Ange Postecoglou’s best win yet! Views on Maddison and what’s possible for Spurs after 4-0 City rout

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

Where did the win at City rank in terms of wins in recent years for you? What and who impressed you most from the performance? Let me know in the comments below.

[@user-wg5sp6ei7l]

Loved your sentiment at the end Tom and its exactly how I'm feeling about Ange and the team. I genuinely believe in a few years time the "Ange era" will be the yardstick for what future Tottenham teams are measured against. I don't know what we'll achieve, or what we'll win but time always erases the "Ipswich's at home" in the grander scheme of things. I'm certain we'll long for this man once he's gone and we're trying to convince ourselves that to be a good team, you have to play like Arteta and Emery, and go to places like the Etihad, put 11 men behind the ball, roll around for 90 minutes and celebrate a draw. I'm always reminded of the Andy quote from the Office "I Wish There Was a Way to Know You’re in the Good Old Days Before You’ve Actually Left Them." Spurs are at the beginning of the good old days, and some people are too preoccupied with where the destination might be, that they're missing out on the journey.

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

Yep agree with that final sentence a lot

[@danielradd111]

Well said 👏

[@harperlee6383]

Thanks for the coverage Tom. Appreciate your efforts as a professional journalist in covering Spurs like this when it's not the team you personally support.

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

My pleasure. Lot of fun covering this team!

[@alexsibanda6390]

Vicario was very inspirational today, did was expected of him well. Davies and Dragusin played well in defense, didn't give anything away.

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

They were all excellent

[@user-Griezman]

한국 스포츠뉴스에는 제임스메디슨 뉴스들만 나왔습니다. 제임스메디슨 2골은 환상적이었습니다. 👍👍 나는 새벽 2시에 맨시티경기를 생중계로 시청했습니다. Thanks 톰 버클리

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

Maddison definitely was the headline story of this win, but so many great performances to talk about, not least the manager’s. Thanks very much, loved my time in Seoul with Spurs two years ago

[@sharanbo148]

First time viewer here. Thank you for your level-headed and analytical coverage, really enjoyed it! I truly believe that Ange will not only break the trophy curse, but really improve us in the long term as well. COYS from 🇨🇦

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

My pleasure, thanks for the kind feedback

[@xpictos777]

The fact is that the top 3 teams in the League last year had the 3 coaches with the longest tenure says it all. Ange has to be backed.

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

Yep, good observation

[@mattc2032]

This is the first game I've missed this season. It was 2:30am in Korea, had a Spurs-based beer I found here, and saw Biss get a Yellow in 20 seconds... and suddenly we win -- might need to miss more games. Thanks again for the wonderful insightful analysis man. Wonderful to hear from you. Always looking forward to your point of view.

[@mattc2032]

Also, yes, Vicario doesn't get the appreciation he deserves. Love that man.

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

Thank you very much, that’s some lovely feedback. Will try to keep it up

[@jaynepoland4615]

That’s what annoys me when people say Ange never changes his play. There are things he will not change but like you said he tweeks things when needed.

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

He does tweak it occasionally. I wonder if we’ll start seeing a few tweaks more often now, given how well it worked against City

[@conorsmith8551]

Maddison was the obvious choice for MOTM, defence was magnificent but honorable mention to Pape Sarr. He broke up man city play at least 5 times in that first half that i can count. Carried the ball superbly. We have such a good player there. 👏

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

Yep I should have mentioned Sarr too, really was terrific.

[@michaelkennedy3372]

Ive had such a nice Sunday morning.

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

Not surprised!

[@esromesrom321]

Me too….. Good on ya…

[@peternguyen4202]

Thank you, Tom your next day insights are always informative. Great insights and level headed takes.

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

Thanks for that, really kind feedback.

[@fletap7782]

Hi Tom, as always well balanced comments. Just one thing regarding consistency. The team is the second youngest squad in the league - 51% are below 25 years of age and 22% are below 21 years of age. And, many are playing in the hardest league for the first time. Youth needs a little time to adapt to the rigors of the Premier league along with a style that they have never encountered and against some real bruts. Don't forget that Udogie is 21, van de Ven is 23, Mata Sarr is a youthful 22. Give them a little time and they will come good.

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

Really good points. The room for growth, as Ange would put it, is very exciting

[@lovelovelovehappyhappyhappy]

Thank you

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

You're welcome

[@IvanGreenaway]

Well said!!

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

Thank you

[@Splinter1952]

Very good analytical vidio. As to the Ange Out naysayers can they be reminded that in game week 12/2024. Ange has been in charge 50 games. Arteta 250 games. COYS.

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

85 points now from those 50 games, I believe. Klopp had 92, Arteta 73. Now it’s about kicking on, as those other two did

[@DirtySanchez658]

Winning the Asian Cup was his biggest win well above this.

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

Yeah possibly. Biggest win for Spurs, I meant

[@elspurso]

I thought Vicario was also excellent on crosses today and not just shot stopping. He knew when to punch it away and when to come and catch it, basically dominated his box.

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

Yep, really encouraging

[@elspurso]

@TomBarclayjournalist with that display he calmed thing down at back, so we never looked panicked when under pressure.

