‘Deeply unfair’: Chris Sutton stunned by what he’s now heard about Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou
Tottenham Hotspur will have to exercise a bit more patience than most of their Premier League counterparts before kicking off their new campaign in the coming days. The North London club has been assigned the Monday night fixture for their opening match of the season, which sees them traveling to face newly-promoted Leicester City.
Under the guidance of manager Ange Postecoglou, Spurs have been hard at work throughout pre-season, showing promising signs with victories in the majority of their games, save for a couple. The team appears to be building on the momentum from last season, where they made a strong start and were in the hunt for a top-four finish for most of the campaign.
Unfortunately, a dip in form towards the end of the season dashed their hopes of securing a Champions League spot, leaving them with a place in the Europa League instead. Despite this setback, Tottenham is eager to hit the ground running as they embark on their 2024/25 journey, starting with a challenging away game at Leicester City. The Foxes, fresh off their promotion from the Championship, are back in the top flight and will undoubtedly be looking to make an impression.
Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton has weighed in on Tottenham’s prospects for the season, particularly focusing on their upcoming clash with Leicester. Sutton, who now provides expert analysis for BBC Sport, expressed his surprise at the criticism that Postecoglou has been facing in some quarters. He dismissed the negative chatter as “nonsense,” arguing that Postecoglou, now entering his second season with Spurs, should not be under any undue pressure.
Sutton, who has been vocal in his support for the Australian coach, believes that Tottenham has made significant strides over the past year. He finds it baffling that some are questioning Postecoglou’s position, especially considering the progress made under his leadership, even in the absence of star striker Harry Kane.
In his commentary, Sutton stated, “I’ve been hearing a lot of nonsense about Tottenham and the idea that Ange Postecoglou ‘needs a good start’ to the season. I don’t see why he should be under pressure now. Spurs fans endured frustrating weekends under Mourinho and Conte, but last season was different. They were entertained and came close to a top-four finish without Harry Kane. It’s clear Ange made progress, so the criticism seems unfair and unwarranted.”
Sutton is confident that the criticism won’t faze Postecoglou, who is an experienced manager with a history of success. He predicts that Tottenham will enjoy another strong season under his stewardship, starting with a 3-1 victory against Leicester in the Midlands. “Leicester, under Steve Cooper, will be organized and could be the best-equipped of the newly promoted sides to stay up, but I think Spurs will have too much quality for them,” Sutton added.
As for Tottenham’s team news ahead of the Leicester match, the club’s official website reports that most of the squad is fit and ready to go. Richarlison, who has been gradually reintroduced to full training, is available for selection. Additionally, goalkeeper Fraser Forster has rejoined the group after recovering from a foot injury. However, midfielder Yves Bissouma will be unavailable due to suspension for disciplinary reasons.
Football outlet TBR Football has offered its own predictions on how Tottenham might line up against Leicester, taking into account the current squad’s fitness and availability.
