TOTTENHAM made history by winning their first trophy in 17 years after a tactical masterclass from Ange Postecoglou.
The Aussie outsmarted Ruben Amorim‘s sorry Manchester United to record a narrow 1-0 win in the Europa League final in Bilbao.
GettyAnge Postecoglou made history by finally bringing a major trophy to Spurs[/caption]
Europa League success, and with it passage to next season’s Champions League, means Tottenham can laud this season as a triumph, despite the club’s horror domestic form.
They are currently in danger of finishing one place outside the Premier League relegation zone after losing 21 of their 37 league games with one fixture remaining.
But all has been temporarily forgotten after Ange delivered the biggest mic drop in English football by making good on his promise of “always winning a trophy in his second season”.
And SunSport’s Dean Scoggins reveals how subtle tweaks to the system paid off to send Big Ange to the top of Spurs’ folklore by bringing home a first European trophy in 40 years.
Not Ange Ball
Ange Ball is dead. And in truth, it died and went cold some time ago. Tottenham fans now know that he can play a second way!
When Postecoglou defended his decision to not abandon his attacking principles after a 4-1 loss to Chelsea in November 2023 – despite Spurs going down to nine men – it drew a mixed response.
There were those who admired his high-line stance, and others who called it foolish for a side sitting 17th in the Prem to not be more flexible.
But against United, Ange learned to let his head rule his heart and sat in deep after Brennan Johnson bundled in the only goal on the brink of half-time.
Ange set Tottenham up to sit in deep and compact
Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur dropped into pick up Amad Diallo and Mason Mount
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Spurs spent almost the entire second half defending and had just 27 per cent possession throughout the whole game – probably knowing that hapless United could never break them down anyway.
Ange did this against Frankfurt and Bodo Glimt, where Spurs had 35 per cent of the ball and sat deep.
The 53-year-old tweaked his midfield base against United’s two No 10s in their 3-4-3, where Yves Bissouma and Bentancur dropped into pick up Amad Diallo and Mason Mount.
This was a relief for centre-back pairing Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, who didn’t have to really worry about Rasmus Hojlund at all.
Spurs parking the bus nullified Amorim’s set-up of having Casemiro wide apart from Bruno Fernandes in No 8.
Amorim had anticipated Ange Ball, but the high line didn’t come.
Spurs parking the bus nullified Amorim’s set-up of having Casemiro wide apart from Bruno Fernandes
Johnson again ole ole
Although Johnson’s goal might not have been pretty, the positioning and the tactical play was deliberate from Spurs.
United’s defending for the goal was dreadful. But Johnson is Spurs’ top goalscorer.
The former Nottingham Forest star is either the pacey winger, that whips the ball in first time, or taps home himself quickly.
At 0-0, Spurs sent a couple of warnings United’s way with Pape Matar Sarr moving out wide and Pedro Porro crossing the ball in.
There was 25 yards between centre-back pairing Harry Maguire and Leny Yoro before Johnson scored
Ange wanted to push United back into the box and then deliver a cross under pressure so that the opposition make mistakes.
At the start of the goal move, there was 25 yards between centre-back pairing Harry Maguire and Leny Yoro.
Dominic Solanke‘s unselfish run attracts Maguire’s interest at the back post, with Shaw left in the middle and the wrong side of Johnson who scuffed it in.
Brennan Johnson’s scrappy goal just before half-time broke the deadlock
Sarr is the star man
Sarr ran the midfield, while Fernandes uncharacteristically lost the ball countless times.
The 22-year-old was free to go hunting when Solanke dropped in to cover Casemiro.
The three man midfield were a workhorse because there was no Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison or Lucas Bergvall.
Sarr broke the play down and forced the game upfield, which then created the goal.
And those breaks actually happened three times in the second half, when Spurs spurned two opportunities for a chance at goal.
Sarr has the freedom to roam the midfield and picked up loose balls from Bruno Fernandes
Sarr broke the play down and forced the game upfield
Dutch of class – Van de Ven!
Van de Ven’s acrobatic clearance off the line was magical. World class defending and maybe no another defender on the globe gets there.
The 6ft 3in powerhouse swept Hojlund’s header off the the line after Guglielmo Vicario punched out a cross.
As the Man Utd flop striker headed it towards goal, Van de Ven had a five yard sprint to get scoop it out.
In the same way that Shaw and Co flapped at Spurs’ goal, Van de Ven basically won it for Tottenham.
Micky Van de Ven had a five yard sprint to keep Rasmus Hojlund’s headed out
Van de Ven’s acrobatic clearance off the line was magical
Amad Mad Situation
Amad Diallo was United’s bright spark on their darkest night in living memory – but only in the first half.
Amorim’s attacking plans were so rigid, with Amad floating as the other 10 / winger.
And the 22-year-old seemed to have Destiny Udogie‘s number before half-time.
But a tactical tweak saw Udogie push higher up to block Noussair Mazraoui’s pass, which moved Van de Ven over to cover Amad.
The change left the Ivory Coast star needing to cut back inside on his other foot away from goal and hit loopy crosses in.
And those crosses were swept up by Tottenham’s low block, with United unable to create anything meaningful.
Man Utd ratings: Diallo best player in Europa League final but Hojlund out of his depth
AMAD DIALLO’S fizzing first-half display was little consolation for Manchester United in a dismal 1-0 Europa League final loss to Tottenham.
Rasmus Hojlund’s plight up front continued in one of the worst European showpieces for many years – as both sides showed why they will finish in the Premier League lower reaches.
Spurs clinched it from virtually their first opportunity – on 42 minutes.
Brennan Johnson bundled in Pape Sarr’s inswinging cross, with United left-back Luke Shaw also getting a touch on the way.
The Red Devils dictated possession more and more after the break, with Leny Yoro stretching to test Guglielmo Vicario from a free-kick.
But United’s chances only arrived regularly in the final quarter of a patchy contest.
The Red Devils belatedly piled on the pressure in the seven minutes of stoppage time, but Spurs just held on.
Here’s how SunSport’s Dave Courtnadge rated United on a miserable night individually and collectively for Ruben Amorim’s men…
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