Ange Postecoglou has said in his pre-match press conference ahead of Tottenham Hotspur’s clash with West Ham, that Spurs will continue to play short passes rather than long balls from the back.
Postecoglou’s possession-based football
Every football supporter in the country is now familiar with Postecoglou’s risky style of play. From the high defensive lines to the fast attacking buildups, the Australian manager’s tactics have become well-known and open to both praise and ridicule.
As we saw last season in the 4-1 defeat to Chelsea, Postecoglou does not bow to pressure from supporters or the media, and he is adamant that his team play the way he wants, even if that means pressing high and attacking with nine men.
But after Spurs threw a two-goal lead away against Brighton and Hove Albion, there have been renewed calls for Postecoglou to reconsider his tactical approach to the game, specifically his desire to play the ball out from the back with short passes.
Postecoglou will not change the way he plays
Postecoglou’s short passing football has been key to some great performances from his side, but there are times when it is less effective. Tottenham have had more possession than their opponents every game this season, but their displays have varied a lot in quality.
It is worth pointing out that Spurs had 61 per cent of the possession in the second half against Brighton, which is more than they had in the first half, yet they conceded three goals, only forced Bart Verbruggen to make one save, and failed to create a single goal scoring chance.
Meanwhile, there is every chance that playing long balls may suit Tottenham’s current squad. Brennan Johnson and Timo Werner, who have been the wingers to start in recent matches, are both quick and able to get in behind the defence. Dominic Solanke also possesses this quality, as well as having enough height to win aerial duels.
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But when asked why Tottenham are yet to play a single long goal kick this season, Postecoglou has made it clear that he has no intentions to play any differently.
He said (football.london): “We might have played one or two longer but I won’t second guess your research. It’s part of the way we want to play our football.
“The shorter pass means you’re going to start off with possession. We don’t want to give away possession. The kind of team we are, we want to set things up so we have control of the game and the shorter pass guarantees that and from there you move your way forward.
“A big part of our build-up play is to manipulate oppositions as much as we can as we move up the park rather than go long to a contested ball and hope we get the second ball. We’re just not that kind of team.
“But within that context, there’s enough variety there that we still make it difficult for teams to stop us from achieving that.”
In Ange we trust
Trying to persuade Postecoglou to change the way he plays is a waste of time. He has proven on numerous occasions that he is confident in the way he sets up his team and that he does not see a reason to execute a plan B.