo Celso goal. Ten minutes later, City had the lead once more through Jack Grealish, but Spurs did not stop battling, and got their reward when Dejan Kulusevski prodded the ball home on the stroke of 90 minutes.

(Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)

Postecoglou knows Spurs have more to give

In his post match interview with Sky Sports (3/12/23 at 6:30pm), Postecoglou discussed his approach to the game and how important it was not to fold and change the system.

He said: “We weren’t anywhere near the the level of our standards and City will do that to you, they are unbelievable. They put pressure on you and haven’t lost too many games here at the Etihad. Second half we had more belief in ourselves and the team we want to be and we clawed our way back into the game.”

On the character his players showed, he added: “It has been there all year, the last few results have hidden that a little but we are at the bare bones a little bit. I have asked players to play in unfamiliar positions but we have still played some decent football.

“I think the character has been there all year but we certainly needed it today. City are an unbelievable team and there are times where you just have to hang on like we did today.”

Despite a tricky first half, Postecoglou believes his side got what they deserved though, saying: “It was an entertaining game, plenty in it. We were lucky to be in it by half-time, City could have blown us away in that period, a bit similar to what happened to us against Villa last week.

“We hung in there, second half were a lot better, a lot more control and a lot more belief in the team. We got our reward for that which is great for the lads.”

Spurs Web Opinion

One thing’s for sure, watching Spurs is never dull these days. A brilliant game for the neutral, and ultimately, a decent result for an injury-plagued Spurs side. Ange and the players have to be commended for just going for it, which is exactly the kind of bravery and commitment we want as fans.

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Spurs took the lead early on through a finely worked Heung-min Son goal, but the Tottenham skipper awkwardly knocked the ball into his own net less than two minutes later. City then took the lead through a wonderful team goal, finished off by Phil Foden, to hold the advantage at halftime. 

However, it was the Lilywhites who came out fighting in the second half, levelling through a Giovani Lo Celso effort with 20 minutes to go. All that hard work was almost undone when Yves Bissouma gave the ball away on the edge of his own box, and Jack Grealish slotted home what appeared to be the winner.

Right on the stroke of 90 minutes, however, Spurs got themselves back in the game once more, after Brennan Johnson floated an inviting ball into the box for Dejan Kulusevski to poke home and spoil City’s party.

(Photo by DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty Images)

Postecoglou wants players to believe in themselves

Speaking to Sky Sports (3/12/23 at 6:30 pm) after the game, Ange Postecoglou revealed the instructions he gave his players at half-time, and insisted he wasn’t angry at the team at all.

He said: “There would probably only be a few words I can say. Joking aside it was more trying to get the players to believe in themselves rather than anger at them. I’m always mindful that from where I am on the touchline it seems simple but out there against an unbelievable team it is difficult.

“It was a case of whatever happens I will take responsibility, particularly if it doesn’t go well. But just go out there and believe in yourselves.

“How you react to the tough periods factor in how you are measured in the course of the season. We stuck to our guns and our beliefs, we aren’t out of the tough period yet, we’re going to be thin going into January but how you react is important for what we are trying to build.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Whatever Ange said at half-time, it did the trick. The Spurs players came out and made life really difficult for City, which is evident in the fact the home side failed to register a shot for around 35 minutes in the second half. The spirit and belief in this Tottenham side right now is unlike anything I’ve seen at the club in a very, very long time.

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Son had three goals ruled out for offside in Spurs’ 2-1 loss to Aston Villa, with a couple of those being marginal calls. In fact, no player in the Premier League has been caught offside more often than the Tottenham captain so far this season.

Arsenal legend Freddie Ljungberg addressed the issue on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football (broadcast on 27/11; 18:56), telling the 31-year-old man to trust his pace more and be clever in his movement.

Son himself rejected the idea that he was unlucky to have three goals ruled out for offside, insisting that he needed to improve the timing of his runs (Sports Chosun).

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 27: Son Heung-Min of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates after scoring the team’s second goal during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park on October 27, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Spurs will start beating the offside trap eventually

However, Postecoglou has remarked that the forward has not done much wrong and his teammates need to get used to his movement, having been accustomed to playing with a focal point upfront in Harry Kane.

