How Postecoglou abandoned 'Ange-ball' to win Europa League

"It's conscionable who we are mate - it's who we are and who we volition beryllium for arsenic agelong arsenic I americium here. If we spell down to 5 men we volition person a go."

When Ange Postecoglou defended his determination to not wantonness his attacking principles aft a 4-1 nonaccomplishment to Chelsea successful November 2023 - contempt Spurs going down to 9 men - it drew a substance of responses.

There were those who admired his stance, and those who felt it foolish not to beryllium much flexible.

In the main, Postecoglou continued to instrumentality by those principles, but for the biggest crippled of his Spurs reign - and the club's caller past - helium abandoned them.

In Wednesday's Europa League last they ground retired a 1-0 triumph against Manchester United, spending astir the full 2nd fractional defending arsenic Spurs won their archetypal trophy successful 17 years.

"Ange Postecoglou said that helium doesn't alteration his tactics - what made him bash it?" asked erstwhile Tottenham midfielder Michael Brown connected BBC Radio 5 Live.

"I was sat determination reasoning 'Is helium truly doing this [defending deep] truthful early?' He's changed his mode and got success."

Europa League success, and with it transition to adjacent season's Champions League, means Tottenham tin rightly laud this play arsenic a triumph, contempt the club's torrid home form.

They are presently successful information of finishing 1 spot extracurricular the Premier League relegation portion aft losing 21 of their 37 league games with 1 fixture remaining.

That signifier means uncertainty remains implicit Postecoglou's future, adjacent aft this Europa League win.

Therefore determination was perchance an constituent of the Tottenham brag having thing to suffer successful presumption of however helium approached Wednesday's final.

Spurs had already played Manchester United 3 times this play and won each three, scoring 8 goals and conceding six - underlining Postecoglou's high-pressing and swashbuckling benignant of play.

But determination were hints helium was preparing to instrumentality a much pragmatic attack for this 4th fixture against the Red Devils successful the 2nd limb of their Europa League semi-final against Bodo/Glimt.

At the location of the Norwegians, Spurs had conscionable 31.6% possession. Against Manchester United they had 27.7%. Both are the lowest magnitude of possession Spurs person had successful games they person won nether Postecoglou.

Neither broadside were superb oregon peculiarly adventurous successful a dull archetypal half, but it was Tottenham who got the breakthrough erstwhile Brennan Johnson bundled successful from adjacent range.

After that it was each astir defending what they had.

In the 2nd fractional they had conscionable 1 interaction wrong the absorption box, did not person a changeable connected oregon disconnected target, and conscionable 19.8% possession.

And successful uncharacteristic manner Postecoglou sacrificed an attacking subordinate for a antiaircraft 1 erstwhile Johnson was replaced by centre-back Kevin Danso.

Former Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson said: "It was a mediocre watch, it truly was an atrocious game, but Tottenham ruined it. They spoiled the game. That was the crippled plan.

"It was not what we are utilized to seeing from Ange Postecoglou. It was a gritty, horrible, defensive, determined, rugged performance."

Tottenham surely rode their luck astatine times and besides needed immoderate large idiosyncratic performances arsenic Micky van de Ven made an unthinkable goalline clearance from Rasmus Hojlund, portion goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario made a large prevention from Luke Shaw precocious on.

Overall Spurs had 3 shots, conscionable 27.7% possession and completed 115 passes, each the lowest figures Opta has connected grounds by immoderate squad successful a large European last (since 2009-10).

"This showed determination is simply a program B," erstwhile Tottenham guardant Gareth Bale said connected TNT Sports.

"I conjecture arsenic a manager if Ange Postecoglou besides matures, and brings that benignant of antiaircraft broadside to his teams, of people helium tin inactive person large occurrence here."

Ex-Leicester midfielder Robbie Savage added connected BBC Radio 5 Live: "He's adapted, large Ange.

"He hasn't gone a afloat press, helium hasn't gone with a precocious line. He sat heavy and won the crippled due to the fact that helium adapted."

So did Postecoglou wholly wantonness his attack to football?

According to the antheral himself, nary - arsenic helium said the Europa League requires a antithetic attack to Premier League football.

"I've ever felt that knockout shot is antithetic from your league football," Postecoglou said.

"When you're successful that situation, it comes down truly to bully organisation, belief, having a bully crippled program and past moments; if you tin minimise the moments the absorption person by having a truly beardown foundation.

"I ever felt comfy that if we got ahead, we could negate astir of what Manchester United were going to propulsion astatine us."

Uncertainty remains implicit Postecoglou's semipermanent aboriginal astatine Spurs, but helium is determined to enactment astatine the nine and, arsenic helium puts it, "complete the job".

While 'Ange-ball' is improbable to spell distant completely, the flexibility shown by Postecoglou to alteration his attack and unafraid a archetypal European trophy successful 41 years for Spurs whitethorn person the club's fans that determination could beryllium adjacent amended times ahead.