Europa League final: Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou adapts 'Angeball' principles to keep trophy promise

As the final whistle went and Spurs players sprinted in all directions, unsure where to go or what to do, Ange Postecoglou kept his cool, embracing his staff, walking over to shake Ruben Amorim's hand, then quietly joining the celebrations.

He had seen it all coming, after all. "I always win things in my second year," he said after a 1-0 loss to Arsenal in September. It is a comment which has hung over him during a dire Premier League campaign but the Europa League always offered hope.

He was adamant Spurs could still do something special, even as the losses mounted to club-record-breaking levels domestically, and now they have. It was not pretty but what does that matter? A 17-year wait for silverware is over. A place in the Champions League is theirs.

It is a triumph built on pragmatism. Postecoglou's devotion to his way of playing bordered on the ridiculous earlier in his tenure. "It's just who we are, mate," he said after a 4-1 loss to Chelsea in which his side continued to hold a high line even with nine players.

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But Postecoglou adapted for their Europa League campaign, navigating the knockout stages with a dramatically different style. Less possession, more of an emphasis on physicality. It helped them past Eintracht Frankfurt and Bodo/Glimt. In the end, it helped them past Manchester United too.

At half-time in Bilbao, they had had just 37 per cent of the possession. By full-time, that number had dropped to 27 per cent. Brennan Johnson's goal was one of only three Spurs shots. Yet from the moment he scored it, they never looked like losing.

The goal only strengthened their resolve. Soon, every clearance, every tackle was being loudly cheered by their fans. A Guglielmo Vicario catch was roared as if it was a goal shortly before half-time and Spurs continued in the same vein in the second half.

Of course, Postecoglou's approach was partly down to circumstance on this occasion, with James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Lucas Bergvall, their three best players technically, all unavailable due to injury. But his pre-match comments were revealing.

"It's disappointing losing guys likes Madders, Lucas and Deki because they're very creative," he said ahead of kick-off. "But I think we'll need running power tonight."

This was never going to be a game for free-wheeling creativity. It was a battle to be won. Postecoglou picked his team accordingly, including Richarlison over Heung-Min Son on the left, and Pape Sarr with Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma in midfield.

Manchester United looked lightweight by comparison. Bruno Fernandes, outstanding on their run to the final, was shut out of the game. Amad Diallo shone in the first half but suffered the same fate in the second, with Destiny Udogie recovering his poise.

Postecoglou had talked up the importance of the collective over individuals before the game and clearly the message landed with his players, who had displayed a united front in their comments to the press before the game and did the same on the pitch.

Their togetherness could be seen in how Richarlison and Johnson tracked back. When Vicario spilled a cross early in the second half, it was striker Dominic Solanke who cleared the loose ball from his own six-yard box.

Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero worked together to dominate their battle with Rasmus Hojlund - if it even qualified as one, such was its one-sidedness. Udogie's second-half recovery, meanwhile, owed a lot to Richarlison, who was so tired he could barely walk when he was substituted, an epic shift behind him.

Johnson, whose scrappy goal summed up the contest, was similarly industrious on the other flank, where Mason Mount and later Alejandro Garnacho could not get into the game. Postecoglou even got the same defensive diligence out of Son, who picked up where Richarlison left off, effectively playing as a second left-back.

Postecoglou had chosen to rotate for the Premier League, in contrast to Amorim, who fielded something close to his strongest side in recent games, and the approach paid off. They went the distance. Manchester United barely got going.

Spurs were battling history as well as a Manchester United side with a strong record in finals. They had not even scored in their last three final appearances, never mind won them. But Postecoglou's players looked unincumbered by the past.

Instead, there was a steely focus on the task at hand. Spurs kept their shape and kept their heads, managing the game smartly as they broke up Manchester United's flow in the second half.

Clear chances were few and far between for Amorim's side, their 16 shots worth a meagre 0.85 expected goals as Spurs defended their box diligently, time and again pushing Manchester United into areas where they could not hurt them.

The final whistle prompted delirious celebrations from Tottenham's players and fans. But the outcome felt inevitable by that point. Maybe it was inevitable to Postecoglou all along.

Sky Sports to show 215 live PL games

From next season, Sky Sports' Premier League coverage will increase from 128 matches to at least 215 games exclusively live.

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