When asked about Son’s tendency to stray offside, the Spurs head coach told Football.London: “Some of it is still understanding. There were a couple of times last week when we could have played the ball a little bit earlier and his timing was perfect.

“Part of it is just understanding because Sonny is a different kind of striker to how Harry was. Players are used to having a focal point who was a bit different. It’s a combination of both. Like I said, if we passed it a millisecond earlier, his timing is perfect. It’s a bit of both.

“What isn’t undeniable is him from offside positions, he’s still finishing things, still scoring goals, and that’s still the hardest part of the game. You know the quality is there. It’s just about his runs but also us maybe seeing things that little bit earlier.”

Spurs Web Opinion

There was nothing wrong with the timing of Son’s run for his first-half goal as Hojbjerg should have released the ball first-time instead of taking a touch.

However, Sonny should not have been offside for the Pedro Porro shot which came off the woodwork in the second-half as he was staring straight across the line. 

A number nine with a natural goal poacher’s instinct would have anticipated a rebound or a spill from the goalkeeper and would have remained onside.

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Postecoglou will lock horns against one of the current longest-serving Premier League managers in Pep Guardiola, with the Spaniard hoping to create history by guiding Manchester City to a fourth-straight title.

Spurs are now on the other end of the spectrum, having just begun a new project, with the Lilywhites having hit a few bumps on the road over recent weeks.

The Australian insisted that if Tottenham are to compete with the likes of City, everyone must work towards the same direction for a sustained period.

(Photo by TREVOR COLLENS/AFP via Getty Images)

Postecoglou wants time to build something long-term

Postecoglou told Football.London: “There are plenty of coaches that coach very differently to me but they’re at that club for four or five years and they have that success. That’s what I’m talking about with a plan. It’s not about just playing one way or having a clear identity.

“Having a plan means getting the right people involved in club who you believe will take you where you want to go. Then you invest in them, in the club, in the squad and you stick to that plan. It doesn’t mean that’s just exactly the same as anyone else.

“City are different to Arsenal, Arsenal are different to Liverpool, Liverpool are different to both of them but as far as I can see they have the same managers and they’ve gone through tough times.

“They saw something in them. You have to show something, it’s not just about blindly appointing someone and saying you’ve got five years, but those managers have shown they have a plan and the club have said ‘let’s back these people’.”

This is not the first time that Postecoglou has locked horns with Guardiola, with the Aussie coach’s Yokohama Marinos side taking on City in a pre-season clash back in 2019.

Although the Manchester club emerged 3-1 winners in that game, the J-League side got plenty of accolades for their performance as they gave a very good account of themselves, enjoying almost 60 per cent of possession.

When asked about that encounter, Postecoglou said: “I remember it well. You’ve got to put some context, they were in pre-season, we were mid-season, so we were in good physical condition but it was one of those moments.

“We could have gone into that game and said ‘OK, let’s see how we can go about trying to beat Manchester City’ or we can go in and say ‘Let’s just go in and play our football against Manchester City and see where that takes us’ and that’s what we did.

“I said to the boys ‘Let’s go. Keep the ball. Press them. Be aggressive. Do what we do on a weekly basis and you know what? If we get smacked 6-0, we get smacked 6-0, but we’ve measured ourselves’.

“We came out of that game with players with real belief. Even against the very best. They felt really good about themselves, even though we lost 3-1. They enjoyed it. They enjoyed that challenge.

“They got punished because Raheem [Sterling] was an unbelievable player, they had never faced anyone like him before, but we played out a few times against a really good press, we pressured them and made them make mistakes, and we got belief out of it. That’s the only way you can.

“For us, as a group at that time, it was a perfect exercise to say ‘let’s continue down this path. This is the team we want to be’. In the aftermath, some nice things were said, but then the next day people moved on and the circus left town and I was left in Yokohama.”

Spurs Web Opinion

The message that Postecoglou gave to his Yokohama players before that clash, gives us some insight into what he will be telling the Tottenham players before their big test at the Etihad.

The Aussie coach will likely encourage them to take the game to the Premier League champions and prove a point, pointing out that everyone expects them to just roll over, given the injuries they now have.

