According to coach Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham was lucky to hold Man City to a 3-3 draw in round 14 of the Premier League.
"It was a very entertaining game," said Postecoglou after the match at the Etihad on 3 December. "Tottenham were lucky. Man City could have blown us away before half-time like they did against Aston Villa last week. We played much better in the second half, controlled things better and the team gradually regained confidence. Tottenham were rewarded for their efforts."
Postecoglou directs Tottenham on the touchline at the Etihad Stadium during the draw with Man City. Photo: Reuters
Despite their transformation under Postecoglou, Tottenham are still considered underdogs to defending champions Man City. The facts prove it. After opening the scoring early through Son Heung-min, the London team fell behind 2-1 in the first half. The gap could have been bigger, if Jeremy Doku hadn't hit the crossbar or Julian Alvarez hadn't hit the post. During this time, Erling Haaland also missed an unbelievable chance, with a comfortable shot that went wide.
Tottenham were more solid in the second half and scored twice to earn a point, including midfielder Dejan Kulusevski's equaliser in the 90th minute. After the match, he revealed why Tottenham improved. "The coach was very angry with us at half-time. He told us to play real football. Stop thinking and play. That's what we had to do," he said.
Coach Postecoglou also added: "I can only tell them briefly. It's not easy - I always know that on the pitch. Everything looks simple, but it's very difficult when facing a strong team like Man City. I just told the players, whatever happens, I will take responsibility, especially in bad situations. But I want the players to come back on the pitch, believe in themselves and play. They clearly did that in the second half."
Postecoglou's tactical signature this match was the introduction of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg into the field at the beginning of the second half, helping Tottenham improve their defense and follow Postecoglou's instructions more thoroughly. According to the Australian coach, Hojbjerg played well and his experience helped his teammates become more confident, instead of hesitating with each pass like in the first half.
Yesterday's result helped Postecoglou's team end a three-game losing streak. In the first 10 games of the season, Tottenham were unbeaten, winning eight. But injuries and suspensions to key players have caused them to lose their rhythm, dropping to fifth.
Duy Doan (according to Daily Mail )
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