England is jumping on the Ange Postecoglou bandwagon.
Following successful stints in the A-League, Japan and Scotland, the Australian coach has started his tenure at Tottenham with a bang. After toppling Manchester United last weekend, Postecoglou’s Spurs cruised towards a 2-0 victory over Bournemouth on Saturday, putting Tottenham at second spot on Premier League ladder with seven points from a possible nine.
Postecoglou has won over local fans with tantalising new style of play, while the English press is lapping up his sharp sense of humour.
While appearing on TNT Sports on Saturday, the 58-year-old was asked about his use of fullbacks Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie as inverted midfielders, a tactic invented by the great Johann Cruyff and popularised by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola.
“I’m just copying Pep, mate,” Postecoglou quipped.
“We do a lot of work on it. It is sometimes about instincts but it‘s trying to create a system that’s as fluid as can be.
“If there’s space there forget you’re a full back, you’re footballer in space so go into the space and then it’s up to us to make sure we’re covering the gaps that are left.”
“Once players realise they have the freedom to do that but it‘s still very structured then they don’t second guess themselves,” he continued.
“They just say if there’s space inside I’ll just go and drive in there.
“Both Pedro (Porro) and Destiny (Udogie), when they have the ball and are running with it, are really difficult to stop and if it’s in a central area it makes it more effective for us.”
His Pep Guardiola quip was seen by many as hitting back at criticism from former Manchester United star Gary Neville, who this week said on Monday Night Football: “I do feel there is a flaw in the way they set up, however, it does come with some reward.
“What you have here is the two full-backs in midfield, in [Destiny] Udogie and [Pedro] Porro, what I didn’t like about the way that Spurs deployed this system is that when these two centre-backs here were on the ball I felt as though they didn’t have that simple pass wide in any, way shape or form.”
Neville continued: “I see the benefit of this system, you isolate your wingers one v one. They have taken the United wide players in.
“So, from that point of view, I see the benefit of it. But from my point of view, you have players in a very uncomfortable position.”
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