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Spurs fans waited a long time to see Bentancur back in action after the midfielder picked up an ACL injury back in April.

The Uruguayan made his first start for Spurs since that injury against Aston Villa on Sunday and it felt like he had never been away as he dictated proceedings for the first 30 minutes.

However, disaster then struck for Bentancur and Spurs as the midfielder had to be withdrawn after he was on the receiving end of a nasty tackle from Matty Cash, with scans showing that he had torn his ligament, an injury which is expected to sideline him for another two months (Sami Mokbel).

The development not only comes as a bitter blow to the former Juventus man but also to Ange Postecoglou, who is now dealing with an alarmingly long injury list.

ENFIELD, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 10: Rodrigo Bentancur of Tottenham Hotspur looks on during the Tottenham Hotspur training session at Tottenham Hotspur Training Centre on November 10, 2022 in Enfield, England. (Photo by Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images)

Bentancur injury puts things into perspective

The Tottenham head coach was quite philosophical about Bentacnur’s bad luck, stating that it should give perspective to other players on how lucky they are to be on the training ground every day.

When asked if the news about the midfielder has impacted the whole squad, the Australian told Football.London: “Yeah, I think it does [impact the whole squad]. It’s not just that he’s a popular guy, they know what he’s gone through. They live it and breathe it.

“They see … even a guy like Ryan Sessegnon, what he’s gone through on a daily basis. It’s a constant reminder to all the players that, you know, it’s sometimes a fickle world that they live in where you can do everything right and still fate will points its finger at you and make things difficult.

“It’s why every time they are out there training I expect them, even on a cold day like this, to be training with a smile on their face because there is an alternative to it and they’ve got guys living and breathing that.

“But they are a pretty close group, they certainly have become close in recent times and they all felt it, you could see it on the day, the game, they really felt for what he went through and quite emotional about it. But his demeanour helps because he’s such a positive guy. They know he’s going to be back.”

There has been a lot said about Cash’s tackle over the last week, with some even suggesting that the Villa star should be retrospectively suspended (talkSPORT).

When asked about the feeling at Spurs about the Poland international’s challenge, Postecoglou said: “Nothing has really changed. I said after the game I didn’t think it was a great tackle but you let the referees and the officials deal with that. From our perspective, it was dealt with on the day.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Bentancur would have essentially missed a full year of football when he is back from the ankle injury.

It is a big setback to his career, right at the time when the midfielder appeared to be on the cusp of taking his game to a different level and being recognised as one of the best in the Premier League in his position.

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Things were all rosy for Postecoglou at Spurs until the start of November but over the last few weeks, there is a sense that the Australian’s honeymoon period is over, with some pundits taking aim at him after the last three results.

The likes of Jermaine Jenas (BBC Sport) and Richard Keys (his personal blog) have accused the 58-year-old of being naïve, opining that he has to adapt and be a bit more pragmatic, given the injuries that Tottenham are dealing with at the moment.

Jenas even warned Postecoglou that Spurs might be humiliated at the Etihad Stadium and that the Tottenham fans would turn on him if he does not change his ways.

When asked about his approach being questioned, the Spurs head coach has told Football.London: “I think I enjoy [the questioning] after it when you come out the other side! But nah, I love it, mate. I love it.

“I don’t think anyone goes into management, or anything you do in life, thinking it’s going to be smooth. There’s going to be some rough moments and you’ve got to be prepared for that, you’ve got to enjoy that.

“The alternative is I’m not in a job and I’m sitting on my couch with no pressure on me and no one questioning anything.

“I’m at a fantastic football club, I’m in the best league in the world, getting challenged every week.

“Why wouldn’t I be enjoying it? In these times, the reason I think I really relish them is because my belief gets tested on a daily basis, whether internally or externally, because invariably even internally people will always ask those questions.

“‘Can you do this?’ ‘Are you able to continue playing this way?’ ‘Is it working or is it not working?’ All those kind of things.

“When I lay my head down at night, I just believe in it. I get up the next day thinking I feel strongly about it. Maybe I’ll end up in a heap, mate, I don’t know, because there are no guarantees, but my gut tells me that I won’t. I enjoy it.”

