ANGE POSTECOGLOU was accused of losing it with his players in a four-word tirade caught on camera in Spurs’ costly 2-0 defeat at Chelsea.
Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville reckoned the manager singled out two of his Tottenham stars and “snapped”.
Postecoglou was seen screaming “Stop passing it backwards!” as Spurs struggled to create anything meaningful in a tame Premier League loss.
Tottenham, in fifth, are now seven points off fourth-placed Aston Villa in the hunt for Champions League places.
Meanwhile, Mauricio Pochettino‘s Blues are suddenly scenting a European spot themselves.
Victory via Trevoh Chalobah’s header and Nicolas Jackson’s rebound nod-in put Chelsea eighth, two points off Newcastle just above them.
Postecoglou, normally so calm, launched a stern-faced blast from the touchline at Stamford Bridge.
Manchester United legend Neville responded: ”He is having a right go at (Pape Matar) Sarr, he’s having a right go at (Cristian) Romero, he has snapped, has Postecoglou.”
But many fans on social media blamed the ex-Celtic chief himself – claiming his tactics are now being found out.
Other Spurs fans are fed up with their dead-ball defending.
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One posted: “It’s literally his football that’s got us in this absolute state.”
Another argued: “Can’t defend set pieces, but there isn’t a problem with that… The football is awful.”
A third wrote: “Been found out. Needs a plan b (and better players).”
And one observer suggested Poctecoglou is already worried chairman Daniel Levy will sack him – as Spurs risk fading after a brilliant start to the season.
That fan said: “He knows he’s under pressure. He knows Levy will get rid if this gets worse.”
BY TOM BARCLAY
ANGE POSTECOGLOU took the blame after another set-piece disaster left Tottenham’s Champions League hopes hanging by a thread.
Trevoh Chalobah and Nicolas Jackson headed home from free-kicks to take the number of goals Spurs have shipped from dead-ball situations to SIXTEEN this season, excluding penalties.
Only Luton, Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest have conceded more in a week where Postecoglou downplayed the importance of set-pieces.
“We didn’t have the mindset that I expect us to have. That’s on me, I’ve got to take responsibility for that.
“I’m the one putting them out there and preparing them for it. When we’re so far off it, I’ve got to look at myself and see how I’m preparing this team for it.
“We lacked a real conviction and positive mindset in our football. We didn’t really have any fluency, any sort of aggression with and without the ball.
“It’s a bit unlike us because if nothing else we’ve always been competitive.”
He later added: “We had bigger issues tonight than set pieces.”
