source DSC06300 (CC BY-ND 2.0) by Nasya Bahfen
It's been a tumultuous summer at Tottenham, but the Harry Kane saga is now over and as
one legend has left the club for pastures new, a new hero has arrived in the form of manager,
Ange Postecoglou. Spurs fans have been left disillusioned by the recent managerial regimes
at the club, but with their new Aussie coach, the mood has been lifted by the arrival of 'Ange-
Ball'.
What Is Ange-Ball?
As the name suggests, Ange-Ball is the title given to the style of play that Postecoglou
demands from his players. First hitting the headlines at Celtic in his former role, Ange-Ball is
centered around a possession-based attacking style of football.
It is something that Spurs fans have been crying out for after enduring the defensive nature of
Conte and Mourinho, and with Tottenham now priced at +400 in the
Premier League betting odds for a top-four finish, the Spurs faithful are not the only ones to have been impressed by
the performances so far in the North London.
Possession-based football is nothing new in the Premier League, with Mikel Arteta and Pep
Guardiola both using the tactic to full effect in recent years. The concept behind it is that, if
your team dominates the ball, the opposing team poses a much lower threat.
So what makes Ange-Ball any different from the rest you may ask? Well, as his rivals
concentrate on total domination of the ball and a more structured style of play, Postecoglou
prefers to play fluid attacking football that excites them. It's part of the Aussie's psychology
to entertain the club's fans, and as seen with his
trophy-laden stay at Celtic, it can be a very
successful style.
Kane Not Being Missed - So Far!
The biggest compliment that can be given to Postecoglou and Spurs so far is that Harry Kane
has not been missed. Obviously, it's early days, and the England captain's goals and influence
will be missed after his
move to Bayern Munich, but Postecoglou has spread the dependence
on Kane throughout his revigorated squad.
source Harry Kane (CC BY-SA 2.0) by enviro warrior
James Maddison has become an instant hit at the club, easily fitting into the Ange-Ball
system and becoming a key component of the impressive start to the new campaign. Son
Heung-min has taken on the mantle of captain and has led by example, whilst the return to
form of the forgotten man of the squad, Yves Bissouma, has also been a huge plus.
Postecoglu's revolution has not taken long to make an impact at the Tottenham Hotspur
Stadium, their impressive 2-0 victory over Man Utd following on from a decent 2-2 draw
against an impressive Brentford side on the opening day of the season.
The impressiveness of Tottenham's win over Man Utd will be lowered by the dismal
performance of their rivals, but nothing should be taken away from the way in which
Postecoglou's team dominated proceedings from start to finish.
With a relatively easy run of fixtures against the likes of Bournemouth, Burnley, and
Sheffield United upcoming, Spurs could be in a very good position before the first North
London derby in late September. If Ange-Ball continues to impress as it has so far, they could
also be in a very good position at the end of the season.
Who knows? They might be butting heads with Kane and his Bayern Munich team in the
Champions League next season!
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