(Photo by Mark Leech/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)

Postecoglou needs to keep heads high at Tottenham

Perhaps a more immediate concern for Postecolgou is his players losing confidence after three straight losses.

The Aussie coach acknowledged that while some of his troops might start to question his methods if results are not favourable, he insisted that the feeling in the dressing room at the moment is that their performances have been decent.

When asked if it is difficult to get players up for games after three successive losses, he responded: “Not much harder but when you get scrutinised internally and externally I’m sure the players are thinking ‘is this really going to work against Man City?’ and those are justifiable questions that they need to ask.

“My role is to show them that this is still the way forward for us as a group if we’re ever going to bridge that gap to being a successful side. We have to believe in the football we want to play. Even though the last few results haven’t been great I don’t think the players have felt like they struggled out there.

“They still felt there were parts of the game when we were dominant. So they can see when we’re on it and we’re doing things right, even with so many absences, we’re still a very good football team. I don’t feel like it’s at a point where I’m losing people.

“The challenge comes if it stays that way, if we’re not getting a change. If you look at the first third of the season there are a couple of areas where we can be better and if we were better we wouldn’t have had the adverse results we’ve had in the last few games.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Based on the effort level and the attitude of the players on the pitch, it is clear that they fully believe in Postecoglou’s methods. The fact that the Australian does not throw his players under the bus after losses (like some of his predecessors did), probably helps in getting a buy-in from the squad.

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The game between Spurs and City is highly anticipated for many reasons. One of the most exciting ones though is the prospect of Pep Guardiola and Ange Postecoglou pitting their wits against each other in this high-octane clash.

Both managers have a lot in common. They are very particular about the way they want their teams to play. They are advocates of an attacking brand of football, irrespective of the situation of the game.

The main difference is that the Spanish tactician is already considered one of the best managers the league has ever seen while the Australian is still finding his feet.

Postecoglou has won the admiration of Spurs fans not only with his team’s style of play but also with his off-field charisma.

In an interview with TNT Sports following a victory against Bournemouth this season, the Australian displayed his cheeky humour. When asked about his team’s playing secrets, he quipped, ‘I’m just copying Pep, mate!’.

Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images

Postecoglou vs Guardiola: Head to Head

Considering the fact that the two tacticians haven’t managed in the same league at any given instance in their careers until now, the head-to-head games have been few and far. In fact, it has happened only once back in 2019.

During City’s pre-season Asia tour, they took on Yokohama F. Marinos which was managed by Postecoglou back then. The game may have ended 3-1 in the English club’s favour but the Japanese side managed to make an impression.

The official City website praised Yokohama’s attacking prowess, calling them an ‘excellent side’ whose commitment to playing open, attractive football was impressive. Even Guardiola claimed that they were the perfect side to face during pre-season as they were very quick and took a lot of risks.

Spurs Web Opinion

Now that they are managers in the same league, Sunday’s encounter could be the first of many clashes between the two astute tacticians. There is no doubt in my mind that Postecoglou can match Guardiola toe-to-toe in terms of planning.

Having lost the last three games, Spurs are desperate to get the win. Doing it against Guardiola’s City would be very impressive. Let’s hope we put in a performance that silences the Etihad this weekend.

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Playing City at the Etihad Stadium is not the sort of fixture that any team would want when they are trying to get out of a slump.

To make matters, Tottenham are without an entire team full of players due to suspensions and injuries, with many of their key men currently on the treatment table.

Spurs have a decent record against City but most of their success against Pep Guardiola’s men has come when the likes of Antonio Conte, Nuno Espirito Santo and Jose Mourinho have set the team up to defend deep and play on the counter-attack.

Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images

Tottenham will stay true to their style vs Man City

However, Postecoglou insisted that Tottenham would not have appointed him if they wanted him to employ such an approach.

When asked about Spurs sides of the past having joy against City on the counter-attack, the Australian told Football.London: “I think there’s a reason I’m sitting here and the reason is the end game is not to beat City. If that’s the end game, that’s been done. So no is the short answer. Not that I’m dismissive of that, because it’s a hell of an achievement to knock them off absolutely, but it’s not why I’m here.

“It’s not the end-game. I’m not trying to set up a team to beat Manchester City, I’m trying to set up a team to be successful. If that was enough [beating City], I wouldn’t be sitting here. It would be somebody else sitting here.

