Ange Postecoglou reveals one stat that shows Tottenham are in a false position

Ange Postecoglou has said that even though Tottenham are languishing in 13th place in the Premier League table, one stat shows that they are not as far away from the top sides as the standings might suggest.

Despite having won their last three league games, Spurs remain mired in midtable mediocrity, currently languishing in 13th place in the Premier League table.

However, things may not be as bleak as they seem as a win over Manchester City at home this evening would leave Ange Postecoglou‘s side only eight points behind the reigning Premier League champions. That is certainly not an insurmountable gap for Tottenham, given the amount of football that is still left to play.

Ange Postecoglou makes claim about Spurs goal difference

Interestingly, even though City are eight places ahead of Tottenham in the Premier League table going into this afternoon’s fixture, both sides have the same goal difference of plus 15.

In fact, Tottenham’s goal difference is better than that of Nottingham Forest, who sit in third place, and just one worse than Chelsea in fourth place.

Ange Postecoglou insists that the goal difference and goals scored are often good indicators of a team’s potential, insisting that it shows that Spurs do not belong in the part of the table they find themselves in.

When it was put to the Tottenham boss that it is bizarre to see City and Spurs with the same goal difference, he told Football.London: “It is. I had it once before, with Yokohama in my third year. We finished ninth and were the second-highest goalscorers in the league. On the one hand, it gives you encouragement, because you go, ‘OK, there is something there’. But the other bit is the frustrating bit.

“Because you think we’re probably six or seven points off being in a really decent position. You kick yourself thinking about some of the games we’ve dropped. That’s where the anomaly lies. I think the underlying statistics show we should be higher up, but we’re not.

“That’s the reality of it. It’s because in some games we’ve shot ourselves in the foot in terms of moments where we’ve let games get away from us, balances against the extreme situation we’re in in terms of injuries. But I always see those things as more encouraging than not.

“When you’re going through a tough spot and you’re not in a place you want to be, you’re looking for signs. Is there anything there that shows we’re on the right track? I’ve always felt goal difference is a good indicator. Goals scored is a good indicator. Usually, the teams who score the most goals are in a decent position on the ladder because it’s the hardest thing to do.

“The underlying stuff is there but it’s been masked by the fact that we’re two or three games away from being where we should be. When I think about some of the games we’ve dropped, that’s a little bit self-inflicted.”

What Tottenham’s goal difference actually tells us

Tottenham’s goal difference shows that when they have won games, they have tended to win heavily this season, and when they have lost, they have done so narrowly.

Another factor to consider is that this has been the most closely contested Premier League season for a long time, which means that 13th place is not as bad as it looks on paper.

If Tottenham win today and narrow the gap with the likes of City and Newcastle to eight points, the Lilywhites will have a realistic shot of securing a top-six finish.

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