Devine wrote his name into the history books on Tuesday, with his goal helping Port Vale overcome Mansfield Town in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup, with the Valiants booking their place in the quarterfinal of the competition for the first time in their history.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA – JULY 18: Alfie Devine of Hotspur passes the ball during the pre-season friendly match between Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United at Optus Stadium on July 18, 2023 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

The 19-year-old’s striker demonstrated just why he is so highly thought of at Spurs, with the youngster picking up the ball in his own half and driving forward through the heart of midfield before placing the ball into the far corner from more than 25 yards out.

Ange Postecoglou is keeping an eye on Alfie Devine

It was the second time in as many games that the on-loan Spurs youngster has found the back of the net, and he admitted after the game that he is thoroughly enjoying his time at Vale Park.

Devine told BBC’s Football Daily: “Spoke to a few staff at Tottenham, I know Ange is keeping a lookout on how I’m doing and stuff. But I just take every game as it comes and then see what happens from there.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Devine is just the sort of player that Ange would love working with, given how brave and direct the teenager is in possession. If the midfielder continues impressing at Port Vale this season, he could potentially even have a prominent first-team role at Spurs as early as next campaign.

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Postecoglou has been referenced a lot over the last few days in the criticism levelled at Ten Hag for failing to employ a clear style of play at Man Utd.

Jamie Carragher was one of many to point to how quickly the Australian has got Spurs playing attacking, front-foot football (Sky Sports).

To push back against Carragher’s point, Neville suggested that unlike Ten Hag, Postecoglou and Unai Emery went into stable environments at Tottenham and Aston Villa respectively.

This suggestion has been laughed off by many Spurs fans, who pointed out on social media that the Lilywhites were in turmoil when the Australian arrived in the summer.

Matteo Ciambelli/DeFodi Images via Getty Images

Erik ten Hag should be more like Postecoglou

Sutton has now stated that Ten Hag is fully deserving of criticism, stating that the likes of Postecoglou, Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp would not accept the current standards at United.

The former Celtic man said on It’s All Kicking Off podcast about the Red Devils: “They have players in their team who can’t run and they have players in the team who won’t run. That is an issue.

“I thought Danny Murphy’s analysis was really brilliant on Match of the Day in terms of bang on. In terms of if these players played for Pep, Klopp or Postecoglou, they wouldn’t pick them.

“If you don’t run, then you don’t play. That’s such a basic thing in football. Ten Hag has been in long enough now where that is on him.”

Spurs Web Opinion

While there is no doubt that Tottenham were in turmoil on the pitch when Ange arrived, Neville’s point was about Man Utd’s issues at boardroom level.

Even though Paratici had to officially resign from his position at Spurs after FIFA’s ruling, he continued to work as a consultant at the club and the recruitment department at N17 continued functioning as it was.

However, that is not the case at Man Utd, with Ten Hag seemingly being given free rein to choose his transfer targets and the Dutchman has got his recruitment decisions wrong.

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Postecoglou has shown that he is an excellent communicator in his interactions with the media and he uses that skill to good effect when he addresses his players.

Spurs fans will have already seen footage of some of the inspirational team talks that he has given over the course of his managerial career (Optus Sport).

The Standard reported last week that the Tottenham head coach’s team meetings do not just revolve around tactics but can also span topics such as morality, the need for hard work and the importance of family.

Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Kulusevski is having a lot of fun in Spurs training

The outlet also stated that the ‘full cultural reset’ that Postecoglou has overseen at the North London club since his arrival is underpinned by empathy and emotional intelligence.

When asked about the Aussie coach’s impact, Kulusevski has now told Fabrizio Romano: “Postecoglou, excellent manager. He speaks about life stories, not just football.

“It was clear already in pre-season, training sessions under Ange are funny and we work a lot with the ball, we press a lot. But also, we learn from him. We’re really enjoying”.

Spurs Web Opinion

It was well documented that training sessions under Conte were repetitive and involved a lot of off-the-ball work. That is perhaps why the Italian’s methods have an expiration date as the players tend to get bored of it sooner or later.

By the sounds of it, Postecoglou and his coaching staff have made a concerted effort to ensure that the training sessions are quite varied so that the players actually look forward to coming to Hotspur Way on a regular basis.

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Neville was involved in a heated debate with fellow pundit and former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher within the Sky studio following Manchester City’s comfortable 3-0 victory over rivals Manchester United on Sunday.

Carragher questioned the style of football which United boss Erik ten Hag is operating in comparison to the likes of Aston Villa’s Unai Emery and Postecoglou, who has helped to renergise the Tottenham Hotspur faithful with a return to the high-pressing, attack-minded tactics which have seen them top the Premier League table.

(Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)

Gary Neville makes another claim about Ange Postecoglou

Carragher told Sky Sports: “He has been here now nearly 18 months. We’ve seen Unai Emery come in at Aston Villa, we’ve seen Ange Postecoglou come in at Tottenham. In a short space of time, it doesn’t mean you win every week, but when you go to the games you know what you’re going to see.

