‘Fortune favoured the brave’: Why Ange’s refusal to change proved ‘something is stirring’ at Spurs — UK View

Prior to his team’s fixture against Manchester City, Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou was asked by a reporter if he would stick to his gung-ho style of play against the defending Premier League champions.

“If you had to take a punt, what do you reckon I’d say?” Postecoglou responded.

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The Tottenham boss elaborated and stated if you want to win, you must have a plan and “stick to it and believe in it.”

It was a fair question from the reporter given Tottenham are ravaged by injuries and went into the City clash on the back of three consecutive losses.

Unsurprisingly, Postecoglou stuck to his word and implored his players to take the game to the hosts.

Tottenham rode their luck in the first half and were fortunate not to be completely out of the contest as the score read 2-1 to City courtesy of a Heung-Min Son own goal and Phil Foden.

Postecoglou implored his troops to show more “conviction” in the second half and that message, coupled with the introduction of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, proved pivotal.

The players heeded the message as Giovani Lo Celso and Dejan Kulusevski scored either side of a late Jack Grealish goal to secure a point.

Not only did the draw continue City’s wretched run of form against Tottenham — they have won just twice in their last eight Premier League encounters — but it proved Postecoglou’s unwavering tactical approach was the right call.

“A defeat here would have been a fourth in a row for Postecoglou but, despite the circumstances, despite the mitigation he could have turned to, that others would have turned to, he did not change,” The Telegraph’s Jason Burt wrote.

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