Ange Postecoglou

[Deuterz]

Cant play a highline for highline sake. The amount of times our defenders have had to sprint back because of a simple through ball means the positioning and tactics ahead of the ball are off axis.

We are not the only team in the league whose centre half's push high up the pitch. Woolwich, Liverpool, Man City all do it. But we get played through far more often and concede much more goals.

We concede way too many goals to be able to get to 80 points.

Our defensive shape sucks. Like to the point where I wonder what our defensive coaches are doing. We rely so heavily on Van de Ven’s recovery runs and Vicario’s shot stopping and have all season. When we don’t have those we have one of the worst defences in the league - 13th for xG against.

Other teams play high lines but they don’t have that space inside the fullback. Teams knock it in to those channels and there are gaping holes to find. Against Fulham it was pathetic, so many occasions where they had players in acres of space.

There’s lots to like about what Ange has done but the defensive shape needs work and it’s not about naivety or w/e. You can look at the midfield for it as well as far too many times where the defence are exposed and left with 1v1 duels.

That’s the next step I guess - as all the current top three have very strong defences. Liverpool/City especially always put up very strong numbers for expected goals against. They don’t just allow free shots on their goal at all.

 

[happy pants]

how are you losing 3-0 to Fulham?

Look who they’ve beaten at home

 

[SonPerišić]

should've played Royal at CB instead of Dragusin.

 

[LeddersKingers]

80 points???

Who do you think could get us 80 points with our squad?

No doubt your fuck buddy Arteta will be the response you're thinking og that you don't want to post.

He wouldn't.

Not a crime to admit Arteta is a good manager and tactician. There are some truths we need to accept if we are to push up the table and win more games.

As for getting 80 points, on current trajectory we are getting 72 points. Therefore, building a squad and team to get 80 points should be the next step.

I still think outside the top 3 clubs, Ange and Emery are the best performing managers, and this is reflective in the table. But Ange really needs to develop a team that is good out of possession. We are brilliant going forward and in possession, but our off the ball shape is out of sync.

I've said before, I don't want to be an 'entertaining team' that neutrals enjoy watching. I want more efficiency in our football instead of this basketball end to end stuff, because for every 4-0 win at Villa Park, the next week you can lose 3-0 to Fulham. Its not the defeat im bothered by, it's that Fulham scored 3 and could have scored more. I also hate how one simple through ball can trigger our entire team to have to leg it back - its amateurish and a really bad look.

 

[rusty]

A lot of you are now coming round to what I was writing before Christmas when I was shouted down
yesterday Its not the managers fault the players couldn't pass to each other or score tap-ins
but what is on him is not changing at 2-0, it was clear many of the players were off it (for some reason)

 

[Tottenham1882]

View: https://x.com/hbrooks_coach/status/1769082451236630951?s=46&t=DK3x3JffKkqwqcsQdIeO_A

Stop conceding so many goals you ain’t winning trophies playing wide open it’s that simple .this ain’t Scotland where you are playing against league 1 standard every week and will get away with it .

 

[John Thomas]

We would give the Scum and Wrangler crap for selling their best players every season and finishing 4th every year. We're not even going to achieve that. Plus we're still no closer to silverware.

I think after a quarter of a century a few more fans are finally realising that whoever the manager.....Harry, Poch, Mourinho, Conte, Postecoglou, Nuno, etc etc etc....and whatever the so called 'project' , We will always ultimately fail with that greedy, profit driven, opportunistic charlatan using our club to fatten his wealth and expand his non football interests.
After all, there's a reason rival fans love Levy and chant that they 'want him to stay'

 

[John Thomas]

Australian AVB. Pass sideways and backwards for 90 mins. Won’t last a second season if it goes this way.

He'll last until the fans turn on Levy again. That's always been the tipping point in recent years.

 

[HampshireSpur]

Not a crime to admit Arteta is a good manager and tactician. There are some truths we need to accept if we are to push up the table and win more games.

As for getting 80 points, on current trajectory we are getting 72 points. Therefore, building a squad and team to get 80 points should be the next step.

