After Spurs’ recent Carabao Cup Victory against Man City, Postecoglou opened up about the resilience of his squad and his belief that Spurs can shed the ‘Spursy’ tag narrative, especially when competing against the league’s strongest teams.
Tottenham’s Carabao Cup triumph
Tottenham Hotspur’s dramatic 2-1 win over Manchester City in the Carabao Cup showcased the team’s newfound intensity and composure, elements rarely associated with the ‘Spursy’ tag. The night started brightly as Spurs seized control early on; Timo Werner, looking revitalised, opened the scoring within five minutes with a precise finish set up by Dejan Kulusevski.
Minutes later, Pape Matar Sarr doubled the lead with a stunning long-range strike from 30 yards out. The home crowd was electrified, as Tottenham’s first-half display held City at bay.
Despite City’s possession dominance, Tottenham’s defensive discipline limited their typically prolific opponents to a single goal before the break. Postecoglou’s tactics allowed Spurs to absorb pressure effectively, shutting down City’s final-third creativity.
In the end, Spurs came away with a 2-1 win over one of the toughest teams in England, a victory that showcased both skill and determination, prompting questions about whether Postecoglou’s Tottenham can finally shake off the ‘Spursy’ label and build a reputation of resilience.
Postecoglou’s response to the ‘Spursy’ question
In his recent press conference, Postecoglou faced a question many Spurs managers have encountered over the years – whether his team had finally broken free of the ‘Spursy’ reputation.
In his response, the Tottenham manager acknowledged the persistence of the label, suggesting it’s something fans and critics alike won’t easily forget.
MORE SPURS STORIES
Speaking to football.london he said: “Yeah, I don’t know about that. I still think that’s something, what I’ve said before, people will always kind of, every time we have stumble people are going to throw at us.
“You have to accept that, whether you believe that you’re not that any more, you have to accept that you can prove otherwise.
“I think the other night was a really strong performance against a pretty formidable side where we had to show every aspect of our game. We had to defend well, which I thought we really did because they didn’t really create too many clear-cut opportunities against us which against City that’s your best possible case of keeping them out – because it’s the volume of chances that kind of erodes your ability to keep them out.
“I think we had quality the other way, we created the best chances of the game, had a little bit of everything. It was an unbelievable physical effort from the lads. Even the physical numbers we did after, the amount of running the boys had to do.
“That’s just, I think, what you have to do against a team like City if you want to be successful. So, there’s a lot of positives for us but again, I said this after the game, we’re still the same team that performed poorly against Crystal Palace.
“Nothing changed in those three days apart from us addressing some aspects of our football to stay true to that. If we don’t veer from that, we’ll get to where we want to.”
Reflecting on Tottenham’s evolving identity
Postecoglou’s response resonates with a fanbase long frustrated by missed opportunities and near-successes. His straightforward take highlights Tottenham’s growing resilience under his leadership, a shift apparent in their Carabao Cup performance.
However, as the season progresses, the coming fixtures will reveal if Postecoglou’s Spurs are truly moving beyond the ‘Spursy’ tag or if that shadow lingers yet. For now, Spurs fans can relish the hope of change, a hope that’s beginning to feel justified under Ange’s guidance.