“We still don’t know what we’re going to see with Manchester United. You tell me how they play with the ball.”

Neville replied, suggesting that the two aforementioned managers had inherited stable environments after taking the managerial reins at their respective clubs, he said: “Look, Carra, to be honest with you I can’t disagree with you. But those managers you talk about come into stable environments. They’ve currently got over their heads a guy all over the news who is going to own 25 per cent…”

We decided to question Neville on X yesterday about his claim of Postecoglou having walked into a football club with a stable environment considering it was far from the case, considering Tottenham had just finished in their lowest league position in ten years, the resignation of director of football Fabio Paratici, the protests by some fans towards Daniel Levy and ENIC along with the legal situation surrounding former owner Joe Lewis in the USA.

Neville, responded to our question by instead insisting that the ownership situation at Tottenham was stable.

Ownership is stable!

— Gary Neville (@GNev2) October 30, 2023

SpursWeb Opinion

Neville has done Postecoglou’s efforts an injustice once again with his newest claim.   The Australian inherited a fanbase who had become disenchanted with the club considering the lack of enjoyment which had been witnessed on the pitch following the Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte eras.

Daniel Levy and the board will be thanking their lucky stars that the appointment proven to be a shrewd one, with huge pressure mounting on the senior figures at the club after how last season panned out.

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Fast-forward a few years and Chelsea, injected to bursting with Abramovich’s billions looked to be dining at the summit for the rest of time.

More recently, it is hard to see how Manchester City will be chiselled off the top of the league table any time soon (especially with Pep at the helm).

So it is with my own team, Tottenham Hotspur. We talk about the ‘Tottenham way’ and equate it with being free-flowing and attacking football, but I feel this is too simplistic and quite at odds with my lived Tottenham experience.

Indeed, the ‘Tottenham way’ I have grown up with is actually about interspersing attack minded coaches with defence minded managers and it is such for several generations of supporters.

Sadly, I never saw Arthur Rowe’s ‘push and run’ side of the fifties – nor the football played by Rowe’s acolyte Bill Nicholson. Nor did I witness the flair sides of Burkinshaw, Pleat and Venables (despite knowing all about them thanks to Chas and Dave).

Indeed, I have to admit to being in the crowd, mournfully lamenting ‘We want our Tottenham back! We want our Tottenham back! We want our Tottenham back!” under the turgid reign of George Graham.

Conversely, I was there gleefully chorusing “We’ve got our Tottenham back!” during one of the more hopeful periods in Glenn Hoddle’s time as Spurs manager. Being a Tottenham supporter has felt like a neverending cycle of hope and despair.

Once I looked at the list of managers in my lifetime – it actually is a bizarre pattern of defensive to attacking managers – from the sublime to ridiculous if you will. The reckless abandon of Ossie Ardiles, followed by the more pragmatic, and beautifully mulleted, Gerry Francis.

As mentioned prior, George Graham was followed by Hoddle. Then Jol from Santini and Redknapp from Juande Ramos. After Villas-Boas and the ‘one-man Bale team’ came Poch. In true Tottenham fashion, in 2023 Ange has followed in the steps of Messrs Jose, Nuno and Antonio.

So what can we learn from this? Firstly, that possibly there is no inherent ‘Tottenham DNA’ that is a continuous thread running through the history of the club.

In an era when people love to use buzzwords such as ‘vision’ and ‘culture’ the appointments seem erratic and driven by the individual and not looking to maintain a club ‘brand’. Indeed, the leap from certain managers, who appear to be polar opposites seems incongruous.

Not only that, but the money the club must have haemorrhaged signing specific players for managers whose methods quickly become obsolete is frightening.

But I still inherently believe that if Scott Munn is reading this, and I assume he is. One of his most pressing jobs is to establish what the club is and align it with our deeper history and expectations.

In this moment, we have the most clarity about ‘who we are’ that we have had in years – arguably since 2018. Some may be frowning at that date, but my argument is that by 2019, the team was patched up, threadbare and so stale that they weren’t recognisable as the team that twice went close to the title.

This moment in time is emblematic of where the club need to be better. Just because today is sunny, you don’t sit back with a beer and your feet up and ignore the potential potholes down the road.

If Scott Munn is proficient in his job, he will be creating a profile of what a Tottenham manager ‘looks like’ and already be looking at succession planning.

The old adage is correct ‘fail to prepare, prepare to fail’ – this may as well have been the motto inscribed over the boardroom door of Tottenham in the last few decades. They should be looking after the club, not just in the here and now, but in two or three managers’ time – years down the road.

Don’t get me wrong, this is not just a Tottenham issue. A lot of clubs lurch from one manager to another, hoping to stumble upon the magical formula. Look at the continuing hilarity of what is happening at Manchester United.

