Ange’s praise for fans’ support against Chelsea: “I thought it was important for the players to feel that”
Fri 10 November 2023, 18:00|
Tottenham Hotspur
Ange Postecoglou knows the importance of a connection between our fans and the team - and there can’t be any greater example of that togetherness than in defeat against Chelsea on Monday evening.
We found ourselves in extraordinary circumstances 55 minutes into the game – down to nine men, with the score still level at 1-1, having lost two key players to injury in James Maddison and Micky van de Ven and another two to red cards in Cuti Romero and Destiny Udogie.
Still looking to play our football, sticking with a high line rather than dropping back to defend deep, our nine men did us proud. It took 20 minutes for Chelsea to find a way through for 2-1 and we then carved out three chances to level – Eric Dier had a goal ruled out for offside – until late, late goals took the game away from us.
They could see there was a group of players who, right to the end, were giving everything for the club. That’s the bottom line. That’s what every supporter wants to see
The response from the crowd matched the endeavours of the players. As the ball nestled in the net for 3-1 on 94 minutes, with Chelsea off to celebrate in the corner, applause ran out from all corners of the stadium and remained until the final whistle. It was quite a spectacle, and not lost on Ange.
Speaking to us ahead of our trip to Wolves in the Premier League on Saturday (12.30pm), Ange reflected: “I think for most supporters, what they want to see is a team and group of players who give their all, irrespective of the circumstances, every time they are out there, and I think they saw that, disappointed as our fans would have been with the result.
“They could see there was a group of players who, right to the end, were giving everything for the club. That’s the bottom line. That’s what every supporter wants to see. Every supporter wants to win, obviously, but if they know the people representing them have given all they can, they’ll take the defeats along the way.
“It was great for the players to feel that. To be honest, I thought the fans in the second half, in particular, were outstanding, giving the energy the players needed, especially when we were two men down.”
