Last weekend's 1-2 loss to Newcastle United marked Postecoglou's 58th Premier League match, making him the longest-serving manager at Spurs since Mauricio Pochettino. This means the Australian has surpassed his predecessors such as Antonio Conte (56 games) and Jose Mourinho (58 games but with a better record).
However, comparing Postecoglou's performance with Conte or Mourinho shows a significant difference. Mourinho has 95 points from 58 games (1.64 points per game), Conte has 105 points from 56 games (1.875 points per game), while Postecoglou has only reached 90 points from 58 games (1.55 points per game). These figures make many fans skeptical about the team's real progress under the 59-year-old captain.
However, these figures should be placed in the context of the reality that Postecoglou faces. Mourinho and Conte take over squads that already have many veteran stars such as Harry Kane and Son Heung-min at their peak. In contrast, the Australian tactician has not only lost Kane but also had to rebuild the club from scratch.
In addition, Ange Postecoglou's strategy is to improve the overall playing style of the team, bringing an emotional attacking football style, instead of focusing only on short-term results like his two predecessors. This high-intensity style poses great challenges due to a tight schedule and a lack of depth in the squad. As a result, a number of key players have been injured.
In the match against Newcastle, Tottenham had to play with a patchwork formation, including goalkeeper Brandon Austin, full-back Djed Spence in the center-back position and Sergio Reguilon back on the left wing. However, Spurs still showed a strong fighting spirit.
The second half of the match saw the "Roosters" dominate, especially in ball control and creating opportunities. If Postecoglou's team has a little more calm in finishing, they can completely achieve a positive result. Obviously, this was a better performance than expected considering the personnel situation.
One of the important lessons for Tottenham could come from Newcastle. In the 2022-2023 season, the "Magpies" also suffered a serious injury crisis when playing in many arenas, leading to a series of poor performances from December to March. However, when the pillars returned, the St. Petersburg team. James' Park has revived and won a ticket to the Champions League.
Tottenham can completely take Newcastle as a model to overcome the current difficulties. The dismissal of Postecoglou at this time is not only unfair, but also shows impatience in building the team.
In addition, despite their poor Premier League record, Spurs' season is not necessarily over. They still have a chance in the League Cup, where they will face Liverpool in the first leg of the mid-final. Asking yourself the throne in this arena can somewhat erase the disappointment in the last 2 campaigns.
In addition, Tottenham are still maintaining their position in the Europa League. With a not-so-strength schedule in the coming time, this is an opportunity for Ange Postecoglou to take advantage and rebuild the trust of fans.
Sacking him at this time will not solve the problem but will only make Tottenham continue to sink into the vicious cycle of constantly changing coaches. The journey to return to the position of a team competing for the title requires patience and a long-term vision, which Postecoglou deserves to receive from the board as well as Spurs fans.