At the moment, people will point to clubs like Brighton. An approach was instilled by Potter and now De Zerbi is carrying on and developing that project. They are not the only club to do so, Leeds after appointing Bielsa opted for Jesse Marsch and then Javi Gracia – completely ‘on brand’.

The quandary they found themselves in was when they were looking down the barrel of a gun and facing relegation. Instead of sticking to their principles, they abandoned their DNA and sent up the flare to summon ‘Big Sam’.

Despite the best efforts of Weston McKennie’s hopefully launched long throws into the box, Leeds got relegated; parted ways with Allardyce and returned to their ‘brand’ in Daniel Farke. An entirely predictable debacle.

Therefore, my point is this. If Angeball fails, and it may well do – football is a fickle mistress – let us not oscillate to someone who can bolt the gate once the horse is bolted. We have attacking and possession-based football and the players who can implement it. Stick to our guns.

The poster boy club for this way of working is Swansea City. Since 2007, the managers they have appointed have all played in the same way and maintained the ‘culture of the club’, with varying degrees of success. We all remember Bob Bradley.

Some may churn out the riposte ‘but now they’re in the Championship’, but the truth of the matter is that in football there is no such thing as a certainty, despite how much research is done. Swansea massively overachieved and their scouting hit a hot streak that was the envy of many.

(Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)

Is Daniel Levy what Tottenham Hotspur need?

So where does our old friend ‘COYS Daniel’ fit into all this?

For many, no matter what he does now, it will not be enough and it will not be good enough. They are entitled to their opinion, but the truth of the matter is that Daniel Levy will be chairman for as long as he wants to be.

Despite the onfield disappointments, he is too good at the ‘other stuff’ to be dispensed of. So what can he do to ingratiate himself or even redeem himself in the eyes of some? To me, there is one word. Legacy.

If Munn and Lange (with Don Fabio still in the background) have been employed on the strength of their CVs, their expertise and their skillset – then allow them to operate in the role they are appointed too.

Almost everyone is united in that we do not want Levy involved with the day-to-day of the club – the minutiae so to speak. If those beneath him want to lean on his experience of seeking his opinion then fair enough, but he cannot be like the ghost at the feast, looming over everyone like a sinister spectre as they go about their work.

He needs to trust his employees and give them a mandate about what the club is and what parameters need to be adhered to the ensure the ‘Tottenham way’ is not a mythological concept but is indeed the foundation upon which this club is built.

There is a possibility that in fifteen years’ time, Daniel Levy will leave the club having learned from his mistakes and I can genuinely say “‘The Tottenham Way’ I know what that is”.

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Tottenham are currently unbeaten in the first ten league games of the season after eight wins and two draws, and sit atop the Premier League table, two points clear of both Arsenal and Manchester City.

Ange Postecoglou‘s impact at the club since arriving this summer cannot be underestimated, with his exciting, attacking brand of football being adopted by the Spurs players almost immediately.

Long gone are the conservative methods of Antonio Conte, with Ange-ball delighting fans and getting the best out of the Tottenham squad, to achieve near-perfect results on the pitch.

(Photo by Roslan RAHMAN / AFP) (Photo by ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Spurs fans love training under Postecoglou

Those results do not come easily, however, and now, Fabrizio Romano has shared what he knows about Postecoglou’s methods behind the scenes, and how the players have reacted.

He said: “From what I’m hearing, [the players] are not just happy with what they’re doing on the pitch on Sunday or during the week. What they’re doing in training was the crucial change, from what I’m hearing, already in the pre-season and then now.

“They enjoy the training sessions, they’re very happy with the high-pressing wanted by Ange Postecoglou. New mentality, new approach, new ideas. The pressing is absolutely crucial for Postecolgou, he’s really pushing.

“[The players] really like the manager’s approach, the manager’s ideas, the new tactical idea. They are very, very happy. Many people didn’t know how good he was, now the numbers speak for him. But training sessions are always crucial to understand how good a manager is.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Happy players are successful players, and that’s being proven every week by the Spurs lads. I think it’s pretty easy to get people to buy into your ideologies when it’s as fun as this, and getting the positive results so soon obviously helps get people on side too.

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The choice was clear, obvious and only needed to be announced. Son would be captain and that would be that.

Yet there is a reason that Ange Postecoglou is the Tottenham manager and I am just a bloke sitting behind a laptop (despite leading Vauxhall Motors to multiple Champions League on Football Manager 2013).

When Son was duly announced as captain, it was part of a leadership triumvirate. This is a relatively new concept and not something that has been commonly seen in football despite people being anointed vice-captain or being part of a ‘players’ representative group’.

In this system, Son would be the new sheriff in town, ably by his deputies, Messrs Maddison and Romero. In theory, it made sense (despite some chuckles from opposition fans), but time has proved that it has been a masterstroke from Postecoglou.

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 23: Son Heung-Min of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates their first goal during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 23, 2023 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)

By having three leaders, Anger realised, you can combine a range of characteristics to create one ‘super captain’ and also give all players a ‘link’ to a leader, be that be by position, age or nationality.

