‘So stubborn’ – Jermaine Jenas accuses Posteocglou of naivety

Jermaine Jenas has said that while Ange Posteocglou’s commitment to attacking football is admirable, the Australian is being naive by not tweaking his system when he has so many of his key players missing. Tottenham fell to their third straight defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday, with goals from Pau Torres and Ollie Watkins in […]

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Jermaine Jenas has said that while Ange Posteocglou’s commitment to attacking football is admirable, the Australian is being naive by not tweaking his system when he has so many of his key players missing.

Tottenham fell to their third straight defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday, with goals from Pau Torres and Ollie Watkins in either half saw Unai Emery’s men emerge with all three points.

However, the home side certainly had more than enough chances to comfortably put the game to bed and could have had the win wrapped up in the first half had they been a little more clinical in front of goal.

Postecoglou insisted after the game that there were a lot more positives than negatives from the match, remarking that his side will have no issues turning their results around if they continue playing the same way (Football.London).

Is Postecoglou being naive and stubborn at Spurs?

However, Jenas believes that it was the Australian’s stubbornness that cost Tottenham on Sunday.

The pundit wrote in his column for BBC Sport: “There is a lot to admire about Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou being so stubborn about the way he wants his side to play, even with the players he has got missing.

“There are a few negatives too, though, to counteract that – and not just with the run of three straight defeats Spurs are now on.

“There has been naivety to some of Postecoglou’s decisions during each of those results, which cost them in the 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa on Sunday and against Chelsea and Wolves before the international break too.

“Yes, this is the type of football the fans want to see, and he is trying to create the right culture at the club, but if Spurs stick with the same approach when they face Manchester City at Etihad Stadium next weekend, then they are asking for trouble.

“At the moment there is a feeling they are able to lose games but still feel good about it – but that won’t last forever.”

Jenas insisted that Spurs could be on the receiving end of a humiliating loss against City if Postecoglou does not show a bit more pragmatism.

The former Tottenham man added: “If he had his best team available, I would encourage Postecoglou to go toe to toe with City, the way he probably wants to.

“At the back, I fancy Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven against anyone in the Premier League, the Spurs full-backs are comfortable on the ball and then you have James Maddison creating overloads everywhere.

“As we saw when they started the season by going 10 games unbeaten, they are a tough team to play against. At the moment, though, that’s not the case.

“We know what City can do to teams and if full-backs Ben Davies and Emerson Royal are the central defensive pairing again against Erling Haaland at the Etihad, then that’s a problem for me.

“So, does Postecoglou stick with the high line he has been using at the back, against the pace of Haaland and the issues that Jeremy Doku can give you out wide? It’s probably not going to go too well.

“It feels like they have to adapt because, going on from what I’ve seen from Spurs in the past couple of games, they are staring a big defeat by City in the face if they don’t.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Without our first-choice centre-backs, I do not think we are capable of defending resolutely with men behind the ball and keeping City out for 90 minutes. Our best bet to get a result on Sunday might actually be to take the game to the Premier League champions make it a straight shoot-out, and to hope that Son puts his chances away.

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