AVB - 'Wake Up Call'

Copied over my current blog. Hopefully when Jalob gets up and running I'll write more. Thoughts on yesterday:

The great German physicist Albert Einstein is widely credited with the saying ‘the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results’. Putting aside the debate over the source of this quote and the unlikely nature that this quote was intended for Andre Villas-Boas’ tactics, it feels rather apt in the face of Sunday’s result against West Ham.

The defeat itself is not hard to explain. An inability to defend set pieces and two goals on the break are prerequisites for a Tottenham home defeat to a side struggling at the bottom of the division. The insanity lies in Boas’ stubborn tactical set up, which again failed to break down a leaky opposition defence at home.

Certainly there are merits to his 4-2-3-1 formation, which has played a key role is making a Spurs side difficult to beat away from home, with a strong central midfield banishing historical issues of Spurs having a soft underbelly. The inverted wingers, have added additional defensive solidity on the road by creating a narrow midfield allowing Spurs to put pressure on the home side and continually turnover possession.

The Andre Villas-Boas Tottenham are certainly hard to beat, but are far easier to frustrate than in recent seasons, particular in home matches. Highlight by the previous six Premier League home games warranting a meagre seven goals, with only Norwich shipping more than one goal. The lack of home goals is therefore not a new concern, with mid-table and bottom half sides sitting deep and narrow intent on soaking up Spurs pressure. In these circumstances Boas’ supposed flexible and dynamic tactics appear rigid and predictable in attack at White Hart Lane, with the inverted wingers stifling creativity.

The premise that both wingers attempt to cut inside onto their stronger foot, appears sound in principle with the inference that both will provide a far greater goal threat than conventional wingers, an example of which would be Hulk under Villas-Boas at Porto. However, against West Ham on Sunday this approach drew Sigurdsson and Townsend centrally where the Hammers were strongest, with a packed defence and midfield.

Townsend, Spurs most dangerous player on the day, embodied this approach. Effective when out wide in the first half running at Rat and crossing, he provided a genuine outlet. With Spurs running out of ideas during the second half his effectively waned, noticeably cutting onto his left foot into traffic giving West Ham ample opportunity to regain possession.

Additionally, Tottenham’s narrow attacking approach was made significantly worse by the predominantly slow build, often drawing Sigurdsson inside in search of the ball. By comparison the quick build up play for his goals against both Norwich and Chelsea last weekend, came from high tempo attacks allowing Sigurdsson came from deep positions untracked to provide a genuine goal threat.

Tottenham’s slow approach rendered Sigurdsson ineffective and his influence centre of the pitch helped to completely negate the influence of Christian Eriksen. With both wide men and Defoe central, the most creative influence in the Spurs side generally had no options to work with in wide positions. In this sense the inverted wingers were not only ineffective themselves, but effectively were treading on Eriksen’s toes in an already crowded centre of the pitch.

A creative player can only create when he has options.

Unfortunately for Eriksen, his options existed almost solely within a central sphere with wide men central and support from the full back positions lacking. AVB’s full backs can be afforded a similar degree of sympathy as Eriksen, with Walker ill and Naughton exposed for what he is, a right full back posing as a left back.

As with any young player Walker needs to be be making consistent progression in his role. As it stands both his attacking and defensive attributes currently have question marks, with his final ball and decision making leaving a lot to be desired. Regarding Naughton, in a game where Spurs we already desperately short of width, having a right footed left back contributed further to the narrowness of Tottenham’s attacking play. It would appear an imperative focus for Andre Villas-Boas to understand the vital nature of having at least one natural left footed player, offering width to an already narrow side. (continued below)