Postecoglou takes responsibility for Tottenham’s inconsistency

Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou has taken responsibility for his team’s inconsistent start to the season, admitting that he needs to bring more stability to their performances.

Spurs suffered a 2-1 defeat to Ipswich on Sunday, marking their fifth loss in 11 Premier League matches and placing them 10th in the table, 12 points adrift of leaders Liverpool.

Despite advancing to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, Tottenham have had mixed results elsewhere, including a recent Europa League loss to Galatasaray.

Their longest league winning streak has been just two games, with five straight victories across all competitions yet to materialise.

Discussing the inconsistency, Postecoglou told BBC Sport: “It’s just down to me. I’m not getting consistent performances from the players.

“It’s something I need to address. I’m the person in charge, so that’s usually the way it goes. I take responsibility when their performances don’t meet the levels that they should.”

“Unacceptable. It’s my responsibility, I’ve got to fix it.”

Ange’s reaction 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/BUdf4LsEta

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 10, 2024

When asked about whether this lack of consistency felt new, he responded: “No, I think it’s been our season so far. It’s been really inconsistent.”

Spurs’ latest loss was also a historic one, as Ipswich secured their first league victory of the season.

In the match, Sam Szmodics and Liam Delap put Ipswich two goals ahead by half-time. Rodrigo Bentancur’s header cut the deficit, but Spurs couldn’t find an equaliser.

Tottenham’s habit of falling behind early in games has become a concerning trend.

This was the 13th time Spurs have conceded the first goal in their last 15 home Premier League games in 2024 – a record matched only by themselves in 1994, Ipswich in 1994, and Crystal Palace in 2017.

“There are different reasons [why this has happened],” Postecoglou added. “Today was a bit different to other times. We were way too passive. If you give the opposition that much of a head start, it takes a lot to claw it back.”