Some people really sell themselves out at the first sign of trouble (including a few on this forum.) Ange doesn’t. He sticks to it. It was so close to paying off in a huge way. Dier’s offside goal. Bentancur’s awkward header. Son’s shot. We had so many things fall against us (and a few we did ourselves) but very little fell for us.
Very happy with what we saw over all. A lot to learn from and the most incredible 4-1 loss I think you’ll ever see.
Also, special mention to Dier and Hjobjerg. Showed their stuff today. Massive respect.
I think I impulsively go negative and empty but then start to see things as they are. Last night I was so aware of having been ‘battered’ 4-1 by Chelsea at home. A heavy defeat inflicted by the team that I hate the most, yes more than I hate Arsenal. And to see the two sendings off and three significant injuries, I include Pedro Porro as I think that he played through injury. We played a high line and at the time it seemed as if we played our way into defeat. I thought Postecoglou had been naive and that he had been one of the architects of our downfall.
An hour later and things become more clear upon reflection in my mind.
Although I still question why Postecoglou didn’t take off Udogie, I can now appreciate that this and the highline were the result of the brave mentality, the bold mentality that makes Postecoglou what he is, and such a great man to have at the club. It’s bold, it’s refreshing and I don’t want him to charge who he is. Before the match I wrote a post about how I wish Mourinho hadn’t changed his ways with us after the West Ham match. And now I’ll say I don’t want Postecoglou to change.
Yes, we lost heavily. Yes, it can be questioned whether all decisions were correct, but I’d prefer we were bold and went for it than sat back only to likely lose anyway. Ange clearly trusted Udogie. Udogie was on a booking v Arsenal and didn’t get a second and in fact upped his game. And so the trust was deserved. Udogie made a mistake with the first challenge but it was of the moment and it was a mistake that a kid, which he still is will make. It was a mistake and he will learn from it and improve. He’s been excellent so far this season so that I take both the positives and the negatives and back him throughout. And back Ange’s decision to leave him on.
As for the attacking mentality. Yes, arrack, get at them and give teams more to think about rather than just how they will find a goal. We were brave, we gave some back and we were unlucky with an offside goal and that a couple of the chances weren’t better taken. Had Bentancur not just been back from injury maybe he takes that chance etc but it is what it is. We were level and then only a goal behind for the majority of time. Only losing 4-1 in the last few minutes. A scoreline that flattered a Chelsea side playing against nine men.
So we regroup. Hopefully the injuries won’t be too long term. Although I am very worried about VDV. But Dier stepped up yesterday and played a better game than the majority of us would have expected. And so he will likely be called upon to continue that in the time ahead and I’ll get behind him to do so if that happens. We’ll miss the suspended players but that happens in football and it’s why clubs have squads not just a team. We need to make the most of the squad and give chances for players to prove their worthy. Chances to players that we want to see given a chance. Chances to those players that we may previously have written off but need that new chance under this new revolution and to see how they can perform.
That loss as we were brave and fought as a team might push us closer together. It showed that players will fight hard for each other, and Ange, and tirelessly. Fighting to be the best that we can be and never to give up. Never to change our ways but instead to show that we are Tottenham Hotspur. We won’t go down, we won’t sit back, we will be in your face win, lose or draw. This isn’t the old Tottenham that would crumble. This is the resolute Tottenham that even if we lose will do so trying to win no matter the circumstances. It’s what I want, it’s what most of us have said we want, so let’s get behind the team and push on to the next match.
Those supporters travelling to watch us at Wolves, please make more noise than ever before. Show our team that we are behind this and that we won’t go without a fight, that this is a new dawn that one won’t be ended just by one defeat. Sing loudly in recognition of the tireless efforts of the players in the face of the difficult circumstances last night. Sing them to the next win.
Sorry if the above was waffle. I wrote it at 5am, but it does show a lot of my sentiments. COYS
