- Ange Postecoglou has continuously refused to change his attacking style of play
- Tottenham were hammered by Liverpool in a nine-goal thriller on Sunday evening
- LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! Are Tottenham managers treated differently to other managers?
Ange Postecoglou says he is certain Tottenham’s players still have faith his flamboyant attacking philosophy despite a six-goal hammering which leaves them wallowing in midtable.
Spurs were beaten 6-3 at home by Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday, a demoralising result which leaves them 16 points from the summit and eight points adrift of the top four.
‘I still feel like the players, and I see that they have still got real belief in what we are doing,’ said Postecoglou. ‘It is difficult because it is a tough day for the supporters, the players and for all the people who work so hard at the club.
‘From my perspective I take responsibility for that because I am the one that is charting this course for us. It’s all hopefully for a greater purpose.
‘My ultimate responsibility is to try and bring success to the club. But you understand in the meantime, it’s not nice seeing the players out there doing everything in their power to try and get a result.
‘But with the situation we’re in there are limits to what they can do. So you feel, I certainly feel that responsibility. But as disappointed as they are, they’re still very, very determined to continue.’
Ange Postecoglou has claimed his players still have a ‘real belief’ in his attacking philosophy
Tottenham were on the wrong end of a 6-3 thumping at home to Liverpool on Sunday evening
Potsecoglou has relentlessly defended his tactics despite Spurs’ defensive woes recently
Postecoglou has railed against critics who claims his style is too open and snapped back in interviews after the Liverpool defeat, claiming he was fed up with answering the same questions about whether it might be better to change his style.
‘I wasn’t angry,’ said Postecoglou on Tuesday. ‘You’ve just had a heavy defeat, and I take responsibility for that because I see what effect that has on everyone involved with the football club so that weighs heavily on you. But I don’t think many managers bounce into interviews after being beaten and sort of feel cheery about it.
‘Yeah, I mean, fair to say I’m getting tired of the same questions and answering the same way. I just think it’s almost like people want to sort of poke the bear to see if I react. And obviously after a loss, it’s a lot easier for people to get a reaction out of me.’
Tottenham have lost five of their last 11 in all competitions and won only three, but those victories have been high-scoring ones 4-0 against Manchester City, 5-0 at Southampton and 4-3 in the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Manchester United.
‘I don’t think there’s any doubt we can challenge most of the teams in the league,’ said Postecoglou. ‘Liverpool were too good for us. They’re a very good team. They’re in a sort of sweet spot of great form, very settled, all their players healthy.
‘So they’re probably in the best position they’ve been and fair to say we’re not. And a combination of that and we were just, we weren’t anywhere near the level we needed to be to try and compete with the best team in the league. So you accept that. It doesn’t feel nice, but you accept where you’re at. And the goal is to bridge that gap.’
Tottenham’s next game is at Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day. Rodrigo Bentancur is available after serving a seven-match ban.
