A fine in-depth tactical analysis of Spurs - Southampton (by EPLIndex)

[skyfarer]

http://www.eplindex.com/31750/tottenham-1-southampton-0-indepth-tactical-analysis.html?

I was impressed by this detailed piece, in particular its exploration of Pochettino's thinking behind Southampton's purposeful 4-2-2-2 structure against us and their resemblance to Emirates Marketing Project's shape. Some points I've highlighted:

On Saints:

[Spurs'] front four were all ‘consumers’, the midfielders were ‘direct’ players (either in terms of passing – Huddlestone; or in terms of all-round actions – Dembele) with only the centre-backs capable to offer some sort of a ball-retention. It was hard to imagine how Villas-Boas’s players would offer sustained passing flow, geared up towards putting the opposition under sustained passing pressure as a form of main attacking approach.

Walker was the obvious candidate to exploit better the fact Shaw was sticking tight on Lennon also due to the fact Lallana often ventured infield and left him completely free initially. But even for that possibility Southampton seemed prepared. When Lallana was out of position to initially deal with Walker, there was always player who rushed to cover that zone. Often this was Rodriguez, as whenever Lallana cut infield to try and overload the right flank, Rodriguez tried to push forward from his deep starting position and sneak into the blind side over the left channel. But few times Davis used his energetic nature to quickly close down Walker with one of Rodriguez or Lallana, whomever was nearer, dropped in his position through the middle.

However, one of the key aspects of Southampton’s out of possession play was the roles executed by Lambert and Rodriguez – the split centre-forwards. With Pochettino’s aim to have his defensive line and midfield duo deeper to squeeze the space, it was more or less impossible for the team to press as fiercely and as high up the pitch as usual. Instead the centre-forwards were asked to position themselves between Spurs’ centre-backs and midfielders, cutting off the easy path of the ball between these players. With Southampton being compact and geared up towards flooding the midfield area it was that zone where the players pressed actively. Only sporadically one of Lambert but often Rodriguez gone on to close down the centre-backs and force them into rushed passes which often end up misplaced or out of play. It seemed for Southampton it was more important to cut the link between the centre-backs and the midfielders in order to slow down the play and further nullify Spurs’ threats, as without the ball they wouldn’t be in position provide any danger, than press the home team’s back four in order to limit the time they had on the ball.

It was due to that slowing down process Lallana and Clyne had enough time to drop back in position and form that tiered 4-2-2-2 formation without the ball which perfectly mirrored and occupied Spurs’ 4-2-3-1 (which was more like 4-2-4 with the front four staying higher up and Bale acting as a second forward, not third midfielder).

The forward duo was split vertically with Rodriguez playing off Lambert with the duo levelling only when Lambert dropped deeper when out of possession to help cut off the link between Spurs’ centre-backs and midfielders. When in possession the duo, as part of the overall front quartet, was much more fluid. Both players started in deeper, hence their ability to join up the build-up play and link the team through the middle. But once the play was transitioned higher up and near Spurs defensive third, the whole attacking unit started to roam all over the place, interchanging and having one simple aim – to exploit Spurs’ high defensive line.

A usual pattern of play was to see Lambert dropping deep and to the right, allowing Rodriguez to then sneak forward from deep. Meanwhile it was interesting to see Lallana, from his wide left position, moving across the whole pitch to end up towards the right channel. In that movement he very much resembled David Silva’s movement for the Emirates Marketing Project team. The similarities between the usual Emirates Marketing Project attacking pattern of play and what Southampton displayed here don’t end up here though. At City (especially when the team is playing with Milner on the right and the Tevez-Aguero duo in attack) Silva is moving across to the right flank to allow the initially deeper Tevez (see Rodriguez) to sneak in behind with Milner (see Do Prado) to start move infield from his deeper on the right flank position.

Southampton was clearly geared up to overload Spurs’ left flank in the same way Emirates Marketing Project are usually doing . . . Throughout the game there were several mini-situations similar to these two, with Southampton successfully retaining the ball, giving time for the players to overload the right side of the pitch before sending an off ball runner threatening to exploit Spurs’ high defensive line.

