Ange Postecoglou rejected any criticism of Tottenham’s ultra-attacking method after their 4-3 EFL Cup quarter-final win over Manchester United, asking: “Are you not entertained?”
Tottenham completed on the best facet of a seven-goal thriller in opposition to Ruben Amorim’s United, with Son Heung-min scoring what proved to be the winner direct from a nook.
Spurs had been cruising at 3-0 up when Dominic Solanke struck twice both facet of a Dejan Kulusevski objective, however two obvious errors from stand-in goalkeeper Fraser Forster allowed United again into the competition at 3-2.
It was the ninth time Spurs have scored three or extra targets in a match this season, but their gung-ho method has led some pundits to explain them as naïve.
In all competitions this season, Tottenham have scored 55 targets and conceded 31 in 25 matches. Amongst all golf equipment from Europe’s high 5 leagues, solely video games involving Chelsea (99), Barcelona (98), Stuttgart (89) and Bayern Munich (88) have featured extra targets than these involving Spurs (86).
After Thursday’s sport, Postecoglou was requested by Sky Sports activities whether or not Tottenham’s near-capitulation detracted from their victory, however he had nothing however optimistic phrases for his workforce.
“I preferred the entire thing mate, are you not entertained? Would you reasonably have a scrambly 1-0? I like the actual fact we simply exit and take it to groups,” Postecoglou mentioned.
“Even once we’ve received so many absences, these boys try to take care of the soccer that we need to play.
“I actually preferred the way in which we performed tonight, and clearly these moments overshadowed it a bit and don’t assist when it comes to gaining traction, however the boys confirmed nice character.”
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, in his function as a pundit for Sky Sports activities, reacted to the win by describing Tottenham because the Premier League’s most entertaining workforce.
Requested if that meant something, Postecoglou mentioned: “It does to me, yeah, as a result of I really like soccer. I really like watching groups that need to go on the market and entertain.
“In the event you stability it up with the scenario we’re in proper now, with 10 first-team gamers out, and we’re not going on the market and attempting to grind out 1-0 victories… We’re going on the market, attempting to maintain you of us entertained!
“I don’t see how that’s a foul factor. It gained’t get me any credit score within the financial institution as an astute tactician, however so be it!”
The captain with a particular second!#CarabaoCup | @SpursOfficial pic.twitter.com/84uq22pFrj https://t.co/PW1y1KCUPk
— Carabao Cup (@Carabao_Cup) December 19, 2024
Forster’s two errors got here inside seven second-half minutes. Standing in for the injured Guglielmo Vicario, the veteran goalkeeper handed on to Bruno Fernandes within the build-up to United’s first objective, then noticed an informal move diverted into the online by Amad Diallo for his or her second.
“We made it tougher than it ought to have been, for positive,” Postecoglou continued.
“We had management and had been enjoying very well, it regarded like we had been going to handle the sport, however then we simply had these two moments.
“The primary affected Fraser, then the second got here because of that. We needed to scramble and present some struggle, however we received a fourth.”