Spurs were the masters of the defensive art.
So often the key to defence is the midfield protection in front of the defenders, but for Spurs it has become apparent that their key was their central defensive pairing. The loss of Toby Alderweireld has seen Mauricio Pochettino’s side lose the solid defence that made them such a challenging side to defeat. His injury has forced their unheralded midfield star of 2015/16, Eric Dier, into the heart of defence, which has been to the detriment of the team.
[ffc_insert title=”FM17 Project” image_ link=”https://www.footballfancast.com/championship/aston-villa/villans-to-heroes-the-fm17-aston-villa-project-episode-two” link_text=”Episode Two” ]
Kevin Wimmer and Dier were all at sea against Monaco, it could have been humiliating. In a do or die game, Spurs looked inept defensively, they looked a side incapable out of possession. Hugo Lloris was their hero on a number of occasions, as he has been throughout this Champions League group stage. Kieran Trippier was overrun at right-back without any significant protection in front of him, Danny Rose was rash and Spurs look like a team short of form – which they are.
Spurs’ current defensive fragility will be tested further this weekend. Another London derby is their next task and the league-leading, in-form Chelsea are the opponents. Antonio Conte’s side have notched six straight Premier League clean sheets, while attacking with the sort of verve that Spurs produced so frequently last season. Games do not get much tougher than this at the moment and it comes at a time when Tottenham’s season could quite easily be written off.
Coping with the absence of Alderweireld – or any enforced defensive changes for that matter – will define Spurs’ season. West Ham, despite falling to a crushing late defeat, exposed Tottenham’s defence last weekend and each team they face at the moment looks capable of scoring multiple times. From the early season defensive solidity that kicked off their unbeaten league campaign to date, this starkly contrasting defence is alarming. Pochettino saw his side picked apart by Monaco with worrying ease on Tuesday night, his task is now to find a way to restrict one of Europe’s most irresistible teams.
[ffc_insert title=”” image=”https://www.footballfancast.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/4871320.jpg?admin” image_ link=”https://www.footballfancast.com/la-liga/barcelona/human-all-too-human-barcelonas-worrying-moment” link_text=”Worrying times for Barcelona” ]
Chelsea, like Monaco, will operate with three forwards. Tottenham’s full-backs, who are responsible for providing width, cannot afford to leave the central defenders to deal with Eden Hazard, Pedro and Diego Costa. Given the availability of his defenders, Pochettino will surely look towards a change of formation this weekend with alarm bells freshly ringing from another haunting midweek Champions League match.
The benefits of Harry Kane’s return will be simply irrelevant if the defensive issues are not at least adjusted for. Tottenham’s identity at their best last season and at their most effective this season was their ability to limit the number of goal scoring opportunities for their opponents and remain calm in defence. Injuries have questioned their back line of late, but that is no excuse.
The solutions may not be simple, they may not be easy, but they are a necessity. Spurs’ recent performances have not warranted their results and they are at risk of another harrowing Stamford Bridge trip if they do not improve for this weekend.