‘Very, very surprised’… Ally McCoist insists Ange Postecoglou has made a ‘mistake’ at Tottenham

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Ally McCoist has now insisted that he doesn’t quite agree with how Ange Postecoglou handled Tottenham Hotspur’s game against Chelsea on Monday.

McCoist was speaking on talkSPORT this morning and simply couldn’t get his head around the high line that Postecoglou demanded from his Tottenham players.

The pundit thought the plan would be appropriate if Spurs were chasing the game whilst losing, but couldn’t understand the decision at 1-1.

McCoist was discussing the matter with Alan Brazil and felt Spurs had a point to protect and Postecoglou did make a mistake.

He said (8/11, 7:42am): “I don’t think he’s naive, he knows what he’s doing, he’s a clever man.

“I actually think it was a mistake.”

Brazil: “It could have been eight or nine.”

McCoist: “I don’t think it’s naive as he knows exactly what he’s doing, he said that’s the way he’s going to play.

“I would never have done it, I get him doing it perhaps at 2-1 rather than one each, if they go 2-1 and have got to try and get a goal from somewhere then I get them doing it then.

“I was very, very surprised to say the least at that high line, I couldn’t believe it.”

McCoist didn’t like Postecoglou’s decision to maintain an incredibly high Tottenham back line

Of course, being down to nine men in such circumstances could never be anticipated prior to the game by Postecoglou.

And as well as losing Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie to red cards, Micky van de Ven’s injury was a huge blow.

Tottenham’s medical team do actually now fear the prospect of van de Ven needing surgery on his painful hamstring issue from Monday.

The pacey defender would have been well suited to Tottenham’s high back line in those circumstances, even if McCoist didn’t like Postecoglou’s call.

There really hasn’t been anything to criticise about Ange’s time at Spurs thus far.

And although some won’t agree with the manager’s approach late on, he did stay true to his pragmatic message. 

Tottenham will now travel to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday and will hope a more low key affair.

Postecoglou’s back line will be of particular interest to fans given all of those that are now missing.

Eric Dier and 18-year-old Ashley Phillips now looks a likely combination for the side at the back.

And Dejan Kulusevski has declared his confidence that Phillips is ready to step up.