Ange Postecoglou made a surprising decision for Tottenham that had immediate positive effects against West Ham. As the match approached half-time, Dejan Kulusevski managed to equalize for Tottenham with a left-footed shot that bounced off both posts before finding the net. The Lilywhites carried their first-half momentum into the second half, scoring three goals within seven minutes. Yves Bissouma gave Tottenham the lead, followed by an own goal from Jean-Clair Todibo, and Son Heung-min added a fourth. Moments after his goal, the Tottenham captain hit the post, showcasing a West Ham defense struggling to cope.
Postecoglou’s unexpected substitution, which many believed was crucial to this turnaround, involved James Maddison not returning from the break. This change raised concerns given Maddison’s pivotal role in Postecoglou’s attacking strategies.
Ange Postecoglou said, “Yeah I could have [made changes sooner]. But those things are totally irrelevant to me. Substitutions and all those kind of things. We didn’t deserve on our second-half performance, irrespective of subs or anything else, to get something out of the game. But I think if you do get something out of the game, you’re falsely rewarded and I don’t want to get falsely rewarded.”
Prior to this match, Postecoglou faced scrutiny over his methods, particularly after Tottenham’s collapse at Brighton before the international break. He addressed these criticisms in an interview with fellow Australian Mark Schwarzer. While Tottenham rarely keeps clean sheets, the second half of this match demonstrated Postecoglou’s ability to adapt and make strategic changes, dispelling some past criticisms.
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