Ange Postecoglou’s second-season claim in doubt after Liverpool humbling

LONDON – Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou said in 2024 that he always wins something in his second season, but Liverpool made that assertion sound hollow after a League Cup semi-final thrashing on Feb 6.

Taking a 1-0 first-leg lead to Anfield, Spurs were mercilessly crushed 4-0 to exit 4-1 on aggregate and without a single shot on target all night.

Tottenham still have the FA Cup and the Europa League to maintain the Australian’s record, but both will be a challenge for a side battling a lengthening injury list.

There will be little time to rest as well, with a trip to Aston Villa in the FA Cup on Feb 9, for a club whose only silverware this century was the 2008 League Cup.

“We have given up a good opportunity tonight and we cannot shy away from that,” Postecoglou, who took over at Spurs in 2023, told BBC radio. “We were in a good position to get to the final.”

Liverpool, the holders and record 10-time winners now heading for their 15th League Cup final and third in four years, were relentless and simply too good.

Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai and Virgil van Dijk were on target for Arne Slot’s men, who will face Newcastle at Wembley on March 16 for the first silverware of the English season.

Former Reds defender Jamie Carragher, now a Sky Sports pundit, was ruthless in his criticism of Tottenham’s performance. Often derided for his gung-ho approach, Postecoglou appeared to have containing Liverpool in mind right from the start, but it did not work out once Gakpo opened the floodgates in the 34th minute.

“It was never in doubt before the game. It’s Tottenham. When did Tottenham ever win a big game? When did Tottenham ever go anywhere and surprise you and win against the odds?” Carragher said.

“The odds were massively in favour of Liverpool. They are at home at Anfield, they are the best team in the country and possibly in Europe right now. This Spurs team never shock you and do something out of the ordinary.”

Postecoglou, whose side are 14th in the Premier League, recognised that it had been a tough night.

“Both of the first two goals we could have done better but ultimately what was really important was that we never played to our identity and strengths and shied away from the challenge a little bit,” he said.

“Overall, we didn’t start well and were way too passive and let Liverpool get in a rhythm.”

The 59-year-old won Australian domestic titles with South Melbourne and Brisbane Roar in his second seasons and the Japanese league with Yokohama F. Marinos.

He also won the Asian Cup with Australia and two Scottish titles with Celtic. But winning a trophy with Tottenham now seems like a huge mountain to climb.

In contrast to Spurs’ desperation for silverware, Liverpool remain on course for a quadruple in Slot’s first season.

The Reds enjoy a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League, have cruised into the last 16 of the Champions League and visit Championship strugglers Plymouth in the FA Cup on Feb 9.

Slot said that securing a place in the Wembley final made it the “most special” night of his tenure to date.

“I think we had some big nights here already but to reach a final should always be special, and that is what it is. In Holland we only have one Cup competition and that final is played at the end of the season so it is new experience,” said the former Feyenoord boss.

“It (Wembley) is a special stadium for English people but also for Dutch people because we know the history of the stadium. Very pleased to go there but we know we will face a very tough opponent. They are a very good team but they will face a very good team as well.” REUTERS, AFP