In 2023-24, Ange Postecoglou’s first season in charge, Tottenham Hotspur finished fifth in the English Premier League (EPL) with 66 points. Earlier in this campaign, the Australian spoke confidently of how he always won a trophy in his second season, wherever he worked. Now, after a humiliating 4-2 defeat away to Wolves left Spurs 15th in the table on only 37 points, Postecoglou’s fate rests on Thursday night’s Europa League quarter final second leg away to Eintracht Frankfurt.
Lose that, and he will almost certainly be sacked. Even a highly unlikely Europa League triumph may not save him, so bad has the league form been. The loss to Wolves was Spurs’ 17th of the season, and they have conceded 49 goals in 32 matches.
In the build-up to the games, Postecoglou had spoken of dressing-room leaks. Instead, he would do well to focus on a defence and midfield that have repeatedly shown the robustness of tissue paper. On Sunday, Guglielmo Vicario, the goalkeeper, added to the calamity list.
“It was a bit different today,” said Postecoglou after the game
His weak punch and poor judgement gifted Wolves their first two goals. Cristian Romero’s mistake gave Wolves a third, while Lucas Bergvall was caught in possession by Matheus Cunha, who then sprinted clear to score the fourth. Goals from Mathys Tel and Richarlison were scant consolation as Postecoglou left out regulars like Son Heung-min, Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro.
“It was a bit different today,” said Postecoglou after the game. “The goals we conceded weren’t lapses, they were just individual errors which, like I said, is unusual for us to give goals away like that. But that’s what happened, we got punished today and it makes it very difficult to get an outcome.”
But those errors haven’t been unusual. What has been is Postecoglou’s clear inability to find a solution.
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