They've got big Erling up there!'

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Tottenham Hotspur's 2-1 win over Manchester City was a demonstration of Ange Postecoglou's tactical ingenuity, especially in the face of adversity. Despite missing key players like first-choice center-backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, Spurs managed to stifle the attacking threat of Erling Haaland, whose presence is often a defining factor for City.

Postecoglou's philosophy is built around an attacking, fluid style of play that emphasizes collective movement, quick transitions, and fluid positioning. In this particular match, Spurs were forced to adapt without their central defensive stalwarts. Still, they executed a defensive strategy that involved compact positioning and limiting Haaland's space. The key to stifling Haaland was not necessarily locking him down with brute force but ensuring that Spurs' defense was quick to recover, disciplined in their positioning, and reactive to Haaland's movements.

Despite these defensive adjustments, Spurs continued to build out from the back, with their high pressing and quick counter-attacking play ensuring that City was often caught off guard, despite controlling much of the possession. Tottenham's full-backs, under Postecoglou's fluid system, were instructed to occupy space dynamically, contributing to both defensive resilience and offensive support when needed.

Tottenham's tactical approach shows that, even without a fully fit squad, Postecoglou's system enables flexibility and resilience. His side managed to match City in an attacking sense and were able to equalize twice in the game despite being 2-1 down at one point. This kind of performance, especially against a side as potent as Manchester City, offers a glimpse into how Tottenham can thrive in future encounters once their full squad is available.

For more insights on Postecoglou's tactics and how Tottenham's strategy helped nullify City, you can refer to further analyses of the match and Postecoglou's approach at  and .

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