Tottenham lost 4-3 to Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon
Spurs were leading 2-0 after 11 minutes but let the three points slip away
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By KIERAN GILL
Published: 15:50 EST, 8 December 2024 | Updated: 15:50 EST, 8 December 2024
Ange Postecoglou is adamant he can turn Tottenham's season around after this Premier League collapse to their London rivals Chelsea, so long as the ‘uncontrollables’ stop hindering his team whenever they threaten to make progress under him.
The Spurs boss described this defeat in front of watching chairman Daniel Levy as ‘painful’ and ‘self-inflicted’, citing the loss of Cristian Romero to injury after they took their 2-0 lead as a catalyst.
Postecoglou referred to that as one of those annoyances he simply cannot control as he explained: ‘Every time we have seemed like we are on solid footing, something has come along which will become an impediment for us. It’s just the way our season has gone.
‘It went like that last year. It’s not like since I have been here this is unusual territory. Ultimately, my role now is to focus on the things I can control and keep preparing the team the best we can to keep progressing as a football team and turn our season around.
‘We don't seem to get that ability to just gain some traction. Every time we've seemed to, something comes along and disrupts us. People keep referring to the (Manchester) City game (which Tottenham won 4-0), and we lost Vic (goalkeeper Vicario) straight afterwards for three months, so it seems like we're just not able to do that. They're uncontrollables.’
Hinting that he needs help in the January transfer window, Postecoglou continued: ‘I don’t sense anybody is feeling sorry for themselves. It is a tough moment, because there are all these tools you can possibly use as a manager when you are going through tough moments to turn things around, and our limited resources from a playing perspective at the moment doesn’t allow us to do that, so you have to find other ways. It’s not through a lack of effort.
‘The players are constantly out there because we can’t rotate. They are giving everything they can. It diminishes performances as well because they probably need a rest but we can’t give them a rest. It is something we need to tackle head on and keep pushing on.’
Moises Caicedo was perhaps fortunate to escape punishment for a naughty tackle on Pape Matar Sarr, with Postecoglou complaining it summed up the current state of Premier League refereeing.
‘Referees don't want to make them (big decisions) because they'll go to VAR, and VAR doesn't want to intervene, so you’re left in no man's land,’ the Spurs boss said. ‘There’s a couple of decisions I thought today definitely went against us. I just don’t think the technology has helped our game.’
Meanwhile, Cole Palmer also spoke afterwards, with the Chelsea superstar saying of his Panenka penalty: 'When I stepped back and looked at the clock, I thought it was a bit frantic, the game was all over the place and I thought the keeper was ready to dive so I just chipped it. Thankfully it went in.’
Tottenham could find themselves in bother for how their supporters targeted Palmer and Co with missiles whenever Chelsea had a corner.