‘Unusual’ errors at fault for latest Tottenham defeat in EPL, says Ange Postecoglou
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Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou looking dejected during the 4-2 Premier League loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
PHOTO: AFP
LONDON – Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou defended his side’s performance, despite falling to a 17th Premier League defeat of the season in a 4-2 loss at Wolverhampton Wanderers on April 13.
Spurs were undone by a catalogue of errors at Molineux.
Rayan Ait-Nouri gave Wolves a flying start inside two minutes, before Guglielmo Vicario punched the ball off Djed Spence for a calamitous own goal to make it 2-0.
Twice the visitors got themselves back into the game with goals from Mathys Tel and Richarlison, only to concede straight away as Jorgen Strand Larsen and Matheus Cunha restored Wolves’ two-goal cushion.
“Funny game because for the most part it was decent,” said Postecoglou.
“I thought we controlled large parts and were a bit of a threat going forward, but then we conceded some poor goals.
“We made some individual errors, which is unusual for us, but they all happened in one game.”
Spurs are languishing in 15th in the Premier League, leaving the Europa League as the last chance to save their season and possibly Postecoglou’s job.
They travel to Eintracht Frankfurt on April 17 for the second leg of their quarter-final, with the tie finely poised at 1-1.
Wolves, meanwhile, secured four successive top-flight wins for the first time since January 1972.
Their survival in the Premier League is now close to being sure, thanks to a significant upturn since Vitor Pereira’s appointment in December.
“If I start to speak about being safe, I don’t show my ambition,” said the Portuguese, as his side climbed to within two points of Tottenham and three behind Manchester United and Everton.
“I didn’t come to England to work just to avoid relegation, I’m not this kind of coach.
“We feel that we can win and compete with the other teams.”
Pereira left top scorer Cunha on the bench on his return from a four-match ban.
The Brazilian was quoted in a recent interview that his future lies away from Wolves next season, but Pereira insisted the 25-year-old is committed to the club.
“I feel that he went to the pitch not to think about him but think about the team,” added the coach.
“He is part of our family.”
In another match, Enzo Maresca refused to plead for the backing of Chelsea’s frustrated fans after his spluttering team were booed off during their 2-2 draw with Ipswich.
The Blues sit in sixth place, one point behind fifth-placed Manchester City with six games left in the race to qualify for the Champions League via a top-five finish.
“We are stronger with our fans, we are a better team,” said Maresca.
“So it’s up to them to decide the way.” AFP, REUTERS
