In a highly eventful London derby on Monday night, Tottenham Hotspur faced a significant setback, suffering a resounding 4-1 defeat that brought an end to their manager Ange Postecoglou’s previously unbeaten start in the Premier League. The match was characterized by a series of red cards, notably shown to Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie, which ultimately proved costly for the home team. Remarkably, even when reduced to fewer players, Spurs continued to employ an ambitious high defensive line strategy.
This approach played into the hands of Chelsea, as they seized the opportunity to repeatedly exploit the high line, creating numerous one-on-one chances against Guglielmo Vicario, Tottenham’s goalkeeper. Vicario did manage to make some impressive saves, but he couldn’t thwart Nicolas Jackson, who went on to secure a late hat-trick with three similar goals, cementing Chelsea’s victory.
The decision to persist with the high defensive line came under intense scrutiny from fans and pundits alike. However, Postecoglou staunchly defended this tactical choice, explaining to Sky Sports, “It is just who we are, mate, it is who we are, and who we will be for as long as I am here. If we go down to five men, we will have a go.” His unwavering commitment to this strategy in the face of adversity showcased his dedication to an attacking style of play.
The game saw numerous interventions from VAR (Video Assistant Referee), encompassing decisions related to red cards, penalty calls, offside judgments, and several disallowed goals. While Postecoglou didn’t explicitly contest these decisions, he expressed his dissatisfaction with the increasing reliance on VAR, which takes certain decisions out of the hands of the on-pitch referee.
He remarked, “There will be a forensic study of every decision out there, I think that is the way the game is going, and I don’t like it. If you look at all that standing around we did today, maybe people enjoy that sort of thing, but I’d rather see us playing football.” Postecoglou’s frustration with the extended stoppages in play and the disruption it brings to the flow of the game was evident.
Furthermore, Postecoglou reflected on the gradual erosion of the referee’s authority in modern football. He emphasized, “You have to accept the referee’s decision. That is how I grew up. This constant erosion of the referee’s authority is where the game is going to get – they are not going to have any authority. We are going to be under the control of someone with a TV screen a few miles away.” This sentiment underscored his concerns about the evolving role of technology in shaping the sport’s dynamics.
