Down-in-the-dumps Ange Postecoglou points out where Tottenham went wrong against Liverpool
Ange Postecoglou has given a damning appraisal of his Tottenham Hotspur side in the wake of its Carabao Cup semi-final loss against Liverpool.
Spurs were blown away by the hosts at Anfield, who won the second leg 4-0 thanks to goals from Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai and Virgil van Dijk. Trailing 1-0 from the previous meeting four weeks ago, Liverpool boss Arne Slot had spoken about the need for his players to find their best levels ahead of the game.
In reality, they never needed to get out of second gear. Tottenham didn’t even manage a shot on target in a meek showing on Merseyside that piles even more pressure on the under-fire Spurs boss.
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“Liverpool were too good for us tonight,” was Postecoglou’s glum post-match verdict, in an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live. “We didn't get into the game in the way we wanted to. We allowed them to get control of it.
“When they get into a rhythm, we didn't give ourselves an opportunity to get a foothold in the game. We were way too passive in terms of our football with and without the ball. I think it is a lesson there for us. We cannot shy away from the football that we want to play.”
“We have given up a good opportunity tonight and we cannot shy away from that,” he added. “We were in a good position to get to the final.”
Meanwhile, Jamie Carragher claimed Spurs were a ‘disgrace’ as he launched a scathing post-match attack. “It was never in doubt before the game,” the former defender said on Sky Sports. “It’s Tottenham. When do Tottenham ever win a big game? When do Tottenham ever go somewhere and surprise you or win against the odds?
“The odds were heavily in favor of Liverpool; they’re at home, they’re the best team in the country and possibly the best team in Europe right now. It’s not just this Spurs team… they never shock you or do something out of the ordinary.”
The result and performance follows what has been a dreadful season for Tottenham, who sits 14th in the Premier League table and is 16 points off the Champions League places. Spurs are still alive in two cup competitions - the Europa League and FA Cup - but face a trip to Villa Park in the latter this weekend.
As for Liverpool, Thursday’s win sets up a Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United next month and keeps the club’s quadruple hopes alive.
