Tim Howard has said that he has been waiting for Tottenham to get exposed defensively this season but admitted that he is now coming to the realisation that Ange Postecoglou could be the real deal.
It’s fair to say that Postecoglou was largely despised when he joined Tottenham, with many wondering why the Lilywhites chose a manager who lacked experience at the top level.
The club appeared to be in chaos when the Australian came control, and the loss of their star player, Harry Kane, in the summer made his job that much more difficult.
But Postecoglou has pulled off a minor miracle at Tottenham, convincing the club to adopt an aggressive, high-intensity style while also winning over the supporters.
Spurs are now in first place in the Premier League after nine games, and the 58-year-old manager has already surpassed ESPN’s previous mark for most points earned by a manager in the first nine games of a season.
(Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Ange Postecoglou has earned yet another fan
Howard acknowledged that he first shared Postecoglou’s skepticism but that he has since come around to the idea of “Ange-ball.”
“I think they don’t have the quality [to win the league] overall,” he said to NBC Sports. Maddison has been doing well ever since he arrived. Son performs the same act each season, and I think he is wonderful. On the other side, Kulusevski is extremely powerful up front.
“They play so narrowly at the back, so I’ve been waiting for Ange ball to crumble and for them to go exposed. That hasn’t taken place. I therefore support Ange ball and appreciate how they play.
“The players have bought into it, and I think the young players he’s given opportunities to have thrived in the formation and tactically.”
Given how high a defensive line we play, I also anticipated at the beginning of the season that we could be embarrassed occasionally. The more I watch this team, though, the more I realize how much more defensive control we actually possess.
