Spurs Keep Season Going with Europa League Win
Tottenham Hotspur’s coach, Ange Postecoglou, watched his main players step up as Spurs grabbed a 3-2 victory against AZ Alkmaar, heading into the Europa League quarter-finals. With Tottenham struggling in the Premier League and already out of the domestic cups, this win was super important to keep their season alive. Postecoglou Eyes Spurs Turnaround.
ICYMT: Six New Faces Eye Socceroos Debut
Things were tense after a 1-0 loss in the first game in Alkmaar, but Postecoglou’s risky move to start Wilson Odobert paid off big time. The 20-year-old forward made a quick impact, scoring in both periods to get his first goals for the team.
Maddison Shines as Leaders Come Through
Vice-captain James Maddison also played a big part, scoring early in the second period just as the England coach was about to announce his first squad. Despite a goal from Peer Koopmeiners in the 63rd minute briefly tying things up, Spurs stayed calm and won 3-1 that night.
A loss here would have pretty much ended their season with nine weeks left. After getting through a tough winter, mostly because of injuries, Tottenham is now looking forward to a quarter-final game with Eintracht Frankfurt next month. Postecoglou Eyes Spurs Turnaround.
First Full Leadership Group Since October
For the first time since October 19, Postecoglou got to start his main leadership group—Guglielmo Vicario, Cristian Romero, James Maddison, and captain Son Heung-min. Their being there really helped, with each player adding to the team’s win in a game with so much riding on it.
“I think all four of those leaders felt like it was their time to shine,” Postecoglou said. “It’s been a hard season for them and for the entire club. Having all four of them on the field at the same time gave us a needed boost.”
He said that the team had often depended on just one or two of these leaders at different times during the season but made it clear that having them all available was a game-changer. Postecoglou Eyes Spurs Turnaround.
Getting Ready for the Quarter-Finals
While happy with how things went, Postecoglou thinks there’s still room to improve. “We played more like ourselves tonight, but we still can get better,” he said. “Players like Romero, Micky van de Ven, Wilson Odobert, and Dom Solanke are still trying to get back in shape.”
With three and a half weeks until their quarter-final game, the Australian coach sees a chance to get his squad ready for what’s ahead.
Dealing with the Pressure and Looking Forward
Even though Tottenham is sitting 13th in the Premier League and facing more pressure, Postecoglou stayed locked in. He said the stakes were high but was happy with how his squad handled the pressure.
“The way we played the game tonight was important,” he said. “I try to ignore what everyone else is saying, but I know the players and the whole club understood the importance of this game.”
He gave props to his squad for staying cool, especially after giving up the first goal. “Even when we were down 1-0, I never felt the team was worried. Up until their goal, we were in charge,” he said.
Looking ahead, Postecoglou is feeling good about Tottenham’s chances. “When we’re playing our best, we can go up against anyone,” he said. “We now have time to get our players in shape, and hopefully, some of our main guys who are still out will be back soon. That will help us get to where we need to be.”
With some new confidence, Spurs are now turning their attention to what’s next, hoping to keep this going in the later part of the season.
