Glenn Hoddle has voiced his concerns with Ange Postecoglou’s uncompromising strategies, particularly his insistence on maintaining a high defensive line during Tottenham’s game against Chelsea despite having just nine men available.
Red cards to Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie during Tottenham’s match against London rivals Chelsea reduced them to nine men in a furious match. Mauricio Pochettino, the former manager of Tottenham, made a triumphant return with this team.
Postecoglou ordered his players to keep playing a free-flowing, aggressive style of football even though they were short on players. Tottenham’s improvised defense was severely exposed by this strategy.
Thanks to two goals from Nicolas Jackson in injury time, Chelsea won the game 4-1. This result has made people wonder if Postecoglou ought to have taken a different tack.
Spurs icon Glenn Hoddle was among the dissident voices, pleading with Postecoglou to be more flexible, especially when his team is in difficult situations.
Hoddle made the observation that it is foolish to play with 10 players and a high defensive line, close to the halfway line. It is harder to put pressure on the ball and leaves the team vulnerable to counterattacks. He said Tottenham need change their approach in these kinds of circumstances.
Discussions among supporters have been triggered by Postecoglou’s strategy in the game. While some see it as bravery in the face of a crushing setback, others see it as ignorance.
But Postecoglou is unwavering in his tactical decisions, saying that his team’s identity is ingrained in this style of play and will persist as long as he is in control.
After the game, Postecoglou reflected on how chaotic the game was and how Romero’s red card had thrown off the game’s momentum. He voiced his displeasure with the growing application of VAR and how it frequently results in lengthy wait times during games.
He bemoaned the loss of the referee’s authority as a result of VAR intervention and underlined the significance of respecting the official’s decisions. Postecoglou thinks that the game is going in a direction where those who are viewing screens from a distance are influencing choices.
During these conversations, he gave the explanation for James Maddison’s first-half substitution, pointing to an ankle injury and the necessity of changing their tactics due to their smaller squad.
Additionally, he exhorted Premier League managers—including himself—to respect the referees and refrain from trying to bend the rules.
