Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou slams ‘set-piece narrative’ after Arsenal loss
Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou expressed his frustration at the persistent narrative suggesting he doesn’t care about set-pieces following Spurs’ 1-0 defeat to Arsenal in the North London Derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The game saw itself decided by a brilliant Bukayo Saka corner that found Gabriel Magalhaes unmarked five yards out, allowing the Arsenal defender to head home the only goal of the match.
Cristian Romero, tasked with marking Gabriel, lost his man after seeing himself nudged in the back, resulting in a clear opportunity for the Arsenal player to score from Bukayo Saka’s whip in from the corner. This moment encapsulated Tottenham’s ongoing struggles with defending set-pieces, a recurring issue that has plagued Postecoglou’s tenure.
In the post-match press conference, Postecoglou addressed the criticisms head-on. Here is what he had to say via The Express:
“I know, I know, for some reason people think I don’t care about set pieces and it’s a narrative that you can keep going on for ages and ages. I understand that. Like I said, we work on them all the time like we do for every other team. You know that they’re a threat, as I said, for the most part, we handled them really well today, but we switched off for one and we paid a price and you learn from that and you move on.”
Don’t fool yourself, Ange!
This is not the first time set-pieces have come back to haunt Spurs under Postecoglou. Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario has repeatedly shown vulnerability when defending corners, a weakness that opponents have exploited on multiple occasions. Additionally, the poor positioning of Tottenham’s aerial defenders has cost the team dearly, with players often found out of place or failing to win crucial headers.
Despite his public denials, Postecoglou must be acutely aware that improving set-piece defence is critical for the team’s success. Effective set-piece defending can often be the difference between winning and losing tight matches, as evidenced by the recent derby defeat. The Australian manager needs to address these deficiencies urgently if Spurs are to make significant progress this season.
Postecoglou’s acknowledgement of the need for improvement, albeit subtly, hints at the importance he places on set pieces. While he insists that the team works on them regularly, the results on the pitch suggest that more intensive and focused training is required. AND BIG TIME.
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While Postecoglou may bristle at the narrative questioning his commitment to set-piece defence, the evidence suggests it remains a critical area for improvement. Addressing these issues head-on will be crucial for Tottenham’s ambitions this season. Vicario, in particular, needs to improve his command of the penalty area during corners, while defenders must be drilled to maintain their positions and win aerial duels consistently.