However, for such a combination to work effectively, the constituent parts have to work both individually and as a collective. So let’s look at what each brings to the role.

In all honesty, the South Korean was the obvious choice for the role of captain. He is the elder statesman of the starting eleven, and a player whose open devotion to a club is rare in this day and age.

In the depths of the darkness under Nuno, while Harry Kane was trying to wangle a move to Manchester City, Son came out and signed a new contract. To do so at such a time spoke volumes – he is Mr Tottenham.

However, his appointment challenges the traditional view, bandied about by a collaboration of pundits and former pros – that there are two types of captain.

Either you fall into the category of badge-thumping, loud shouting, heart-on-the-sleeve leader, or there is the lead-by-example player – an individual that lets his feet to the talking and inspires others thus.

Although Son does lead by example, that is not what makes him the leader he is. In all honesty, he is a modern man. Yes, he usually does perform, but when he is not, he is openly vulnerable and takes and accepts criticism.

Previously, I thought this would be a reason to not give him the captaincy – as it might be extra responsibility that he did not need. I was wrong and am a victim of my antiquated thinking.

Imagine the culture in that dressing room now. If you make a mistake, or are suffering with form, you have a captain, who will be there for you and seems as though he will emotionally connect with people – rather than just offering the same tired platitudes about ‘you’ll turn it around’ or ‘better luck next time’.

This is not to criticise others, it is to shine a light on the fact that, in a world of alpha males and hyper-competitiveness, you have a man who is capable of bucking the trend and succeeding.

Some may, lazily in my opinion, attribute this to his ‘culture’ or ‘heritage’. This does Sonny a disservice; the truth of the matter is that he is just a beautiful human being – I hate the phrase ‘one of the good guys in football’ but here it is apt.

From the moment he walked through the door, Son has been a bundle of positive energy. From his elaborate collection of handshakes with the likes of Dele and Kyle Walker, to his warm welcome of new, younger players such as Pape Mate Sarr.

Son’s personality also seems to dovetail nicely with that of Postecoglou. Some like to lean into the narrative that ‘Big Ange’ is a warm and avuncular character, however, he has made it clear – in various interviews – that he is somewhat detached from the players.

They love him, that is true, but that is because he is direct and unequivocal in his communication and his expectations and is not driven by his own self-ego. It does not sound like much – but doesn’t everyone wish their respective bosses behaved in such a fashion? Anyway, I digress.

In true Sonny fashion, he is more than happy to be part of a ‘leadership team’. Many would see it as a slight, or would feel that their ego was somewhat bruised at having to ‘share’. Sonny however has embraced the idea of a ‘team’ and made both Maddison and Romero feel just as important.

The fact that he was never part of the previous ‘leadership committee’ seems bizarre and wondering why may take one into more uncomfortable avenues of thought.

At the time, the selection of Maddison as vice-captain would have to be regarded as a calculated risk. Now, a quarter of a season in and playing like he has been at The Lane for years, it seems an obvious choice, but at the time it seemed like even more pressure on his shoulders.

However, pressure, it seems, is something that Maddison thrives upon. This is where he demonstrates his true leadership.

When Spurs are in the proverbial ‘pickle’, he has the desire, combined the technical excellence, to be that talismanic figure and drive the team on. He wants to be ‘The Man’. It reminds me, to some extent, of Gareth Bale. When the chips were down and all hope was lost, he would come to life.

Do not be surprised to see multiple Maddison-inspired last-minute reprieves in the coming seasons.

He is also symbolic of the new era at Spurs and represents hope, change and excitement at what might come to pass. A player not tarnished by previous disappointments or associated with past regimes.

He has that intangible trait of being charming and has already developed a strong relationship with both the squad and the fan base.

At the team’s nadir last season, I had never felt so detached from the club I love. It is incredible that having orators such as Ange and Maddison, who are so excited to be at the club can serve to reforge links that many thought might take years to repair.

Cristian Romero is turning into a Tottenham leader

So why is Romero a good choice? When I wrote my aforementioned article, I did not truly believe it myself (Spurs Web) but the arguments were logical at the very least.

In his role, he has stepped up as the main man in defence. He is their leader and acts as such. His plethora of fouls and yellow cards he acquired at will have all but evaporated.

For now, such claims about his commitment to the club seem to have dissipated. I am showing my age here, but he is still a boy – but boys quickly grow up when responsibility is laid on their shoulders.

There is a final angle that needs to be observed when looking at the leadership group as a whole – there is the bigger picture. Few places are more cosmopolitan in places of work than a Premier League dressing room.

In the current first-team Tottenham squad, there are players from sixteen different countries and three different continents (The Premier League).

Despite the myriad nations represented, the previous leadership group had a distinctly Western European feel to it. Kane, Dier, Hojbjerg and club captain Hugo Lloris compromised the group and purportedly the next inductee was to be Oliver Skipp.