On Tottenham:

With Rodriguez and Lambert cutting off the link between the centre-backs and the midfielders, both Dembele and Huddlestone didn’t see much of the ball. As a result Spurs’ vital link that was expected to pick up the ball and feed the front quartet was largely missing. Statistically, Dembele (9) and Huddlestone (12) in combine (21) received the ball less than Assoue-Ekotto (27) or Walker (24) alone during the period a change in the overall setup of Spurs occurred (ie before Dembele to go off injured). What’s more is the majority of the passes the midfielders received were around the central line. This could be attributed to the high defensive line the team played with, but given how Southampton’s forward were effective in their ‘suffocating’ job it was to be expected one of the midfielders to offer increased roaming movement to try and present themselves as ‘open’ passing angles. . . .

The general route of the home team, given how well the midfielders were occupied and how poor they managed to deal with it, to bring the ball out was to feed the fullbacks. The problem was that it came on the back of dwelling on the ball from the centre-backs or only after a few passes exchanged between Vertonghen and Dawson. Logically, by the time the fullbacks got the ball Southampton’s wingers were already in their intended positions within the 4-2-2-2 shape and the Spurs’ midfielders and front players were largely occupied and denied any space. As a result even as receiving the ball most often than anyone else, Essou-Ekotto (received the ball 56 times) and Walker (received the ball 45 times) simply passed the ball sideways or backwards.

The other problem main problem wasn’t in relation to how well Southampton’s nullifying tactics were working. It was to do with the nature of the home team’s attacking players. The four of Dempsey, Bale, Lennon and Defoe are all players who are generally unwilling to join the build-up phase by going into sequences of passing combinations geared up towards moving the ball higher up the pitch smoothly with the team moving as a unit. All of them are players who are principally waiting the ball to reach them in order to run with it (Bale, Lennon) or as quickly as possible finish the whole team move (Dempsey, Defoe). With the team having so much difficulties bringing the ball out of the back four into a meaningful way it was to be expected the front players to start drop deep, coming towards the play and offer themselves as a passing angles. But neither of them did so and it was even harder for the home team to work around both the marking patterns and the solid positioning displayed by Southampton.

I'd encourage everyone to read the whole thing. What stands out is how well-prepared Southampton were in comparison to us - we couldn't even get the broad strokes right (a front quartet of 'consumers' - what I've called 'point men' - who average 20 passes per game will NEVER be a proper attacking platform) but the Saints executed the minor tactical details all over the pitch perfectly - with discipline in the correct places and fluid, expressive movement in others.

This is what I'm hoping we'll be seeing from AVB next season if/once he gets to create a more balanced, more intelligent (please GHod) squad this summer. I've heard him bring up the issues of ball circulation, over-loading, and 'surprise runs from deep' before in interviews - and this piece also gives credit to AVB's changes through the game - so I have no doubt he sees and thinks HARD about these things. We just need to claw our way through these next three cup finals and get to the point where we have the space to experiment and practice and drill these things into us.

 

[braineclipse]

This is what I'm hoping we'll be seeing from AVB next season if/once he gets to create a more balanced, more intelligent (please GHod) squad this summer. I've heard him bring up the issues of ball circulation, over-loading, and 'surprise runs from deep' before in interviews - and this piece also gives credit to AVB's changes through the game - so I have no doubt he sees and thinks HARD about these things. We just need to claw our way through these next three cup finals and get to the point where we have the space to experiment and practice and drill these things into us.

This is what I'm thinking too.

We haven't been in great form for some time now, we have been getting decent results, but our performances have been average.

I think a lot of things are playing their part, a long season with quite a few games, injuries to Sandro (and recently Dembele) for example and some players not delivering at the level we can expect. But I feel we've regressed tactically as the season has progressed as well, our pressing game looked much better earlier in the season for example. Seems to me that we need that summer break to regroup and get the squad a bit more balanced perhaps.

 

[Wriggly]

http://www.eplindex.com/31750/tottenham-1-southampton-0-indepth-tactical-analysis.html?

