Postecoglou singles out one Tottenham star and makes ‘soft’ complaint in Fulham loss
Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou did not hold back in his assessment of his team’s performance following their 2-0 defeat to Fulham at Craven Cottage.
The Australian boss repeatedly described both of Fulham’s goals as “soft,” expressing his frustration with the lack of resilience and focus from his players. One of the main talking points from the match was the underwhelming display of midfielder Yves Bissouma, who was substituted at halftime after another lackluster performance.
Bissouma’s struggles were epitomized by a misplaced pass that sailed out of play, drawing audible groans from the traveling Spurs supporters—a recurring theme in recent weeks.
Postecoglou was candid in his criticism of Bissouma, emphasizing the need for the Mali international to take more control of games. “I feel Biss sometimes lets the game drift by him; he needs to be more dominant,” the manager said.
“Today, we needed more in that position. I needed him to play because he hasn’t played a lot, but at the same time, I need him to perform. It’s safe to say maybe Biss and a few guys lack a bit of confidence, but at this stage of the season, we need people to step up and deliver.”
The match itself was a tale of missed opportunities and defensive lapses for Tottenham. Despite moments of control, Spurs failed to capitalize on their chances, and Fulham’s substitutes, Rodrigo Muniz and Ryan Sessegnon, took full advantage to score the decisive goals.
Postecoglou lamented the nature of the goals, which came at critical moments just as Tottenham seemed to be gaining momentum. “It’s a disappointing outcome,” he said. “I thought up until they scored, we were really on top of them. It was a tight game, and we hadn’t made a save at that point, yet they scored a really soft goal.
Then the game got away from us. Both goals were pretty soft. At the very least, you want to stay in the game. I thought in the second half, we were the better team and had the best chances up to that point, so to concede is very disappointing.”
Postecoglou also reflected on the broader challenges of Tottenham’s season, acknowledging that the team has dropped points in too many games they should have won. “It’s been a difficult campaign for sure,” he admitted.
“But I feel we’ve lost too many games that we should have got something out of, and this was one of those games. It’s another international break we go into off a loss, and you feel that. We just need to make sure we’re ready for when we come back.”
The defeat leaves Tottenham in 13th place in the Premier League table, a position that highlights the inconsistency and underperformance that have plagued their season. With domestic form faltering, the focus has increasingly shifted to the Europa League as the club’s best chance of securing Champions League football next season.
Postecoglou, however, insisted that the players should not prioritize European competition over their league commitments. “We can’t just focus on the Europa League,” he said. “We need to perform in every competition we’re in.”
The upcoming fixtures will be crucial for Tottenham’s season. After the international break, they face Chelsea and Southampton in the Premier League before a two-legged Europa League tie against Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt.
These matches could define the success or failure of their campaign, with the Frankfurt clash particularly pivotal. A strong performance in Europe could salvage what has been a challenging season, but it will require a significant improvement in both individual and collective performances.
Bissouma’s struggles against Fulham were emblematic of Tottenham’s broader issues. Replaced by Lucas Bergvall at halftime, the midfielder failed to seize his opportunity to impress, leaving Postecoglou with more questions than answers.
Brennan Johnson, who also failed to make an impact, was substituted for Son Heung-min at the break, further highlighting the lack of cutting edge in the rotated lineup. While Postecoglou acknowledged the need for squad rotation, he also stressed the importance of every player stepping up when called upon.
As Tottenham head into the international break, the pressure is mounting on Postecoglou and his squad to turn their season around.
The manager’s call for greater dominance and confidence from his players will need to be heeded if they are to salvage anything from a campaign that has so far fallen short of expectations. With crucial matches on the horizon, the coming weeks will be a true test of Tottenham’s resolve and ambition.