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Manager Ange Postecoglou
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I think the letters I and N are the only things left that are ange in. Apart from that no-one else.
If he does a Conte and quits on the club or starts turning toxic like HE wants out, then he can fuck off because he knew what he signed up for.
If the man himself is still up for the fight then so am I.
If they sack him, he’s just another short term coach, I won’t flinch. If he stays and wins things I’ll probably have an even bigger connection than any manager in my adult life because this is the toughest patch I’d have ever seen someone survive
The manager has zero idea how to organise a team properly and no understanding of game management.
The quality of the squad is a secondary problem. How many times has this manager gone 1-0 up still lost? Must be 10+ times at this point. That says it all. He is not meant for this level for football, he is a total novice. It’s like grabbing an old man from the local swimming pool and putting him up for the Olympics.
His tactics dont work. Too open.
This is a collective mess, the decision to recruit all youngsters and save money on the wage bill has backfired.
Team hasn't had the right recruitment at all, throw into the mix poor coaching, and you are left with this a team heading out of the league.
Not that we really need it, because it should be evident now that this manager doesn't have a clue what he's doing, but just to pick up on the second goal as the first point we let them back into this game:
- So we're 45 seconds after the start of the second half. We're a goal up against statistically one of the worst form side in the division. Despite that, we are going for a man-to-man press, pushing up in search of a second.
- Nothing wrong with that in principle, but the problem is in the execution: our front 5 are pressing high, but the back 5 aren't condensing the pitch to support them. So, as ever with our "high press" under Postecoglou, if the opposition beat the first line of the press, we're in trouble.
- And this is exactly what happens. Bentancur and Porro (currently out of the picture to the left) belatedly realise they aren't high enough, they aren't tight on their men. And man-to-man presses only work if everyone's actually on their man, but as you can see we've left a few key players unmarked.
- Look at the huge gaping 40 yard hole behind the referee; if something were to cause Bentancur to vacate this space we will be in deep trouble. Let's see what happens next:
- Two seconds later and Porro has been haring up the pitch, too late, and therefore he's easily beaten. All of a sudden they now have three men free on our right flank and we're already in trouble. Some of the front 5 realise but it's too late. Reminder - this is 47 seconds into the second half, just after Ange has given them his half time instructions.
- Now, Porro shouldn't be diving in here; he's too late, the defence aren't pushed up enough, and it leaves us completely exposed. But this is a failure of coaching and coordination between the players. You'd never see a Bournemouth/Ipswich or any team with a competent high pressing manager look like this, because the press is coordinated. This is the biggest clue, bar none, that our manager is well out of his depth.
- Bentancur is left with little choice but to come over and help. But that now leaves Leicesters #10 in acres of space on his own in the danger zone in front of our centre backs. Again, a double pivot would mitigate this, as Sarr would be left in the DM role. But of course that's too defensive for our Ange. Next slide:
- Now, Bentancur shouldn't be diving in here. Just shepherd the guy into the touchline, prevent the ball inside. But again, I don't blame any individual player for this chaos, this is a collective mess caused by poor coaching.
- Again, look at the completely unmarked number 10 by the ref. Criminal.
- Once Bentancur is beaten, a big chance is inevitable. Whether or not it results in a goal is largely down to Leicester's attack, but to be fair they don't have to do anything special to score from this point. How many times have we said that this season?
- Another thing that should be evident by this stage - this isn't a failing of our centre backs, and Romero and Van De Ven would have changed nothing here, they'd have done nothing to prevent us being in this position (except keeping a higher line, but this was a problem even with them both in the team).
- (And as for personnel, Iraola manages to coach one of the best pressing structures in the league despite Bournemouth having a relegation level squad and 9 players injured, so injuries simply aren't an excuse.)
- This sort of pattern I could have taken from literally any game over the past 15 months or so, including games when we had our full first XI available. Newcastle's second goal for instance, comes from them beating the first line of our press and us being wide open. Brighton's first two goals at the Amex in September - caused by a disorganised press and them working it out both times to their LW under no pressure.
- Even going back as far as 12 months ago, this pattern of play was occuring repeatedly, and it should have been clear back then that this manager was tactically out of his depth and winging it.
- So we're 45 seconds after the start of the second half. We're a goal up against statistically one of the worst form side in the division. Despite that, we are going for a man-to-man press, pushing up in search of a second.
- Nothing wrong with that in principle, but the problem is in the execution: our front 5 are pressing high, but the back 5 aren't condensing the pitch to support them. So, as ever with our "high press" under Postecoglou, if the opposition beat the first line of the press, we're in trouble.
- And this is exactly what happens. Bentancur and Porro (currently out of the picture to the left) belatedly realise they aren't high enough, they aren't tight on their men. And man-to-man presses only work if everyone's actually on their man, but as you can see we've left a few key players unmarked.
- Look at the huge gaping 40 yard hole behind the referee; if something were to cause Bentancur to vacate this space we will be in deep trouble. Let's see what happens next:
- Two seconds later and Porro has been haring up the pitch, too late, and therefore he's easily beaten. All of a sudden they now have three men free on our right flank and we're already in trouble. Some of the front 5 realise but it's too late. Reminder - this is 47 seconds into the second half, just after Ange has given them his half time instructions.
