UK view: Derby draw proves Ange turned ‘undersized’ Spurs killer into ‘new kid on the block’
Ange is still unbeaten since the London derby | 01:29
For all the optimism surrounding Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur revolution, the bubble could burst in just 90 minutes.
The stage was also impeccably set for Postecoglou’s first North London derby.
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Both Tottenham and Arsenal went into the game unbeaten and Postecoglou had the chance to do what no Spurs manager had done since November 2010: win at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal started strongly and took a deserved, if somewhat fortunate, lead inside 30 minutes when Bukayo Saka’s shot from distance met Cristian Romero’s wild shot and flew in at the back post. But a fiery start from the Gunners sparked Tottenham into life as Navy’s James Maddison produced some magic to set up Heung-Min Son’s late first-half equaliser.
The home side regained their lead in the 54th minute when Romero was booked with the ball in the area.
But Tottenham hit back moments later when Maddison dispossessed an unwary Jorginho in a dangerous position before sliding it into the path of Son, who made no mistake with an unerring finish past David Raya.
The 2-2 draw ensured both teams’ winning starts remained intact, but Henry Winter of The Times believed the result showed Postecoglou’s revolution had passed its biggest test yet.
“With pre-match predictions of how many goals Arsenal would score and Spurs failing in their first big attempt of the season, this draw almost felt like a win for Postecoglou’s men,” wrote Winter. Postecoglou full of praise for Spurs | 00:41
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“They definitely did their thing.”
Winter added: “Where Spurs were once humble, they are now strong. Where managers held Spurs back, they have now expanded.”
Before the match, some pundits doubted whether Postecoglou would stick to his attacking principles in a game full of pressure and anticipation.
Sky Sports’ Paul Merson even predicted that Tottenham would be “delighted” if Postecoglou’s side did not change their attack.
A pulsating 90 minutes later and the Australian boss showed his explosive football can work in such a tight match.
Not only that, Arsenal will now have to watch this match with heightened excitement as long as Postecoglou is in charge. “This north London derby will live long in the memory of Tottenham fans,” wrote The Telegraph’s Jason Burt.
“It was a day when their new team, under a new head coach and with a new attacking style of play, went to the home of their closest and bitter rivals and showed that a new kid was on the cards.
“Tottenham have changed under Ange Postecoglou and here was the most compelling evidence to support that bold claim.”
Interestingly, Tottenham have the same number of points as last season, albeit with one goal.
VAR call leaves Ange on the console | 01:12
However, the atmosphere around the club could not be more different than it was under Antonio Conte.
Despite the feel-good factor following Postecoglou’s arrival at Tottenham, the BBC’s chief football writer Phil McNulty was quick to reiterate that there are still plenty of twists and turns to come. But perhaps more importantly, Postecoglou has instilled some qualities in his squad that his predecessors struggled with, and that does not bode well for Tottenham’s rivals.
“Postecoglou was not thrilled, nor should he have been, but it was easy to see why this Spurs performance brought so much joy to the supporters packed into the heart of the Emirates Stadium, sharing a mutual love with the manager and players. After the game. The final whistle,” McNulty wrote.
“Not only did Spurs follow Postecoglou’s trademark attacking principles, they also showed the necessary intelligence and basic fight when needed, raw materials that have often been lacking in recent seasons.”
Barring a brutal FA Cup draw, Tottenham
won’t be able to lay a finger on Arsenal until
April 28 next year, but who knows how far
Postecoglou’s revolution will go until then.
If Sunday’s game was any indication,
perhaps Arsenal fans were sweating
nervously for the next fixture.
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