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Ange Postecoglou remained defiant and insisted Tottenham were on the path to being \u201ca very good football team\u201d despite a 2-1 home loss to Aston Villa consigning them to a third consecutive defeat.<\/p>\n
Spurs were without 11 first-teamers but Postecoglou doubled down on his philosophy with a back four containing no centre-backs, several attacking players handed first league starts of the season and no recognised defensive midfielder in the starting line-up.<\/p>\n
It initially paid off with Giovani Lo Celso firing Tottenham ahead in the 22nd-minute and while the hosts had 18 shots, three goals disallowed and hit the woodwork twice, Aston Villa punished their profligacy to move above them into the Premier League\u2019s top four.<\/p>\n
Postecoglou reflected: \u201cIt is just the situation we\u2019re in at the moment, but we\u2019ll get through it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt might take a little while, but we\u2019ll get through it and as long as we show the same intent and play the football we did today, I\u2019ve got no doubt when we come out the other side, we\u2019ll be a very good football team.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had four full-backs out there so we didn\u2019t really have the height, which we knew would be an issue for us today but you kind of take those calculated risks with the flipside of it being that some of our football was outstanding today.<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean some of the goals we could have scored would have ended up being showreels for us in the way we want to play our football, so for me the positives definitely outweigh the negative of the result.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve just got to make sure the players stay focused on what\u2019s important right now and you need to win games of football to keep yourself in the mix to be in a strong position come the end of the year, but right now we\u2019re still building a side.<\/p>\n
It might take a little while, but we’ll get through it and as long as we show the same intent and play the football we did today, I’ve got no doubt when we come out the other side, we’ll be a very good football team<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s more important is the way forward has to be with what the end goal is in mind and today was about trying to play the football we want to play.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we fell short, we fell short but I didn\u2019t think we fell short today. I thought it was just fine margins for us and not getting the rewards.\u201d<\/p>\n
To add to Tottenham\u2019s growing issues, Rodrigo Bentancur\u2019s first start since February following a serious knee injury was cut short after he was on the receiving end of a poor first-half tackle by Matty Cash.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is his ankle, I think,\u201d Postecoglou revealed. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t a great tackle. I thought he started the game so well and I think it was the reason we got a real good foothold on the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s such a creative player. It\u2019s the last thing we needed. Another injury, so (I\u2019m) disappointed to lose him, but we\u2019re yet to see the extent of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Tottenham created chances aplenty, it was visiting Villa who clinched an eighth victory from their last 10 matches after Pau Torres\u2019 header in first-half stoppage-time was backed up by Ollie Watkins\u2019 low effort after 61 minutes.<\/p>\n
It pressed home their case as a genuine contender for Champions League qualification but former Arsenal boss Unai Emery insisted there are seven teams ahead of them.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was an amazing match,\u201d Emery added.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think both teams, different ways tactically but very hard, very tough. They create chances, we create chances and we were efficient and clinical.<\/p>\n
\u201cReally I enjoy it but I lost all my energy.<\/p>\n
That was an amazing match<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course we can get confidence when we are winning matches like here at Tottenham, but still in my mind, it is 38 matches that we have to be consistent.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to try to get each opportunity with three points and try to get a good position in the table. We are in (the top four) now, but we are not a contender.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are seven contenders more than us to be in the top seven, to be in the top four but while we are there, we are going to try to keep (there).\u201d<\/p>\n