Consider all the players in that dressing room who previously may not have felt represented by this selection. This is not a dig at those players, but an observation around diversity and inclusivity – we are constantly given the message ‘See it to be it’.

This limited selection could only serve to lead to a fragmented dressing room and the building up of cliques and factions. Now, the squad seems, like the peak Pochettino days, to be a united and integrated family.

Like almost every article relating to Tottenham at the moment, there needs to be a nod to the greater challenges and adversities that will undoubtedly lie ahead. However, you get the impression that the current guidance and togetherness will hold them in good stead.

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Gil made his first appearance of the season at Selhurst Park on Friday, coming on as a 90th-minute substitute as Spurs emerged with a 2-1 win.

According to the AS, the winger has come ‘out of hell’, having suffered plenty of ‘agony’ owing to his injury troubles since the start of the summer.

The report claims that Gil’s return is not just a cause of celebration for Spurs but also for the Spanish national side.

(Photo by James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images)

Ange Postecoglou is a big fan of Bryan Gil at Spurs

AS asserts that Postecoglou ‘likes’ the former Sevilla man, which is why he refused to give the green light for the player to leave on loan in the summer.

The outlet adds that the 22-year-old’s role at Spurs ‘won’t be superfluous’ over the coming months, with the Tottenham head coach prepared to ‘wait patiently’ for the silky left-footer to come back to full fitness.

Spurs Web Opinion

While the injuries to Solomon and Perisic were unfortunate, the silver lining to that is the fact that Gil now has a chance to rescue his Tottenham career. 

I certainly would not put it past the Spaniard to nail down a starting birth, given the promise he showed when he was handed opportunities by Conte last season.

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The report explains that while Postecoglou is not one for small talk and likes to keep his distance from the players, he is a very warm person, who makes it a point to greet everyone.

The outlet states that the culture that the new Spurs boss is trying to build at the club is one of ‘inclusion and absence of fear’.

(Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Ange Postecoglou makes everyone feel involved

It is revealed that Postecoglou even insisted that all members of the staff, including the comms people and the chefs were included in the recent team photograph at Hotspur Way.

The Guardian add that the feeling of inclusion at Tottenham also extends to out-of-favour players and suggests that there is no bomb squad at the club right now.

The article points to Hugo Lloris as an example, with the former Spurs captain continuing to train with the first team, and asserts that even the players who are struggling for minutes speak warmly about Postecoglou and his methods.

Spurs Web Opinion

There is no doubt that Postecoglou has been a breath of fresh air at Tottenham and is exactly the kind of manager that the club needs.

However, it is worth pointing out that the Australian is still very much in his honeymoon face and the real test for his methods will come when the team goes through a bad run of form.

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Spurs’ summer recruitment decisions have worked a treat, with Guglielmo Vicario, Micky van de Ven and James Maddison hitting the ground running in North London.

Manor Solomon also showed some promise before his injury while there is hope at the club that Brennan Johnson will prove his value over the coming weeks and months.

(Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Postecoglou wants people who want to join Spurs

The Guardian has now explained that one of Postecoglou’s non-negotiables when deciding who to sign was to look at players who were desperate to come to the club.

The report claims that the Tottenham head coach spoke to all the players in the summer and only approved the deals if he got the right feeling about them.

The outlet reveals that the Lilywhites even passed on a player this summer as they got the impression that he was more driven by getting away from his side rather than joining Spurs.

It is explained that Postescoglou instead chose to sign another player for that position who was extremely keen to join.

Spurs Web Opinion

I suspect the player in question is David Raya as Tottenham seemed to give up on the Spaniard and turn their attention to Vicario quite quickly in the early part of the transfer window.

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Even though Spurs dominated possession in the first half, they found it nearly impossible to break down Palace and create opportunities, with the home side maintaining a compact defensive shape.

The second half started in a similar fashion but the game changed when James Maddison’s fierce shot/cross was turned into his own net by Joel Ward.

That meant that the Lilywhites could have the ball and entice Palace to press, thus opening up space for the away side to play through their opponents.

That is exactly how Tottenham’s second goal came about, with Postecoglou’s men putting together a brilliant move from back to front which was turned home by Son Heung-min.

(Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Ange Postecoglou is pleased with his Spurs stars

Spurs did have to endure a few nervy moments after Palace pulled one back through Jordan Ayew on 94 minutes, but Postecoglou insisted that he was extremely pleased with the patience and application his players showed.

The Australian told BBC Sport after the 2-1 win: “I thought we handled it well. It’s not an easy place to come to and the way they set up, they are disciplined defensively. I think we stayed patient and scored two good goals. [I’m] really pleased.”

“I thought it went how the game would go and it would take time for us to open them up. I am happy that we stayed disciplined and stuck to the football we wanted to play.

