Postecoglou Stands by Tottenham Players After Cup Exits and League Struggles | OneFootball

Tottenham’s Struggles Under Ange Postecoglou: A Team Battling Fatigue and Identity

Ange Postecoglou’s Fierce Defence of Tottenham Players

Ange Postecoglou buried his head in his hands, visibly exasperated, before his eyes ignited with fury as he staunchly defended his Tottenham Hotspur players. The 59-year-old manager’s frustration was palpable, coming at the end of a punishing week that saw Spurs eliminated from both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup.

Photo: IMAGO

“I don’t know how else to explain it if you can’t see that this team is just trying to play its hardest in the most extreme of circumstances,” Postecoglou asserted.

The Australian manager highlighted the physical toll on his squad, particularly the younger players. “Two and a half months of asking 18-year-olds and 17-year-olds and senior players, with no rest, to play Thursday, Sunday, Thursday, Sunday, Thursday, Sunday, Thursday, Sunday. I’ll keep going for two and a half months and if you think that is not at all a factor of how this team is performing then there’s nothing else I can say.”

Inconsistent Results and Missed Opportunities

Spurs have only managed to win two of their last 12 Premier League fixtures. They now find themselves precariously closer to the relegation zone than the coveted top four. This downward spiral has placed immense pressure on cup competitions, historically significant under Postecoglou, who “always wins a trophy” during his second season at a club.

However, Tottenham squandered a prime opportunity to reach the Carabao Cup final, succumbing meekly to Liverpool on Thursday. They then failed to recover from Jacob Ramsey’s early goal for Aston Villa, leaving the Europa League as their sole chance for silverware this season. Postecoglou bristled at suggestions that his team had lost their identity or could not function in his preferred high-intensity style.

“No, because they’re tired, mate,” he snapped back. “Do you think they can press like (we would want)? If we hadn’t played Thursday night and I hadn’t rotated that team we wouldn’t have been pressing aggressively today? Fair chance, unless you don’t think they’re human beings. Unless you’re superhuman and you think, ‘No, after playing Liverpool on Thursday night they should be flying tonight’. It doesn’t happen. They’re human beings. Why do you think Liverpool and others rotate 11 players? Why? There’s a reason and I wish I could do the same—so you can bring a freshness to the team.”

Squad Depletion and Tactical Challenges

Postecoglou’s grievances are not without merit. Tottenham have been without key players—their first-choice goalkeeper, left-back, centre-backs, playmaker, and striker—for extended periods. The burden on younger players like Archie Gray (18), Lucas Bergvall (19), Mikey Moore (17), and new signing Mathys Tel (19) has been immense and is starting to show.

Yet, fatigue alone does not fully explain Tottenham’s vulnerabilities. Aston Villa easily exploited Spurs’ defensive flanks and found ample space behind their midfield. Ramsey, Morgan Rogers, and Youri Tielemans ran unchallenged through gaps that shouldn’t exist at this level. One glaring example came when Tielemans carried the ball 60 yards unopposed before firing from the edge of the box—eerily reminiscent of Bilal El Khannouss’s strike in Leicester City’s 2-1 win over Spurs in January.

Defensive frailties were further exposed as Gray and Kevin Danso were repeatedly harassed into errors by Rogers and Donyell Malen. When goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky had possession, his only option seemed to be long balls towards Son Heung-min—a tactic that yielded little success, particularly in their 4-0 defeat to Liverpool.

Despite technical quality in the starting XI, including Gray, Bergvall, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Djed Spence, Spurs struggled to string together coherent passing sequences. The lack of conviction in their play suggested deeper issues beyond physical fatigue—a crisis of confidence perhaps.

Frustration and Discipline Issues Within the Squad

Tensions within the squad have also become apparent. Spence ripped off his sock tape and stormed down the tunnel with Yves Bissouma at full-time. Pedro Porro, after being nutmegged and floored by Marcus Rashford, lashed out with a reckless tackle on Villa’s new striker—escaping punishment on that occasion but later booked for a foul on Ramsey.

Bentancur and Bergvall were similarly guilty of rash challenges, with both players picking up bookings. These moments of ill-discipline highlight a squad teetering on the brink, in desperate need of leadership from senior figures like Son and Dejan Kulusevski to restore composure.

Can Postecoglou Turn Things Around?

The question now is whether Ange Postecoglou will be afforded the time to rectify these issues. Goodwill is wearing thin following Tottenham’s meek exits from both domestic cup competitions. With those distractions gone, scrutiny will intensify on their poor league form.

Tottenham’s schedule offers a brief respite, with only two matches in the next fortnight due to their top-eight finish in the Europa League’s league phase. This period presents an opportunity to regroup, address tactical deficiencies, and reignite their season.

This past week could have marked the turning point for Tottenham’s campaign. Instead, it risks being remembered as the moment their season unravelled entirely.