In the capricious climate of today's Premier League, pragmatism will only ever get you so far.
Jose Mourinho is learning that the hard way.
On Sunday, his Tottenham side suffered another setback in their title tilt as Wolves denied them all three points in the dying embers.
Mourinho's men had taken the ascendancy in the opening minute through Tanguy Ndombele but failed to build on their auspicious start, instead opting to sit back on their lead.
And it ended up costing them just as that defensive approach had done a few weeks earlier at Crystal Palace.