“Every week is a different challenge. The key for us was to be disciplined, focused and persistent in our play and we did that. I think the spell between the first and second goal we were dominant and played some really good football and then still think the lads handled [the end of the match] well.

“We haven’t faced that situation this year and there was a really clear-headedness about the team and there was no rushing and panic which is a good sign.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Palace were very well organised defensively and I was a bit concerned about our inability to break them down in the first half.

The game opened up after the first goal but many teams would take note of what Roy Hodgson’s men did and look to stop us through similarly deep defensive blocks this season.

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Spurs finished in eighth place last season and as a result, failed to qualify for Europe for the first time since 2009.

Postecoglou has thus had to deal with just one game a week so far, and the Lilywhites are flying in the Premier League, currently sitting top of the table after ten matches.

Over the last few days, there has been plenty of debate regarding whether Spurs are genuine title contenders, with the general consensus among pundits being that Postecoglou’s men do not have the squad depth to compete with the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal (talkSPORT).

BANGKOK, THAILAND – JULY 22: Tottenham Hotspur head coach, Ange Postecoglou (R) gives instruction ahead of the pre-season friendly match between Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City at Rajamangala Stadium on July 22, 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand. (Photo by Pakawich Damrongkiattisak/Getty Images)

Spurs have a non-European advantage this season

Brown believes that the Tottenham players do not have to think about that question and should simply continue to take it one game at a time.

He wrote in his column for BBC Sport: “Tottenham are top and I’m getting asked if they are title contenders. For now, just be top and enjoy the journey. There has been so many questions and criticism of Spurs over the years, so enjoy this.

“They have a nice month and then Manchester City in early December. Just stay in it and keep going. They are not battering teams but are getting good results, grinding out situations and they have players with great flair who can score goals.”

Brown suggested that not having European football to worry about has been a big boost to Postecoglou and his coaching staff as they have had more time to get their ideas across on the training pitch.

The former Spurs midfielder continued: “Not being in Europe is really important, even more so given they have a new manager. A new manager can work on the training ground.

“We are already getting interrupted with international breaks so not being involved in Europe is giving Ange Postecoglou more crucial time to work and recover.

“Defensively, Spurs may face questions against the top sides. They will be able to do so much on the training ground on aspects like this by not having that extra game.

“When you are in Europe you are ‘game, recovery, Champions League, recovery’ and then you’re into a weekend. Recovery-wise, it gives them a much better option as they don’t have the squad to make five changes in a Premier League game.”

Spurs Web Opinion

The media will build up Tottenham as title contenders in order to tear them down later on when they slip up. Most Spurs fans certainly are not getting carried away by the start to the season and the general consensus among supporters continues to be that a top-four finish would be a fabulous achievement this season.

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It is quite clear from Postecoglou’s interactions with the media that he has a way with words and has a lot of emotional intelligence.

Spurs fans will have already seen footage of some of the inspirational team talks he has delivered throughout his managerial career (Optus Sport) and some players like James Maddison have already admitted that the Australian has the player’s full attention when he starts speaking (Sky Sports).

(Photo by TREVOR COLLENS/AFP via Getty Images)

Postecoglou’s pre-match team talks at Tottenham

The Standard have now explained that after running through the tactical instructions, Postecoglou’s pre-match talks can range on a wide variety of topics, including ‘lessons in morality’.

The Australian allegedly speaks regularly about things like the need for hard work and the importance of family.

The report states that the Tottenham head coach is a powerful speaker in full flow, with many players finding it difficult to take their eyes off him.

According to The Standard, Postecoglou reserves his lighter side for the media and does not engage in banter with his players.

Spurs Web Opinion

Postecoglou’s way with words is evidently one of his biggest skill sets and I doubt that any of the Spurs players would have heard as rousing pre-match or half-time team talks throughout their careers as they do from the Australian.

Reading about how the 58-year-old conducts himself behind the scenes, it is also quite evident that he goes out of his way to project an intense personality to the squad rather than a jovial one in order to ensure that his messages have maximal impact.

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It is explained that Postecoglou has given different members of his coaching staff responsibilities over different aspects of the team, much like you see in the NFL.

Matt Wells and Mile Jedinak look after the defensive organisation while Ryan Mason is responsible for the attacking side, with Chris Davies overseeing the entire sessions.

As a result, the players often hear relatively little from Postecoglou throughout the week, with the Australian even trusting his staff to lead some meetings so that the players do not get bored of his voice.

(Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)

Ange Postecoglou is taking an NFL approach at Spurs

The report states that, unlike his predecessors, Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, Postecoglou does not dominate the training ground.

However, even though he might take a backseat during the sessions, the report says that there is no doubt that the 58-year-old is the most important person at the club.

Spurs Web Opinion

Postecoglou’s attempt to be a peripheral voice during the training sessions and meetings is evidently designed to maintain a level of aura with the players so that when he does address the squad directly, the messages are even more powerful.

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Contrary to all predictions before the start of the season, Spurs continue to be the pace-setters in the Premier League and show no signs of slowing down just yet.

