Ange Postecoglou dissects the tactical assassination of Liverpool’s heavy metal football. Discover why the former Spurs boss believes VAR destroyed the soul of Klopp’s gegenpressing.
For a decade, the Premier League marched to a relentless, high-octane beat. It was “heavy metal football” a tactical revolution led by Jurgen Klopp that transformed “chaos” into a world-class playmaker.
A pack-of-wolves mentality built this style. This mindset dragged Liverpool back to the summit of European and domestic football.
But according to Ange Postecoglou, the modern game has officially unplugged that orchestra. In a raw dissection of football today, the former Tottenham and Nottingham Forest manager suggests that the introduction of VAR—the very thing meant to save the game tactically assassinated the soul of Klopp’s gegenpressing.
Why the press is a “casualty” of technology
Postecoglou, who famously ended Tottenham’s 17-year trophy drought with Europa League glory last year, is no stranger to high-intensity football. However, speaking on the latest episode of The Overlap, he delivered a sobering verdict on why the “frenetic pace” he loved about the English game is disappearing.
“I didn’t vote for [VAR], I know that and I said publicly in a meeting,” Postecoglou admitted. “What it has done is change the game. I don’t think Jurgen [Klopp] would be able to play heavy metal football in today’s game.”
The issue, Postecoglou argues, is one of momentum. Klopp’s Dortmund and Liverpool sides thrived on creating a “feral” atmosphere where opponents weren’t given a second to breathe.
In 2026, that psychological suffocation is constantly interrupted. Furthermore, Postecoglou cited the example of a team wanting to take a quick throw-in to exploit a disorganised defence. They are interrupted only to be halted by a forensic VAR review.
The “sanitised” game
Upon closer inspection, the data supports the claim. Specifically, heavy metal football relied on referees allowing the game to flow and the occasional “marginal” foul going unpunished in the heat of a high press. Nowadays, forensic scrutiny has “sanitised” these moments.
- Disrupted rhythm: VAR reviews happen when the ball is dead, giving defending teams a “tactical reset” button they never used to have.
- Physicality laws: Players are now more protected by stricter interpretations of physicality, making the “wolf pack” approach riskier in terms of red cards.
- Energy drain: The “chaos” Klopp relied on can only be exploited when the game is running smoothly.
Even current Liverpool boss Arne Slot who is currently navigating a Champions League finish with a more “polished” and controlled machine recently admitted he prefers the raw nature of football without technology.
For example, he said, “In general, I enjoy watching football without VAR because if you then score you’re like, ‘It’s a goal,'” Slot remarked after Liverpool 3-0 win FA Cup victory over Brighton Hove Albion where Rio Ngumoha saw a goal wrongly ruled out for offside.
“I like VAR only for the clear and obvious things and I’m not meaning a red card yes or no for Marc Guehi on Mo Salah because I thought it was 100 to 0 but I’ve heard people saying they could live with that decision.
“So even that decision was not 100 to 0, 80 to 20 so let’s stay away from that and only go to offside yes or no, ball over the line yes or no and for the rest the referee referees the game. Slot said.
“That’s my opinion, but that’s not going to happen. That’s the way I would like the VAR to be. I think we’re now so used to VAR that I would prefer to have VAR during a game, to be honest.”
As the league moves further into the digital age, Postecoglou’s warning serves as a reminder. The technology designed for accuracy may have cost us the most exciting tactical identity in modern history.
