Tottenham have enjoyed a considerable resurgence since the appointment of Ange Postecoglou from Celtic in the summer.
The focus leading into the new season was on the departure of Harry Kane to Bayern Munich and how Spurs would cope with the gaping void left behind by their record goal scorer, but Postecoglou has offered considerable reprieve with the brand of football he’s instilled, coupled with his imposing personality.
Here are five ways Postecoglou has reinvigorated Spurs style of play and helped transform the mood since the departure of Kane.
Newfound identity in the squad
Postecoglou has clearly made a considerable difference in bringing the squad together, having seen previous Spurs sides fall out of favour under the management of Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espírito Santo and Antonio Conte.
Postecoglou has reconnected his squad with the fans- a relationship that was seemingly broken last season under Conte.
Embed from Getty ImagesJames Maddison has described Postecoglou as a “real leader” whilst others, including Yves Bissouma and Micky van de Ven, have already labelled the Aussie a father figure.
Spurs’ identity has been absent in recent years, but Postecoglou looks best suited to reigniting it with his emphasis on attacking football and being brave in possession. But aside from tactics, Postecoglou’s man management and personality is proving equally as instrumental.
The shift from defensive to attacking football
Under Conte, Spurs’ decline was defined by their often negative and defensive style of play despite possessing such attacking talent.
Without Kane, it was expected that goals would dry up but in fact, Spurs have already netted 44 goals this season, second only to Manchester City who have 48.
Tottenham’s identity has always been centred around an attacking, exciting brand of football and Postecoglou has certainly provided that, deploying a short passing game and urging his players to be brave in possession whilst playing out from the back.
Embed from Getty ImagesIf a player gives the ball away, Postecoglou might not be too disappointed, as long as that player remains confident and continues to make that pass. Spurs away trip to the Etihad was a clear example of that.
He has successfully reprogrammed a side that was accustomed to counter-punching football under Conte, and it seems all the players are on board.
Spurs blistering start to the campaign which saw them pick up 23 points from nine games was the best start to a season by any Premier League manager. If not for injuries, who knows where they could be positioned in the table right now?
Moving on from Harry Kane
In a struggling Spurs side, the club’s record goal scorer notched up 30 goals in the Premier League last season and when he made it clear that he wanted a fresh challenge in search of silverware, a cloud of angst fell over the club.
Despite pre-season planning initially involving Kane, Postecoglou was quick to move on from the summer saga of Kane’s transfer and assured fans that the squad would embrace the departure of their former captain. Postecoglou would obviously prefer to have kept him, but the move has seemingly benefited both parties.
Embed from Getty ImagesGoals have not dried up in Kane’s absence and there has been no mention of Spurs missing the England striker’s presence on the pitch given how well they’ve been playing.
Transformation of fringe players
Several key players who seemed to have flatlined have now been given a new lease of life since the introduction of Postecoglou.
Yves Bissouma arrived from Brighton and endured a torrid season under Conte, with his play style not in sync with Conte’s brand of football. This season, excluding some silly suspensions, Spurs fans are starting to see what he’s all about.
Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie are other notable examples. Udogie went out on loan last season to Udinese and not much was known about the talent he possessed. Spurs brought him back and Postecoglou has turned him into a pivotal player.
Embed from Getty ImagesPorro arrived from Sporting Lisbon last January and was brought in as a wing-back under Conte. He showed promise in his first 15 league appearances for the club- picking up three goals and three assists- but defensively there were concerns.
Under the tutelage of Postecoglou, Porro has quickly adapted as an inverted full-back and has been an emblem for Spurs’ resurgence this season.
New leaders in the squad
Even though Postecoglou gave his players a clean slate at the start of the season, any player who was viewed as not fitting in with the new ethos of the club was eased aside.
Embed from Getty ImagesPostecoglou completely reorganised the power structure in the squad. Out of last season’s ‘leadership group’, Hugo Lloris has gone, Eric Dier has been moved on to Bayern Munich and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has been demoted to the bench.
Postecoglou named a new captain in Heung-min Son, with James Maddison and Cristian Romero deputised as vices. The overhaul has been a shrewd move from Postecoglou and one that needed to be done for some time.
