Manager Watch: Ange Postecoglou

[Johnny J]

He recently stated that he doesn't like specialist coaches

If he actually said that, and he meant it, that's absolutely fucking stupid of him. Especially as he's stepping up from the Scottish league.

 

[EQP]

If he actually said that, that's absolutely fucking stupid.

Yeah, I'll look for the clip and share it here when I find it - it was a pre-match presser and I believe Ally G was the one who asked the question.

 

[Wadec]

yes we can point to the set-piece weakness.

but there's a hell of a lot more wrong than just that.

This is it for me. The issue is not just the set piece weakness but the fact he does not think it is important. The same as asking 2 players to defend 1 v 1, not having his own coaching team and just using anyone. It shows a lack of realism for what os required at the very, very top.

Every person in any walk of life needs to learn from mistakes and take opportunities to improve. The worry here is that Ange hasn't needed to do that in his career previously. He could get by on his great attitude and desire to play good football.

Do really like his quite after the game re Romero. He has said he wants to put what is in Romero into other players.

 

[faze_coys]

This is extremely worrying comment...
If he cant see what we fans see or opponents see....this isnt going to end well

this is what will cost his job ffs

 

[JayB]

Ange’s stubbornness on set pieces is massively concerning. That quote is unforgivable — it’s as though he’s in denial that there is a real problem here.

The club hierarchy should force a set piece specialist on him. It should not be his choice. If he resigns in protest, so be it, because persisting with the status quo would inevitably be his undoing anyway.

 

[Trix]

yes we can point to the set-piece weakness.

but there's a hell of a lot more wrong than just that.

Absolutely but it's the easiest thing to fix without months of training.

 

[Thenewcat]

Biggest mistake he made today was that midfield. Hojbjerg starting is just a disaster waiting to happen. Can forgive other things but that was a tragic starting line up

Fuck sake then desperation to start from your position (you don’t like Hojbjerg) and work backwards is so boring. The fact we can’t defend a set piece isn’t down to Hojbjerg.

 

[NickHSpurs]

I'm not suggesting that's the solution?

Just responding to the comment that he's forced to play bang average players. He's not.

He is absolutely forced into it though, you can’t just chuck a youngster into games like that, could completely ruin their development. You need competitions like Europa/League Cup for that.

 

[Impspur1]

If he actually said that, and he meant it, that's absolutely fucking stupid of him. Especially as he's stepping up from the Scottish league.

Not the best thing to say when every piece of evidence counters that

 

[ljinko888]

If he's not going to get the coaches to sort out the set piece defending then we better hope the striker we buy in the summer is 6ft and can head a ball well. We took for granted how good Kane was at clearing corners at the front post. Drogba for Chelsea was excellent at that too.

 

[THFC_SWE]

yes we can point to the set-piece weakness.

but there's a hell of a lot more wrong than just that.

Defending in general is a problem. Ange is relying too much on VdV pace to fix a lot of the problems. And it doesn’t work. We must defend as a unit.

 

[yojambo]

I don't know now, about set pieces. Sat here thinking about it I can maybe see the sense in what Ange is saying, that the collective need to find a solution to problems.
I would personally get a specialist coach in, but maybe he has faith that the staff / team will work it out.

 

[RuskyM]

It's even more bizarre because for all the criticism of him not changing, he *has* made a lot of alterations that have changed games - how many times have subs changed the game? (You could argue that's a problem in and of itself of course, but then we'll get into a cycle). He started Hojbjerg, which he's not really done much, so he's clearly open to alterations - it makes the defensive issues so much more glaring. Whatever the intention is it just isn't working.

 

[arunspurs]

Biggest mistake he made today was that midfield. Hojbjerg starting is just a disaster waiting to happen. Can forgive other things but that was a tragic starting line up

Starting Hojbjerg over Bissouma is a no brainer. Its not like battle was lost in midfield.
Problem was lack of defending in set pieces

If I were to be unhappy with starting XI, thats probably down to not starting Richy. We have needed no9 presence for a while. Teams have been man marking us on build up phase. For me, Richy now has to start every game till end of season.

 

[mill]

Naive

 

[13VanDerBale13]

Too stubborn for his own good, suspect he’ll quiet talk of needing a set piece coach.

Just as I expected

 

[spurs mental]

This is extremely worrying comment...
If he cant see what we fans see or opponents see....this isnt going to end well

We have conceded, working back this season, since January (13 games), slightly more than 1 in 2. Poor.

2 v Ars
1 v New
1 v Ful
1 v Wol
2 v Everton
1 v City (cup)

 

[Whazam]

Jesus Christ, how can anyone watch that game and not see progress?

The set-piece defending is pathetic and it's insane we haven't done anything about it, but my God, that was one of the most unfair results I've seen this season.

We completely dominated them, created the best chances (did they do anything of note except for Saka's goal?), were unlucky with some crucial decisions, and were by far the better team.

 

[spurs mental]

He is absolutely forced into it though, you can’t just chuck a youngster into games like that, could completely ruin their development. You need competitions like Europa/League Cup for that.

Yes, but we have options other than Son or Maddison that are not young and have plenty of experience.

He's not forced to play either of those but continues to do so.

 

[philll]

If he doesn't think we have a problem with set pieces (defensively, especially), the alarm bells turn into genuine concern.