Fans turn on Postecoglu as Spurs capitulate at Chelsea

Somehow, a match-week that started with Chelsea selling a football team to themselves ends with an even greater level of farce.

- MIGUEL DELANEY

Ange Postecoglou has suffered defeats of a far more humiliating scale than this 1-0 loss at Stamford Bridge, but his ill-advised decision to gloatingly cup his ear after a disallowed goal just made it much worse.

It’s hard not to think that will serve as an epitaph for the Australian’s end. He certainly can’t hear the fans backing him any more.

With Spurs 1-0 down to Enzo Fernandez’s goal and playing abysmally, Postecoglou decided to haul off Lucas Bergvall for Pape Matar Sarr. It was instantly met with chants of “you don’t know what you’re doing” from the away end. Within just five minutes, Sarr had stolen the ball in midfield and driven in an equaliser out of nothing.

Postecoglou immediately turned to the away end and cupped his ears. Except, no sooner had he done that than VAR was checking out the manner in which Sarr had stolen the ball from Moises Caicedo. It looked a very clear foul, although the unusually long check only elongated the pain – and the humiliation. Everyone knew what was coming. Postecoglou had been plaintively shaking his head throughout.

By the time the goal was eventually ruled out, a good four minutes later, he was waving his hand. There was also a slight glance at the away end.

Everyone surely knows what is coming at the end of the season now. Postecoglou will surely be replaced, unless he can somehow pull out a Europa League win. Except, right now, Spurs don’t seem to have any of the attributes to rally for that.