- Now, Porro shouldn't be diving in here; he's too late, the defence aren't pushed up enough, and it leaves us completely exposed. But this is a failure of coaching and coordination between the players. You'd never see a Bournemouth/Ipswich or any team with a competent high pressing manager look like this, because the press is coordinated. This is the biggest clue, bar none, that our manager is well out of his depth.
- Bentancur is left with little choice but to come over and help. But that now leaves Leicesters #10 in acres of space on his own in the danger zone in front of our centre backs. Again, a double pivot would mitigate this, as Sarr would be left in the DM role. But of course that's too defensive for our Ange. Next slide:
- Now, Bentancur shouldn't be diving in here. Just shepherd the guy into the touchline, prevent the ball inside. But again, I don't blame any individual player for this chaos, this is a collective mess caused by poor coaching.
- Again, look at the completely unmarked number 10 by the ref. Criminal.
- Once Bentancur is beaten, a big chance is inevitable. Whether or not it results in a goal is largely down to Leicester's attack, but to be fair they don't have to do anything special to score from this point. How many times have we said that this season?
- Another thing that should be evident by this stage - this isn't a failing of our centre backs, and Romero and Van De Ven would have changed nothing here, they'd have done nothing to prevent us being in this position (except keeping a higher line, but this was a problem even with them both in the team).
- (And as for personnel, Iraola manages to coach one of the best pressing structures in the league despite Bournemouth having a relegation level squad and 9 players injured, so injuries simply aren't an excuse.)
- This sort of pattern I could have taken from literally any game over the past 15 months or so, including games when we had our full first XI available. Newcastle's second goal for instance, comes from them beating the first line of our press and us being wide open. Brighton's first two goals at the Amex in September - caused by a disorganised press and them working it out both times to their LW under no pressure.
- Even going back as far as 12 months ago, this pattern of play was occuring repeatedly, and it should have been clear back then that this manager was tactically out of his depth and winging it.
He's not and neither have the other managers been "Dud" managers.
They've been in a role with extreme expectations with seriously hamstrung conditions.
Levy and co have bled this club dry. The game has changed a lot over the past 20 years and the initial approach from Enic / Levy is clearly not capable of the acceptable / bare minimum requirements it was at one point.
Nottingham Forest, battling sith FFP and relegation last year being willing to spend 65 million on top players this window at the first chance they've got should be deathing to Spurs fans of what it really takes to be a competitive, ambitious club in this league.
Only spending when in absolute dire needs has brought on the demise of this club. Never attempted to push onto the next level. Just rinse the fans / PL money for every penny.
I don’t think I’ve been attached to a manager since Fergie left Aberdeen! Ange was probably the closest. I liked his not taking bullshit at pressers. I liked his unwillingness to compromise on his tactics. But that’s gone now.
No person is ever bigger than the club (Fergie at Aberdeen the very obvious exception). So we wipe or mouths and move on to the next temp. Because that’s what he’ll be. A temp.
I feel heart sorry for you that Spurs offer you apathy now. I have anger and feel let down and it does ruin my next couple of days. Sitting here with a couple of dozen WhatsApp messages that I’m not going to open until Tuesday because I know what they’ll say.
Maybe apathy is better than tantrum? Dunno.
Not just teenagers but knackered teenagers playing every 3 days for 2 months.
Also teenagers who were never meant to play this much yet.
Delusional club thinking were going to beat liverpool 2nd leg. Our lead will be eradicated after 10 minutes. We all know.
Let's get him in then yeah?
The worst thing is people using teenagers getting so many minutes as an example of Ange bringing through youth and a positive sign for the future. As though it’s not just a means to an end because he has fuck all else he can do and the squad is so thin we’re having to rely on 17/18 year olds to get us out of this mess. It should never have come to that.
Absolutely nailed it.
I’m not convinced he’ll do either personally. At least until we’re out of both cups.
It always loops back to this and it always will.
There never has been and never will be a scintilla of the competitive fire that drives a sportsman at the top of this club.
Needs to go tonight.
There are 2 true narratives here:
1) Levy is a fucking useless chairman when it comes to the footballing matters - he is the Christian Gross of football chairmans
2) Ange is massively out of his depth and incapable of managing at this level.
Get rid of Ange tonight and hope we get lucky with some mental multi billionaire wanting to buy the club
There are 2 true narratives here:
1) Levy is a fucking useless chairman when it comes to the footballing matters - he is the Christian Gross of football chairmans
2) Ange is massively out of his depth and incapable of managing at this level.
Get rid of Ange tonight and hope we get lucky with some mental multi billionaire wanting to buy the club
That's seriously debatable yeah? Unless you're getting your player ratings from FIFA or football manager?
Last time I checked Bournemouth have players actually sorted out by other clubs. A director of football recently poached by Liverpool...
Their squad depth in comparison to the competitions and expectations at the club put us to absolute shame.