Following the 4-1 home win over West Ham United in the 8th round of the Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur manager Postecoglou appeared at a press conference to give an in-depth analysis and evaluation of the game.
Speaking about the overall performance of the game, Postecoglou expressed his great satisfaction. He noted that in the first half Tottenham faced a challenge from a tall, physical team in West Ham United, but the team still worked very hard and created some good chances. Despite the disappointment of conceding the goal, Spurs quickly adjusted and got back into the game. In the second half, Spurs stepped it up a notch and played great soccer while also gaining control of the game through hard work, especially in the midfield area.
On the tactical change of James Maddison being replaced and Pap Sarr coming on, Postecoglou explained that it was because West Ham United were giving Spurs some problems in the midfield area and Pap's running ability would help the team in the second half. He felt that Pape did very well when he came on and provided a great platform for the team, making every forward push a threat.
Dejan Kulusevski has had a great season and Postecoglou has nothing but praise for him. He mentioned that Dejan is not only the captain of the Swedish national team, but also showed great strength and leadership in the game. He also recognized the performance of other captains such as Bissouma and Son as a really strong overall performance.
Postecoglou also emphasized the importance of the midfield scrum. He pointed out that West Ham United's midfield has big, physical players like Saucheck, as well as Paqueta and Guido Rodriguez, who are quite skillful. Therefore, Spurs need to win this battle or their opponents will be a threat. He believes that Tottenham did very well in this regard, maintaining the intensity and eventually breaking down the opponent's defense.
When asked if this is the team playing at its best, Postecoglou said that this is part of the team's development and what they want to achieve. He stressed that Tottenham's soccer has to be based on certain principles while focusing on hard work, organization and discipline. He believes that Spurs would not have been as dominant in the second half if they did not have a solid foundation to back them up.
On the red card for Kudus, Postecoglou believes the referee handled the situation well and will let the referee deal with the situation on the pitch. Meanwhile, he also mentioned the importance of the derby win for the fans, arguing that fans want feel-good and winning games, and that Tottenham came out on top through the momentum they built up in the second half and the support of the fans.
On the performance of youngster Destiny Udoki, Postecoglou believes that he is playing better, but also expressed disappointment with the goals he conceded. He emphasized that Destiny is still a young player and needs to keep getting on the pitch and learning from his mistakes. He believes that Destiny has the potential to be an outstanding player in the Tottenham team, but needs the team to work with him.
In addition, Postecoglou mentioned Jed Spence's absence from the game with a groin strain and hoped that his injury was not serious. He spoke highly of Kulusevski's movement and performance in the midfield area, citing his ability to get out of tight spaces, his running ability, and his technique. He also recognized the performance of other players such as Brennan Johnson.
Finally, Postecoglou emphasized that Tottenham must continue to focus on the overall performance of their players in the game to ensure that regardless of the soccer performance, the players are doing other equally important things well.