I was impressed by this detailed piece, in particular its exploration of Pochettino's thinking behind Southampton's purposeful 4-2-2-2 structure against us and their resemblance to Emirates Marketing Project's shape. Some points I've highlighted:

On Saints:









On Tottenham:






I'd encourage everyone to read the whole thing. What stands out is how well-prepared Southampton were in comparison to us - we couldn't even get the broad strokes right (a front quartet of 'consumers' - what I've called 'point men' - who average 20 passes per game will NEVER be a proper attacking platform) but the Saints executed the minor tactical details all over the pitch perfectly - with discipline in the correct places and fluid, expressive movement in others.

This is what I'm hoping we'll be seeing from AVB next season if/once he gets to create a more balanced, more intelligent (please GHod) squad this summer. I've heard him bring up the issues of ball circulation, over-loading, and 'surprise runs from deep' before in interviews - and this piece also gives credit to AVB's changes through the game - so I have no doubt he sees and thinks HARD about these things. We just need to claw our way through these next three cup finals and get to the point where we have the space to experiment and practice and drill these things into us.

What was the score ?

 

[Spursalot]

What was the score ?

Which is a valid point. I guess the idea is that if we're performing that 'badly' against Southampton we're going to get found out sooner or later..


But will we? If we've been performing like this all season, and we're currently fifth with a shout at fourth does that mean we're really performing that badly? In fact it means we've performed pretty consistently over the season.


You could point out that we have been shown up in some games, and you would be right. However we played much more attractive looking football in previous seasons under Redknapp and we were still found out about as much as we have been this season. I think that is the difference though.


I think it's the attractive vs effective discussion. We looked more attractive last season, however we have been just as effective this season in my mind. The difference being other sides (Chelsea) have removed their heads from their arses and are actually performing more to their potential ability.

 

[NorwegianSpursFan]

I certainly think we're much harder to beat this season. The one thing I really miss from the last coupple of seasons though is that under Redknapp we always came flying out of the gates. We rarely command a game the same way now days, but I guess that is down to not having Modric and Vdv's ball retention skills.

 

[elltrev]

What was the score ?

Great contribution...

 

[Spursalot]

I certainly think we're much harder to beat this season. The one thing I really miss from the last coupple of seasons though is that under Redknapp we always came flying out of the gates. We rarely command a game the same way now days, but I guess that is down to not having Modric and Vdv's ball retention skills.

A valid point. If we do not have the players who would command a game in this way, should we even try to?


It would be better to play to our strengths.

 

[elltrev]

Which is a valid point. I guess the idea is that if we're performing that 'badly' against Southampton we're going to get found out sooner or later..


But will we? If we've been performing like this all season, and we're currently fifth with a shout at fourth does that mean we're really performing that badly? In fact it means we've performed pretty consistently over the season.


You could point out that we have been shown up in some games, and you would be right. However we played much more attractive looking football in previous seasons under Redknapp and we were still found out about as much as we have been this season. I think that is the difference though.


I think it's the attractive vs effective discussion. We looked more attractive last season, however we have been just as effective this season in my mind. The difference being other sides (Chelsea) have removed their heads from their arses and are actually performing more to their potential ability.

We have been effective largely because of Bale's world-class one-man-team moments, like yesterday. Apart from Bale's goal we created one chance in open play from what I can remember (Dempsey's shot after Ade's flick), not including Defoe's shot into the side-netting after a couple of dodgy Southampton deflections.

 

[mudshark]

Well, we keep relying on knight-in-under-armour, Bale to save the day, but on his relative off-days, we end up losing to Fulham, or only manage to fluke a draw with Wigan. I think the point about our lack of intelligent movement throughout the side is a good one, and one that needs to be addressed, because it's what lies at the root of a lot of the unforced errors we make. Errors that often lead to our conceding (eg Walker at Anfield).

 

[Spursalot]

We have been effective largely because of Bale's world-class one-man-team moments, like yesterday. Apart from Bale's goal we created one chance in open play from what I can remember (Dempsey's shot after Ade's flick), not including Defoe's shot into the side-netting after a couple of dodgy Southampton deflections.

