Ange Postecoglou is in no mood for criticism as Tottenham Hotspur fall to Arsenal
Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou saw his side once again succumb to a North London derby loss to Arsenal at home. This is the third game in a row that the Australian has failed to secure bragging rights for the Lilywhites.
The defeat leaves Spurs in the 13th spot, with just one win in four games so far in the 2024-25 Premier League season. Tottenham had several chances to inflict damage on the Gunners, but their poor finishing and consequently poor defending on set pieces saw Mikel Arteta’s side once again leave with all three points.
Speaking to Sky Sports (h/t Daily Mail), Postecoglou responded defiantly but with visible irritation when asked if he could replicate the second-season success that he’s maintained at every club he’s managed. The question appeared to trigger his frustration, as he replied sharply:
“Am I going to answer the question, or are you going to keep asking it?”
“Yeah, absolutely. I’ll correct myself. I don’t usually win things, I always win things in my second year. Nothing has changed. I don’t say things unless I believe them.”
Postecoglou’s second-season syndrome
While Postecoglou’s first season at Spurs has not yielded silverware so far, the Australian manager’s history suggests that success could be on the horizon. During his time at Celtic, Postecoglou failed to win a trophy in his debut season, but he led the team to both the Scottish Premiership title and the Scottish League Cup in his second campaign. Similarly, in Japan, he guided Yokohama F. Marinos to their first J League title in 15 years during his second full season.
Postecoglou’s track record extends to international football as well. After taking charge of Australia’s men’s national team in 2013, he led the team to victory in the 2015 Asian Cup.
Criticism Over Set-Piece Defending
Postecoglou has faced criticism for Tottenham’s vulnerability in defending set-pieces, an issue that surfaced once again in the defeat to Arsenal. However, the Spurs boss remained unconcerned by the negative feedback, stating:
“I know, for some reason people think I don’t care about set pieces. It’s a narrative that you can keep going on for ages and ages.”
Despite the criticism, Postecoglou insisted that Tottenham have been working on set-pieces, but acknowledged that lapses in concentration, such as during Arsenal’s goal, were costly.
“For the most part, we handled them really well today, but we switched off for one and we paid the price.”
However, he stressed that the bigger picture of Spurs’ progress was more important than individual errors.
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Despite the frustration of losing to Arsenal in such an important fixture, Postecoglou remains confident in his long-term vision for Tottenham. His defiant response to questions about winning silverware underlines his belief in the process he’s building at the club. While critics may point to Tottenham’s shortcomings, especially in set-piece defending, Postecoglou seems determined to focus on the bigger picture as he looks to turn the team’s performances into tangible success in the future.