“So I take that as a pointer to me, and look, I understand why people would think that way and it’s a legitimate question: ‘Why wouldn’t you do it if you know it’s going to be successful?’

“But I don’t think I was appointed or I’d be surprised if was appointed and people would expect me to go down that route, knowing who I am as a manager.”

Following three straight losses, some pundits have accused Postecoglou of naivety, claiming that he should be more pragmatic, given the players that Spurs are currently missing (BBC Sport).

However, the 58-year-old remarked that he is not going to change just to please his critics,

When asked if he is aware of the scrutiny he is getting, Postecoglou responded: “Yeah, absolutely and that’s not a bad thing. That’s a good thing. We need to be scrutinised. I need to be scrutinised, I need to be questioned. That’s what tests my resolve. I ain’t going to change but bring it on.

“It doesn’t just test me, it tests the players, it tests the club. How resolved are we about doing this? Look at all the top teams, they’ve all been through the process through the tough times.

“They’ve all got questioned, they’ve all got scrutinised, they’ve all had criticism. How did they handle it, the ones that are through the other side?

“The ones who handled it differently, where are they now? There’s always indicators there but it’s maybe not as exciting to kind of not buckle at this time.

“It might seem boring to say ‘why didn’t he change?’ But I have a real strong belief in what I do and where the team is heading and I’m just not going to waver from it.”

Spurs Web Opinion

The reality is that our chances of beating City at the Etihad are always going to be slim, no matter how we set up tactically.

However, as a fan, I am much more excited about the game, knowing we will take the attack to City rather than sitting with ten men behind the ball and hanging on for dear life for much of it.

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The early season form of Yves Bissouma suggested Spurs were finally seeing the player they thought they had signed from Brighton, with the Malian dominating the middle of the park alongside Pape Matar Sarr.

Ange Postecoglou was clearly able to get a tune out of a player who struggled under Antonio Conte’s management. So, the prospect of adding the hugely talented Rodrigo Bentancur into that equation was tantalising.

Bentancur was out of action for eight months with an ACL injury sustained in February, but managed to return to fitness a little sooner than expected. Sadly, like two ships in the night, Bissouma and Bentancur have barely had a chance to combine.

(Photo by Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)

Postecoglou wants Bissouma and Bentancur together

Despite sharing the field for parts of the defeats against Chelsea and Wolves, Bissouma was suspended for the Villa game last weekend, and now Bentancur is injured until February. Now, Spurs fans will have to wonder what could have been, at least for a while.

When asked about the disappointing situation preventing him from putting his two midfielders together, Postecoglou told the press (via Football.London): “It would have been lovely to see Biss and Rodrigo in there together. I had all these plans… That’s just me thinking out loud. (laughs)”

Spurs Web Opinion

I cannot wait to see what Postecoglou does with these two. Bissouma holding up play and winning back the ball and then letting Bentancur roam forward will be a treat to watch. Roll on February when Bentancur is back, and let’s just hope he’s able to get back to his top form quickly.

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Postecoglou has refused to move away from his preferred approach despite the injury crisis at Tottenham and the Australian has been accused of naivety by some pundits.

The likes of Jermaine Jenas (BBC Sport) and Paul Merson (Sky Sports) have insisted that the 58-year-old should have been more pragmatic against Aston Villa, given that he is without many of his key players, with the former even warning that Spurs fans will start to turn on him if he does not change his ways.

Both Merson and Jenas also added that Tottenham could get embarrassed against Manchester City if the Spurs boss does not tweak his system.

(Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)

Everyone at Spurs remains fully behind Postecoglou

However, Eccleshare has said that those at the North London club are not concerned about the criticism levelled at the team’s tactical set-up, with everyone fully behind Postecoglou.

The journalist told the Fox Football Podcast: “Most fans aren’t that upset about the three losses. They understand the context, they’ve lost key players through injuries and suspensions. People get it, people understand. 

“Very few people within Spurs anyway are saying Ange has to be more pragmatic, maybe some are saying that externally, but people get it internally that he’s building something, this is how he wants to play and it’s not the end of the world if he loses a few games.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Most fans acknowledged at the start of the season that there would be some rough patches along the way in Postecoglou’s first season in charge. 

