Former Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe has called for a tactical change under Ange Postecoglou following their defeat to Newcastle United.
The North London club suffered a defeat at the hands of Newcastle United on Sunday. Despite dominating the ball and creating more chances, Spurs ended up on the wrong side of the result. Jermain Defoe wasn’t happy with the tactics deployed by his former club and he has called for a tactical change under Ange Postecoglou.
While speaking on Premier League Productions, the 41-year-old suggested that their defensive strategies under the Australian boss haven’t been on point and their central defenders need to make certain adjustments to their game.
Defoe said via HITC: “I think the only thing that could help is that, when teams do beat the press, I think the defenders, their body shape has to be different.
“You have to be ready to race and the goalkeeper has to be further out of his goal.
“You can understand it, dictating build-up and wanting to overload centrally, so you can win the ball back and you can dominate possession like Tottenham do most games. At the same time, I think the (defensive) line is, he wants the players to be brave, but there is being brave and there is being silly.
“Just too easy to get in behind (Isak’s goal). It just can’t be right, the amount of times you see this happening, you have centre-backs sprinting back. When it keeps happening throughout the game. When it’s happening every single time and every game, then it can’t be right.”
The Tottenham youth coach suggested that their central defenders need to change their body shape while running back. Spurs play with quite a high defensive line under Postecoglou and they look to press and retrieve the ball as soon as possible. But, when teams do end up beating the press, the central defenders need to be ready to sprint back and more importantly, the goalkeeper needs to be further out of his goal.
Defoe does understand the fact that the former Celtic manager wants his team to dictate the build and overload the midfield to win the ball back as quickly as possible and dominate possession. But, he feels there is only a slight difference between being brave and being silly.
At this point in time, it is quite easy for attackers to get in behind the Tottenham back-line just as it was for Alexander Isak who ran in behind and scored Newcastle’s winner on Sunday. Defoe feels if it keeps happening every time, it just can’t be right and there is a need for a massive change.