Ange Postecoglou labelled ‘arrogant’ after heavy Chelsea loss

Ange Postecoglou has finally felt the cutting edge of the British press for his tactics in Tottenham’s thrashing at the hands of Chelsea.

Chelsea players celebrate and (inset) Ange Postecoglou reacts during Tottenham’s 4-1 loss in London. Photos: Getty Images

The honeymoon might well and truly be over for Ange Postecoglou.

The Australian manager had been the toast of the Premier League after his extraordinary unbeaten start to life with Tottenham.

A club that is used to battling for relevance in the crowded, competitive London market soared to the top of the league over the opening 10 games with a scintillating style of play as “big Ange” quickly won over the doubters.

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But that adulation has taken its first hit, and a sizeable one at that, following his cavalier tactics in a heavy 4-1 home defeat to London rivals Chelsea.

Coming into the match looking to re-establish a two-point lead above Manchester City atop the table, Spurs got the opening goal in just the sixth minute through Dejan Kulusevski before absolute madness ensued.

Chelsea players celebrate and (inset) Ange Postecoglou reacts during Tottenham’s 4-1 loss in London. Photos: Getty Images

By the end of it all, Tottenham had two men sent off and suffered a 4-1 loss.

Postecoglou’s dogged determination to stick to his style, using a high defensive line even without two players on the pitch, has brought some stinging criticism.

“The red card and the pen was obviously a game-changer but at that moment in time, Chelsea were starting to find a bit of space,” former Chelsea defender Jason Cundy said on talkSPORT.

“I wondered whether at halftime (Postecoglou) might have gone to a five at the back. He likes to play attacking football but you can still do that down to 10 men, you can still have the wing-backs that bomb on, but defensively you can be solid.

Ange Postecoglou (left) and Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino during the game. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

“But no, he played a 4-3-2 and a 4-3-1. I thought (it was) naive. He gave the opportunity to Chelsea to get in behind.

“It felt almost inevitable that we were going to get in behind, it was just a matter of time.

“I was surprised that Postecoglou ... I have to say there was a bit of an arrogance about not changing it.”

Former England and Arsenal striker Paul Merson also expressed his surprise at the tactics in a column on Sky Sports.

“Tottenham playing on the halfway line with nine players was just extraordinary,” he wrote.

“I’d never seen anything like it. But Ange Postecoglou should have changed tactics.

“I like Postecoglou and he probably thought Chelsea were going to score in the second half playing against 10 men, so it’s pointless going out with a whimper, playing 10 behind the ball and never looking like scoring a goal.

Postecoglou’s first lonely walk after a Premier League defeat. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

“But sooner or later Chelsea had to find that pass in behind. It was very easy. If that was Man City playing Tottenham it would have been 10-1 at least.”

Even before the full toll of Postecoglou’s tactical decisions had been felt, former England and Spurs great Glenn Hoddle was screaming for change.

“If Tottenham keeps playing that high, near the halfway line, then I think it’s footballing suicide with 10 men,” he said at halftime of the broadcast.

“You can’t get pressure on the ball and they’ll get picked off. They’ve got to play a little bit deeper.

Because that high line with nine men doesn't fill me with any confidence.

— Tony Evans (@TonyEvans92a) November 8, 2023

Postecoglou's justification to these brainless tactics was if we deviated from our philosophy, the players will start questioning it.

Which is scary to think about, because that's basically admitting that the first time Spurs hit a big rough slump, they are going to spiral. https://t.co/zasQdsZ5hu

— Dukh, Dard, Peeda 🔴⚪⚫ (@jayloke10) November 8, 2023

“They’ve done it all season. They had the defenders in there that they’ve had it work, but it seems to me they haven’t changed their tactics. They’ve got to change.”

We all know now that Postecoglou refused to change, leading to the bizarre sight of nearly all outfield players crowding around the centre circle as Chelsea tried to beat the line, which they began to do more and more as the game wore on.

To their credit, Spurs fans still lavished their new manager with applause at full-time and the affable Aussie demonstrated who he is when asked about it all after the match.

“It is just who we are mate,” he said. “It is who we are and who we will be for as long as I am here.

“If we go down to five men, we will have a go.”