Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou gives brutal reaction to Newcastle loss - 'Nowhere near good enough'

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou gives brutal reaction to Newcastle loss - 'Nowhere near good enough'

WATCH NOW: Sports roundup as Newcastle beat Tottenham in the Premier League

Lewis Winter

By Lewis Winter


Published: 13/04/2024

- 14:50

Updated: 13/04/2024

- 15:34

Spurs suffered a big defeat at St James' Park and their manager is not happy

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou insists his team were 'nowhere near good enough' at Newcastle on Saturday.

Spurs lost 4-0 at St James' Park thanks to a brace from Alexander Isak and a goal apiece for Anthony Gordon and Fabian Schar.


Isak took advantage of a slip from Micky van de Ven to open the scoring in the 30th minute with a calm finish.

It was 2-0 less than two minutes later when Van de Ven again was wrong-footed by Gordon and the England international smashed home.

Ange Postecoglou

Tottenham news: Ange Postecoglou saw his team lose 4-0 at Newcastle on Saturday

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Newcastle made it three soon after half-time after Spurs tried to play Isak offside when the striker was in his own half.

The Swede kept his composure to score his second before Fabian Schar rounded off the win with a header late on.

Postecoglou admits Newcastle were by far the better team on the day.

He told TNT Sports: "I thought Newcastle were really good today. We just didn't get to any levels that would allow us to get a grip on the game.

"I thought even before the goals we didn't have a real grip on the game like we usually do.

"It became a game of transition and we paid the price for that. Even outside the goals I don't think our football was anywhere near the level it should be.

"We'll have time to analyse [what went wrong], right now not really sure."

Postecoglou made a triple substitution before the hour mark, including taking off captain Son Heung-min.

Asked what he hoped that would change, Postecoglou said: "Pretty much everything, it wasn't about the people coming off, we just weren't taking control of the game, we were allowing Newcastle to dictate.

"Made the changes hoping we could stem the tide and we did a little bit but it's still nowhere near good enough."

Postecoglou has called on Van de Ven to respond well after a difficult afternoon for the defender.

He said: "I think for all of them that's the life of an elite footballer, you're going to make mistakes.

"I'm sure he's going to make many more of them in his career. It's about how you react to those mistakes.

"I think all of us as a group have a fair bit to learn from today."

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Ange Postecoglou

Tottenham news: Ange Postecoglou said Spurs were nowhere near good enough against Newcastle

Meanwhile, James Maddison claims Spurs were not 'brave enough' to trouble Newcastle.

He said: "Just a really bad day. We conceded the first goal and when you conceded a second so quickly after at a place like this, from the kick-off we sloppily went back to the keeper knowing they're going to press.

"You find yourself 2-0 down and give yourself a mountain to climb.

"I felt at 0-0 out there there were some chances for us, spaces to play.

James Maddison

Tottenham news: James Maddison said Spurs were not brave enough against Newcastle

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"We just weren't brave enough I think with the ball - too many safe passes, too many safe options, not enough courage to try and play a riskier pass.

"It was all a bit safe which I think cost us at 0-0. When you concede two so quickly it's sloppy little details that cost us."

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