A frustrated Ange Postecoglou was left rueing a ‘really good’ Pablo Sarabia finish as the Wolves playmaker sparked that stunning 2-1 victory over Premier league pacesetters Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.
It never rains but it pours, right Ange? Tottenham Hotspour, if you will.
Just a week ago, everything looked rosy in the Postecoglou garden. But, following that bewildering evening against Chelsea, the red cards, the injuries and that most Spursy of defeats in the dying seconds at Wolves, the roses suddenly don’t smell quite so sweet.
Just to add to the sense of frustration, Pablo Sarabia had only ever scored one Premier League goal before drifting off the back of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and finishing with the panache and the skill of a man with Paris Saint-Germain, Sevilla and nearly-30 Spain caps on his CV.
Tottenham lose at Wolves
“For the most part, Wolves didn’t have many really big chances,” Postecoglou tells Football London. “I think Vic (goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario) had one or two saves to make.
“But obviously at the end there, I think the first goal was a really good goal and we probably ran out of steam in the last few minutes. Wolves, particularly with the crowd behind them, were able to lift themselves.”
Sarabia, underwhelming for the most part since his £4.5 million January arrival from the French champions, turned provider in the 97th minute after levelling in the 91st, assisting Mario Lemina as Wolves did their very own Manchester United 1999 tribute act in front of a frenetic home support.
Gary O’Neil’s inconsistent, perennially VAR-hit side are now up to 12th. Tottenham, meanwhile, slip down to fourth, successive defeats arriving like London buses after an unbeaten start to the Postecoglou era.
Two defeats in a row now for Spurs
“Yeah, (the players are) disappointed obviously. Particularly after it happened so late,” the former Celtic boss adds, Spurs’ lack of quality depth exposed during the absences of James Maddison, Destiny Udogie, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven.
“But it’s part of the pain of football. And, when things happen in those circumstances, you’ve just got to take it. I can’t fault the players’ effort or commitment. It was always going to be a tough game anyway at Wolves.
“We just couldn’t hold out.”
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