It would be ridiculous to turn on the Aussie coach after a few bad results, particularly given that our performances against the likes of Villa and Chelsea were quite good under the circumstances. 

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Postecoglou has not abandoned his high-risk, front-foot approach over recent weeks, even though Tottenham are without an entire team of players, owing to injuries and suspensions.

While the Australian will argue that his side deserved to get more out of the game against Chelsea and Aston Villa in particular, several pundits have accused him of naivety.

This includes the likes of Jermaine Jenas (BBC Sport) and Richard Keys (his personal blog), who suggested that the Spurs boss should have shown some more pragmatism against Villa and urged him to adopt a more cautious approach against City.

(Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)

Merson says Spurs will be embarrassed by Man City

Merson has become the latest pundit to fire a similar warning to Postecoglou, telling the Australian that his side could get humiliated at the Etihad Stadium if he is stubborn, pointing to the example of Arsene Wenger doing the same in the past.

The former Arsenal midfielder told Sky Sports: “There’s no way Tottenham can go and play the way they do against Man City. Great managers change things up,’

“I like Ange, he’s a top manager. He’s come into the Premier League to a big club and said he’s going to play his way, front-foot football – and I have all the respect in the world for him doing that.

“I remember many years ago I was in the studio when Arsenal went to Old Trafford. Arsene Wenger, never sits back, plays on the front foot. He’d got about seven injuries, played exactly the same way, got beat 8-2. 8-2. That’s not clever.

“You’ve got to play to your strengths. Sometimes you’ve got to say, ‘you know what, it’s not right to do that this weekend’, and they’ve got to change it up.

“Lose this game, that’s four on the trot. For the last four games with those injuries, at least three of them you’ve got to rein it in and think about nicking a point here, a point there, and maybe nick a win on the way too.

“But trying to win all three of those games… Sometimes you just haven’t got the players. The fans aren’t silly, they’ve seen enough of it over the years at Tottenham. They know he’s trying to entertain, but if you’ve not got Robbie Williams’ voice you’re not selling out Knebworth.

“Manchester City couldn’t cope with the injuries Tottenham have got. Eight players out, and a lot of those are key players too. If they go to the Etihad and open the game up they’ll ship five, I’ve got no doubt.”

Spurs Web Opinion

What many pundits are missing in their analysis is that without our first-choice defenders and midfielders, Tottenham simply do not have the players to keep City out for 90 minutes by playing with men behind the ball.

Spurs have a much better chance of nicking a point (although still a slim chance) if they play to their strengths and look to create chances. Tottenham will get some joy going forward and they will be hoping that Son can put away the chances that fall to him.

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There were several surprises in Postecoglou’s starting eleven last Sunday, including his decision to play Giovani Lo Celso alongside Rodrigo Bentancur in the middle of the park, Dejan Kulusevski as a number ten and Emerson Royal as centre-back.

Another decision that almost no one expected was the Aussie coach’s choice to hand Gil his first start for Tottenham since January.

The winger delivered a tidy display, handling the ball quite well and putting in a couple of dangerous crosses from the left flank.

(Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Does Bryan Gil deserve to start against Man City?

Postecoglou is now without several of his attacking players, with Manor Solomon, Ivan Perisic and Richarlison on the treatment table, and Hutton believes that it might be worth giving Gil a run of matches over the coming weeks so that he can build up his confidence.

When asked about the 22-year-old starting, the former Spurs right-back told Football Insider: “I didn’t expect it at all. Gil’s come on in the past and he definitely has the ability to cause defenders problems.

“He can see a pass as well, so if Tottenham are looking for that creative spark, it could be him. We can’t really judge him on this performance. People will claim that this was his opportunity, but he played well at times but he definitely needs a run of games.

“You can’t expect someone to come in from the cold and be unbelievable – it very rarely happens. So if he gets that opportunity to shine, I think he can but it’s harsh to judge him on this one performance.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Given how well Kulusevski did in the number ten role, I expect Postecoglou to persist with that change. That would mean that he would have no other option but to continue playing Gil in the front three as all of Tottenham’s other forwards are out injured.

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