Wednesday won’t be the first chance Tottenham Hotspur have had to make history this season, but it could be the first time they want to be remembered for something in the record books. After suffering their worst-ever Premier League campaign, the North London club can end their 17-year wait for a trophy by winning the Europa League.
Victory over Manchester United in Bilbao might not be enough to save Ange Postecoglou whose position as Spurs manager has been loudly questioned recently. Nonetheless, the Australian can do something none of his predecessors – Antonio Conte, José Mourinho, Mauricio Pochettino etc. – were able to.
This would be proclaimed as a triumph for ‘Ange-ball,’ except Tottenham haven’t really played much of Postecoglou’s trademark high-risk, high-intensity style during their run to the Europa League final. In fact, the Australian has been uncharacteristically pragmatic in the way he has set up his team.
Away to Bodø/Glimt in the semi-final, Spurs had just 31% of possession. They largely sat back and invited pressure before hitting out on the counter attack. Against an opponent widely seen as underdogs, Postecoglou was willing to take a reactive approach and play to the circumstances after a first leg win.
It was a similar story away to Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarter-final. Again, Spurs had the minority share of possession and were content to absorb opposition pressure. The situation was different in that Tottenham Hotspur needed to win after drawing the first leg at home, but this didn’t stop Postecoglou from ditching ‘Ange-ball.’
Many Spurs supporters have been pleased to see their manager take a more pragmatic approach. They had been calling for this as Postecoglou’s team buckled under the weight of their own ambition. Tottenham didn’t have the players to play ‘Ange-ball’ in its purest form, even more so when injuries decimated their squad earlier in the season.
Previously, Postecoglou stuck with his trademark style of play because he believed it would benefit Tottenham in the long-term. He wanted to establish a framework to build around for seasons to come. While he recognised Spurs’ squad weaknesses, the Australian insisted this was best for the club’s future.
Yet while Postecoglou argues he is still standing by his principles, anyone who has watched Tottenham in their run to the Europa League has seen something different. Spurs have shown a different side to their game. It’s a side that could give them an advantage over Manchester United on Wednesday night.
“I could be going: ‘Let’s just win a trophy this season and everything will be fine,’” said Postecoglou when asked how winning the Europa League would change his future. “But if we win a trophy, finish 10th and five games into next year I get sacked – not that it’s about me – but then the club has to change direction again. So have you really done anything? I don’t think so. It’s not going to be one simple thing that opens the floodgates.”
Not for the first time this season, injuries could force Postecoglou’s hand against Manchester United. Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison will both miss the final, robbing Tottenham of creativity through the midfield. This could thrust Wilson Odobert into the starting lineup as a very different kind of attacking threat.
Odobert is someone who is most effective attacking open space. Of the players available for Spurs against Manchester United, only Djed Spence, Mathys Tel and Son Heung-min are averaging more dribbles per 90 minutes than the Frenchman who is mobile enough to drift across the forward line. He gives Tottenham fluidity.
He doesn’t, however, offer much in possession, particularly against a low defensive block. Spurs’ best chance of creating the opportunities needed to win the Europa League final could involve recycling the approach that worked against Bodø/Glimt and Eintracht Frankfurt. They could play on the counter attack again.
The bizarre paradox of Tottenham Hotspur’s current situation is that at the end of their worst-ever Premier League season they could still make themselves legends by winning a trophy. Champions League qualification would also give Spurs a platform to build on that many believe they don’t truly deserve. Nonetheless, this is the opportunity in front of them.
Postecoglou himself has become a paradox. Renowned for not pulling any punches with his tactical approach, the Australian has in fact compromised his long-term vision in order to achieve results in the immediate term. That still might not be enough to earn Postecoglou another season in charge and it would ironic if a pragmatic set-up ended up delivering his defining moment.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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