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A year later, even after suffering a 4-1 home loss to Chelsea, Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs were still managing to lift their fans’ spirits as they left the field.
This Sunday, Tottenham faces the Blues again, and if the match does not go well for the North London team, there could be mounting concerns for the Australian manager about potential fan backlash.
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The shift in momentum over the past 13 months has been striking.
Once, fans joyfully belted out a reimagined rendition of Postecoglou‘s name to Robbie Williams’ classic ‘Angels,’ singing, “I’m loving Big Ange instead,” but now, many are voicing their disappointment with the 59-year-old due to his tactical inconsistencies, with some even demanding his removal.
It’s astonishing that only 13 days earlier, Spurs celebrated one of their greatest Premier League victories with a stunning 4-0 win over Manchester City, yet they now find themselves in dire straits.
In many respects, that landmark victory at the Etihad only amplified the fans’ frustrations, as it highlighted the team’s capabilities—something they have struggled to consistently replicate against teams like Crystal Palace, Ipswich, and most recently, Bournemouth.
Andoni Iraola’s Cherries thoroughly outclassed Spurs, and had it not been for some abysmal finishing from their strikers, the score could easily have been 3-0 or 4-0, rather than 1-0.
What triggered this downturn in Postecoglou’s Spurs’ performance?
Some believe it all began with that Chelsea match last November.
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At the start of his tenure, Spurs were soaring, remaining unbeaten in their first ten league matches.
Things were progressing so well that Postecoglou received a series of manager-of-the-month awards during the first three months of the season.
Ange Postecoglou ‘determined to get it right’ after Tottenham’s loss at Bournemouth
However, disaster struck against the Blues.
Spurs ended the match with just nine players as Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie were sent off, and more crucially, they lost James Maddison and Micky van de Ven to long-term injuries.
Despite this setback, Postecoglou maintained his attacking philosophy and high defensive line, leading to a near 90th-minute equalizer attempt by Son Heung-min, who narrowly missed, allowing Nicolas Jackson to secure his hat-trick.
The reactions after the match were unforgettable, with fans singing praises for their brave squad and their fearless manager, who had opted to continue pressing the opposition despite being at a disadvantage.
However, since that moment, the excitement has significantly waned due to the inconsistent performances of Postecoglou’s side.
The league record since the Chelsea encounter reveals 17 wins, six draws, and 18 losses.
A disappointing conclusion to last season meant they missed out on Champions League qualification.
This season, supporters have been particularly frustrated by lackluster performances at Selhurst Park, during the second half against Brighton, and at the Vitality Stadium on Thursday night.
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Following the Bournemouth match, Postecoglou engaged in a heated exchange with some frustrated fans
The next day at a press conference in Enfield, Postecoglou acknowledged the fans’ dissatisfaction.
He stressed that the focus should be on backing the team, not him personally.
He commented: “They’re not behind me; they’re behind the club. I’m indifferent to who supports me.
“You have to remember that those who traveled to Bournemouth are loyal supporters.
“They were not happy with what they witnessed, and felt it was important to voice their feedback, which I have acknowledged, and now we press on.”
Injuries have greatly affected Postecoglou’s squad over the past year.
Notably, Maddison and Van de Ven suffered injuries during the 4-1 defeat by Chelsea last season, which severely disrupted their momentum.
Currently, he lacks his preferred center-back pairing of Romero and Van de Ven, his top goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, and is low on attacking options with both Richarlison and Wilson Odobert sidelined.
Additionally, Ben Davies sustained a hamstring injury in the match against Bournemouth.
Along with the £65 million signing of Dominic Solanke—the highest fee paid by a Premier League club this summer—Spurs leaned towards youth in their last transfer window.
The choices we’ve made regarding acquiring young players are the right decisions for our current situation and will produce positive outcomes
Ange Postecoglou
Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, the 19-year-old Odobert, and 18-year-old Yang Min-Hyeok, who will join next month, are all part of this new strategy.
In contrast, veteran players like Pierre Emile-Hojbjerg and Giovani Lo Celso were released.
The injury to Odobert is particularly detrimental as Spurs desperately need more attacking strength.
However, the youth-centric approach has led some fans to feel the club is overly focused on long-term development, rather than immediate success.
Despite this, Postecoglou defended the transfer strategy, asserting: “It was indeed the right call, and I assume full responsibility for these transfers because I believe they are essential for this club.
“I’ve continuously stated that my decisions stem from a desire to remain here long enough to see this through.
“If I were overly worried about my standing, I would have fought to keep Harry Kane from leaving, but that wouldn’t have benefited the club as he was in the last year of his contract. That’s not my motivation.
“The choices we made about signing young players are indeed the right ones for this club at this moment, and they will ultimately bear fruit.”
This may be true for the long run, but Postecoglou’s position could be under scrutiny long before he gets to witness the benefits.
His Spurs have shown they can compete with the top teams, as demonstrated by past performances, which makes it plausible for them to triumph against Enzo Maresca‘s current Chelsea side.
However, a loss could thrust the former Celtic manager into a crisis, particularly with a tough away match against Rangers in Glasgow looming shortly afterward.
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