ANGE POSTECOGLOU loves high-risk football – but surely even this was a bit much for him.
For 88 minutes, the Aussie’s much-changed side stank the place out and looked to be deservedly going out thanks to Brandon Thomas-Asante’s calm finish.
7
7
The gamble of making so many switches – EIGHT in total – given the shocking run of seven defeats in 11 games looked to have backfired spectacularly.
But then up popped subs Djed Spence and Brennan Johnson to turn the tie on its head and keep Postecoglou’s chances of backing up his “second season” silverware claim alive.
Postecoglou had reminded the world in the wake of the North London derby defeat to Arsenal that he “always” wins a trophy in his second season, during a spiky TV interview.
He insisted he was merely stating a “fact” during his Tuesday press conference and denied it heaped unnecessary pressure on himself to deliver this term.
But the ex-Celtic boss also admitted his bold statements meant he was “fair game” for flak if he could not back up the big talk.
The quickest route to doing that is by winning the Carabao Cup this season – which was why it felt a mistake to make so many switches to his line-up.
Fraser Forster, in for regular No1 Guglielmo Vicario, looked like a man who had not played in more than a year, which was not a shock as that literally was the case.
The former England stopper’s last appearance came in August 2023, at the same stage of this competition as Spurs lost at Fulham on penalties.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
7
7
Postecoglou made nine changes that night too but things were going so well in the league, the dissenting voices were few.
He would have known his choices here, if they did not come off, would draw far more heat.
And when Forster fired a poor pass to 18-year-old Lucas Bergvall which allowed the excellent Jack Rudoni to fire off a shot after just 44 seconds, it already looked like he had got it wrong.
Forster managed to tip away Rudoni’s effort but the nervy moment was one of many from Spurs’ much-switched backline in possession that would have had Spurs fans having kittens in the first half.
Coventry themselves had made seven swaps to the starting XI that drew 1-1 at Watford in the Championship on Saturday.
Yet Postecoglou must have worried how little his side threatened Mark Robins’ team, with next to no chances created from the visitors.
Dominic Solanke, signed for a league-highest £65million this summer, could barely get a kick.
Timo Werner looked horribly out of form, constantly running down blind alleys on the left-hand side and poor in possession.
In fact, Bergvall, the blond Swedish teenager with the boyish goodlooks brought in from Djurgarden in July, looked the only player in green who really wanted to get on the ball.
Postecoglou was dealt a big blow inside 18 minutes when £30m new-man Wilson Odobert was forced off with what looked to be a hamstring problem.
Destiny Udogie’s terrific block to deny Rudoni, coming onto a Jack Bidwell cross with a well-struck, low half-volley, kept it at 0-0 at the break.
While young Belgian Norman Bassette forced Forster to tip over after being released by Rudoni’s superb ball over the top, only for a goal-kick to be given, bizarrely.
7
Spence came on for Spurs at the break but Postecoglou’s side got worse.
Bassette had a shot well saved by Forster, who then flattened his team-mate Radu Dragusin when racing off his line, leaving Ben Davies to put in a goal-saving block when Haji Wright fired towards an open net.
It was a close call but even that did not shake Postecoglou’s side out of their slump – and just after the hour they were behind.
Bassette found an unmarked Thomas-Asante with a routine, low cross and the forward did the business by firing past the helpless Forster.
It looked all over for Spurs but then up popped Spence, out of nowhere, to poke home a leveller with two minutes to go.
A few minutes later, Johnson raced onto a through-ball and cleverly dinked it past the goalkeeper to win the game.
It ended a difficult period for him personally on a high note, after the Welshman had deactivated his Instagram account after fan abuse following the North London derby.
For his manager, it must have been sheer relief – knowing he had got away with one here.
But then again, fortune favours the brave, right, mate?