I don't understand your point. We have been effective because one of our players is good?


That sounds more of a positive thing than a negative one. We have a world class player and we are making use of him. That's not a bad thing in my mind.

 

[elltrev]

I don't understand your point. We have been effective because one of our players is good?


That sounds more of a positive thing than a negative one. We have a world class player and we are making use of him. That's not a bad thing in my mind.

My point is that Bale's consistent world-class solo goals have masked consistently poor team performances. Of course it's great that we have such an amazing player, but it's not a positive thing that this season has been full of poor team performances.

 

[Spursalot]

My point is that Bale's consistent world-class solo goals have masked consistently poor team performances. Of course it's great that we have such an amazing player, but it's not a positive thing that this season has been full of poor team performances.

And? Messi masks Barcelona's poor performances, Mata has this season masked quite a few of Chelsea's poor performances, RVP masked a very poorly playing United side at the start of the season, winning them a number of games on his own.


World class players can create those moments of magic. I'm not going to hold that against them. They are the difference between average sides and top sides.


Our performances clearly have not been that bad. How else would we be in the position we are in? And don't sit there and say 'Bale', he was poor for the first half of the season, the team was the reason we won a decent number of points.

 

[elltrev]

And? Messi masks Barcelona's poor performances, Mata has this season masked quite a few of Chelsea's poor performances, RVP masked a very poorly playing United side at the start of the season, winning them a number of games on his own.


World class players can create those moments of magic. I'm not going to hold that against them. They are the difference between average sides and top sides.


Our performances clearly have not been that bad. How else would we be in the position we are in? And don't sit there and say 'Bale', he was poor for the first half of the season, the team was the reason we won a decent number of points.

Personally I think we rely on Bale more than those other teams rely on those players. And so many of his goals this season have been solo wonder goals, which require virtually no input from any of the players around him.

My main point is that I disagree with this issue of attractiveness vs effectiveness that you brought up. IMO we haven't transitioned to playing less attractive but more effective football - we're just playing less well as a team, which has been balanced out by Bale being on fire. That's great that Bale's played so well and won us so many points with so many great solo goals, but IMO that doesn't mask the fact that a lot of our team performances have been quite poor. Saturday was a perfect example, and that's what this thread (and Wriggly's original comment) was about.

(Anyway, at the beginning of the season our form and points totals weren't very good - until Bale's hat-trick against Villa (to take that point as a proxy for the beginning of Bale's good form), we were on course for around 55-65 points for the most part.)

 

[Spursalot]

Personally I think we rely on Bale more than those other teams rely on those players. And so many of his goals this season have been solo wonder goals, which require virtually no input from any of the players around him.

My main point is that I disagree with this issue of attractiveness vs effectiveness that you brought up. IMO we haven't transitioned to playing less attractive but more effective football - we're just playing less well as a team, which has been balanced out by Bale being on fire. That's great that Bale's played so well and won us so many points with so many great solo goals, but IMO that doesn't mask the fact that a lot of our team performances have been quite poor. Saturday was a perfect example, and that's what this thread (and Wriggly's original comment) was about.

(Anyway, at the beginning of the season our form and points totals weren't very good - until Bale's hat-trick against Villa (to take that point as a proxy for the beginning of Bale's good form), we were on course for around 55-65 points for the most part.)

I would disagree with that. It was a stand alone performance. Bale didn't start his one man wrecking mission until February.


I don't think we'll get anywhere though, i think we're clearly playing a far more solid, rigid formation based on effectiveness, and not the fluid attractive football Redknapp had us playing.

 

[billyiddo]

I would disagree with that. It was a stand alone performance. Bale didn't start his one man wrecking mission until February.


