Mixed emotions for Ange as Spurs slip

Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea – Premier League – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – Reaction

Tottenham Hotspur 1-4 Chelsea

Tottenham’s unbeaten Premier League sequence was always going to end at some point. Nevertheless, there seemed to be a sense of pride about N17 after the nine-man Lilywhites battled, ultimately in vain, before old adversaries Chelsea pulled clear during the latter stages of an otherwise eventful derby clash.

As ever, Ange Postecoglou provided some straight answers following Tottenham’s 4-1 defeat: “It’s hard to analyse from a football perspective. 

“You’re left with the result which is disappointing. You don’t like to lose, particularly here at home. 

“Super proud of the players’ efforts, will, determination and desire to try to get something out of the game.

“Then there’s the fallout from it from our perspective, personnel-wise. I guess we’ll deal with that in the coming days.”

When asked as to whether he’d been involved in a similarly eventful encounter, Postecoglou said: “No, but I think it’s going to become the norm. It’s where the game’s heading. 

“Unfortunately, it’s how we’re going to have to watch and participate in football from now on because… look I’ve said it before, I don’t like it. I don’t like the standing around. I don’t like the whole theatre around waiting for decisions.

“But I know that I’m in the wilderness with that. I’m on my own. In my 26 years, I was always prepared to accept the referee’s decisions, good, bad or otherwise, and I’ve had some shockers in my career let me tell you. I’ve had some go my way as well but I cop that because I just want the game to be played.

The Spurs chief added: “When we’re complaining about decisions every week this is what’s going to happen. If people are going to forensically scrutinise everything to make sure that they’re comfortable that it’s right and even at the end of that we’re still not happy. So what does that mean? It means that we’re going to see a lot of standing around.

“I just think it’s just diminishing the authority of the referee. You can’t tell me that referees are in control of the game because they’re not. The control is outside of that but that’s the way the game is going so you have to accept that and just try to deal with it.”