Tottenham - Goal Drought, Inverted Wingers, High Line And Tempo

Contrary to prevailing thought, and indeed his own words, Sachin Tendulkarai??i??s evocative adieu in Bombay last week was not a manifestation of his eternal gratitude towards his countless well-wishers, a paean to his adoring family, nor another instance of a patriot bearing his soul for the love of his motherland. It was a high stakes piece of performance art- a tribute to Tottenham Hotspurai??i??s season thus far, its very mirror image.

Unbeknownst to everyone but me, Sachin paaji deemed it necessary to say farewell to the game he has served so humbly, by adopting the idiosyncrasies of the team that sits seventh in the Premier League. In holistic terms, both entities can view what they have achieved [the former within the narrow context of his final innings; the latter within the broader context of eleven games] as a relative success. Like Sachin, Spurs have accomplished more than what many expected of them, particularly at so early a juncture. They have shown flashes of what once was routine: that Eriksen pass against Norwich, the first half against Chelsea and the collaboration that culminated in Roberto Soldadoai??i??s finish against a resurgent Aston Villa.

But an underlying fallibility, never too far from the surface, is what most encapsulates their ongoing campaign and, stripped of the inevitable hyperbole [well], this is what I would like to touch upon, showcasing a few areas of concern in particular.

The Goal Drought

The paucity of goals scored, a mere nine in eleven games, belies the reputational mystique of the club and it uncovers a disconnect both in tactical terms and in the personnel deployed. Soldado, a prized not to mention costly outlay, has not been utilised in the manner that induced veneration in Valencia. Rather than finding himself on the end of precise through balls and crossed deliveries from wide areas, he has often received the ball with his back to goal in non-threatening situations with little assistance of any real import.

Like a famished food critic, Soldado needs service of the right kind

Whenever the Spaniard has found himself in possession in the penalty area, the frustration has been palpable. Lumbering defenders have converged on him with the enthusiasm of groupies chasing a rockstar hell bent on a night of depravity. An exemplary practitioner of the thunderous volley and the six yard finish, Soldado thrives on a very specific type of service. Starve him of that and you turn what ought to be a significant asset into a liability the likes of which brought down the banking system. To countenance the relegation of Michael Fassbender to a mere extra, a redundant prop, is a dark matter indeed, and so it is with Soldado.

The Case against Total Inversion

Letai??i??s be clear, culpability for the lack of goals scored extends across the forward players. To my mind, the inversion of Spursai??i?? wingers, in its current incarnation, has hindered productivity and it is an experiment that ought to be summarily discarded.

Factoring in AVBai??i??s predilection for inversion, a compromise might be reached whereby the clubai??i??s wunderkind Erik Lamela is positioned on the right with Andros Townsend on the left. This has the dual advantage of bequeathing Lamela his most natural position without displacing Townsend, a player of promise, from the team.

Inverted wingers are a highly specialised breed and like complex algebra, not everyone has a natural aptitude for it. The attacking dimensions that reveal themselves to forwards playing on the ai???wrongai??? side are simply different to those open to their orthodox counterparts. A knight sees the chessboard, its domain, in different terms to a bishop.

Playing on the left would enable Townsend to maximise his pace and the efficacy of his crossing. When stationed on the right, the time it takes for him to cut inside and make a decisive choice often neutralises the dizzying effect his speed has on defenders. They are able to use his delay as means of re-organisation, a re-assembly of their defensive armoury.

A particularly emphatic indictment of the doctrine at Spurs, or perhaps its fixed use, is evidenced in Aaron Lennonai??i??s role on the left flank. Incapable of producing anything approaching real quality with his left foot coupled with the lack of a goal threat, Lennonai??i??s talents are rendered ineffectual. The sooner he is vying for a berth on his orthodox side, the better his team will be served. Selecting players in their favoured positions ought to engender greater fluency and balance.

The Forward Support Structure

Like an alcoholic in recovery, Soldado needs support. A greater presence in the box from any of Paulinho, Eriksen, Holtby, Sigurdsson, Townsend and Lamela would help the cause immeasurably. Aside from the obvious goal threat and the potential to interplay with the striker, a greater density in prime attacking areas would draw attention away from the man commissioned to carry out the bulk of the scoring.

Running away from a colleague as a means of creating space can be as beneficial [if not more so] as assisting them at close quarters. This kind of nuance and instinctive but cerebral thought has largely been absent this term, though the introduction of a number of new players is an important accommodation.

The work ethic amongst the group appears admirable and the hours spent ironing out kinks on the training ground ought to bear fruit in time. In the interim, a willingness to interact intelligently with Soldado would go some way to assuaging concerns.

The High Line and Tempo

I have written about the high line at some depth in earlier pieces so excuse me my brevity here. This dogma, allied with a high, unrelenting press, has a number of virtues, namely: it restricts space for the opposition; it restricts their time on the ball which catalyses mistakes; it forces opponents backwards leading to greater territorial dominance; and it generally leaves the team adopting it with greater possession.

One of these virtues can also be a weakness; particularly irritating as it is self inflicted. Restricting space for the opposition also diminishes the space available to the side seeking to impose the restriction. To a team getting to grips with a new playing style, such as this Tottenham side, the curtailment of space can blunt its bite. It comes as no coincidence that Spurs look more fluid and threatening on their travels, when teams often play with a more progressive mindset, and by attacking them, leave room for Spurs to run into.

At White Hart Lane, such space is often a luxury Spurs have been unable to afford on account of their own policy making. Dropping the high line by a matter of yards might afford greater freedom to their forwards and, to borrow a Mourinho-ism, entice the parked bus out from whence it came. In a game of such fine margins, the extra yard or two might make all the difference.

The absence of tempo and a general laissez-faire laxity where turnovers/transitions are concerned is another area that requires attention. The adversary is most vulnerable in the moments after they have lost the ball. Momentum is lost, their collective shape may be fragmented and their individual components might wander absent without official leave. In such circumstances, moving the ball at pace and with intent can be the difference between a goal and a laboured attempt at goal. Spurs have proved adept at the latter when it is the former that will unlock their aspirations.

Conclusions

Though reservations range from the pragmatic to the aesthetic, Tottenham have reason to hold themselves with chins aloft. The speed of their advancement may be polarising opinion but advancement of any kind at a time when acquaintances are being forged is a very welcome thing indeed.

The defence, a few aberrations exempted, has functioned with a solidity hitherto unknown in these parts. Once the attacking players find their range, and are permitted to do so, an ascent towards the summit is inevitable. The upcoming games against the Manchester clubs will shine a light into the clubai??i??s collective fortitude and we will be a step closer to forming a definitive opinion on where matters lie.

Tottenham Talking Points – Goal Drought, Inverted Wingers, High Line And Tempo

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