Ange Postecoglou’s To-Do List: Crucial Fixes for Spur’s Success This Season

Tottenham’s rollercoaster 2023/24 season left fans dizzy and disappointed, from’ Ange ball’ euphoria to mid-table mediocrity. But as the Premier League’s carousel starts spinning again, hope springs eternal in N17. Any credible research paper writer or football analyst can see the first season under Postecoglou was a tale of two halves.

Early season optimism had us dreaming of a title charge, only for reality to bite hard as Spurs limped to an eighth-place finish. Yet, with the slate wiped clean, it’s time for the Tottenham faithful to dust off their dreams again.

This season brings a silver lining to last year’s cloud – no European football means a laser focus on domestic glory. The trophy drought has stretched far too long, and Postecoglou knows cup success could be the tonic to soothe years of frustration and banter.

The early signs in an upbeat transfer window have encouraged Tottenham’s squad. What might be Dominic Solanke’s goalscoring, Archie Gray’s youthful dynamism, and Wilson Odobert’o’s flair?

But before we start dreaming, we must address our Achilles’ heel and the issue that held us back last season.

No More High Line

Nothing pains me more than the 4-1 loss to London rivals Chelsea on home ground last season. It wasn’t the awful hat-trick by Nicholas Jackson that made the news, but Ange’s high line as we’ve come to know it.

Ange looks steadfast in his commitment to an attacking style and high-line tactics throughout the season. But, with this naivety and stubbornness not to adapt, that will be the end of us.

Games against Fulham, Newcastle, Arsenal, and Chelsea showed that went out of possession, these counter-attacking teams can rip through us easily.

We saw how Marco Silva and Eddie Howe tweaked their tactical setup normally to combat our ‘high line,’ but Ange had no answers. I’m not saying it’s totally Ange’s fault, but it’s wise sometimes to have a Plan B, C, and D.

Adding more players to the starting lineup gives us more tactical versatility to change our setup for different games.  

The Son Conundrum

Son Heung-min’s decline is tough for Spurs fans to swallow, but it’s a reality we must face. At 32, the South Korean’s explosive pace and razor-sharp agility – once the hallmarks of his game – have noticeably dimmed.

We caught glimpses of the old Son Heung-min with his performance last season, especially when he was played through down the middle. A hat-trick against Burnley was a reminder of his guile. But those moments were few and far between throughout a season dominated by games where he was too wide to have much overall impact.

It is a leap of faith to trust that Solomon, Werner, and Odobert are the answer, so while they seem promising as reinforcement for what might be Son’s last days in sunny Spain, it still looks like chasing shadows. As able as these players are, they do not have the proven form in the Premier League of one Son — or at least what we saw from him over a match-winning period.

We’ve witnessed Son ghost through too many games recently. His inability to constantly beat defenders one-on-one had blunted our attacking edge. It’s a harsh truth, but Son’s diminishing returns could become a liability as we push for a top-four return.

Postecoglou faces a delicate balancing act. Phasing out a club legend is never easy, but it may be necessary for Spur’s evolution. The question now is whether Son can reinvent himself in a different role or if it’s time to make the difficult decision.

Lacklustre First-Half Performances

Slow out of the blocks and sprinting to the finish lines – that’s been the story of Tottenham’s matches so far under Ange. While comeback victories against Burnley, Sheffield United, Brentford, Brighton, and Crystal Palace were thrilling, they’re a risky strategy for a team with top-four aspirations.

Last season, Spurs developed a concerning habit of sleepwalking through the first 45 minutes. The numbers tell a stark tale: a meager 0.71 goals per game in the first half, compared to a much healthier 1.26 after the break. This cold and hot approach left fans biting their nails and opposition licking their lips.

Last but not least, Ange fancies fitness, so we can end games at will on standing foot. But this is a catch-22. Counting on late surges leaves our defense/open field tackling due to committing all available resources upfront.

My observations are all anecdotal, but if you look at the numbers, they tell a pretty stark story. We also led the way with 21% of our goals coming in the final 10 minutes of games, which was over double what we scored (9%) within this game’s other bracket, from minute 1 to minute 10. The late drama may be scintillating, but it is not a sustainable path to success.

Addressing this lack of first-half urgency is crucial. Starting games on the front foot would ease the team’s pressure and allow us to control matches rather than constantly chasing them.

Set-Pieces Woes

The Achilles’ heel has been our fragility at set-pieces, and it is a wound that does not seem to be healing as we go into the new season with Tottenham.

The 14 goals we conceded in this manner last year have become an albatross, with 14 Premier League sides boasting better statistics than us. The pre-season club friendlies against Bayern Munich were a rude awakening of reality. To let in two goals from two set-pieces against the German giants displayed our frailty.

It’s puzzling that despite employing Gianni Vio to work on attacking set-pieces last season, our defensive organization remains chaotic in these moments. Watch any Spurs corner defense, and you’ll see a team unsure whether to man-mark, zonal mark, or hope for the best.

Postecolgou is also expected to resist calls for a specialist set-piece coach. Although his work ethic and desire to be involved in all aspects of coaching are commendable, the numbers tell him that this area requires immediate specialized care.

As a fan, it was annoying watching us drop points from what is, in general, such a controllable aspect of the game. How many times will we let out a collective groan when that corner kick hits the back of our net?

A solid set-piece defense can form the foundation for a more assertive, dominant Tottenham. Until we solve this puzzle, we’ll always be vulnerable, no matter how good we are in open play.

Top Four Hopes?

Let’s take last season as a learning curve for Ange. Now, the experience earned will catapult him to the next level. Moreover, more emphasis on cup competitions guarantees us a trophy to end the years of drought and banter.