Ken Early: Postecoglou’s gung-ho principles come at a cost for Spurs

Tottenham have conceded 14 goals from set pieces this season but the manager refuses to hire a specialist coach to address the issue Arsenal players celebrate after the Premier League victory over Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London. The stats show Arsenal excel at set pieces. Spurs do not. Photograph: Zac Goodwin/PA Wire

At 3-0 down at half-time, Spurs looked out of it until David Raya gave them hope by gifting a goal to Cristian Romero. Oliver had already waved away a third Spurs penalty appeal, after Gabriel Martinelli body-checked Pedro Porro, by the time Declan Rice booted Davies in the undercarriage.Ken Early: Patient England show how far Ireland have to go

Ben White’s abuse of goalkeepers at attacking set pieces has been one of the most-discussed features of Arsenal’s play this season. Is it too much to expect that, in the two weeks they had to prepare for this game, Tottenham might have devised some countermeasures? You wonder what Spurs spent those two weeks working on instead. It’s hardly the first time set pieces have been mentioned. Many Premier League teams, including Arsenal, have appointed specialist set-piece coaches. Tottenham are one of the holdouts.

The reality is, for good or ill, set-piece coaches have become a must-have accessory. The ones at Arsenal and Manchester City, who happen – coincidentally? – to be the two best teams at set pieces, have become stars. When you hear Sky commentators giving credit to Arsenal’s set-piece impresario Nicolas Jover for Pierre-Emile Højbjerg scoring an own goal, you realise that Postecoglou’s refusal to appoint one has its costs.

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