Eddie Howe found a different way to win here. Ange Postecoglou stuck with the same way to lose.
The Newcastle boss did not like some of what he saw in the second half. Still, he celebrated the resolve and improvisation shown in securing a sixth straight victory.
By contrast, the Tottenham boss loved what he had seen – a doomed, chaotic pursuit of an equaliser – and yet bemoaned a sixth straight Premier League home match without a win.
Howe is an idealist who lives in the real world. Postecoglou is an idealistic who seems trapped in his own, delusional world.
As recently as mid-December, Newcastle and Spurs were neighbours in the bottom half of the table. They were on 20 points after winless runs and were looking up at Fulham, Brentford and Bournemouth. It felt like they were rivals back then, each flawed in their own way.
Howe made some changes and, with it, everything changed. Postecoglou, albeit hampered by injury, refused to bend and kept the bad ship Spurs on course for the iceberg. Eleven points separate them now.
Ange Postecoglou should learn from Eddie Howe’s flexibility rather than sticking with the same way to lose
Howe has made changes and Newcastle have now moved 11 points clear of Tottenham
Forcing back-up goalkeepers to play like Guglielmo Vicario shows Postecoglou’s stubbornness
A good manager, a not-so-good manager. By extension, on current viewing, a very good team and, well, you get the idea. The problem for Spurs is that Postecoglou does not. He is wedded to his own idea and, because of that, there is no plan for improvement, no recognition of the tools at his disposal. He is still trying to chisel his own grand vision with plastic cutlery.
He lost goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario to an ankle injury 12 matches ago yet continued to play to the Italian’s ball-playing strengths in his absence. In doing so, they have played to Fraser Forster’s weaknesses.
Forster was missing against Newcastle because of illness and his replacement Brandon Austin, on his debut, was asked to play the same way. He did OK. But, in isolation, is this not an illustration of Postecoglou’s stubbornness? Maybe that is too kind – short-sighted would perhaps be a better description of his management.
Micah Richards said on Match of the Day that Spurs are trying to play ‘the right way’. Really? What is right about not winning? What is right about having no control of a football match? Even at their best and with everyone fit they rarely have control. Celtic can do that and win, Spurs cannot. Postecoglou has chosen not to adapt, and that does not seem very smart at all.
Howe was asked how he had journeyed from a coach with a reputation of not being able to organise a defence at Bournemouth, to having a team at Newcastle who had not conceded in four matches.
‘I think you always evolve as coach,’ he said. ‘I don’t have the same view on the game that I did five or six years ago. If I did, there would be an issue. You are always changing your focus, changing the things you believe are the most relevant to your team. That depends on who you are managing and coaching.’
Postecoglou would do well to take note. He would also do well to observe Howe’s post-match demeanour in light of defeats, of which the Newcastle boss has suffered five this season. He is never too high nor too low. Anger, whilst no doubt existing, is always tempered, and strong criticism of referees is generally off limits.
On Saturday afternoon at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, an angry Postecoglou – ‘the angriest I have ever been’ – showed his teeth and appeared to jump the shark, claiming that: ’On another day, on a fair and even playing ground, we would have won that game, it’s as simple as that.’
Postecoglou claimed he was ‘the angriest I have ever been’ following the defeat to Newcastle
Considering their injuries, Spurs must adapt – Postecoglou is not managing Celtic anymore
Howe admitted that you ‘always evolve as a coach’ and that it would be ‘an issue’ not to
His grievance was with Newcastle’s equalising goal in the fourth minute when the ball hit Joelinton’s hand before Bruno Guimaraes played a pass to Anthony Gordon and he scored, levelling Dominic Solanke’s second-minute opener. VAR protocol was correct to allow the goal to stand – the handball was accidental and did not lead immediately to the goal.
But more so, it was the fourth minute, mate. Your team had another 86 plus a combined 17 in stoppages to go and score again – and could not. There were just three shots on target in that time, against opposition who visibly tired after half-time and compromised on their philosophy to sit in and frustrate.
Meanwhile, two players seemingly suited to Postecoglou’s front-foot, attacking principles – James Maddison and Heung-Min Son – were kept on the bench until after the hour.
Big-game players not picked for a big game seemed strange, especially as Maddison is suspended for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg at home to Liverpool. When they came on against Newcastle, Spurs were better. And yes, Postecoglou was right, his team did give it a good go and probably deserved a point from the game.
But much like the bigger picture at Spurs, that second half was all a bit disorderly. It is the job of the manager to manage, and right now Postecoglou is coming up short.