[@roberto_camp]

We've had so many false dawns with this team and Ange, the only way to get really excited is if we can carry on and go on some sort of run. But yes, phenomenal performance yesterday. Kind of game that makes you count the minutes to the next one!

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

See your point, but this one is definitely one to savour

[@roberto_camp]

@@TomBarclayjournalist it is!

[@jamescaldwell7396]

They are only false dawns in the eyes of desperate, irrational Spurs fans. Many outsiders can see that there is definitely improvement both statistically and visually. Of course there have been some disappointing performances. What do you expect from the youngest squad in the Premier League? Do you expect prime Real Madrid? From what I can see, Spurs have played very well in every game besides The Tractors and Palace game. Every other game they played very well and should have atleast 6 pts more.

[@tvgcmma9215]

I think dragusin has been trying to hard to make an impression when plays and trying to he perfect on and off ball where as yesterday seems like he went into game just to defend and keep it simple and he was brilliant and Davies showed why such a great squad player

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

They were excellent. More from Dragusin like this, please

[@francomartini4328]

Tottenham currently have more players unavailable for selection than any other Premier League team, so neither City nor anyone else can use injury absences as an excuse. What happened on Saturday evening was that Spurs shone a spotlight on all the deficiencies of the current Man City squad. City fielded a team composed of a combination of young and unproven midfielders and veterans who have won every trophy available in football, most of them multiple times, but who are now tired and aging and who, quite simply, don't have ninety minutes in their legs any more. Silva, Gundogan, Walker, Stones, and De Bruyne are all past their use by dates and, frankly, living on past glories. Josko Gvardiol, City's standout signing in the Summer of 2023, is great going forward but Dejan Kulusevski had him for lunch in a masterclass on how to illustrate a full-back's defensive shortcomings. As team performances go and taken in its entirety, yesterday's was the best ever from Ange's Spurs and probably the best that I can remember since the second half performance at Ajax in 2019. I know that it's too much to hope for but I really hope that the match can be remembered as a turning point. Only time will tell.

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

Your points re City, maybe, I dunno, I still think those players who are allegedly past their best can come storming back this season (albeit not for many seasons more given their age). But Spurs were excellent and yep, can see the comparison of feeling to Ajax away

[@mattc2032]

Also, its probably our un-doing, if Pep decides to go for Deki. Which he probably will.

[@francomartini4328]

@@TomBarclayjournalist When City are playing low block teams who allow them to camp in their half of the pitch and monopolize possession, they're probably as effective as they've always been. The problems arise when they lose possession to a team that breaks on them and they are then forced to run back to help out defensively. Not only do players like Silva and Gundogan routinely fail to stay with the runner but they are physically incapable of catching them any more. As the game yesterday progressed past the 60 minute mark, City just looked more and more leggy.

[@iSnaaacky]

Spurs fans around the globe are walking with a spring in their step today.

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

As they should!

[@esromesrom321]

Once we learn to beat teams that pack their defenses and spend the rest of the time dropping like flies, rolling ‘round wasting time we’ll be on our way…..

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

No mean feat but yep…

[@joachimschmidt7662]

The "ceiling" narrative is a new one for me to hear. And i expect it will catch on, well done. Whereas the "young team" narrative os a bit less true, of the performance. The squad assembled today was quite experienced.. a lot of senior players, all playing football for all their lives... The narrative that stands out for me, now, is... Is this the game that paid for Florian Wirtz? Tchouameni? Eze? Is this the game, that sends FC115 hard to the open player market again, like it was before the scrutiny... Or is it the sign of a Spurs side that augments beyond teens, and picks up some handy units (Sarabia? Semenyo? Grealish?) Also.. watch Spence's pace, behind Werner, as Werner outruns Walker!

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

Can’t see Spurs being able to attract Wirtz, he’s destined for Real Madrid I think. But Eze definitely a possibility

[@jamesdunn4316]

Do you know bissouma yellow card count and how close he is to missing a match??

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

That’s his third in the PL and sixth overall (two Europa, one League Cup). I don’t think the League Cup one counts towards five in the PL, so if that is definitely right, he’s still two off getting five for a league ban

[@ivanwoodhouse1958]

37??? you look 25

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

Haha will take that!

[@vitodanu5846]

Tom, we'll turn you fully COYS by the end of the season..

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

😂

[@esromesrom321]

I thought Tom was Spurs…!!!!!! Keep watching the madness that is Tottenham much longer, you’ll look way older than your 37 years, trust me. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@mrcooper7027]

You look good for 37.

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

😂 thanks

[@pauldurdin6163]

Those turning on Ange - and I don’t know any in real life by the way - are fools. This squad is so imbalanced, nobody to get consistency from it Xmas window is huge. Ditch Romero and Richarlison, if anyone wants the latter, and sign 4 consistent reliable defenders, who can head a ball and do the basics of marking. It will be transformational

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

Be stunned if there was anything like that amount of business in January

[@jamesdunn4316]

haaland not on fire. He scored a hatrick during the week

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

Very good point!

[@Petergrant2876]

Tom.u must realise ange is a.master coach to suggest he goes shows how ignorant u.are

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

Eh? When did I suggest that?

[@danielpinkus2725]

Spurs still find it difficult to break down a low block team. Can you please ask Ange, how are they going to overcome this.

[@TomBarclayjournalist]

Yep, will do