but did he really?
Did Ange’s Spurs beat Southampton or did Southampton and their manager beat themselves so comprehensively in that five nil first half thrashing?
In a weekend when one team think that being beaten at home by Ipswich is a sacking offence and yet another team beats Man City, which highlights how meaningless that is now. Ange got a lucky break and faced the worst team in the league.
Southampton, who have sacked their manager after this debacle, have the fewest points in the league, fewest wins, most losses, fewest goals scored, are second to Wolves in the most goals conceded and have the worst goal difference.
Even Dr Tottenham and Thick Dundee couldn’t save ’em.
Ange produced a shock with his starting XI. Actually not playing both of his two centre backs out of position, just the one. With Bissouma’s suspension, for five yellow cards, Bergvall got his first league start, while teh real surprise, Djed Spence getting his first start of the season, in place of Porro.
Spence made his presence felt less than two minutes in, fighting off the clinging Southampton player, he charged forward then played the perfect through ball for Maddison, who slotted the ball through the keeper. Sonny did the same thing to the keeper 10 minutes later, a cross in from the right nodded on by a home player and Sonny smacks it through the keeper.
A couple of minutes later and Son was laying it on a plate for Solanke. Solanke, despite actually getting in front of his defender and not hiding behind him, couldn’t manage this tap, luckily the ball fell to Kulusevski for him to bang it in.
Three nil after 14 minutes. Southampton were all over the place and making subs already. 10 minutes later and the change hadn’t changed much. Son squaring the ball for Sarr, who skipped through the… “defence“… before getting Spurs’ fourth.
Ange then had to change things but he didn’t have to change them this way. Udogie went down injured and so he brought Porro on. Now Spence was working down the right but Ange shifted him to the left and put Porro in his normal position. Why? If you have to bring Porro on why not play him on the left and leave Spence to get on with it? And if you’re boasting about the number of youngsters on the pitch why not bring one on at left-back who has played left-back? You’re four nil up against a shot team, when would there be a better time to give ’em a game?
It was funny seeing the Southampton manager charge down the tunnel with a purpose, well before the half-time whistle went, only for Spurs to add another while he wasn’t there. Lovely outside of the foot, curling ball into the box by Son. Maddison got onto the end, controlled the ball as he cut back before banging it past the keeper inside the far post.
The happy clappies were telling us how great Ange is. Yet in reality Southampton are Lily Phillips and Ange was the thirteenth guy in line.
One thing was very telling from that first half. Solanke. In a half where Spurs dominated, where they scored five with two thirds of the possession Solanke managed just 9 touches of the ball. Now to put that in some real perspective, the Southampton player who was sacrificed after just 15 minutes, 15 minutes in which Spurs had 70% of the ball, touched the ball 7 times. Yes Solanke touched the ball two times more than a player who didn’t play for over 30 minutes. Of all the players that finished the half he touched the ball the least. Yes, even the Southampton “striker” touched it more than him. Of course he had twice the number of shots as Solanke.
Solanke managed one shot in that half. A number he didn’t trouble in the second half. A second half that was like so many after Ange’s half-time talk. Hey, they weren’t bothering, just trying to get out of there with the win. They managed two shots in the second half, while Southampton managed 7. They had chances to score in the first and Spurs got away with the chances they created in the second.
Ange had changed Son for Johnson at the break, of course putting him on the left. So we had the two players they bought from Forest, who did so well playing on the right for Forest, playing on the left. Where neither of them are the same as when on the right. Of course he left it an age before making any other changes. I mean, why bring on kids when you’re five up and give ’em a good run out? Why? 77th minute when Alfie Dorrington replaced Spence. The kid going to central defence with Gray shifting out to the left.
Ange also brought in Werner. He can’t help himself. Waiting until less than 10 minutes before full time to bring on Lankshear for Solanke. Solanke finishing with 13 touches of the ball.
No this vindicate Ange. The Southampton coached beat himself and paid the price, like Ange he was out of his depth. His team were a shambles. Anyone would have stuffed them this day.