Presser points | Spurs 1-0 AZ Alkmaar | Ange Postecoglou

Ange Postecoglou spoke to the media after our 1-0 win against AZ Alkmaar in MD3 of the UEFA Europa League at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday night.

Here's what he had to say after Richarlison's penalty on 53 minutes made it three wins out of three in the league phase of the competition...

Overall

First up, Ange was asked if he was happy with the way we managed the game...

Ange: "We had to do a little bit of everything. It’s not easy, making nine changes to the team, it disrupts the flow and rhythm of our football, but the boys handled it well for the most part. We created good opportunities, we lacked composure in the final third and had to defend on the counter attack, Fraser pulled off some good saves, which is a positive for us. We had three teenagers in the starting line-up, guys who have not played a lot. We will need the squad, we have a heavy programme, and to get a third win is a positive."

Youngsters impress

With Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Mikey Moore all starting, it was put to Ange that our younger players are taking their chances...

Ange: "It’s great to see that. It is not just me giving them games. They are making impact, they are playing well, they are developing, growing confidence and belief, which is great. When you are talking about two 18-year-olds and a 17-year-old, it’s great for us. If they keep contributing and developing at the same time, not just for the short term but the longer term, it’s a really encouraging sign."

Mikey Moore

Naturally, the media spotlight was on Mikey Moore after the 17-year-old's scintillating display, particularly at the start of the second half. It was put to Ange that James Maddison had compared him to Neymar in a TV interview and what he thought of that comparison...

Ange: "It’s pretty hard for me to keep a lid on it now ain’t it?! He was exciting. You cannot deny it. There is no point denying it. I love the way Mikey is taking all in his stride, he works hard every day. He wants to develop, he understands that this is a journey. It’s very easy for a young guy like him, who has just turned 17, to feel like he has somehow made it, but you ever get that sense. It’s exciting, it is. You have got such a young player, who wants that responsibility to make an impact, rather than just sometimes with young players they are a bit worried about making mistakes. He is developing well. We have to be really careful about how we use him, and when we use him, that is the key for us, particularly in these early stages. I have no fear throwing him in. absolutely not. I know and I see it every day, he’s a great young player and definitely more to come."

More on Mikey

Ange was asked if he'd seen many 17-year-old players as physically strong as Mikey...

Ange: "He handles it all very well, I still think he has got a bit of growing to do. When I look at him, he certainly has in the last 6-12 months, but with all these things, rightly so, you are worried about putting too much pressure on players. Particularly in today’s world. But the thing that gives me most confidence is how he is handling everything. I don’t think if he does hear what Maddison said about him will affect him tomorrow. That’s the key thing for us. It’s exciting. I was excited. I wanted us to pass him the ball. Keep giving him the ball. Great to see."

Mikey headed an early chance wide, and it was put to Ange that he could have let his head drop, but didn't...

Ange: "He has to work on his heading - he had a couple of those opportunities. He is not the complete product. He has got a really mature outlook. He doesn’t let those things faze him. If he tries to take a player on and it doesn’t work he won’t shy away from it the next time. I played him out on the right but he definitely looks more comfortable on the left. But in the context, he still contributes when he is on the right. It’s not like he’s totally lost out there. He has got a great mature outlook on football."

On the penalty

It was put to Ange that James Maddison said he wanted Richarlison to take the penalty to get his confidence up, did he have a view on that?

Ange: "As long as they score, it doesn't really bother me. I thought Madders was outstanding today. He was captain tonight, he was so creative, caused them problems. I think he sensed in that moment Richy's worked awfully hard and he's kind of got his season started tonight. Goals are important for strikers, so I thought Madders made a great decision to give him the responsibility but Richy had to put it in the back of the net and he did that."

Lucas update

Ange was asked for a fitness update on Lucas Bergvall, who went down a couple of times in the second half before being replaced on 73 minutes...

Ange: "He's alright, just cramping up. Again, he hasn't played a lot. I thought both him and Archie worked awfully hard tonight and, like I said, they're 18 and so for us it's pretty exciting that they're making an impact at the moment and knowing that there is so much more of them to come. I think these European games are a great foundation for them. It's a different challenge and I think you see growth in them every time they go out there. Apart from tiredness, he's okay."

Timo Werner

Ange was asked, 'Timo Werner seemed like he had his head down a lot in the first half, does he just need that first goal of the season?'

Ange: "It is hard to say. He is definitely down in confidence you can see that. It is a difficult thing to get out of sometimes. It can feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders. All we can do is try to support him and keep trying to get him to a place where he feels a little bit more confident with certain things. He has played a great ball in for Mikey to score early and if that goes in, that’s an assist for him it gives him a lift but it doesn’t happen. It happened at Ferencvaros as well, he played a great cross that Will Lankshear just missed but these things happen. He needs to find a way out of it because for us in those positions we need players to make an impact. I thought in a couple of moments he lacked some self-belief that we need to try to instil in him somehow."