Angeball won plaudits early in Ange Postecoglou's reign with Spurs but injuries and fatigue have taken their toll this term with a more conservative approach paying off at Brentford; watch Liverpool vs Tottenham on Thursday, live on Sky Sports from 7pm; kick-off 8pm.
Senior Football Journalist psmithXI. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player. It was the question on the minds of many observers at Brentford on Sunday as Tottenham dropped deeper and deeper, clinging onto their narrow lead before eventually grabbing a second goal on the break to seal a much-needed, morale-boosting win.
It was the most defensive display of Ange Postecoglou's reign, with Spurs making 49 clearances, 15 more than in any other Premier League game under him. The average position maps from that game, contrasted with the rest of the season, illustrate just how forced back Spurs were. It was a performance incomparable to the early, bombastic days of Postecoglou's time in charge, where Spurs fans revelled in the front-foot, thrilling approach of their side.
Last season, Angeball, briefly, took the Premier League by storm, before injuries to key players and inconsistent form blunted their edge. The infamous defeat at home to Chelsea underlined their commitment to the Australian's demands, even when down to nine players. Despite all the challenges of this second campaign, Postecoglou and his players have largely stuck to the general idea. Spurs rank second in the top flight for high turnovers, fifth for how high up the pitch they win the ball back and first for the amount of passes they allow the opposition to make before reclaiming possession.
Victory over Thomas Frank's side ended a four-game losing streak in the Premier League and a seven-game winless run in the competition. There was clear caution in Spurs' first-half play with the ball, wary not to give possession up too easily or get caught out too high up the pitch. They then became even more pragmatic after Vitaly Janelt's own goal. Adaptation paid off. But it also brought to mind an early interview Postecoglou gave to Sky Sports in pre-season before his first Spurs campaign.
