Postecoglou responds to yet another Arsenal defeat: We held them well… until we didn’t | OneFootball

Arsenal secured their third consecutive win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, defeating their North London rivals 1-0 thanks to a powerful second-half header from Gabriel Magalhães.

Despite a dominant display in possession, Tottenham failed to create a single big chance, leaving manager Ange Postecoglou to reflect on yet another defeat to their cross-town enemies.

Postecoglou’s defensive stance on defensive issues

LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 15: Gabriel of Arsenal scores his team’s first goal past Guglielmo Vicario of Tottenham Hotspur (obscured) during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Arsenal FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on September 15, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Following the loss, Postecoglou focused on his side’s ability to “hold” Arsenal for much of the game: “We held them well for the most part, and you switch off for one and you pay the price. They took their key moment, and we didn’t.”

The stats, however, suggest something different.

Despite having 64% possession, Tottenham failed to fashion a single clear-cut ‘big’ chance, as Arsenal’s well-drilled defence prevented any significant threat.

Postecoglou’s team had 15 shots, but their expected goals (xG) tally was a modest 0.74—similar to Arsenal’s 0.73 with fewer than half the shots—highlighting their inability to break down the visitors.

LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 15: Son Heung-Min of Tottenham Hotspur shows dejection after defeat in the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Arsenal FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on September 15, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Set-piece woes continue for Spurs

Gabriel’s 65th-minute goal came from a Bukayo Saka corner, continuing Tottenham’s poor record when defending set-pieces against Arsenal. When asked about this recurring issue, Postecoglou was quick to address the criticism: “I know, I know, for some reason people think I don’t care about set-pieces and it’s a narrative that you can keep going on for ages.

“I understand that. Like I said, we work on them all the time like we do for every other team. You know that they’re a threat, as I said, for the most part, we handled them really well today, but we switched off for one and we paid a price and you learn from that and you move on.”

LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 15: Guglielmo Vicario of Tottenham Hotspur clashes with Jurrien Timber af Arsenal during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Arsenal FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on September 15, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Arsenal’s goal was their second from a set-piece against Spurs this year, and once again, Postecoglou’s side paid the price. “It wasn’t just Cristian Romero, others switched off from the set-piece,” he admitted.

“A bigger picture” for Spurs… but Arsenal remain clinical

While Postecoglou stressed the importance of a long-term vision, saying, “There’s a bigger picture at play here that’s much more important than the finer details of us getting to where we want to,” the immediate reality for Tottenham is clear: their approach is not translating into results against their biggest rivals.

Arsenal, on the other hand, demonstrated once again the value of being clinical and resolute in defence.

LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 15: Gabriel of Arsenal celebrates victory after the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Arsenal FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on September 15, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

With just 36% possession and seven shots, they made the most of their opportunities, while Spurs struggled to capitalise on theirs.

The result was a deserved victory for Mikel Arteta’s side, keeping them close to Manchester City at the top of the table.

Arsenal’s defensive masterclass

While Postecoglou spoke of Tottenham’s dominant possession, Arsenal’s defence, led by Gabriel and William Saliba, ensured that their opponents were limited to speculative efforts. Despite Spurs managing 15 shots, only five were on target, and none were considered a “big chance.”

Arsenal’s Brazilian defender #06 Gabriel Magalhaes scores the team’s first goal during the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on September 15, 2024. (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)

In contrast, Arsenal created two big chances and capitalised on one, sealing the win.

Jorginho, who replaced the suspended Declan Rice, praised the team’s resilience: “We stick together, and at the end the work paid off.” That team spirit and defensive solidity were evident as Arsenal recorded their sixth consecutive Premier League away win, a feat not achieved since Arsène Wenger’s side in 2013.

Spurs’ missed opportunity

Tottenham Hotspur’s Greek-Australian Head Coach Ange Postecoglou watches the players from the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on September 15, 2024. (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Postecoglou can point to possession statistics and discuss the “bigger picture,” but the cold facts remain: Tottenham failed to create a meaningful threat. While he stressed the need to “turn the football we’re playing now into something meaningful,” it was Arsenal who did just that, punishing Spurs with a clinical header and frustrating their efforts with disciplined defending.

For all of Tottenham’s possession, their xG open play was just 0.35, compared to Arsenal’s 0.70 from set-pieces. The game demonstrated once again that dominance in possession without incisiveness means little, especially when facing a side as organised and clinical as Arsenal.

Arsenal’s dominance continues

With yet another North London Derby victory at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Arsenal continue to assert their superiority in this fixture. “But it is what it is, you know, it’s my burden to carry mate and I’m happy to do that,” Postecoglou said. “It’s not like, like I’ve always said, for me, there’s a bigger picture that’s at play here that’s much more important than the finer details of us getting to where we want to. For us, the way forward is to try to turn the football we’re playing now into something meaningful.”

Meanwhile, for Arsenal, those ‘finer details’ are exactly what sets them apart from teams like Spurs.