Ange Postecoglou is stubborn and way out of his depth at Spurs, who are playing entertaining but ultimately fruitless football.
Send your views on Spurs and anything else to theeditor@football365.com
Oh Spurs
Never change Spurs, never change.
Oliver, London
…Unconfirmed rumours circulating that if Spurs part ways with Big Ange, they may look to re-hire Ossie Ardiles to bring some improved defensive stability to the side.
Chris (Tottingham) Bridgeman, Kingston upon Thames
…Gary Neville said it on commentary, put Spurs on TV every week. It’s like football on acid.
Luv it!!!
Paul Norris (and yes I am an Arsenal fan)
READ: 16 Conclusions from Spurs 3-6 Liverpool: Salah, Diaz, Szoboszlai and Kulusevski dazzle above the shod
…Great article from the boy Chicken about Slot’s pretty ham fisted mind games.
But here’s the thing. I think Ange fell for it.
Friday he has a pop at Carragher for daring to suggest that football shouldn’t be played the same from minute 1 – 90. He thought it was disrespectful.
Ange, get it into your head that this deeply successful export keeps billions of people around the world entertained. It requires a constant stream of content. You’re great content. No one’s being disrespectful. They’re advertising the next show. They knew it was going to be a humdinger.
Then he has a pop at Steve Wilson for asking a really soft question. That focused on whether or not having 10 players out leads to a team shipping more goals.
Steve Wilson is a classy broadcaster. Does a great turn on MOTD. Asks direct but fair questions. And on this instance the question was pretty much a warm bath. Actually the question was a warm bath with a slug of Matey, some Epsom bath salts and a warm towel on the heated towel rail. Ange popped his cork in a very unnecessary fashion.
Mainly because he’s a decent but stubborn, prickly, over-sensitive, out of his depth fella. Who surely can’t last much longer.
In other news, the bewildered looking Korean people coming out of the club shop to a half-hearted ‘Levy Out’ protest whilst rushing into the stadium to see the squid games activation and legs-gone Sonny was quite a sight. A true meeting of revenue-generating fan v legacy fan.
Oh well, as least when you leave after 60 minutes you get home in time for dinner.
Andrew
Dispatch from the cockerel cheese room
Made up to be top of the Prem tree for Christmas on a day Chelsea repeat Arsenal’s scoreless stalemate a week on (against another immaculate row of buses arranged masterfully by the nation’s newest head of public transport, Sean Dyche). Hopefully Mr. Dyche makes glaring missteps for his fleet preparing our game in hand, but that’s for another day isn’t it.
Refocusing on today, the shiny star topping said tree this year is a rousing Bournemouth win at a decrepit ground where soiled stockings hang with little care, and lumps of coal loosely arrange themselves as ineffective back threes.
And, a thank you to family in London who warmly (and sportingly) surprised me with match day tickets away to Tottenham today; they, Spurs supporters, had compromised by having me sat back row and as close to the Liverpool traveling support as possible (in Section 113). Glad to report acoustics in my section were excellent. I thought I was at Anfield such were the decibels as we rang up a tidy half-dozen, like a single set of tennis won convincingly on one service break.
Had a nice brief chat with the nearest steward who became aware I was incognito and marooned in enemy territory; whisper it, but thankfully he wasn’t a Spurs supporter either. Wasn’t as lucky when another steward intervened mid-match to warn me of our antics, so remaining celebrations were muted. Perhaps a timely reminder that nothing’s won at Christmas… but what a festive period it has been thus far.
Eric, Los Angeles CA (To the Scouse gentleman behind ruffling my and my missus’ hair over the glass partition six times this evening (once per Liverpool goal), a Merry Christmas to you and to ours, good sir.)
Pragmatism v Idealism
Was today’s result at Spurs a win for pragmatism over idealism? Liverpool destroyed Spurs by taking the lower-risk options while still being attractive and scoring. While Spurs played the same way, knowing they risked giving away a lot of opportunities.
Slot will change tactics when playing different opponents, even within a game, where it looks like Big Ange will only play the one way.
Liverpool looked fabulous – but how much was that down to Spurs letting them look great?
Paul McDevitt
The Man Utd Mystery
I’m confused. They got Erik out, they’re getting Rashford out, and yet they still look like amateurs who have never kicked a ball let alone tried to defend a corner. How could this be?
Of course, The United Conundrum isn’t “how are they still sh*t”, it’s “how have all involved, from fans to owners, continue to misjudge the situation so grotesquely.”
You say you know there’s a long tough rebuild ahead then offer the likes of Bruno and Harry new contracts. Insanity. Maybe the next new striker fixes everything eh?
Tom, LFC (you don’t even deserve jokes in brackets)
…What the absolute f*ck was that?
No, seriously, what the absolute fu*k was that?
Happy Christmas all!
Garey Vance, MUFC
Man Utd formation not working
Man United’s new Head Coach continues to employ his 3-4-2-1 formation match in and match out with very minuscule success. While the current batch of United players aren’t familiar with this formation, the point must further be made that the said formation will not work in the EPL.
Generally, the 3-4-2-1 formation is vulnerable where the opponents have very fast players, in particular, fast forwards. United are exposed not only in counter attacks but more so when fast players quickly move the ball from one end of the pitch to the other.
Clearly, the United defence is not able to cope with the associated speed and pressure resulting in heavy losses. Amorim should rethink his approach immediately if we are to draw our way back.
Professor (Dr) David Achanfuo Yeboah
Where’s Stewie now?
Please can you give Stewie an ultimatum, if he’s not going to write in after a 5-1 win away at an in-form Palace team, without Bukayo Saka for the most part, then he’s not going to get printed next time we have a disappointing 0-0.
On behalf of the Mailbox’s sanity.
Ben, AFC
APT a Man City coincidence?
Just to put a spin on the City are guilty and so their players have all given up narrative. The downturn actually nearly perfectly aligns with City losing the APT case with the league. Keep in mind they were near the top of the league before that ruling came out.
Maybe losing that case means, even if City are found not guilty on the 130 charges, the club is no longer sustainable. Their fantasy crypto sponsorship worth £5m a year will soon be revalued at £0 (worth googling this utterly brazen move if you don’t know about it). Their Etihad sponsorship gets revalued at half of its current inflated value…repeat across their entire commercial revenue and that record £700m revenue quickly falls to £350m or less.
The club may have already told the players that they will need to sell at least a few prize assets to get things in order financially for next season. Knowing that your top players are all on the way out could also explain the drop in quality with players focussed on avoiding injury and trying to jump the ship before it sinks.
Minty, LFC
Merry Xmas to all but Mark
Xmasfootballdarts day for me.
Have I missed lots or does anyone know what Mark’s moaning about?
I think its Man City related but I’m no longer 100% sure..?
Don’t want to poke the bear / hornets nest etc.. but.. that’s bordering on legal threats?
Wishing the mailbox and all the staff at 365 the very best Christmas/season/festivities and a magic new year.
Thanks for all the hard work.
It gets me and I’m sure very many of us, through bad days and good.
It’s the bit of my day I always look forward too.
Cheers everyone
Happy Times