File Name: More Open than Jenny Thompson's Legs
Location: White Hart Lane
Date: April 9th
Opposition: Norwich
"Top of the evening to you, G-Doc back with another insight into Tottenham tactics. Bad times down at the Lane, and let's get to the first talking point. The captain, man of the moment, that oh-so-reliable centre back who defies injury to put in performance after performance slipped up badly over Easter, but enough about me, what about my old team mate Ledley King? The King, he is no more it seems.
In isolation it would seem my old mentee struggled, but if we delve deeper into matters on the pitch you'll find more than miles of tattoos and the smell of deep heat. Tottenham's problems, like most issues teams have, stem from the performance (or lack) of the midfield. Ready to go deeper still? Good, here we go....
Like an Ikea wardrobe built by a teenager, Tottenham's midfield did not hold together. The 4-4-2 - that formation closest to Harry's heart - has turned into an adulterous harlot, enticing the manager with its form and shape and simple beauty, only to turn out to be fucked by eleven men from Norfolk. There is nothing wrong with a 4-4-2 in principal as long as everyone works together. Partnerships can be forged between winger and full back, between the two strikers, central midfielders, centre backs etc, zonal marking makes up for the overloading of numbers in key areas, and attacking plans can be effected simply.
However, these partnerships have to work in defence as well as in attack. The centre forwards have to protect the central midfielders, who have to protect the centre backs; full backs should overlap or support wingers when going forward, and wingers should help the full back double up on the opposition's wide men. This did not happen.
Too many first balls were lost, but more critically too many second balls were lost. Norwich played a similar 4-4-2 which, judging by Harry's comments after the game (about his team's openness), the Spurs manager did not realise. Losing the second ball duel indicates a lack of determination and also a lack of team work, with team mates too far away from each other, allowing the opposition to close tightly on the ball and outnumber the Spurs men.
The midfield hardly covered themselves in glory. Gareth Bale had one of those games were he thought the world owed him a living, and if he played in League One he would have got a Gazza-boot up his arse I tell you! Tracking back seemed beneath him, and he managed to float in a tear in the space-time continuum most of the time. Rather than put his nose in where others put their feet, the Welsh Wizard was another guilty party, waiting for the ball to be won by others and then laid off to him. In the 4-3-3 of recent times that is more acceptable, in a 4-4-2 the wingers have to put in a shift. I really feel for Assou-Ekotto because he has too many 1-on-1s to deal with.
On the opposite flank Aaron Lennon was less culpable, but had one of those games were he was too wide. I don't mind stretching the pitch but when the ball is going down the opposite flank and an attack is being mounted you need to get involved. As a world class defender I can tell you there is nothing better than having a speedy winger stick to the opposite touchline.
When the attack broke down he was too far away to get back, and uninterested in helping out the central midfielders. Again, in a 4-3-3 that is okay, not in this system. In both cases the wingers should have been instructed to get narrow when the team is defending.
In the centre, Jake Livermore had a good game but he is not yet ready to be Parker's replacement, and it was strange to see Sandro sitting on the bench. I can only assume he was rested. Livermore failed to press Elliot Bennett for Norwich's second goal, but rather than blame the young man I would ask what would have happened if he was constantly dragged out of the middle? A hole you big enough to fit every tractor this side of Ipswich in, that's what.
Even with Parker in the middle, Spurs can be woefully open, and this was exacebated on Monday by the abysmal performance of Luka Modric. Outmuscled, outfought, outworked, the Croatian did little to help Livermore or the defence stem the flow of Green coming at them. Often he was caught jogging back ten to fifteen yards behind the play, and his lax attitude was symptomatic of too many Spurs players.
Changes at half time and 70 minutes improved Tottenham slightly, but the team could not defend and were lucky to only concede two. Redknapp bemoaned the openness of his time but any fool, even David Pleat, could have told you that such a loose team with no clear direction would struggle against an opposition who put up even half a fight. Tottenham's recent results have not matched their performances, and this game was int he same vain, except this time Spurs should have lost by more than one goal.
The manager has to take much of the blame but not for one moment should the players think they have avoided the heat. Redknapp should know better than most that formations and tactics are not the same thing, and while he might point out to the goalless draw at Stamford Bridge or the 3-1 win against Swansea, fact is the other results in the last month prove that it isn't the formation that's the problem, it's team shape, roles given to individual players, and most troubling of all the basic lack of effort put in by too many players.
Spurs face Chelsea on sunday and I would not be surprised if my old team go out there and do the business. A derby match, at Wembley, with the chance to get to a final? You bet the players will be up for that, which only goes to add to the insult of Monday's performance. You can have as easy run in as you like but if you don't match the effort of the opposition, you will not get anywhere.
I expect Redknapp to adopt the tactics he employed at the Bridge, and with good reason, but the top teams have more than just a Plan A. As I said before, when Redknapp puts some preparation in the natural skill of his team does the rest, but when he scribbles down a line up ten minutes before kick off his team will get exposed. People know they are vulnerable, fortunately they face a Chelsea team on sunday who have problems of their own.
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