Cheer Up, Postecoglou - Is Ange Entirely To Blame?

Tottenham are certainly no strangers to disappointment. The club’s history is filled with near-misses, humbling defeats, and seasons that promised a lot but in the end delivered little. With Spurs sitting in 12th spot - behind London rivals Brentford - there is a clear frustration growing amongst the fans. The North London side have taken some pretty harsh results, home and away, this season having only won one of their last five league games.

With Spurs underperforming, it is evident that there are issues within the club. Following their 10th defeat today - a 2-1 loss at home to Newcastle, Ange’s job hangs in the balance. With a run of tough league games coming up can he survive or is his tenure over? 

Injuries: A constant block in Spurs’ performance

Injuries have been a recurring issue for Tottenham Hotspur this season, and they’ve had a significant impact on Postecoglou's vision. While every club deals with their own injuries, Spurs are facing a disproportionate number of key absences. This has disrupted both the squad’s consistency and the execution of Postecoglou’s tactics.

Spurs are missing key defensive players with centre-backs Christian Romero and Micky van de Ven are both out long-term after picking up injuries against Chelsea in their 4-3 loss. Ben Davies is also out for the next few weeks. Radu Dragusin is back after he 'tweaked his ankle' in the clash against Nottingham Forest and 18-year-old Archie Gray has impressed in the centre-back position.

With Cristian Romero out with a muscle injury and Destiny Udogie suffering with a hamstring injury, Tottenham are defensively poor and conceding an average of 1.5 goals per game this season.

Spurs haven't had the same issues on the attack however, with a total of 42 goals scored this season - second highest in the Premier League. Richarlison's absence with a hamstring injury, picked up early in their 4-1 win against Aston Villa, has meant that the forward hasn't found the back of the net this season.

Until these injury issues are addressed—whether through better squad depth, tactical adjustments, or better medical management—Postecoglou’s project will likely continue to be affected by absences.

Ange Ball

Postecoglou’s attacking, possession-based football—often referred to as ‘Ange Ball’—was one of the main reasons Tottenham brought the manager in after Pochettino’s departure. The concept is high-pressing, quick transitions, and a fluid attacking setup. Postecoglou demands that his players maintain a high level of intensity, create width, and consistently press the opposition when out of possession. This style of play is very similar to Guardiola's tactics at Manchester City - a club that is also struggling to perform.

However, the style has yet to be fully effective at Spurs. One of the core principles of Ange Ball is the ability to control games through possession and tempo, but Tottenham has struggled to maintain that control against top-tier opposition. When Spurs are forced to defend, their high defensive line expose them to quick counter-attacks. Without the squad depth to cover the gaps in the defence created by injuries, Spurs often concede from these plays.

Postecoglou's style places a burden on the midfield and defensive players to cover large spaces and perform at a consistently high level. Without the defensive solidity or midfield talent required to balance the system, Spurs have often been caught up, unable to recover quickly enough to prevent counter-attacks.

Expectations and Promises

When Postecoglou was appointed, there was a sense of optimism around the club. Known for his ability to build successful, attacking teams, he was viewed as the manager who could lead Spurs back into the Champions League and, perhaps, bring silverware to a club starved of trophies.

After winning the Scottish League Cup twice in a row with Celtic and ending that season with a record eighth domestic treble on Postecoglou's last match in charge, Tottenham fans felt hopeful to finally see their club lift a trophy. In his first season, Postecoglou showed promise with some exciting football and moments of brilliance, but he also faced the harsh realities of the Premier League. Fans were willing to give him time to implement his system, understanding that Rome wasn't built in a day.

Ange declared after their disappointing 1-0 defeat in the North London derby that "I always win things in my second year". The Spurs manager is now in his second year of a four year contract and look unlikely to have any title put to their name this season.

Does he need more time?

With Tottenham in a difficult position in the league and Postecoglou’s football philosophy not yet delivering the desired results, the question of whether he should stay as manager is now firmly in the spotlight.

Postecoglou has shown that he is capable of instilling a clear playing style and his success at Celtic was undeniable, although it would not be fair to compare the competitiveness of Scottish Premiership and the EPL. Key players like James Maddison and Son Heung-min still have the ability to thrive under his system, and if injuries subside, there’s hope for improvement.

There is no denying that the club's recent results have been poor, and the pressure is mounting. With Spurs struggling in the mid-table, questions are being raised about whether Postecoglou is the right man to take the team forward.

The reality is that, at this stage, firing Postecoglou may not be the answer. The club’s instability—both in terms of leadership and squad depth—means that his ability to succeed is still very much tied to whether the board is willing to back him in the January transfer window and allow him to put his full plan in place.