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I’m going to save the most effusive praise for a little further down the line (it’s Tottenham, we’ve all been burned a thousand times before by a brief glimpse of promise), but there are two things we really must say after the first three matches of the Ange Postecoglou era:
1) Last season, Tottenham ranked 10th in the division for touches of the ball in the final third of the pitch, despite having one of the best front threes in the league who they should have been trying to service.
Antonio Conte claimed that he had no choice because the players were not good enough, not clever enough or not hard-working enough to play any other way.
This season so far, Tottenham rank fourth for touches in the final third (and that’s even after losing their best attacker and having to rebuild). They are playing quicker, they are playing with more energy and they are playing in a more attacking style.
These players have not changed. Those who are new to the team are not revolutionary upgrades on their predecessors. They are simply motivated and seem to enjoy playing under a different manager. That matters.
2) It is a joy for the neutral to have an interesting Tottenham Hotspur back and with a manager who doesn’t offer the impression that coaching this group of players is some penance he is paying or some stepping stone to something better.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/sdTBJRS
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