While the Lilywhites might have done enough yet to convince many pundits that they can challenge for the title this season, the players certainly appear to be playing with a belief that they very much belong at the top table.

Postecoglou remarked that the challenge that his side faced at Selhurst Park was quite different to the other ones they have had this season, stating that he was pleased with the way the players kept plugging away even though chances were few and far between.

(Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Tottenham are top of the league for another week

When asked if remaining at the top of the table adds to the squad’s belief, the Australian told Football.London: “Top of the table is great and the results are great but it’s more in the manner we’re doing it.

“Pretty much from the first game we’ve had all sorts of different challenges we’ve had to overcome. Every time there has been a real focus and clear-headedness about the group collectively to deal with that.

“That has been a really pleasing thing and because they’re getting rewards from that then that gives us the opportunity to accelerate the growth of giving them more tools out there to help them for whatever we need to overcome.

“Like I said, I thought tonight was going to be a real difficult game for us coming here…Palace’s result last week, it’s a tight ground, they’d only conceded three goals in the four games so far and how were the lads going to cope with the fact we weren’t going to create as many chances as we had been.

“I really liked the way we worked through that as a group.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Postecoglou and the Tottenham players are understandably hesitant to discuss any big objectives at this stage of the season but one can tell by their body language that they believe they could potentially achieve something quite special.

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The report discusses the ‘cultural reset’ that Postecoglou has overseen at Spurs, with his main message said to be that everyone should be grateful for where they are and treat those around them with respect.

When an unnamed senior player spoke disrespectfully to a member of medical staff during the pre-season tour, Postecoglou is alleged to have given the player a dressing down in front of the whole squad, thus sending a clear message to the players about what is expected from them.

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 27: Ange Postecoglou, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur, looks on prior to the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park on October 27, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Postecoglou will not take any rubbish at Tottenham

It is explained that the Australian also made his displeasure clear to Yves Bissouma when he turned up late for pre-season training, stating that it was not what he expected from a potential leader.

The Standard also reveals that Postecoglou is a meticulous timekeeper, who treats the players like adults.

It is suggested that the result of these changes implemented by the 58-year-old is a warmer, more respectful and trusting environment at the club, with players having developed a ‘deep trust’ for the manager.

Spurs Web Opinion

While Postecoglou evidently gives players the freedom to express themselves on the training pitch and in matches, it is clear that he has some strict non-negotiables in terms of the players’ conduct and their behaviour off the pitch.

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Tottenham came out on top tonight in a tough battle at Selhurst Park, with Crystal Palace making Ange Postecoglou‘s men work for the three points.

A goalless first half saw Spurs dominate possession but fail to trouble the Palace goal, while the home side had a couple of good chances to sneak the lead.

The Lilywhites stepped up in the second half however, with James Maddison forcing an own goal from Palace skipper Joel Ward to break the deadlock.

A fine move by the away side was started by Pape Sarr, before Brennan Johnson and Maddison combined to assist their captain, Heung-Min Son to double Spurs’ advantage.

Tensions rose late on as Jordan Ayew converted to bring the home team back into it, but Spurs clung on and took all three points to extend their lead at the top of the league.

(Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

Was Ayew guilty of handball vs Tottenham?

Ayew may feel a little fortunate to have even got the goal, after VAR conducted a lengthy review into whether he committed a handball in the build-up. Speaking to BBC Match of the Day after the win, Postecoglou had very little to say on the matter.

He said: “I am not going to talk about handball. I have no idea what a handball is.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Luckily, the goal didn’t lead to anything more than a very nerve-wracking final few minutes in this game. Personally, I do think Ayew’s hand brought the ball down and helped him line up his finish, but at the end of the day, he shouldn’t have even got the opportunity at all. Pedro Porro got caught out massively at the back, and he really needs to work on that aspect of his game.

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It wasn’t easy, but Tottenham will go into the weekend with a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League table after defeating Crystal Palace 2-1 at Selhurst Park.

Ange Postecoglou‘s side dominated possession throughout, but were unable to turn that control of the ball into clear-cut chances in the same manner as they have so far this season.

The high press which has become a Spurs trademark was to thank for the first goal, as James Maddison pressured the Palace defenders into mistakes that ultimately led to a Joel Ward own goal.

Maddison then joined forces with Brennan Johnson, who came on as a substitute, with the pair weaving through the Palace back line to set up Heung-min Son for yet another goal for the Tottenham captain.

A late goal from Jordan Ayew piled on the pressure in injury time, but Spurs were able to hold on and grab all three points tonight.

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 27: Son Heung-Min of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with teammate Emerson (L) and Brennan Johnson of Tottenham Hotspur after scoring the team’s second goal during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park on October 27, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Ange happy with his Tottenham subs vs Palace

While Brennan Johnson arguably had the biggest impact of all the players to come off the bench tonight, Postecoglou has also recognised Emerson Royal and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s influence on the game, with the pair replacing Ben Davies and Yves Bissouma, respectively.

