Ange Postecoglou, cheered to the rafters by Spurs fans at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after a thumping London derby triumph, has cut a very different figure to the man left fuming and stewing before the international break.
To complete a tale of two second-halves, Spurs returned to action on Saturday with a stirring comeback triumph, coming from a goal down to destroy West Ham 4-1 with a blistering display after the break in which they scored three goals in eight minutes.
It could not have been more different from their previous 45 minutes of action against Brighton a fortnight earlier when, two goals up, they capitulated so feebly to lose 3-2 after the break that Postecoglou sounded more hurt and frustrated than at any time during his Spurs reign.
So no wonder the victory over one of Spurs’ traditional city rivals was greeted with such delight by their Australian boss, who saluted the Tottenham faithful for their own raucous response to the Brighton setback.
“It’s important for our fans, for sure, because these are the games they want to feel good about and win,” said Postecoglou.
“Personally, for me any game we win I get equal joy out of. Part of the momentum we built in the second half came through the edge the supporters gave us, especially after the second goal.
“We need the supporters, especially at home to provide but to be able to provide we need to give them something in return. Today is hopefully a little bit of a reward for our fans.”
Victory was also somewhat of a tactical triumph for Postecoglou, who made the bold halftime decision, with the scores locked at 1-1, to take off England midfielder James Maddison and replace his key creator with the extra security and dynamism that Pape Sarr offered.
“I just felt West Ham ask you certain questions in midfield areas and that Pape’s running power would help us in the second half,” Postecoglou noted.
It enabled player of the match, first-half scorer Dejan Kulusevski, to forage further forward and kick-started Spurs back to their very best, with Yves Bissouma, a Jean-Clair Todibo own goal and Son Heung-min then all completing the scoring before the hour mark.
“Second-half, we went up a gear and I thought our football was excellent,” said Postecoglou, enjoying Spurs’ sixth win in seven matches to push them up to seventh in the table.
Gunners slip up to Bournemouth
Title-chasing Arsenal have lost to Bournemouth 2-0 in one of the biggest shocks of the Premier League this season.
Runners-up in the last two seasons, Arsenal had the chance to top the standings with a win in Saturday’s programme, but lost for the first time after going down to 10 men when William Saliba was sent off before halftime.
Saliba was initally given a yellow card for a clumsy challenge but it was upgraded to red after the VAR intervened for the defender to get marched for the first time in his senior career.
It was the third time in their past eight Premier League matches that Arsenal have been down to 10 but manager Mikel Arteta was more concerned about his team’s propensity to shoot themselves in the foot.
“It was a decision made on the pitch,” he said. “That decision was changed. I don’t think it will change twice. The decision has been made.
“We are very disappointed with the result and gutted because we had to play in that context again.
“Even more difficult than the previous two that we have faced this season to do it with 65 or 68 minutes with 10 men at this level, it’s just an impossible task.
“It’s an accident waiting to happen not to get the points. I cannot fault the team for their effort, their commitment, to play in the way we had to do it.
“There was a big moment at 0-0 when we have a one-vs-one with the goalkeeper and we don’t manage to score. Then in the other end we do that.”
Goals from Ryan Christie and Justin Kluivert then sealed victory for Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium to leave third-placed Arsenal a point behind leaders Liverpool and level with Manchester City in second, having played a game more than both their title rivals.
While it was a stunning loss for Arsenal, Manchester United picked up only their third league win of the season by edging Brentford 2-1.
Fourth-placed Aston Villa tightened up the top of the standings by moving to within a point of leaders Liverpool and level with Arsenal after beating Fulham 3-1. Brighton were three points off the pace after winning 1-0 at Newcastle.
Argentina international Alejandro Garnacho was Manchester United’s hero, firing home from a tight angle when connecting with Marcus Rashford’s cross just after halftime.
It sparked a comeback that culminated in Rasmus Hojlund’s winner to secure United a precious win for the under-pressure manager Erik ten Hag, who must have feared the worst when United found themselves a goal down to an Ethan Pinnock header just before the break.
But United responded quickly after the break thanks to Garnacho’s 47th minute goal and Hojlund flicking the winner past Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken in the 62nd.
At Craven Cottage, Raul Jimenez had fired Fulham in front in the fifth minute but Morgan Rogers quickly levelled four minutes later and Ollie Watkins made it 2-1 in the 59th, with an Issa Diop own goal 10 minutes later sealing the win.
Villa’s World Cup-winning goalie Emiliano Martinez, hailed as the “best in the world” by manager Unai Emery, also saved a penalty.
Southampton led Leicester 2-0 after 28 minutes at St Mary’s, but the visitors roared back with second-half goals from Facundo Buonanotte, Jamie Vardy, from the penalty spot, and Jordan Ayew, in the 98th minute, to secure an extraordinary 3-2 win.
The match turned after Southampton’s Ryan Fraser was sent off for dragging back Jamie Vardy, the offence that led to the penalty.
The loss left Southampton rooted to the bottom of the table.
Everton won at Ipswich 2-0 while Brighton’s impressive start under coach Fabian Hurzeler continued at Newcastle, courtesy of Danny Welbeck’s fifth goal of the season.
© AAP