Ange Postecoglou believes Tottenham’s passive approach cost them the FA Cup tie against Man City
Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou reflects on his team’s ‘passive approach’ against Manchester City in the FA Cup exit, per The Standard. Nathan Ake‘s 88th-minute strike broke the Manchester City hoodoo of not having scored any goal in Spurs’ new stadium and also handed them the victory.
Ange said:
“We fought hard to stay in the game, but to be honest that’s all we did is stay in the game. Our second half was OK. First half was a little too passive and we allowed them to get a bit of rhythm in the game.
The Spurs boss also reflected on how Manchester City is the benchmark for the others to follow. Manchester City had Tottenham on the back feet right from the start. The stats from the game are a testament to the same.
The Sky Blues had a crack at goal 18 times as opposed to just one from the Lilywhites. However, only five of them tested Vicario. City also enjoyed a majority of possession (57%).
What now for Tottenham?
The FA Cup exit should help Ange Postecoglou shift his focus to the Premier League. They currently occupy the fifth spot on the table and are eight points behind league leaders Liverpool.
The Spurs boss now has a strong squad, except for Son, Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma’s absence due to the Asian Cup and AFCON. He has also welcomed Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison back into the squad.
The addition of Timo Werner and Radu Dragusin should further strengthen his squad. The only missing piece is conviction! Spurs need to believe in their ability to overturn the fortune. Gunning for the title will be more of an unrealistic approach but trying to secure a spot in the top-four shouldn’t be.
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Postecoglou and Co. should aim for long-term goals. With the kind of squad they possess, it won’t be surprising to see Tottenham leading the table at the start of the next season. The only catch is — no injury nightmares again!