I still think outside the top 3 clubs, Ange and Emery are the best performing managers, and this is reflective in the table. But Ange really needs to develop a team that is good out of possession. We are brilliant going forward and in possession, but our off the ball shape is out of sync.

I've said before, I don't want to be an 'entertaining team' that neutrals enjoy watching. I want more efficiency in our football instead of this basketball end to end stuff, because for every 4-0 win at Villa Park, the next week you can lose 3-0 to Fulham. Its not the defeat im bothered by, it's that Fulham scored 3 and could have scored more. I also hate how one simple through ball can trigger our entire team to have to leg it back - its amateurish and a really bad look.

Good analysis LeddersKingers you should post more.

Hopefully this humbling will make some of the ‘cult of Ange’ weirdos shut up a bit -thinking more on Twitter than on here. I like the guy and wanted him at the start but he needs to achieve more with us before getting the accolades some fans want to lavish him with.

 

[Doom Funk]

He's just another in a long line of managers that will eventually be fucked over by the Enic overlords

 

[harry7]

The way we play reminds me of Leeds under Bielsa.

It worked well for them....until it didnt and teams figured out how to break and bypass their press, exposing huge gaps and getting outnumbers in defence.

This season is all about learning. Ange is getting a good look at his players and how tactics are in the Prem. He clearly needs to stop the chaos in defence and i feel that Bissouma will for sure need replacing come summer.

Top 4 might not matter so much if we think next season we can make a real title challenge.

 

[dannythomas]

should've played Royal at CB instead of Dragusin.

Don’t think so. But Dragusin is right footed so maybe he should be cover for Romero and Davies for VDV.

 

[Shotgunofmichalebrow]

...Ah the smell of Napalm in the morning smells like Fulham

 

[skywalker68]

The way we play reminds me of Leeds under Bielsa.

It worked well for them....until it didnt and teams figured out how to break and bypass their press, exposing huge gaps and getting outnumbers in defence.

This season is all about learning. Ange is getting a good look at his players and how tactics are in the Prem. He clearly needs to stop the chaos in defence and i feel that Bissouma will for sure need replacing come summer.

Top 4 might not matter so much if we think next season we can make a real title challenge.

Sorry mate but, the suggestion of a title challenge is laughable, you have noted glaring deficiencies within the team, that won't get sorted by next season, nor will the flimsy mentality of the players.

 

[Richard Arlison]

Stop conceding so many goals you ain’t winning trophies playing wide open it’s that simple .this ain’t Scotland where you are playing against league 1 standard every week and will get away with it .

"Playing wide open"

You mean committing players forward?
That's what we wanted. I'm fine with it now. The longer the system is in place the better the players get at defending transitions so we are less open. We weren't even that open against Fulham, the issue was giving the ball away too easy in stupid places. Tha kills you in any system.

 

[erlee]

I agree in part, tactics are always the same and we can blame Ange for that. But in a lot of matches our players seens tottally out of form and it's hard to understand that kind of thing, it's becoming common now.

why are tactics-always-the-same..?
can t they vary according to the opposition?

PLan-B is to play Plan-A better?

 

[Richard Arlison]

I remember them being absolutely pumped to get him but I don’t think there was cult worship straight away.

But Klopp was probably the hottest manager in world football after Pep as well. He was the guy pretty much everyone wanted at that point.

They love a cult hero over there as well. Their success is built on it. Is there a way to win for a manager if they can't get a cult-like support from the fans?

 

[Richard Arlison]

Not a crime to admit Arteta is a good manager and tactician. There are some truths we need to accept if we are to push up the table and win more games.

Yeah it is because he isn't. He finished 7th, 7th and 5th whilst spending 100's of millions. It took him ages to build his team and system to get to where they are and all along their fans and everyone watching football was saying that Arteta isn't up to it.

 

[Harrier]

how are you losing 3-0 to Fulham?

You believe the hype post Villa, drop off 5-10% in your effort levels and get handed your ass on a plate by a well organised team that wanted it more!

We went out there with the wrong attitude!

I really think it is that simple!

Wake up call!

 

[Harrier]

He's just another in a long line of managers that will eventually be fucked over by the Enic overlords