Tottenham updates: Can Ange Postecoglou turn Spurs into title challengers?

The appointment of Ange Postecoglou last summer raised eyebrows and questions over the capability of a not-so-popular coach to improve Tottenham Hotspur’s poor showing and performance in the previous season where they finished eighth.

The 58-year-old previously had a dominant spell at Celtic where he won five titles including two Scottish League titles, one Scottish Cup and two Scottish League Cup trophies. He can rightly be described as a title-winning coach before his time at Spurs having won titles in every League he has played including the Japanese and Australia Leagues.

What made Postecoglou more appealing is not only his ability to win titles, but also his distinctive style of play where he prioritises game domination by keeping hold of possession, with fluid and sleek passing in the middle and final third of the pitch.

Upon his arrival at Tottenham, little was expected from him but the Aussie completely blew fans with Spurs tickets away in his first few months in charge with an exotic style of football.

They sat top of the League for a considerable amount of time and all things went swiftly until that dramatic match against Chelsea in November that handed the Australian manager his first defeat at home in 43 games – a run that extended from his time at Celtic.

The last time Spurs lost a game before that match was against Brentford and they went on for 12 games without facing defeat.

Their ultra-high line sparked discussions among media pundits as it showed Postecoglou’s hell-bent principle of playing with a high irrespective of his personnel or scoreline.

That former Yokohama Marinos manager made a viral catchphrase in the post-match conference when asked about his decision to play a risky highline with nine men, he replied by saying: ‘It’s who we are, mate.’

Roll down to the tail end of the season and Spurs had already slumped outside the top four after a poor run of results in the festive period. The defence was a big issue and raised disturbing concerns over the manager’s neglect of the position especially in set pieces. The Lilywhites 61 conceded goals was the joint-most of any side in the top five and the third-most in the top eight.

Injuries to key players like James Madison, Destiny Udogie, Micky van de Ven and Christian Romero proved that with the right personnel, Spurs are an unbeatable force under Postecoglou and are unafraid to take on any team from the front foot.

In the first-leg fixtures against opponents like Manchester City and Arsenal, Spurs, showcased resilient and commendable performances often dominating facets of the game. Their lengthy unbeaten run and goalscoring streak are another testament that with the right players, Postecoglou can turn the Lilywhites into a brute force that can end the North London club’s decades-old trophy-barren campaign.

As the 2024-25 season is less than two months away, the North London club are in the market for players to reinforce the squad in what will be a season marred by a lengthy fixture schedule due to their participation in the UEFA Europa League. For Spurs to become the dominant force of an archetypal Postecoglou team challenging for titles, they will need to get some quality players to add depth and compete for a starting berth in the team.

Here’s a preview of who Spurs should swoop for to bring a better version of ‘Ange-ball’ to the white side of North London.

A prolific centre-forward

Following the departure of captain and 280-goal club record goalscorer, Harry Kane, Spurs have been unable to find that prolific hitman that could replicate the goalscoring form their former captain showcased before he joined Bayern Munich.

Richarlison has been deployed to fill the void but the Brazil International despite hitting his best scoring form since joining the club, and is not looking like the 20-goal-a-season forward Spurs desperately need.

Recent reports from TUDN Radio  as relayed by Sport Witness revealed that Tottenham are interested in Feyenoord’s prolific forward, Santiago Gimenez.

The Mexico International netted 26 goals for the Dutch club and provided eight assists, finishing the season as the third-highest scorer in the Eredivisie.

The report reveals that Tottenham could get their first summer signing ready as the 23-year-old is ‘very close’ to joining the club.

The London club are being rivalled by Laliga giants, Atletico Madrid who are also keen on swooping for the 34-G/A hitman.

Gimenez would free the goalscoring burden from club captain Heung-min Son and will hope to give Spurs a rampaging frontline to compete for the titles if he seals a move.

More focus on defensive balance

Spurs’ defence provided opposing teams a well of opportunities on set pieces, counterattacks and crosses. Their high-level pressing front on the front foot denied some teams the ability to get in behind their defence, but they were made to pay for it against top-class opponents.

The games against West Ham United, Chelsea, Brentford and Everton are just some of the few examples of Spurs’ vulnerability at the back and it is an area they need to address in the coming season.

While there have been reports linking them to right-backs including Monaco’s Vanderson and Fiorentina’s Michael Kayode, they shouldn’t neglect the need for another reliable centre-back.

The hefty fixture schedule and the inevitability of injuries are enough reasons for the club to also prioritise strengthening their defence with quality.

Last season, they were linked with Bayer Leverkusen’s Edmond Tapsoba and Van de Ven before opting to sign the latter.

Tapsoba is an experienced centre-back that thrives holds a lot of width and covers a lot of ground in high lines.

The Burkina Faso International thrives in the air and excels with the ball at his feet. He’s a combative tackler and ticks all the boxes for the quality defender Spurs need to improve their vulnerable backline.

Midfield cover

The arrival of Postecoglou saw a rejuvenation in performances and beliefs that saw the never-give-up mantra on display during their many comeback wins.

Most notably, Pape Mata Sarr and Yves Bissouma were completely transformed into not just combative tacklers, but efficient ball-playing midfielders.

However, they need more depth as they will likely be squad rotations to give some players fresh legs due to the fixture schedule next season.

One player who suits the mould of a relentless tackler and an efficient passer is Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher.

The Chelsea vice-captain has a year left on his contract and they’re no indications of a contract talk.

Swooping for the England International could prove to be a great piece of business by Daniel Levy as he will offer Postecoglou two tactical advantages.

Gallagher can be deployed in the attacking third to thwart opposition buildup plays and can also be utilised deep in midfield to thwart counterattacks and protect the defence that rarely keeps clean sheets.

A recent report from Evening Standard reveals that Atletico Madrid and Aston Villa are set to battle with Spurs for the signing of the midfield gem who is valued highly by Chelsea.

With Chelsea holding on to a high offer for the midfielder who is also willing to remain at the club, it remains to be seen if Spurs can act swiftly to secure the signing of the 24-year-old who could prove to be a shrewd signing if he joins the Lilywhites this summer.