In his post-match press conference (via Football.London), Postecoglou said: “Brennan was great. He’s had to be patient as he’s had a couple of setbacks obviously so we haven’t really seen him in any consistent game time or training time but the last couple of weeks he’s worked hard at training.

“I thought all the subs who came on… I thought Pierre helped us get control of midfield, I thought Emerson at left-back was outstanding. Those kinds of things are helping us at the moment, the guys coming on and helping us see out games.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Brennan Johnson should be delighted with his performance today. I thought he came on and really wanted to make things happen, and his hard work paid off with an assist.

Emerson was brilliant in a position he doesn’t normally play, and put in a really good shift. And Hojbjerg was his usual, sturdy self, and is proving to be a player we can really depend on to manage the game.

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While Maddison’s quality in the final third was quite evident to anyone who watched him at Leicester City, the 26-year-old has seemingly evolved as a footballer since making the switch to Tottenham.

He is now often seen dropping deep and receiving the ball from the Spurs centre-backs to help the side progress the ball high up the pitch, which is not something we saw the England international do in the past.

The former Foxes star has also demonstrated his ability to read the game well and win the ball high up the pitch as we saw at the Emirates for Tottenham’s second goal.

(Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

James Maddison soaks up Spurs tactics like a sponge

Postecoglou has now admitted that the attacking midfielder takes in more information than most as he wants to understand what he can do to help the team.

The Spurs head coach told Football.London about Maddison: “He’s very intuitive around the game and at understanding the game.

“For all the players, we try to provide a framework of education where we give them information to improve them as individuals but some of them take them in a more broader concept of the team aspect, and Madders is one of those.

“He takes the information but just from an individual aspect but how it can help the team. The goal he scored the other night came not from his individual ability but just from him working hard. He pressed two or three times. That’s a conscious thing he has to do.

“That’s not just about him being a good footballer, that’s him as an individual saying I need to do this because I think the team will benefit. And ultimately he benefitted from it because he scored the goal. But if he didn’t someone else would have, like we did for Sonny’s goal.

“So I think he’s one of these players that looks at it from a broader perspective, not just how it can help him as an individual but how it can help the team evolve into the team we want to be.”

Spurs Web Opinion

I have been surprised by how good Maddison has been off the ball. The attacking midfielder leads our press at times and evidently has an excellent engine. Despite his tireless work out of possession, he still has the composure to make the right decisions when he gets the ball.

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Spurs certainly look a much more cohesive unit than they did last season, which has got many wondering whether Kane’s departure has actually helped the Lilywhites.

Son Heung-min has stepped up to the plate and delivered as a number nine and Postecoglou’s men have not had any issues finding the back of the net, having scored 20 goals in their first nine Premier League matches.

LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 06: Harry Kane (L) of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with team mates after scoring the team first goal of the game from the penalty spo during the pre-season friendly match between Tottenham Hotspur and Shakhtar Donetsk at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on August 06, 2023 in England. (Photo by Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images)

Harry Kane would have thrived under Postecoglou

However, the Spurs head coach pointed out that Kane did just fine in his system during pre-season, netting four goals in the friendly against Shakhtar Donetsk.

When asked if Tottenham would have played a different way if the England captain had stayed, the Australian told Football.London: “Yeah, not necessarily in a different way but what I’ve been trying to explain is that individuals change the way you play.

“I’m not into this commentary that we’re a better team without Harry because the last game Harry played for us he did alright in our system when he scored four goals.

“It’s fair to say we would have been able to squeeze him in somewhere. And I’m being sarcastic there. But him not being there just allows to bring different individuals into the team and they change the dynamic.”

Postecoglou explained that he would not have moved away from his clearly defined structure if Tottenham’s record goalscorer had stayed but he conceded that the team would have played slightly differently as players affect the team’s dynamics.

H continued: “Again, while the way I want my teams to play has a really clear structure, what I try to do is create a balanced squad where individuals can change the dynamics of it.

“Having Sonny as our 9 is different from having Harry or even Richy as our 9. Having Deki as a winger or having Brennan Johnson as a winger changes it, even if the structure is the same.

“Not having Harry there does change us as a team because we’re using different individuals but if Harry was still here the structure would be the same and we’d have the same fundamentals of trying to dominate the opposition, press the opposition, all those kind of things would still be there.

“Ultimately I don’t want to suppress the qualities they have, I want to bring out the best of them within the structure we have.”

Spurs Web Opinion

We simply would not have been as effective in pressing the opposition with Kane in the side as for all his strengths, pressing from the front is one of the 30-year-old’s weaknesses.

That would have meant that we had slightly less possession than we do now and we would have created fewer chances by winning the ball high up the pitch.

However, given Kane’s quality on the ball, we would have been more dangerous when we worked the ball up to the final third and we would have been more effective in converting the chances that we create.

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