The arrival of Ange Postecoglou will surely bring some new tactics and a different brand of football to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. But which players in the current squad will likely thrive in the Australian’s system?
After examining Postecoglou’s tactics by watching different videos and reading very informative articles, let’s take a look at three players that can thrive under the former Celtic manager and his system.
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Destiny Udogie
Most Spurs fans have been awaiting the arrival of Italian left wing-back Destiny Udogie since Tottenham announced his switch from Udinese in August last year.
Destiny Udogie, 20, spent the season on loan at Udinese after the Lilywhites bought him for around £15m (potential to rise to £20m).
The 20-year-old has developed a reputation for being a fast wing-back who loves to exploit his blistering speed to make overlapping runs on the flank in order to provide some attacking threat for his side.
The Italy under-21 international also seems to love using his physicality to bully his opponents off the ball, which allows his team to spark some very dangerous counter-attacks.
Full backs/wing backs are imperative in Postecoglou’s tactics as they are pivotal in providing defensive stability or attacking threats for his side.
Throughout his career, the Australian has mainly set his team up using his favoured 4-3-3 formation, which relies heavily on inverted full-backs.
Inverted full-backs are still a relatively unknown role to many people, but Pep Guardiola and his treble-winning Manchester City side have made the term more familiar in recent years as the Spaniard also uses the inverted full-backs in his system.
The premise of the inverted full-back role is that the wide defenders join the central areas of midfield in attacking phases rather than constantly hugging the bye line or making overlapping runs on the flank. For example, your right-footed full-back would play on the left side in the inverted full-back system.
In the 57-year-old’s typical system, one of the full-backs would join the central midfielder (typically the defensive midfielder) in attacking phases, which allows him to have more bodies in the middle of the park, meaning that his side shouldn’t be getting overloaded in that area and that the defender can easily trackback and help out the centre-backs.
This allows the other full-back to make those explosive runs down the flank, providing options for the midfielders or assisting the wingers trying to break down the opposition.
Udogie could easily thrive under the Australian as he can provide versatility by either being that tricky full-back bombing down the wing or being the inverted full-back who’s using his immense strength and tricky footwork to dispossess the opposition in the middle of the park.
The 20-year-old provided three goals and four assists for Udinese this season (Transfermarkt).
The future could be bright for the young Italian under Ange Postecoglou.
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Tanguy Ndombele
Tanguy Ndombele is a very controversial option for a player that can thrive under Postecoglou, with many Spurs fans believing that the Frenchmen doesn’t have a future at the club and that he must move on.
However, the midfielder has reportedly got the chance to show Postecoglou what he can bring to the table.
Tanguy Ndombele, 26, became Tottenham’s record signing in 2019 after joining from Lyon for around £63m (SkySports) after spells of excellence during his time in France.
However, the 26-year-old’s tenure at the Lilywhites has been far from rosy.
After failing to impress in North London, mainly due to a lack of fitness, Ndombele went back on loan to Lyon for half a season in January 2022, who refused to purchase him outright.
The midfielder has spent this season at Napoli, where he helped them win the league title, but the Italian giants will reportedly refuse to sign him on a permanent basis.
However, the fitness issues are still haunting Ndombele as he only managed to complete 90 minutes in a match just twice throughout the whole season (WhoScored.com), which is a shame as the Frenchman possesses a lot of technical ability.
Postecoglou’s midfielders also play vital roles in attacking movements and creating space for their teammates.
In the 56-year-old’s system, he typically instructs his advanced midfielder (his number eight in the system) to exploit the space on the flanks between the inverted full-back, who has joined the midfield, and the winger, which creates a brilliant passing option for a teammate or it can either draw in a defender and create some space for the striker or person on the flank.
Or the midfielder can either play between the lines or occupy the ball in an attacking area, helping the striker in the attacking phase.
Tanguy Ndombele has brilliant footwork and has the intelligence to operate between the lines, drawing in defenders and leaving space for teammates to make runs in behind. The Frenchman can exploit the space on the flank, leaving some lovely space for either Pedro Porro or Son Heung-min to run in behind the defensive line.
If he decides to become a passing option instead, we have all seen that Ndombele can make charging runs in the middle of the park, creating fabulous opportunities.
Although, the main issue is that the role includes a lot of high pressing and running, which means that Ndombele will need to try and combat his fitness issues, as the Lilywhites will need a creative engine in that position.
However, he can thrive in that role under Postecoglou if he puts in the work.
Pape Matar Sarr is another one to watch for in this position, as the Australian likes to use two midfielders in this role.
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Richarlison
Richarlison had made a far-from-ideal start to his life in North London under Conte as he failed to make the impact he would have liked to make in his first season.
Richarlison, 26, is a versatile forward who can play as a striker or on either side of the wings, who joined from Everton last summer in a £50m switch (Transfermarkt).
The forward was the standout player in a struggling Everton side prior to swapping Merseyside for North London.
However, with a lack of playing time under Antonio Conte, the Brazilian only scored one goal and provided four assists in the Premier League last season.
On the other hand, the Australian manager’s tactics could help the attacker gain momentum and play as he did during his time at the Toffees.
Postecoglou tends to use his wingers to make bending runs into the central areas of the pitch rather than always out wide to encourage balls into these areas of the pitch.
The inward runs also allow the wingers to help the striker press the backline or even allow the striker to apply pressure on the goalkeeper.
This system could benefit Richarlison a lot more than the previous systems as the Brazilian would have the freedom to play in his preferred central areas of the opponent’s half, and he could even have the chance to make explosive runs in behind the back line if Kane was double marked, for example.
Postecoglou’s system would benefit from the 26-year-old’s passion and energy when it comes down to the pressure aspect of the tactics. It could be a perfect match for the Australian and the Brazilian and would help Richarlison prove himself at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
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Special mentions:
Obviously, there are more players that can thrive under Ange Postecoglou.
Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma are two great options to play that number eight role in the Australian’s system.
Their high-intensity pressing, intelligent passing and progressive style of play would provide great options for the 56-year-old when he has to select his midfield that must press intensely, play intuitively and provide a threat in attacking phases.
Pierre-Emile Højbjerg is a suggestion for a player that must perform arguably the most pivotal role in Postecoglou’s system, the number six (holding midfielder).
The holding midfielder in the Australian’s system must be comfortable playing in a single-pivot, double-pivot and as a centre-back when needed.
The midfielder will be one of the players that need the vision to pick out passes behind the opposition’s defensive line whilst having the defensive capabilities to make a back three-three with the other two defenders when the full-backs attack or join the midfield.
Højbjerg seems to have the fanbase currently split over whether he is what Tottenham need in midfield. We will soon find out whether Postecoglou is confident that the Dane can play this role or perhaps Oliver Skipp will be selected ahead of him.
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