The ‘Postecoglou Doctrine’

If Everton’s strange coach theory is true, the Englishman Sean Dychewhich teaches that all good coaches are “stealers of ideas”, Ange Postecoglou, the revolutionary coach of Tottenham Hotspur, will be one of the smartest ‘thieves’ in the Premier League. We are facing the most innovative manager of the year. No one has assigned him yet, but whatever happens at Spurs, from now on, the Australian Postecoglou He has already shown, in the north of London, the most difficult thing in football: a great talent to convince his ideas and, above all, to implement a defined style of play that changes the loss of dynamics, when it comes you in a disoriented club. . A clear example to follow.

Postecoglou, of Greek origin, came to the English league cautiously, supported only by his good previous work at Celtic Glasgow and the Australian national team. The choice of Tottenham’s owners, the English group ENIC and its president Daniel Levy, took into account an important fact: Celtic won the league by scoring 114 goals in 38 games . It may be another bold bet for a club lost in the labyrinth of constant coaching change, but boldness is often rewarded. If what they want is for Tottenham to be the benchmark again, Postecoglou He achieved this in a very short time and in his first season in the Premier. He implemented a dangerous and daring system, in which he once again put Spurs in the fight for titles. This is the team that has improved the most in the English league.

Now everyone knows how Tottenham Hotspur play, with its impressive tactical diversity and physical display, forcing its players to defend high and their full-backs almost forward, with risk it means. And the best thing, it is already known Postecoglou The style does not change from one match to another, depending on the opponent. He won’t do it, and he won’t when he faces Manchester City on the 26th to try to knock them out of the FA Cup. Since his arrival in the sports city of Enfield, Postecoglou Marked a new direction for Tottenham football. Play without any fear, believe in your model.

Post-Harry Kane phase

We must remember the difficult moment in which he arrived at the multi-ethnic club in north London, with the transfer of Harry Kane, the benchmark of the last decade. The Australian coach sought a formula to replace him by improving everyone who played alongside the Englishman. This is the case of the South Korean Son, who was given the captain’s stripes, or the Swede Kulusevsky. And it is no coincidence that the Brazilian Richarlison and the ivory Bissoumahave recovered to their best level, one with goals and the other with strength, after a period as substitutes.

With confidence first, Spurs signs were written as if in a manual, where they quickly indoctrinated their players, some of whom changed on the field. To see Spanish full-back Pedro Porro now playing as an attacking midfielder, and even as the organizer and launcher of Tottenham’s attacks, is a huge tactical surprise and well defines how he works. Postecoglou. He brings in players where he sees technical qualities and empowers them to give their best. like Italian Udogieone of the best left backs in the Premier, and another discovery.

Lateral-front

Angela Postecoglou He laughed off suggestions that his tactical approach was heavily inspired by Pep Guardiola, as he tries to move radically away from positional football. And one of the examples is how Postecoglou ‘messing up’ the movement of his side. Tottenham don’t limit themselves to including them in midfield, as Manchester City do stones either will walk, Liverpool with Alexander-Arnold, or Arsenal with Zinchenko, but forcing them to constantly move in attacks, to find internal spaces, and put them in finishing positions. The result is that Spurs can reach the area with up to 6 players.

Step by step, Tottenham converged, until it got the aggressive idea of ​​the game that it suggested. Postecoglou. There was only one moment of doubt that came with injuries, given the physical demands that this system, with its high defensive line, fast pace and aggressive pressure, imposes on the players. They know they have to run and run. The coach himself summed up the style like this: “The way we play has a high physical cost. In order for us to sustain and maintain that, we need a strong team. We are not close to that at the moment. ” Muscle Injuries torpedoed that Tottenham’s ascending line, since the defeat in their stadium against Chelsea (1-4). That match was also a call to identity. The Spurs ended up with 10 players on the field, but with a defensive line planted in the midfield.

If they are a well-harmonized compendium of the ideas of others, the game system of Postecoglou This is transgressive and shocking to the Premier. With him, Spurs are level on points with their great north London rivals, Arsenal, in fourth place, and just five points behind leaders Liverpool. And once they can count on Son, Sarr, Bissouma, Maddison and Kulusevski, there’s no doubt this Tottenham team will fly higher. So far, he has earned the credit of Spurs ownership to strengthen himself in January with the signing of German Timo Werner and Genoa defender Dragusin, with a goal that Postecoglou himself does not hide, with skepticism: “The classification does not deceive. And where we are, it means that we are candidates.”