“We spoke about it”- Micky Van de Ven shared moment when Postecoglou tactics may have been ‘a bit too extreme’

Micky Van de Ven said, “We spoke about it” when asked about a time when Postecoglou’s tactics were “a bit too extreme.”
There may have been “too extreme” tactics in the November match against Chelsea, according to Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven.

Even though Ange Postecoglou’s first season with Tottenham Hotspur has been good, it has the potential to be even better.

Even though the ‘Angeball’ era has only just begun, Spurs would be taking a giant leap forward if they qualified for the Champions League.

The high line is just one component of the positive, attacking style of football that the Australian has restored to Tottenham.

Postecoglou has been putting his faith in the speed of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven as his central defenders, which has enabled Spurs to make more offensive pressure.
However, one match stands out, and Postecoglou escalated that strategy even further in the absence of Romero and Van de Ven…

“Micky van de Ven” discusses Tottenham’s strategy against Chelsea
This particular match took place in November at Chelsea’s home stadium.

Tottenham lost two of their star defenders in a single blow when Romero was sent off and Van de Ven injured his hamstring.

Despite being reduced to 10 men (and later nine after Destiny Udogie’s dismissal as well), Tottenham maintained an exceptionally high line.
With Tottenham positioned close to the halfway line, it became nearly comical as Chelsea repeatedly scored deep runs.

Many questioned Postecoglou’s bold nine-man strategy after Tottenham’s 4-1 loss.

Postecoglou decided it was better to stand up for what he believes in than to do nothing and let himself be defeated.

That caused a schism in opinion, and Tottenham’s lost defender Van de Ven has spoken out about it.
It was discussed after the game whether the strategy used against Chelsea was “too extreme,” as Van de Ven pointed out in an interview with Optus Sport.

Even though Tottenham’s defenders wouldn’t say it, we can assume they suggested dropping back a yard or two in a similar situation going forward, though Van de Ven wouldn’t confirm it.

The Dutchman elaborated by saying that Spurs teammates Destiny Udogie, Pedro Porro, and ‘Cuti’ Romero are so quick that the situation can be recovered, even though fans are worried about the high line.
“For us, it’s normal because we know what to do,” Van de Ven stated. “After our game against Chelsea, we discussed it with the defensive line and admittedly, it might have been a little too extreme.”

“Yeah, it’s risky, but most of the time the players run offside and we know it’s offside because we know our strong line. People are a little nervous because of our high line and the number of spaces at the back, but I think Destiny, Pedro, me, and Cuti have the speed to recover it.”

“The linesmen, they don’t raise their flag; everyone is trembling, and they’re thinking, ‘Oh, they don’t have control.’ But we know it’s offside, so we know we have control of the attackers,” he enhanced.

Although Postecoglou will likely stick to playing a high line and relying on his defenders’ speed, Tottenham’s strategy from their match against Chelsea is highly unlikely to be repeated.

While that could cause problems for Tottenham on occasion, it also gives them the opportunity to play higher up the field and try to make an impact in the final third of games, which they have done numerous times this season.