I don't think we'll get anywhere though, i think we're clearly playing a far more solid, rigid formation based on effectiveness, and not the fluid attractive football Redknapp had us playing.

we definitely are doing that at the moment, i agree - i think it's more out of what is available to us than an indication of the direction AVB wants us to move in.

in VdV and Modric we lost the two most accomplished passers in our team and the heartbeat of our quick incisive counter attacking football under Redknapp last season - we haven't really replaced their passing capabilities (or creative intelligence) so our attacking style was always likely to suffer. i think come the summer we'll be looking to add some of what they provided for us and we'll see our attacking play improve whilst keeping some of the strength we have shown at times this season

 

[Spursalot]

we definitely are doing that at the moment, i agree - i think it's more out of what is available to us than an indication of the direction AVB wants us to move in.

in VdV and Modric we lost the two most accomplished passers in our team and the heartbeat of our quick incisive counter attacking football under Redknapp last season - we haven't really replaced their passing capabilities (or creative intelligence) so our attacking style was always likely to suffer. i think come the summer we'll be looking to add some of what they provided for us and we'll see our attacking play improve whilst keeping some of the strength we have shown at times this season

I agree. Just people want to see us playing that nice attractive football, but if we don't have the players for it and we did try to play it we'd get slaughtered on the field. Whereas currently we are just being 'slaughtered' by the fans.

 

[elltrev]

I agree. Just people want to see us playing that nice attractive football, but if we don't have the players for it and we did try to play it we'd get slaughtered on the field. Whereas currently we are just being 'slaughtered' by the fans.

Don't think we're being "slaughtered" by the fans... at least speaking for myself I'm not slaughtering the team. This is just a discussion on how well the team is playing as a whole, and specifically how well the team played on Saturday. I agree that without Modric and Van Der Vaart it was inevitable that our passing game would suffer.

And, on second look, you're right that the Norwich game would be a better point for Bale's start of wonder-form, and at that point we were already on a good run of form that had us on course for around 70 points. So I guess our team performances to that point were better than I am remembering / giving them credit for.

 

[Jordinho]

I agree. Just people want to see us playing that nice attractive football, but if we don't have the players for it and we did try to play it we'd get slaughtered on the field. Whereas currently we are just being 'slaughtered' by the fans.

More of a general observation from me, but are any teams consistently putting in good, entertaining performances?

United and especially City are very machine like, depending on their strikers/creative players to conjure up something. All teams are favouring solidity and hard work over flair and all out attack. Swansea, Arsenal and Liverpool are teams that will always try to play a passing game, but they've all varied greatly in the quality of their performances. Managers/coaches will always be judged on results first and it would be foolish of them to prioritize entertainment over doing what's necessary to win, at least unless they've got a squad like City or Chelsea.

 

[elltrev]

More of a general observation from me, but are any teams consistently putting in good, entertaining performances?

United and especially City are very machine like, depending on their strikers/creative players to conjure up something. All teams are favouring solidity and hard work over flair and all out attack. Swansea, Arsenal and Liverpool are teams that will always try to play a passing game, but they've all varied greatly in the quality of their performances. Managers/coaches will always be judged on results first and it would be foolish of them to prioritize entertainment over doing what's necessary to win, at least unless they've got a squad like City or Chelsea.

I guess I don't necessarily see these things as mutually exclusive. Against Southampton, for example, I think replacing one of our four 'forwards' in the starting lineup with Holtby (i.e. someone who plays deeper and offers himself for shorter passes) would have resulted in a better performance in possession, without making us any less solid defensively.

 

[Spursalot]

I guess I don't necessarily see these things as mutually exclusive. Against Southampton, for example, I think replacing one of our four 'forwards' in the starting lineup with Holtby (i.e. someone who plays deeper and offers himself for shorter passes) would have resulted in a better performance in possession, without making us any less solid defensively.

So you want us to stick a CM in a more advanced role? A bit square peg round hole to me.


The place that would make the difference would be the AM role. That is the position that drives the creativity, the one that connects the whole thing together.


Now we have Bale there. He is a superb footballer. However what he is not is a creative magician. He is a more direct player in my mind, he's not going to be the player to string the play together, he'll pick the ball up and drive at the opposition looking for a chance to cut across athe box and get a shot off. Move him out to the right, where he will keep his ability to cut in a shoot with his left, and place a more creative passing focused CM in and i think you would see an improvement in the 'attractiveness' of our overall play almost instantly.