Spurs' problems are not just of Postecoglou's making.

More testy than matey, Ange Postecoglou bit hard on a question from Match of the Day about Spurs’ defensive chaos yesterday. “If you took out Liverpool’s goalkeeper, two centre-backs and a left-back, even Liverpool, I think they might find it tough going as well,” Postecoglou said. Well, not completely. Liverpool are missing Ibrahima Konate. Joe Gomez has stepped in admirably. Caoimhin Kelleher, Jarell Quansah and Kostas Tsimikas would also step up. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s possible loss to Real Madrid will partly be offset by Conor Bradley’s excellence. So Postecoglou’s riposte is really a critique about Tottenham’s recruitment.

Ange Postecoglou. Photo: Michael Steele/Getty Images

It is sad to see Archie Gray, 18, being forced into the breach. He’s performing determinedly out of position at centre-back, and is the type to do anything for the team. But he’s a central midfielder. The lack of cover is down to Daniel Levy and the club. But Postecoglou cannot escape his own culpability – that mad high line, leaving space in behind that the pacy Micky van de Ven could cover, was always going to put a strain on his hamstrings. When fit, Spurs first XI should finish in the European positions – provided Postecoglou ends his stubborn, suicidal tactics. It’s one thing snapping at a reporter’s (legitimate) question but it’s worth listening at times. Postecoglou should be a force for good and change at Spurs, bringing more ambition for silverware, but the team balance is patently wrong.

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Kepa Arrizabalaga is proving another inspired piece of recruitment by Bournemouth, albeit only on loan from Chelsea. The keeper looks confident again. He was outstanding against Manchester United, saving from Bruno Fernandes three times, Amad Diallo, Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Hojlund and Lenny Yoro. Kepa looks happy again. He lost his way and his self-belief at Chelsea. He’s still the world’s most expensive goalkeeper at £71.6m and the fee, and fans’ and media expectations, proved a millstone. Bournemouth probably can’t afford his fee or wages which is a pity. They’re going places under Andoni Iraola, the coach who Kepa knows from Athletic Bilbao and is now bringing the best out of him.

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Arne Slot set Spurs a conundrum with Dominik Szobozslai’s positioning and movement and they folded like a pack of cards in a tempest. Luis Diaz was Liverpool’s nominal 9 but he would dart left, leaving space for Szobozslai to raid into, getting 13 touches in the Spurs box. His stamina, awareness and timing make him such a threat. He and Mo Salah also seem on the same wavelength and provided assists for each other. Szobozslai headed balls on, closed Spurs down and led Yves Bissouma, usually reliable, a merry dance. Liverpool’s No 8, looking increasingly at home in Steven Gerrard’s old shirt, took a while to ease into the season but is now fully up to speed. He ran so hard for so long against Spurs that he suffered a rare bout of cramp. One of Liverpool’s core of international captains, including Virgil van Dijk, Andrew Robertson and Salah (and Wataru Endo), the Hungarian embodies the individual responsibility-taking of Slot’s title chasers. They will take some stopping.

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Ruben Amorim is having to deal with leaks of team news, leaks in his defence and leaks in the roof during his press conference. He’s quickly become acquainted with the cultural and structural flaws at Manchester United. Investment has not been applied wisely. He knew United’s squad needed overhauling. Amorim has inherited a skip-full of problems and obviously deserves time, patience and funds (hence the mood music within the club around cashing in on Marcus Rashford). But it is strange that Amorim keeps rotating. Give Rasmus Hojlund a proper run at centre-forward. He offers more than Joshua Zirkzee.

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It must really grate Newcastle United fans that whenever Alexander Isak, their prolific Swedish striker, swells his goal return to 10 and assists to four in 15 Premier League games he gets linked with Arsenal. Barring concerns about susceptibility to injury, Isak will remain a target for others, especially if Newcastle have PSR issues. Doubtless the Gallowgate and Eddie Howe are cheering Gabriel Jesus’ renaissance at the Emirates.

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Mikel Arteta trusts the 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly. His Arsenal team-mates clearly do given their willingness to pass to the left-back even under pressure. They know he won’t give the ball away. His emergence is credit to his own hunger to learn, the coaching in the academy at Hale End, including Jack Wilshere before he moved to Norwich City, and also Lewis-Skelly’s inspirational mother. Marcia founded an organisation that helps parents of young players. Lewis-Skelly enjoys excellent guidance on and off the field. It will be interesting to see where his journey takes him, not simply positionally, as he can play midfield, but also accelerating through the England age-groups pathway (he’s currently Under-19s). He’s a model for those aspiring to build their careers.

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Watford’s young head coach, Tom Cleverley, came on the radio show I co-host on a Sunday and spoke thoughtfully for half an hour about the obstacles facing young English coaches. He looked up at the 20 Premier League clubs and saw only two English managers, Eddie Howe and Sean Dyche. It’s one of the many reasons why the pyramid is so important, and needs safeguarding and investing in, as an academy for young managers like Cleverley, Michael Carrick and Scott Parker (respectively eighth, sixth and third in the Championship). Their best bet to become a Premier League manager is promotion as Howe and Dyche achieved with Bournemouth and Burnley respectively (and Parker did with Fulham and Bournemouth). The EFL offers a vital development centre for managers, as well as players. It’s another reason why the Regulator is needed to protect the 92, and guard against any elite breakaway.

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“Stay humble” is the mantra of the Nottingham Forest manager, Nuno Espirito Santo. He’s experienced much in his life, leaving his beloved island home, enduring some racism on moving to Lisbon and suffering rejection as a manager (Spurs) yet keeping it all in perspective. Stay humble because results can turn. Humility, hunger and hard work define Nuno and underpin Forest’s wonderful rise to fourth.

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I almost went full Ashley Cole and drove off the road when I heard some caller to a phone-in demanding Kieran McKenna be replaced as Ipswich Town manager. He must have been a Norwich City fan. McKenna is the best thing to happen to Ipswich in years, and their fans know that. He’s way ahead of schedule. He’s trying to keep Ipswich competitive in the Premier League with many players who were with him in League One. He deserves acclaim not criticism. He probably needs a new goalkeeper, one capable of saving shots and being more judicious in his distribution. Arijanet Muric could improve, he’s only 26, still young for a keeper but he’s no Kelleher. Ipswich have an outstanding manager in McKenna. They just need more signings of similar calibre.

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Have a wonderful Christmas and thanks for reading and subscribing during 2024. I’m taking a couple of days off for Christmas.