Tottenham’s playing style under Ange Postecoglou is attractive and exciting—one hardly disputes this fact. One also hardly disputes the fact that his philosophy actively undermines Spurs’ ability to go on a consistent run.
One of his players has recently admitted that he prefers sides that come to the pitch with a playing style of their own.
Dejan Kulusevski admits preferring games against bigger teams because “they don’t cheat”
In a recent interview with SportBladet, Dejan Kulusevski expressed his preference of playing against bigger teams for one particular reason.
“I think it’s easier [against bigger other teams], because they try to play football. They don’t cheat, it’s more football against the best and I love that, then you meet each other on the same terms.
“They have more quality and we play man-to-man so it becomes more important for the individual to finish his duel, but we are not afraid.”
Kulusevski, as quoted by SportWitness.
Kulusevski remain a consistent performer in an otherwise flip-flopping Tottenham side. This season, the Sweden international has been occupying the central parts of the pitch and has delivered two goals and five assists in 17 appearances thus far.
Playing defensively is not cheating
Kulusevski’s comments here do not reflect well on him. As far as the team are concerned, well, we’re seeing the results, aren’t we?
If you are a team wedded to a particular style of play, you cannot bemoan an opposition for trying to play a way that actively undermines your plans, especially teams representing clubs that are fundamentally poorer in financial terms than yours.
At the end of the day, this is a results-based business. Results that you have to deliver regardless of whether your opposition prefer playing their own game or undoing yours. Romantic narratives will hand you the so-called “moral” victory, but Spurs fans will be the first ones to say that they’re done with consoling themselves with such notions.
